Harry Potter and the Simulacrum Seal

Chapter Twenty-Two: Boudica's Curse

After the days-long struggle to reach Durmstrang, Harry was so used to being frigid despite his thick coat and layers of clothes - not to mention the dopey hat with flaps covering his ears - that he'd forgotten what it was like to feel his fingers and toes. Ron sneezed repeatedly behind him as they struggled through the final leg of their trek, and Hermione and Krum led the way ahead, pressing forward against the harsh, howling winds.

'Only another hour!' Krum shouted back.

Harry could barely hear him; he knew Ron couldn't so he shouted Krum's message backward to him. 'Only one hour!'

Ron didn't reply, nor did Harry expect him to; they had no energy to expend on unnecessary communication.

The hour passed by, and they arrived at a stubby bump in the snow. Krum and Hermione stopped; Harry and Ron caught up to them.

'Why've we stopped?' Ron demanded. His lips were blue, and his voice came out as a throaty whisper.

'We haff arrived,' announced Krum. He pawed at the side of the building like a bulky polar bear swiping at a fish; once enough snow had been removed, Harry could see that it was a structure, not a snowdrift.

Krum tapped his wand on the side of the building, and an old door rumbled into existence. They pried it free and tumbled inside. For several minutes they didn't move, too exhausted and relieved to be indoors.

But they were forced to move by the feeling of being trapped in an oven; it was far warmer inside, and Harry was sweating in his winter clothes. Once his nose started to thaw, he asked, 'Is this it?'

'Yes,' Krum checked his watch. 'The students are in class. Ve should see the Headmaster.'

They reached a wide stone staircase stretching several floors underground. Three floors down there was a single door at the bottom with a large metal knocker.

Krum felled the knocker upon the door three times and then took a step back.

The door opened, and at first Harry thought that no one was there. Then he looked down and saw an extremely short, rotund fellow waddling a few steps out of the office in plain black school robes. If it weren't for his harsh, weathered face, Harry would have thought he was a child.

He looked up at them, squinting meanly through his thin glasses. When he saw Harry's scar, his thick eyebrows twitched.

'Humph,' he grumbled, turning away from them and walking slowly back to his office. 'Enter.'

They all did so. The office was nowhere near the size of Dumbledore's; the four of them had to squeeze to fit inside it. The tiny man squeezed around his desk and sat in a chair topped with pillows.

'You here why?' he asked in a high, nasal voice.

Krum launched into a different language Harry couldn't understand. The man, who appeared to be Durmstrang's new Headmaster, nodded incrementally throughout Krum's speech; then he turned to Harry.

'I is Headmaster Lukmuk,' he said slowly. 'You is Harry Potter?'

'Er, yes,' Harry answered.

Headmaster Lukmuk turned back to Krum, and they spoke further. Then he turned back to Harry.

'You stay veek,' he told them sternly. 'Then you go.'

Harry was hoping he wouldn't even have to stay as long as that - but on the other hand, he dreaded having to go outside again. 'Thank you.'

'You vill haff rooms,' said Krum. His expression had become more dour than usual during his conversation with the Headmaster, Harry realized. 'I vill take you to them.'

The room Harry was to share with Ron had two bunk beds. The two bottom ones looked occupied - he supposed Durmstrang must be strapped for space since so many extra students from Hogwarts were there. Harry and Ron had brought little more than the clothes on their backs; Hermione was the only one who had thought to pack a toothbrush.

'Let's look around,' said Harry to Ron. He was curious about Durmstrang; it was very different from Hogwarts or Beauxbatons...

Ron pouted grumpily. 'I'd rather wait for Hermione. I'm not leaving her alone with him.'

Harry turned his back and rolled his eyes. He'd put up with Ron's jealousy for the entire week, and it was grating on his temper. 'Fine, I'll go myself.'

'You can't do that!' Ron protested in panic. 'Dark wizards, remember? You Harry Potter, them evil?'

