Mark of Ancients

Chapter 4: MIRACULUM SENSI

    Next morning Harry was woken up by Snape shaking him.

    "Wake up, Potter. We have to go now." Harry didn't ask questions. The faster he moved, the more likely he was to be rid of Snape sooner. Snape stepped out. Harry took out a black cloak, a dark red sweater (not unlike the first one he got from Mrs. Weasley as a Christmas present) and beige pants from his trunk and got dressed. He started to like this style of clothing a lot more than standard Muggle clothes. He knocked on the door and Snape walked in.

    "Now, to Hogsmeade. Better you do it so we don't get separated." Harry grabbed Snape's hand, put his foot on his trunk and held Hedwig's cage. His skin glowed white and with a pop, they appeared at the Hogsmeade train station. "You seem to want to get rid of me."

    "What gives you that impression?" said Harry sarcastically.

    "Nevermind our personal vendettas. The train leaves in five minutes. Get on." They took seats across from each other on the Hogwarts Express and didn't talk for the entire trip.

    When they arrived at Hogwarts, Hagrid had been waiting for them.

    "Hey there, Harry!" he called out.

    "Hey, Hagrid," said Harry cheerfully.

    "Professor Snape, Dumbledore be wantin' ter see you after Harry," Hagrid said to Snape. Snape walked out of sight and up to the castle. Hagrid turned his attention to Harry. "Serious stuff goin' on. Better get up ter Dumbledore." The two of them took the same path as Snape up to the castle.

    Dumbledore was waiting for the two of them just inside.

    "Harry, come with me. Hagrid, please inform Minerva of Harry's arrival." This sounded like they were planning it for weeks.

    "Yes, sir." Hagrid trotted off.

    "Indeed, we have been planning this for weeks." Dumbledore started to walk. Harry followed. "I hope Severus and Sirius have told you all they could?"

    "They told me a lot."

    "Let me remind you while we go to my office. Cornelius Fudge is waiting there."

    "Mr. Fudge?-" Cornelius Fudge is the Ministry of Magic himself.

    "The bottom line, after all is said and done, is Voldemort is controlling the mark for you. It is a miracle you have been able to contain it. A great deal of wizards have completely lost control and acted as if they were under the influence of the Imperius Curse. They were thought to be Death Eaters until someone noticed their mark glowed black, not golden. It is clear that it must be removed." Harry stopped walking. No, he can't just remove it, just like that. "It must be removed, Harry, or there's no telling what Voldemort has planned," said Dumbledore gravely. There was no sincerity behind the half-moon spectacles. Dumbledore's face was straight and gave off nothing other than certainty.

    "He could use you as a Death Eater. He could have you kill thousands. He could make you kill yourself. The problem is..." Dumbledore paused and heaved a sigh. "...We do not have the resources to do so," he said quickly as if he couldn't bare to say it. "Only one person does and I think you know who that is." Dumbledore put his hand on Harry's shoulder and pulled it forward but Harry didn't move.

    "No, you can't expect me to just let Voldemort take me and do whatever he wants. That's a death wish!" Harry cried. "It happened during the summer and look... look what almost happened!"

    "We - have - no - other - choice," said Dumbledore sharply. "We are taking precautions-"

    "Precautions? You better give me a heavy dose of that immortality potion. Better yet, suck my blood out and replace it with that." Harry leaned against a nearby wall and fell limp against it, once again sliding down. He put both elbows on his knees and grabbed his right knee with his left hand. Harry rested his right cheek on his right arm which bent up covering his scar with his forearm. He stared at the floor between his legs. Words were currently out of reach. Voldemort would have him and he would have to wait until he attempted to remove the mark, if that was even his intention.

    "How do you know he's going to try to remove it from me?" said Harry worriedly. He took deep and slow breaths like he was going to break down any minute. The thought made him sink into depression. "Why wouldn't he just use it?"

    "I don't know," said Dumbledore sighing again. "I don't know," shaking his head at Harry. "Which, you see, describes the graveness of the situation." Fudge was walking up to them and listening in. "We have... two options. Let Voldemort take you and see what he tries. Or, continue as normal and see what happens. Neither choice looks to have good consequences. Taking action or not is not possible because both choices leave Voldemort free to do something."

    "Maybe I can offer some light," said Fudge. "We can't remove the mark because it requires a very skilled, very powerful and very determined group of people. Voldemort has the Death Eaters to do this for him, right?"

    "Yes," said Dumbledore eyeing him carefully. Harry pointed his right arm straight up and rolled his head right so he could look at up at Fudge.

    "Right. Well, he tried to remove it once and failed. He will try again, I have no doubt."

