Band of Gypsies

Chapter Nineteen

Jolie worked him hard and Harry was finding that his increased class work was also difficult. What made it easier was knowing that Ron and Hermione knew he was alive. He admired their ability to completely ignore him as they had done before.

Harry slipped into the room in the castle Snape had shown him in the night he met Jolie and made his way down the well of stairs, out the door and down the next flight and into the woods.

It was dark outside in the late Autumn, just days away from Halloween. Joile told him that Halloween was the night they would prepare the potion for the first time. Snape would have to be present as part of the overall incantation; something Harry was not pleased about. It gave him some satisfaction to know that Snape was not aware he had informed Hermione and Ron of his identity.

The tiny man was waiting for him. The tasks and work they did was not fun, but Harry did enjoy Jolie's company.

"Hello, Amal (friend)," Jolie greeted him, "Mushto hom me dikava tute (I'm glad to see you.).

"So keres, (what are you doing) Jolie? Harry asked.

"I'm preparing tonight's lesson," Jolie said. He stirred a cauldron. "Sit I want to tell you some things."

Harry found a comfortable seat.

"We gypsies, the Rom," Jolie began, "we have a way to travel that the Gadjo do not use. In order to understand it I must tell you about your spirit and the spirits that surround you." Jolie looked into the stary night, the campfire shining on his face. Harry studied the face and the dark eyes and was awed by the wisdom he saw there. "My father told me about the trees one night. He called them the 'Standing Tall People'. He said they had a voice if a person would just listen. And he was right. When the wind blew through the trees I could hear the voice but couldn't understand the words that the trees spoke. So he taught me to hear the language of the trees."

"He also taught me to listen to the stones that would lie all day with their faces turned to the sky and the sun. The stones had voices, too. And I learned to listen to their voices and understand their words. So, in each thing, he told me their was a spirit, sometimes a very powerful spirit. Then, I could talk to this spirit and it would help me or hinder me." Jolie pointed at the fire. "Fire's spirit, when it is happy warms me and cooks my food and sings to the night sky, pushing it back so I can see in the dark. When it is angry it burns me. Ahayava (understand?)"

"Va (yes)," Harry said.

"The sky, it barks at me and throws light down. You call it thunder and lighting. But this is the spirit of the heavens. It's tears nourish the earth and it brings food and quenches our thirst. If the sky is angry, its' tears wash down and drown us. Everything has a spirit," he said, "even you."

"We call it the soul, the life inside you, Harry" Jolie stripped leaves from a plant and sat them aside. "Tonight you will meet your spirit and learn to travel."

Harry watched, fascinated; wanting to ask questions but afraid to interrupt.

"When you look into a quiet pool of water, what do you see?" Jolie asked.

"My reflection," Harry said.

"When the sun is in the sky, what follows you?" Jolie asked.

Harry had to think for a moment, "My shadow?"

"Va, your shadow. When you call out in the mountains and hear your voice come back to you, what is that?" Jolie lit his pipe.

"It's an echo," Harry said.

"No, it is the voice of your spirit," he replied. "The voice, the shadow, the reflection, that is not you: that is your spirit. WE the Romani, "he pointed at himself, "we send him out to travel in our dreams. Sometimes, when he is needed we seek him through a vision and he walks. It is called Spirit Walking. That is what you will do tonight."

Harry sat looking at the cauldron while Jolie continue to prepare things. He had a tambourine at his side and several herbs that he was now preparing. Harry wasn't sure he liked the idea. He remembered having Voldemort in his mind as they traveled together towards the door in the Department of Mysteries. He nodded nervously. If I'm going to trust anybody, it needs to be Jolie, he thought.

"Harry, the wheel of the new year begins during Samhain, Halloween. That is when the doors open between this world and the world of the dead. We will need your mother's help this Halloween when we prepare the potion. You will meet her at the door. That is the only way, and it must be done by your spirit. Ahayava?"

Harry nodded, feeling the sadness ripping through him once again. Jolie was saying he was going to meet his dead mother and ask her to use her ashes. He thought about it and sat feeling the coolness of the near-winter night freeze his blood.

"We need her permission," Jolie said. He studied Harry's face. "Chav (child), we will stop if you cannot go on. But as was said in the meeting with your Dumbledore and Professor Crow, we have to poison the Kalo Beng. We have to stop him!" Jolie's black eyes burned with more than the light of the fire.

Harry nodded.

"Tonight, Harry, Who would you go and visit in your vision?" Jolie sat back. This time there was a small smile curving at his mouth, as did the curl of his moustache.

This was a surprise that Harry didn't see coming. "I can visit someone?" he said.

"Va." Jolie answered. "It is probably wise to not visit a Gadjo." His eyes now twinkled.

"Nadya?" Harry whispered.

"Va," Jolie picked up the tamborine. "Go visit that wild girl! Tell her Uncle Jolie will whip her for dancing with you." He laughed.

"Is this dangerous, Jolie?" Harry asked eagerly.

"No." Jolie, stretched out. "But you have an animal spirit and a creature traveling with you that will protect you."

"Who are they?" Harry asked frowning. He wasn't sure what Jolie was talking about.

Jolie looked into the dark and then called, "Caw, Caw!" Harry heard the bird before he saw it. Dante landed nearby and walked over to him. His yellow eyes turned red from the fire were staring at him. And from the shadows a voice spoke to him, "Hello, Traveler. I see the beasts have not eaten thee yet.?"

"Verillieon!" Harry stood.