'You sound like the Headmaster,' Harry sniped. When he thought about it, he decided that being on his own for a while would be a relief. 'I'll be fine. I can handle myself. You wait here for Hermione.'

Before Ron could change his mind, Harry walked out.

There was absolutely no one in the halls. Durmstrang was much smaller than Hogwarts, and it only took Harry about half an hour to explore it all. Only a few paintings lined the walls, and Harry couldn't understand a single word any of them said. The halls were lit by dim torches; it was a gloomy place.

They could at least add some magical windows like those at the Ministry, Harry thought; with no windows, Durmstrang felt enclosed and dingy.

A deep, slow ring pierced the silence, and at once each door in the halls opened outward. Students walked out of the classrooms in orderly lines; their feet clomped against the stone floor, and not a word escaped their lips.

Harry found himself being forced to move downstream, trying to avoid making eye contact. Still, he couldn't help but notice that the looks he received were composed less of the curiosity and disdain from Beauxbatons and more of suspicion - perhaps even hatred.

He wondered where everyone was going, but it wasn't long until he found himself in the lunchroom. Harry checked his watch and realized that it was lunchtime.

Deciding to stick around to see if Luna showed up, Harry got into line with the others to get a meal. His stomach chose that moment to rumble in agreement. But as he sat down at one of the rickety wooden tables lining the walls, he stared at his food and decided that he didn't have the slightest idea what any of it was.

'Hello!' said a cheerful voice. Luna Lovegood slid into the seat across from him; she'd found Harry before he found her. 'It's very nice to see you - even better than getting a letter!'

Harry guiltily looked at his food, realizing that she'd probably hoped to hear from them before now. 'Ron and Hermione are here too.'

She dug enthusiastically into her food. 'It's very good,' she told him, sensing his reluctance. 'It isn't as boring as English food.'

Harry wouldn't have minded some "boring" food, but he tried to be a good sport and gamely swallowed a mouthful. It wasn't nearly as bad as he'd thought it would be, and after another mouthful, he decided that it was delicious.

Between scoops of food, Harry told her, 'We came to ask you about something we saw in your letters.'

Luna's face lit up with joy, and she stood up excitedly. 'That's wonderful! I'll get my climbing gear!'

The gears in Harry's brain froze for a moment, wondering how climbing gear had wiggled into the conversation. It seemed random even by Luna's standards. 'Why climbing gear?'

She frowned pensively and took her seat again. 'Didn't you come to see the Three-Snouted Grouyak? I'm sure it's hiding up in the mountains a few miles from here, but it's too far and too dangerous to go alone, and no one else seems interested for some reason.'

'Er, no,' said Harry, suppressing a shudder at the thought of climbing a mountain in such weather. 'I was hoping to ask about a symbol - a rune or something - you drew in a letter you wrote to Hermione. Do you remember?'

She hummed thoughtfully and gazed up at the ceiling. 'I remember trying to explain how many runes we weren't taught in school because they weren't considered appropriate at Hogwarts. The Ministry -'

'Right, exactly, and there was one you drew that we're interested in,' said Harry, stopping her from going on about the supposed Ministry conspiracy. 'We didn't have time to send a letter. It's very important.'

'I see,' said Luna softly. She sighed and looked very disappointed, and Harry couldn't help but feel sorry for her. 'I don't remember exactly which book it was from. I've been reading all sorts of fascinating things - there's a wonderful charm that drops an English translation right across the page -'

'Hi,' whispered Hermione, smiling as she took the chair next to Harry. Ron took the seat next to Luna.

'This place is awfully quiet, isn't it?' said Ron, his eyes darting back and forth suspiciously. 'It feels like I'm in a library.'

'Or an ambush,' muttered Hermione.

'I think it's wonderful,' Luna declared, eyeing Hermione, who clamped her mouth shut.

'I was just telling Luna about the rune. We should go to the library to look it up. Try the food, Ron,' he added, watching Ron wrinkle his nose at his plate. 'It's brilliant.'