    "Don't I have a say in this?" asked Harry. Dumbledore bent down in front of him and straightened Harry's right arm so it pointed forward, turned his head straight and looked him in the eye.

    "I do not know what we are going to do yet. It is safer for us to let you fall in Voldemort's hands but it is safer for you to stay here." Harry took his head off his forearm and watched Dumbledore stand up. "We only have two options and both are just as ill-fated." Dumbledore shook his head in worry. It was clear from the look on his face that for once he didn't have any answers.

    "In other matters, Hogwarts will reopen and Harry will be put on watch." Hagrid and McGonagall were coming down the hall. Dumbledore waved them over. "Ah, just in time." Dumbledore began to look slightly happier. McGonagall looked down and jumped at the sight Harry.

    "Harry!" she blurted out.

    "He is fine, Minerva. Just fine," said Dumbledore reassuringly.

    "For now," grunted Harry.

    "Minerva, please ask Gryffindor to meet in the Great Hall. Cornelius, if you would do the same for Hufflepuff, Hagrid for Ravenclaw and I will inform Slytherin."

    "Yes, sir," said Hagrid. Minerva reached a hand down to Harry's outstretched arm, which he grabbed tight, and she pulled him up.

    "Come now, Harry," she said. They hadn't walked more than a few feet from the Great Hall. Up the stairs, down the hall, around the swirling staircase and through the portrait hole they went. All House common rooms were guarded by a portrait. You had to give the living picture the correct password or you would not be allowed to enter. Behind each picture was solid stone wall, any attempts at passing were futile without it. The entirety of Gryffindor was in the commons. McGonagall stood in the center. All eyes looked up at her. Harry walked in through the portrait hole and all eyes were then fixed on him. He stopped dead and stood just inside the portrait hole.

    "Can I have your attention, please, everyone?" said McGonagall looking around at everyone. "As you can see, Harry is fine. Those of you who were worrying for four weeks straight can now rest a little easier." At the last few words, she stared at Hermione, who blushed. "Please file into the Great Hall. Professor Dumbledore wishes to make an announcement on the current state of events." Harry realized now that word of what happened spread around the school... and most likely they knew what was going on before he did.

    The four tables were set up and Gryffindor arrived with Hufflepuff close behind. McGonagall went to the front of the Hall and took her usual seat. Dumbledore followed with Slytherin behind him. He waited by the entrance and after another minute, Ravenclaw walked in with Fudge taking up the rear. Dumbledore and Fudge took seats up front. Snape stepped in and sat aside Dumbledore. It seemed the other teachers were not present.

    When everyone was finally sitting, Dumbledore stood up to speak. "As you all know by now, Harry did not cast Clades Ultimus on his own free will." His words were definitely not calming the high tension. The students listened with a panicked ear, occasionally quickly glancing in Harry's direction.

    "Hogwarts will reopen," he continued, taking a deep breath, "and Mr. Potter will be put under watch. I must warn you that in his condition he is prone to mood swings and violent, erratic behavior as well as sudden breakdowns." Great, Harry thought to himself. He needed the world to know he would act more like a freak than the Dursleys ever thought possible. "Please, keep calm. Any strange happenings should be reported directly to myself or Professor McGonagall.

    "Classes will start this Monday and the international school duels will begin tomorrow afternoon." He stopped talking for a moment to catch another deep breath. "Well, that is all for now. Happy feasting," he said as the plates filled with breakfast. At a quick glance at Hermione, he found out the time was 8:00 A.M.

    Breakfast seemed normal enough. He hadn't eaten normally in four weeks and as such he ate like what Hermione called a "pig." Dumbledore walked over to Harry a few minutes after he finished making his announcement. Harry turned around and looked up at him.

    "Harry, I'd like to let you know that you were, quite obviously, the one representing Hogwarts at the school championship. As this competition is quite fierce, you are allowed to use your mark. But this time, please, refrain from using spells any more potent than Inferno." He smiled a quick smile. "I decided in a few minutes that I would like to keep you here and see what course of events take place." Harry listened intently. "I must ask you, why did you use Clades Ultimus on Falder?"

    It was time to find out, Harry thought, if he was really going insane. "I heard him use Avada Kedavra. I-It was just a reaction. But the light was red, not green?" Dumbledore seemed to be staring right through Harry in deep thought for a few moments.

    "You know he was simply going for the Reduction curse? Professor Lupin, on review of what he was doing in classes, told me he went over color changing spells. You remember that a spell's color can change. I do believe you heard the words for the Killing Curse and not the Reduction Curse but I have no explanation as to why, other than Voldemort's grasp took control and made you hear what he wanted you to hear. In which case, you would be at every right to defend yourself. Harry, do watch yourself and try to be on full alert of your actions.