Jolie also got to his feet, then kneeled, took the hat from his head, lowered it and said, "May you always find peace in the wood land, an arrow for your enemy and a friend in me."

The elf bowed elegantly and murmured, "May thee always have a safe journey, Amal."

Harry watched and Jolie turned to him and said, "Our friend is an elf and deserves your respect. You will address him this way, always.

Harry knelt and spoke the words. Verillieon bent at the waist, his long golden hair draping down. "Latcho Drom, Chavo (safe journey, boy) ."

"We prepare now," Jolie said. He motioned for Harry to stretch out on a bed of grass. He began to beat on the tambourine, a slow walking beat that he called the Grai, the horse's gait.

Just as Harry was closing his eyes he thought of something, "Jolie can Voldemort follow?"

"No! that Melalo (dirty one), he is Gadjo. No, keep quiet now!"

Harry felt Jolie touch his forehead with a cool liquid and then his heart began to keep pace with the pace of the drum. He opened his eyes and found himself standing looking at the fire. He glanced over and saw his body laying on the ground. He felt as light as air and happy.

"Come Traveler, we will walk the winds and call down the moon," Verillieon said. He stood apart waving to him and above his head Harry could hear the wings of Dante as he flew into the moon's light.

Harry stepped away from the body that felt so heavy and followed Verillieon. They walked into the night and flew, faster than he'd ever dreamed possible. His thoughts were on Nadya. They flew over mountains and forest and farm lands. The cold wind didn't touch him. It was such a wonderful feeling, he laughed aloud.

In a hamlet, a fire burned in a little house. A empty wagon stood by a barn and horses stood quietly in a corral. Harry saw it and recognized the wagon, the vardo. It belonged to Katlana, Nadya's mother.

"Go there Traveler, but do not tarry long. We walk the winds tonight."

Harry stepped down from the sky as if walking down a staircase. He walked through the door and saw them sitting near the fire. Nadya looked up and was frightened.

"Mother! A ghost!" Katlana pulled her daughter behind her and confronted Harry. Katlana was about to draw something from her pocket.

Harry found his voice, although it was the voice of an echo, " I'm alive Katlana. Jolie has helped me to walk and come to you." He felt strangely like he was floating and noticed that his feet were slightly above the floor.

"Na rakesa tu Romanes? (can you speak Romani?)" she asked.

"Va," he answered.

Harry talked to Nadya alone while Katlana busied herself in the other room. It felt like minutes had gone by and suddenly he felt a hand on his neck. He was suddenly yanked away, out through the roof and into the night, "We must return now, Traveler; Dante guides the way. Follow."

Harry woke on the ground, feeling the pebbles grinding into his back. The fire was still burning and Jolie was sitting watching him, smoking his pipe.

"Welcome back," he said.

"How long was I gone?" Harry asked.

"It is near dawn," Jolie said.

"Wow."

Harry made the return trip to the castle just as the sun was rising. He made his way up the dark well and opened the hidden door. He stepped through, looked up and froze. Standing on the other side of the room was a man. Snape. He had his back to the wall and was motionless. Raised in front of him eye-to-eye was a gigantic snake.

Harry knew that snake. It was Voldemort's. I have found the infiltrator, he thought. He looked into Snape's face. The man has nerves of steel.

"Can you speak?" Harry asked Snape. The snake turned immediately. Harry kept his hand on his wand and spoke to the snake, "Where is your Master?"

"He bids me say hello," the snake hissed. "He will be pleased that I have found you."

"Speak your name," Harry said circling slowly, trying to put himself between Snape and the snake.

"I don't think so," it said and remained raised feet above the floor its head swiveling, facing Harry.

"Speak your name or die," Harry produced his wand. " We have lived in each other's mind. You know me, I will kill you. It is better to serve me then to serve He-That-Causes-Pain." Harry was watching the eyes. Jonas had taught him that the snake would close it's eyes a split second before striking and he knew the venom would be lethal.

They moved in tandem, Harry had successfully maneuvered in front of Snape.

"Potter, what do you think you are doing!" he whispered so softly Harry thought a snake was at his back.

"Speak your name now!" Harry's hand flashed and sent the serpent flying across the room. It remained unharmed. "Shut up Snape! I'm trying to save us both."

The snake advanced slowly, "You did not kill me," it said.

"I am not like your Master," Harry said. "I do not kill for pleasure. You have forgotten yourself, serpent. Do not the animals in the forest kill only for food. Why do you serve this evil man. Speak, before I put an end to you." Harry was desperately trying to remember everything Jolie had taught him.

And then it said, "The evil one will kill me if I do not tell him you live. HE will know."

Harry knew that was coming, "I will set you free."

An interminable amount of time went by, the snake lowered it's head, "I am Nagini."

"By speaking your name, you are free from your evil master," he said and lowered his wand.

"Potter," Snape's said through gritted teeth.

"Are you to be my Master, then?" the snake hissed.

"No. Go back into the hole you crawled from and come no more!" Harry pointed towards the door. The snake slithered slowly out the door.

"Potter. Do you realize what that was?" Snape was in front of him. This time he wasn't glaring, his face was white.

"It was His snake," Harry said, simply. "He won't come back."

They stood for the longest time facing one another. Harry couldn't read Snape's face. There were many things flashing over it.

"Will he go back to Him?" Snape finally asked.

"No, Professor." Harry turned to leave and said, "I think we are slowly but surely pulling Voldemort's fangs."