Ron looked at it sceptically, but he vacuumed it up once he took a taste. Harry and Luna shared a knowing smile; things at Durmstrang were different, but they weren't as bad as they seemed.

***

'This library is incredible,' said Hermione breathlessly as she flipped through four archaic texts at once. 'I've never seen any of these books at Hogwarts.'

'They're banned,' Luna told her simply as she scanned a book on runes with a title Harry couldn't read.

Ron snorted as he lifted his palms from the pages of a thick tomb. 'Gee, I can't imagine why,' he said wryly. He held up his hands, and they were covered in what looked like small bites taken out of his flesh.

'Ron!' said Hermione in alarm. They were glared at for being loud, but Hermione paid no attention as she cast a spell to fix Ron's hands.

'You have to wear gloves with that one,' Luna whispered.

'And with that one too.' She pointed at one of the books in Hermione's stack. 'Page seventy-six causes boils.'

'Now she tells us,' muttered Ron as Luna passed around pairs of plastic gloves that she kept in her pockets.

They spent an hour looking through the books. Harry had to admit that they were interesting - but he also could understand why they weren't even available in the restricted section at Hogwarts.

A lot of the runes referred to unpleasant ancient spells that had no good use at all. Some ripped out intestines, some cut off tongues, and others could be used to bind Muggles into mindless slavery.

'I wish I'd seen this book earlier,' said Hermione wistfully. 'I could have translated the runes you-know-where.'

'I don't know where,' said Luna in confusion, but Harry knew what Hermione was referring to - the Horcrux trap in the sewers.

Then Harry flipped to the final chapter of his book. 'I've got it,' he announced. The others crowded around, and together they read the text:

Though many runes have Dark natures, none can surpass the evil represented by the one shown above. If your eyes have fallen upon it without any ill effects, you may be assured that none other can cause harm without the spell to cast alongside it. Learn of runes with respect and fear in your heart, for seeing one such as this is a sign of the Darkest magick of the soul: Boudica's Curse, known also as the Horcrux.

'Oh yes, I remember reading that,' said Luna offhandedly. 'I don't think I've read anything that explains what Boudica's Curse actually does, though.'

'It's too dark even by Durmstrang standards,' muttered Harry.

'What does Boudica have to do with it?' wondered Hermione aloud. Harry wasn't even sure who Boudica was.

'Yeah, I'm wondering that too,' said Ron, making Harry feel even more left behind.

'Wait, who is Boudica, anyway?' he asked.

'Don't you remember her from History of Magic?' asked Luna.

'Um...' he stalled, trying to recall her.

Hermione came to his rescue. 'Boudica was an ancient witch who lived in the first century. She placed a curse on the Romans that prevented them from ever settling their hold on British soil. That's all I know about her, though - I haven't the slightest idea what she has to do with Horcruxes.'

Dubiously, Harry said, 'Maybe we should try to find out more about her. It couldn't hurt, but on the other hand, I'm not sure how it could help.' Even if she had something to do with Horcruxes in general, it wouldn't help them find out more about Voldemort's. Harry was regretting their trip; it was turning out to be a waste of time.

'Why are Horcruxes important?' asked Luna.

'They're just something we're curious about,' Hermione answered vaguely.

Luna looked unhappy with her response, but she didn't press further. 'I have class,' she told them, picking up her bag. 'Good luck.'

Hermione got up as soon as Luna was gone. 'I'm going to find the History of Magic texts,' she whispered to them.

She brought back two armfuls of books - and then two more armfuls. They proceeded to scan the indexes for any mention of Boudica. But they all said the same thing about her accomplishments, and none referred to Horcruxes.

'Oh, this is interesting!' said Hermione, lips curved into a mischievous smile. 'It says here that Boudica was buried right under where platform ten at King's Cross station is now.'