    "It is my hope the duels will be a vent and you should return to normal or at least curb some violent behavior. The first one tomorrow starts with you." He smiled brightly this time. "And do try to not kill anyone." Dumbledore put a hand on Harry's shoulder and shook it gently like a son. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but it seemed he thought better of his words. "Good luck, Harry." Harry, Ron and Hermione watched Dumbledore as he walked away.

    "How you feelin', Harry?" asked Ron looking at him with worried eyes.

    "Rotten," replied Harry shortly. "You ever get that feeling your guts are being ripped out of you but then suddenly you wish they would because you just feel like nothing matters anymore?" Ron and Hermione were speechless at this. Harry had never said anything like that to them before and wished he didn't say it. He finished the rest of his breakfast and walked quietly back to his four-post bed. Neither Ron nor Hermione followed.

    When he reached his bed, he laid on it, legs straight out and folded, hands propping his head up and staring into the ceiling as if it weren't there. He had no idea what was to come. Would he be responsible for killing hundreds of people without being able to stop himself? Questions like this would be haunting him in the time to come. Even more pressing, did Sirius get away? Hedwig landed next to Harry's head, cuddling up next to his cheek. The warmth of her feathers was a small comfort that he really needed. He pulled one hand out from behind his head and stroked her back thoughtlessly while still staring at the ceiling.

    Ron had come up. "Harry, you aren't going to sit there all day, are you?"

    "Yes," Harry replied sharply and with that he turned over to face the wall, his back to Ron. Hedwig stayed where she was and Harry's nose was now poking her side. She fluttered away. "Hedwig doesn't want my company. Why would you?" he snapped. Hedwig, angry at that, pecked him on the foot. Harry kicked his foot up sending Hedwig barreling across the room. Ron caught her before she hit the floor. "Go away," he snorted. Ron muttered something under his breath Harry was glad he didn't have to listen to. He would be spending the rest of the day here, thinking about virtually nothing. That way, he reasoned, he wouldn't have to think about the things he hated. The small pleasures in life that used to cheer him up were just that -- small.

    Suddenly, Harry had a change of heart. Before he could say he was sorry, Ron had already left.

    The next morning, Harry could not wait for the afternoon to come to start the first duel. He did nothing but eat breakfast, go back to his room, come out for lunch and eat that and then wait in the Great Hall twitching with excitement. He didn't bother to speak to Ron, who wasn't speaking to him to begin with, or Hermione who desperately tried to get him to talk to her ("HARRY, THERE'S A SPIDER ON YOUR CHIN!"). What Hermione didn't know was that Harry had much experience with spiders during his years in the cupboard under the stairs. They no longer phased him.

    Dumbledore walked in to see Harry sitting at the table. He didn't notice he had been there since an hour before (for lunch). He was staring straight at the wall with a blank expression with his hands folded in his lap. Dumbledore took a seat next to him, stared at the wall for a few seconds then turned his head towards Harry.

    "Hermione tells me you've been here since lunch." Dumbledore paused and waited for Harry to answer. He didn't. "So-"

    "When's the first duel start?" Harry said quickly.

    Dumbledore smiled. "Well, at least you are keeping your mind on other things, I hope?"

    "I snapped at Ron yesterday after breakfast," said Harry, ashamed of it. "He hasn't been talking to me since. When I realized what I did, he was gone..." He put his hands out in front of him and twiddled his thumbs nervously. Harry looked down at the table for a second then at Dumbledore. "You said the mark can just disappear on it's own. Is there any way to make it?"

    "The only circumstances in which the mark has disappeared from someone is when they no longer need it. I don't think I need to say, but as long as Voldemort lives, you will be needing it." He put his arm on Harry's shoulder. A feeling of warmth rippled from the touch. "It is a protective shield and a valuable tool. Many famous wizards who have had it, including a limited number of ancients themselves, have been manipulated for dark work through their mark.

    "They say the ancients would have gone mad if it were not for the mark. You should not worry greatly over it. You have done very well so far in containing Voldemort's control and it is possible you could defeat it entirely." Harry stopped twiddling his thumbs at this word. He gaped open-mouthed as if he just realized something but couldn't pinpoint the thought exactly. "Harry... Harry, what is it?" he said quickly.

    "How is it that someone can control someone else's mark?" said Harry, a little louder than he intended.

    "I - I don't know?" said Dumbledore, more like a question than an answer.

    "You said, during the summer, that Voldemort took my blood so he could get my mark. Then, Hermione realized that I was covered in blood and she reasoned with some reading that I had removed all my blood from Voldemort. What if my spell went horribly wrong?" Dumbledore's face went dead. Harry tried to speak more but his voice escaped him. He began to say "I," keeping his mouth in the position but with no sound and held his breath for a moment. He looked at Dumbledore, closed his mouth and let out a deep breath. Harry sprang off his seat and sprinted out of the Great Hall.

    "WHERE ARE YOU GOING!" Dumbledore shouted after him.

    "LIBRARY! TO FIND HERMIONE!" Harry shouted back from the hallway. He ran full on around the labyrinth of the castle and did not stop running until he reached the library. Hermione was, as expected, reading, and he nearly knocked her over as he put his hands on her chair to stop himself.

    "You know what it is, don't you," he asked her.

    "Know what?" she replied in a high pitch voice.

    "The mark... I - I just realized something..."

    "What are you talking about, it was from the ancients, of course it's protective!"

    "What book is that you have?" He grabbed the top of the book and read the title: "Overview of Ages: The Ancients." He then ripped the book out of her hands.

    "Hey!-"

    "Just wait." Harry frantically flipped through the pages looking for something. He scanned the text as fast as his eyes let him. "Urgh! Where is it!" He continued to flip through pages running his finger down them as he skimmed paragraph after paragraph. Harry didn't exactly know what he was looking for but once he did, it would slap him in the face. His heart beat faster and faster but the answer he was looking for didn't want to be found.

    "Harry! What is it?" said Hermione, extremely worried.

    "The duel starts in fifteen minutes! Whatever you're looking for, if it's good, keep thinking about it and let's go!"

    "Right," he said shortly and stopped flipping through pages. "I'll explain later." Harry and Hermione ran out of the library to the Great Hall as fast as they could. People were already collecting and they had seen a few of them before. Ron was quick to point out the enchanting veela Fleur Delacour. Harry resisted oogling over her but Ron began to drool.

    "Ugh! Honestly, it's just a girl!" said Hermione.

    "You make sure he doesn't do anything stupid," Harry whispered in Hermione's ear. He turned to both of them and said, "Professor Dumbledore is calling me over. See you after!" There were all kinds of students from different countries and Harry recognized some of them as ones he glanced over at the Quidditch World Cup.

    "Hey, Potter," called a familiar, yet unwelcome voice.

    "Malfoy, if-" Harry started, but his words were cut short by the daunting figure and seething eyes of Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy.

    "So, got yourself to the international finals, eh?" he said through gritted teeth.

    "Wouldn't have it any other way, Lucy!" Harry didn't bother to suppress his hatred.

    "Watch your back, Potter, -"

    Harry spoke innocently. "I better watch my back with you behind it. Never know when you might try to kill me. I seem to be very good at avoiding that, though, so you shouldn't bother." Draco and Lucius looked ready to slip Harry the Killing Curse but thought better of it at the sight of Harry's faint white glow.

    "Watch yourself," he said, then whispered to them, "you filthy Death Eater." Harry smirked at both of them and didn't hide his mark, it glowed bright as ever. He walked up to Dumbledore who eyed him suspiciously.

    "What?" Harry asked, again sounding innocent. Dumbledore's lips moved as if to say something but then he seemed to change his mind.

    "You will be briefed a little on your opponent before each duel. I must warn you that your opponent comes from Durmstrang, where they teach the Dark Arts. As any spell you know is viable, except of course for the Unforgiveables. Clades Ultimus and a few other extraordinarily potent spells, you should be ready for any curses you do not know. Marks are allowed and in fact you will only see students who have them, or very, very skilled students competing. This is a fierce competition, Harry. Just be careful." To Harry, Dumbledore sounded like he was preaching rather than briefing. "Also, there is no immortality potion. It takes months to prepare enough for just us, it would take far too long to prepare for sixteen people."

    "Okay, okay. So I just need to use Inferno."

    "Inferno won't be enough alone," said Dumbledore smiling.

    "What?"

    "Magical resistance is taught as part of the Dark Arts. It is something taught in the seventh year here at Hogwarts."

    "Oh, great, just what I needed to know." Dumbledore kept smiling.

    "I have no doubt you'll do just fine and I do expect to see more surprises." Dumbledore put his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Now go, Fudge is waiting." Harry walked off and felt the hand slide off. He turned around, Dumbledore looked slightly nervous, but why? No real reason, Harry thought to himself, just anxiety. His head was clear, though... nothing bad would happen. He stepped up on the platform and saw Fudge.

    Fudge had magnified his voice and began to speak to the crowd. The Great Hall never saw so many people. Harry was glad he was up on a platform and not squished shoulder to shoulder against someone like Ron and Hermione were.