'Really?' said Ron, sounding excited. 'Brilliant! We can go down there, look around -'

Hermione's soft laughter cut him off. 'What's so funny?' asked Ron.

'It's an old Muggle tale,' explained Hermione, shaking her head and continuing to smile. 'It's not true. I can't believe any respectable wizarding text would even mention such nonsense - but then these books aren't the apex of respectability.'

'Maybe the story is really true,' suggested Harry. He didn't understand why Hermione was dismissing it out of hand; it didn't sound that farfetched...

'Even if it was, we can't dig up platform ten to find out,' said Hermione, losing patience. 'It's a silly old legend.'

'So is Merlin to the Muggles,' Harry pointed out. Hermione shot him a dirty look and seemed to be searching for a retort, but she didn't find one.

With a new rush of interest, he threw himself into the books with fervour. One text he grabbed was the most yellowed, falling-apart book in the stack. After mechanically scanning every reference to Boudica in the index, he found what he was looking for.

'Here's something else,' he said ominously.

'Queen Boadicca of the Iceni, highest witch of the Circle, Supreme Warwitch of Britannia, was defeated by the numbers and tactics of the Romans, though they possessed no magick in their blood. Boadicca was driven by hatred to revenge herself by binding her soul to the land that bore her with a Curse too terrible to speak of.'

'Legend,' insisted Hermione dismissively. 'Think about it rationally: if that's true - if she made a Horcrux - she would still be around.'

'Unless the Horcrux was destroyed - or her mortal body was killed,' Harry considered.

'Er, this is all interesting, Harry, but what's it got to do with Voldemort?' asked Ron.

He wasn't ready to answer Ron's question yet; it was important enough for the symbol to be prominent in Voldemort's mind, but whether it would lead to a Horcrux was open to question.

'It goes on,' he told them.

'None without magick can cross the soil where her body lies. That's got to mean she's buried between platform ten and platform nine and three quarters - the barrier between the Muggle world and the magical one. Wait, they've got something else -'

'Harry,' Hermione said crossly, 'I really don't see the point -'

'Upon her defeat, she is rumoured to have addressed her remaining forces, urging all who would join her in defending her lands against those without magick to seek her out and join her in her Curse.'

Hermione frowned as she considered the implications. 'You mean she offered to show others how to make a Horcrux?'

'Slughorn never told Voldemort how to make a Horcrux,' said Harry, grinning. 'He had to find out from somewhere - and since we know he made his first Horcrux before he even left Hogwarts -'

'It was probably somewhere close,' Hermione interrupted. 'Of course - and obviously he must have passed through King's Cross to get to Hogwarts. He had ample opportunity to seek her out there.'

Harry was startled by a voice behind him. 'What are you doing here?'

He looked up at a sneering Blaise Zabini. 'Come to get a real education, have you, Potter?'

Harry rolled his eyes. He'd nearly forgotten that Durmstrang was swarming with Slytherins. 'Say, how's your pal Malfoy doing?' he asked with a cold smirk.

Zabini regarded him with disdain. 'Malfoy was never my "pal", and you know he's not here.'

'I'm surprised you're not with Malfoy,' remarked Ron, balling his fists. 'Don't all you Slytherins have somewhere else to be - licking You-Know-Who's boots?'

At the mention of Voldemort, Zabini's expression changed entirely. He pulled out a chair and sat down beside Harry, his expression grim. 'I can't stay long,' he told him in a low whisper, looking around the library at the people who were already watching him. 'Look angry - like I'm threatening you or something.'

'What -'

'Just do it!' Zabini snapped. Harry put on a grimace that wasn't entirely fake.

'Information gets around at Durmstrang - students have family who work for You-Know-Who, and Weasley is right that some Slytherins are sympathisers.'

'Yeah, so what?' Harry challenged. 'This isn't news to me.'

Visibly frustrated, or maybe acting for the benefit of onlookers, Zabini continued, 'You don't understand how dangerous it is here for non-supporters! Your friend Lovegood has to leave now that she's been seen with you! They already got her on her way out!'

'What?!' said Harry, not bothering to keep his voice down. The gazes of the spectators grew more intense, and Harry heard Hermione cast Mufflatio to prevent them from overhearing.

'She's fine,' insisted Zabini. 'They interrogated her, that's all - but she can't stay. You-Know-Who will be told that you're here - and what you're here for, if they got it out of Lovegood - as soon as the next falcon takes off.'

'I'm not scared of Voldemort,' Harry insisted.

Zabini shuddered. 'Maybe you're not, but if he knows you're abroad -'

'There will be more attacks,' finished Harry. 'Right. Thanks. I guess we should head back, then.'

'Don't be so cocky, Potter!' Zabini fumed, kicking over his chair as he stood. Harry was surprised, but then he realized it was part of the act.

'What was that about?' muttered Ron. 'I couldn't hear what he said.'

'He warned us,' Harry told him. 'We need to leave - now - and we've got to convince Luna to come along before she's killed.'

***

Draco felt like he was slinking, but he tried not to look like it. There was no reason why he couldn't be in the dungeon. For all anyone knew, he was bored and looking for someone to torture.

He walked past several makeshift cells. They weren't as roomy as those he'd seen in Azkaban, but at least the ground was probably softer than solid rock. He looked away as he passed by Aunt Bella; she was singing to herself weakly, and Draco strained to hear her despite himself. But it was gibberish...her mind was gone.

He saw George Weasley sitting slumped against the wall in the next cell over. Draco's nervousness hit new, nearly paralyzing levels, but he managed to reach out a shaking hand and tap his wand against the bars.

The door creaked loudly open, and he felt like everyone was watching him, though even Weasley didn't bother looking up.

He stepped in. Weasley finally raised his head. 'Moldyshorts told you blokes to shove off,' he rasped.

It took Draco a few moments to figure out who Weasley was referring to. 'I have questions,' he said, trying to sound intimidating.

Weasley smirked. 'I think your master tapped me out.'

'Why did Potter want the locket at the Smith's?' Draco asked. He didn't want to stay long. There was no telling when Voldemort would call Weasley back for another session, and if he found out...

'I don't know, and I wouldn't tell you if I did,' Weasley replied, 'so sod off.'

Draco hadn't expected him to be reasonable. Without another word, he utilized the small amount of Legilimency he had learned to look into Weasley's already weakened mind.

After a minute, he retracted. Weasley knew nothing Draco didn't know already. Draco had snuck into the back of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes to steal more Darkness Powder in his new Animagus form when he'd first heard of Potter's search for the locket - apparently Potter hadn't shared anything more.

'Damn,' he muttered.

'Told you so,' said Weasley with a short laugh.

Draco smiled coldly behind his mask. This wasn't a total loss. He could make sure that Weasley couldn't possibly tell Voldemort of Draco's own involvement in the locket incident.

'Obliviate!'

***

Luna stomped crossly across the threshold of Grimmauld Place. Even after days of travel, she was still angry with him; they had only convinced her to leave Durmstrang by saying that they were going out to the mountains to help her search for the Three-Something Whatever.

By the time she'd realized that they were heading in the wrong direction, it was too late to turn back. Even after explaining that Durmstrang wasn't safe for her anymore, Luna had been very angry about being tricked.

'There's bad news,' Bill announced as Harry walked through the door. 'Come down to the kitchen.'

They walked in during an Order meeting; Remus nodded hello. Fleur and Moody were deeply involved in staring at a map; groups of red dots were moving across it. Luna joined in on the meeting, tossing aside her anger as she listened to the latest news.

'The incarcerated Death Eaters were broken out of Azkaban less than a week ago,' Remus told them, clearly tired and worried. 'The last couple of days have been rife with attacks. We can't be everywhere at once, so we're trying to prioritize. We're mostly backing up the Ministry's hold on Hogsmeade - the Death Eaters and Dementors are getting bolder there.'