    "Welcome! This afternoon is the first match of the International Wizard-School Duels! Your competitors for this evening are..." he turned his attention to the Durmstrang student, "Comainter Caligo from Durmstrang!" Applause filled the hall from a small corner near the back. There didn't seem to be many Durmstrang supporters. "And from Hogwarts, none other than Harry Potter!" The Great Hall exploded in applause and Harry blushed. He forced a smile and waved to a few overexcited people trying to grab his attention. "Now, boys, fight fair, fight clean." He stepped off the platform and into the raging crowd. "Duel!"

    Caligo made his mark shine bright and brandished his wand. Harry did the same except he kept his wand inside his robes. Both of them circled giving each other looks of contemptment. Caligo struck first.

    "Debilito!" His wand fired a purple light and it streaked passed Harry who miraculously bent backwards ducking the sudden attack. Caligo's mark glittered black for a quick second and resumed glowing white.

    "Expelliarmus!" cried Caligo. Harry was thrust up at the ceiling and slowly floated down. His feet stopped inches above people's heads. He walked on air as if it were solid ground. Oohs and ahhs from the crowd did not distract his attention. Harry stopped just before the platform and three small words tore up and out his mouth.

    "Poop so voi." Harry glanced over at Caligo's hourglass. It did not budge, but Caligo had been knocked back several feet. "Guess that's not strong enough," said Harry as he landed on the platform. Harry jerked his hands forward and Caligo found himself forced back. Harry smirked again at the thought. He was quite a powerful wizard, there was no doubt.

    "Evasto compostis ipse," Caligo said calmly at Harry. It was nothing he could ever expect. Harry looked down horrified at his legs as they ran circles around the platform, his arms flailing and all of it not under his control.

    "Not fair!" said Harry, continuing to run around the platform uncontrollably. He pointed an unsteady finger at Caligo and shouted, "AETHERIUS SCRUTA!" Things started to rain down on Caligo, lots of things. He swayed this way and that under the bangs and cracks and slipped on something producing an effect that only a banana peel could do. Caligo hit the ground hard and Harry's curse was lifted. "Lacarnum inflamare," Harry grunted. Caligo's entire body caught fire but the flames vanished as quickly as they appeared. Harry glanced at Caligo's hourglass. It was empty.

    "POTTER WINS!" Fudge screamed over the already very loud crowd. Harry took a look at Caligo, who was holding his head in shame, then jumped a few feet off the ground above the platform... when his scar began to hurt him... a lot. It was like someone forced a red hot poker through his forehead. His legs darted forward but his body stayed behind. He came crashing onto the edge of the platform hitting his upper back on the edge. A cracking sound could only be bones.

    The pain from his neck down that followed matched that coming from the scar and his breathing turned into gasps for life. Harry clutched his scar with one hand and his back with the other. The pain came from both sides; neither distracted from the feeling of the other. Harry's eyes were closed and the voices yelling at him were totally indistinguishable. A far more painful feeling, which was definitely something impaling him from the back, wasn't what made him pass out. It was the sight of a something one inch in diameter sticking out his chest that did it.

    He woke up later that day in the hospital wing. Harry stared straight up at the ceiling and out of the corner of his eye, saw Hermione. He turned his head right a little to look at her.

    "How're you feelin'?" Hermione walked over to Harry, her eyes fixed on his.

    "Like I was poked was broiled," he said weakly. He closed his eyes and turned his head all the way to the right so it lay flat.

    "You passed out, you know, but you still managed to throw up all over yourself," she said, letting out a short, breathed giggle. "Everyone in the room fled except Ron, Dumbledore, Mr. Fudge and me. Dumbledore cleaned up your lunch with a 'janitor spell'... he called it. Madam Pomfrey came running and nearly gave up her lunch too." She sat down on a bed next to Harry. "We tried to pull the rod out, but it wouldn't budge. Dumbledore was afraid we'd hurt something and all of us thought you were a goner." Hermione tried to hold back tears. Harry opened his eyes and looked at her again.

    "You cry too much," he said flatly. She gave him a look of pure detestment and turned away. As with Ron, Harry realized what he said and he sat straight up open-mouthed at the empty door. It was too late, Hermione was gone. He let himself fall heavily onto the bed, slamming his fists against it as hard as he could. Something cracked, snapped and the bed frame gave way letting it all fall down. It was all a nightmare that had to end soon. He had to tell someone about what he thought, but he couldn't move, his legs felt paralyzed. And he couldn't talk loudly, it hurt his back just to breath. Something had to give, or it would be him in his own depression.