'Is there any way we can help?' Harry asked, eager to help out the Order - eager to do something important after days wasted travelling across Europe.

'Yes; Ron, Hermione, you two would be useful in Hogsmeade. Tonks is in command there.'

'What about me?' asked Harry.

'Stay here and help with tactics,' grunted Moody. 'You'll need the experience.'

Harry realized he was getting the run-around. 'I'd rather go to Hogsmeade,' he told them, angry that he was being coddled.

'You can't, Harry - you'll be arrested,' Hermione put in. Remus and Bill looked relieved that she'd been the one to say it.

'Oh - right.' That was becoming a serious issue, and Harry realized that he'd have to settle things with Scrimgeour sooner or later. 'But if I just put in an appearance -'

'We'll consider it if more Death Eaters move to Hogsmeade,' Remus offered.

'I'll go with them,' said Bill, shooting Harry a commiserating look.

'I'm going too,' said Luna, as if such a statement was no big deal.

Bill shook his head. 'You're still underage, aren't you?'

Luna smiled for the first time in days. 'No, my birthday was yesterday.'

'Really?' said Ron incredulously. 'Er, happy birthday.'

'It wasn't really,' Luna told him, looking at Harry pointedly. He looked away, abashed.

'In that case, we can use all the help we can get,' declared Remus with a conspiratorial smile at Luna, who beamed back. 'We'll have the official induction ceremony later - welcome to the Order, Miss Lovegood.'

'Thank you, Professor,' she replied.

'Remus,' he insisted. 'We're all equals here.'

'Remus,' Luna repeated with the slightly stunned look of someone who was being treated like an adult for the first time.

Harry wondered just how annoyed Ginny would be if she ever found out that Luna had been allowed to fight for the Order before she was...

***

The Death Eater activity abated within hours - hours during which Harry learned that making deployment decisions was no laughing matter. Remus was right; there were too many of the enemy and not enough of the Order to go around, and hard choices needed to be made.

Harry suspected that the rapid, very unexpected decline in hostilities was due to his return. For whatever reason, Voldemort didn't want to face him, and he didn't want any of his Death Eaters to face Harry either. He wasn't sure how Voldemort knew he'd returned; maybe he'd guessed the time it would take for him to get back from Durmstrang, or maybe someone had noticed Ron and Hermione and realized that Harry must have arrived in Britain with them.

He was relieved when his friends returned unharmed, though as they discussed the gritty battle with Neville and McLaggen, sharing glances of understanding about events Harry hadn't witnessed, he was more determined than ever not to be left out next time.

But there was something that took priority over working things out with Scrimgeour so he could show his face in the magical world again: the Horcruxes.

'If we're assuming Voldemort somehow found out about Horcruxes from Boudica, where would he have found her?' wondered Hermione.

'The best place to look is platform ten - or nine and three quarters,' answered Ron. 'That's where the legends say she's buried, right? It's the only address we've got for her.'

'So let's knock,' said Harry with a little smirk.

Disguised as Muggles, Harry, Ron, and Hermione Apparated near to King's Cross and approached the barrier between platform ten and platform nine and three quarters. 'So...let's say she's here,' argued Hermione, crossing her arms in annoyance. 'We still don't know how to get to her. We can't dig up the platform without attracting quite a lot of attention.'

'Voldemort didn't dig it up, did he?' said Harry, staring through the barrier.

Hermione tapped her chin and thought out loud, 'Boudica wants to be found by anyone who wants to make a Horcrux - or so we're assuming - so she would have made it easy. Voldemort would have been younger than we are if he really did find her, so it can't have required very advanced magic. There has to be some sort of gateway to where she's buried that's just sitting there, waiting for us to go through it.'

Ron shrugged and indicated the barrier. 'There's a gateway right there. But it leads to platform nine and three quarters.'

'I think you've hit on it, Ron,' said Harry slowly, considering. 'Maybe there's a way for the barrier to lead somewhere else.'

Hermione smiled a little. 'It's not a bad idea. There would have to be a spell that alters the gateway - or maybe it can read thoughts.'

'If it's a spell, we don't know it,' said Harry, frowning in worry. He wanted to find that Horcrux today - then all that would stand in the way of stopping Voldemort was Nagini, the missing locket, and Voldemort himself

'Let's try thoughts,' suggested Ron gamely. 'If that doesn't work, we'll hit the books.'

Harry and Ron looked at each other with dread as Hermione stared at the barrier; neither of them was keen on attempting to find some obscure book with some obscure spell.

'We'll need to make sure we're all thinking the same thing,' warned Hermione. 'Otherwise one or more of us will get left behind.'

'Right,' agreed Ron. 'What should we try first?'

'How about thinking "Horcruxes"?' answered Harry with dry humour.

'Should we think the word "Horcruxes", or should we think about Horcruxes in general?' asked Hermione anxiously.

Ron rolled his eyes. 'Don't be so picky.' The he squeezed his eyes shut and made a run for the barrier. Hermione, nervously gaping at his back, didn't move until Ron had already disappeared.

Hermione and Harry went through the barrier together. To Harry's chagrin, they found themselves on platform nine and three quarters. Ron was leaning against a beam as he waited for them.

Ron pointed out the obvious. 'Well, that didn't work, did it?'

Next they tried to think of Boudica herself - Harry thought of the picture he'd seen of her in the book, strong and proud as she held a sword in one hand and a wand in the other - but they only ended up back on platform ten.

'I'm starving,' said Ron, clutching his stomach. 'How about we try thinking of lunch?'

Hermione snorted. 'Seriously, though, how about the rune - the one that's supposed to symbolize Horcruxes.'

'Hey, yeah!' Harry agreed enthusiastically, wondering why they hadn't thought of that first.

Getting excited herself, Hermione added, 'You know, the mind often creates symbols of its own, and since the rune was on the wall in the mindscape, the wall could represent a barrier to which the rune is the key!'

Harry shrugged; he couldn't be bothered with the philosophy behind it. 'Let's just try it.'

Nothing. 'We're missing something,' Hermione decided. 'It isn't activated by thought alone.'

Harry agreed, and the three took a seat next to the empty platform. He tried to think of a good idea, but his mind wouldn't cooperate; he kept sneaking glances at Hermione, hoping to see her eyes light up with discovery.

'I'm stumped,' she said, sensing his attention. Harry sighed.

Hermione looked sad, as though she had let him down, and Harry was going to reassure her that she couldn't be expected to have every solution when she blurted out, 'We need to think about what Voldemort would have done. He figured this out somehow. What would trigger Boudica to wake up?'

'Muggles,' Ron stated baldly. 'She doesn't like them, remember? There was something in the books about her stopping Muggles from passing over her.'

Harry grinned at Ron; he felt sure that they were getting closer. 'Maybe if a Muggle tried to pass through the barrier to platform nine and three quarters...'

Hermione was grimly nodding her head. 'I think you might be right, but we can't get a Muggle to do that. Well, we could, but it wouldn't be morally right. It could be dangerous.'

Harry realized what she must mean. 'You mean the Muggle might be a sacrifice?'

'It's possible.'

They continued to ponder. 'There's a potion,' Hermione began slowly, her tone indicating that she didn't like what she was about to say. 'It dampens magical ability - it's hardly ever used anymore, but in the past it was an integral part of assassinations in the magical world. I've only read about it, but...'

'If we take it, do you think we could pass as Muggles?'

'I'm hoping so - but only one of us would take it.'

'How d'you figure?' asked Ron.

'Think about what Voldemort would have done. He wouldn't have minded a Muggle sacrifice - but I doubt he'd have dampened his own abilities. I bet that if one of us takes the potion, the others can pass through as well.'

Harry smiled in agreement. 'We'll need to find the recipe, though.'

'Diagon Alley's closed,' Ron protested. 'Where will we get the book?'

Hermione stood up and withdrew her wand. 'It probably wouldn't be available there anyway. I doubt that the potion is legal. We'll have to resort to Knockturn Alley - you're not going, Harry,' she added, glaring at his wand as he prepared to Apparate.

'Yes I am,' he insisted, deliberately raising his wand higher.

'It won't take three people to find the recipe,' she argued, 'and you would be a liability. Ron and I can blend in if we take some time to disguise ourselves, but that scar of yours is very difficult to conceal.'

Harry hated the thought of being a liability anywhere, but a traitorously honest part of him had to admit that Hermione was right.

***

Hermione and Ron returned about two hours later with a thin potions book and a couple paper bags of ingredients. 'I can brew it,' Hermione announced. 'We're very lucky - the potion needs to be brewed on either the summer or winter solstice, and the winter solstice is only a few days away.'

On the morning of the winter solstice, they returned to King's Cross. Hermione held a glass that was a quarter full with the potion, which looked like a strawberry milkshake.

'Since I'm a Muggleborn, I think this is most likely to work with me. I should be the one to drink it.'

Ron huffed. 'That's ridiculous. Blood doesn't matter. You're ten times the witch anyone else is.'

Hermione smiled serenely at the compliment, but she pressed her argument nonetheless. 'There are spells that stop anyone but a pureblood from crossing the threshold of a home. That means there must be something detectable about it. Besides, you put yourself in danger last time, and I'm sure we can both agree that Harry had better not take it.'

Before another word was spoken, Hermione surprised them all by taking a mouthful of the potion. 'It tastes pleasant,' she announced.

There was no going back after that. Hermione handed Ron the empty glass and held up her wand. 'Wingardium Leviosa!' she cast, her wand pointed at the glass.

It didn't even twitch. She lowered her hand, and Harry saw fear in her eyes. 'It's not permanent,' he said.

'Of course not,' she agreed, but she still sounded shaken. 'Well, let's go.'

Each of the boys grabbed one of Hermione's hands. In unison, all three ran toward the barrier; Harry could feel that it had worked by the mustiness of the air even before he opened his eyes.

Hermione cheered and hugged Harry. Ron beamed. It was then that the disconcerting feeling started to set in, and the euphoria of their success faded away.

They were in a cavern with a domed top that reminded Harry of half an orange. It was made of semi-hard clay; Harry pressed his hand into the wall, and it sank in a little.

There was an inescapable impression of lonely age about the place.

'There aren't any doors,' noted Hermione. Harry nodded in agreement. There wasn't anything in the room at all but for a permeating impression of ancient history.

'Well...' Ron trailed off. Harry knew what he meant; there wasn't anything for them to investigate here.

Hermione took in a sharp, hissing breath through her teeth. 'Mmm,' she hummed.

'You all right?' Harry asked her.

A quivering smile crept over Hermione's face. Harry watched her with concern. 'Hermione?'

She turned toward him. Right away, there was something - an old, foreign look in her eyes - that made Harry see that Hermione was not herself. 'What's wrong?'

Speaking carefully, like someone unfamiliar with English words, she said, 'Nothing is wrong at all.'

But Harry was sure that there was, and Ron seemed to pick up on it too. 'You sure?' Ron asked sceptically.

She backed away from them, and Harry's hand closed instinctively around his wand. Hermione's eyes alighted on his wand. 'Yes,' she whispered fervently, her pupils shining with an unholy light.

'Who are you?' Harry demanded. He stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Ron and raised his wand to defend himself. Ron, on the other hands, gripped his wand in his pocket, but was reluctant to point it at Hermione.

'I am the one you seek,' she said, holding her chin imperiously high. 'I am the one whose symbol you wear upon your minds.'

Her face fell into a sad expression. '...I am she who suffers the curse of an eternity between the realms of life and death. I am Boudica.'