Harry Potter and the Green Skull

5. The Riddle

It was soon the last night of the holidays, before they returned to Hogwarts. Harry was eager to return, and see all his old friends. He was also keen to have a little chat with Dumbledore about certain things. Especially whether Dumbledore trusted Annette Skeeter. Harry was also keen to know when Ron and Hermione were going to tell him their secret. Sooner or later, Harry would officially find out, but whether it was them telling him, or him walking in on them, was their decision. Mrs. Wesley had outdone herself once again, and had cooked a huge meal for them. Percy, Fred, George, Charlie, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Harry, Ron and Hermione were all there in the garden, but Bill had to work that night. He had apparently given up his job at the bank, and was working somewhere up north. But by using floo powder, he was able to still stay at the Burrow most of the time. Harry, Fred and George were discussing the new Quidditch captain. “I reckon it should be Angelina,” George said proudly. Fred sniggered, and said, “Just ‘cause she’s your girlfriend.” Harry looked at George surprised. “I didn’t know that,” Harry said curiously. “Yeah,” said Ginny, who had obviously been eavesdropping, “Fred had been dating her, but then they decided to ‘swap’ for one night. See if she noticed. Big mistake for Fred, as it turns out she liked George better.” Fred, who had been laughing at George all that time, now stopped, as George sniggered at him. “And then,” Ginny said, trying not to giggle, “When he went to ask Katie out, he found out that she was going out with Lee Jordan!” George now laughed evilly at his twin, as Fred hit him. Ginny now giggled, and pointed. The others hadn’t seemed to notice. “Yeah, well at least I don’t hide my feelings, hey Ginny?” Fred said bitterly at Ginny. Ginny then went bright red, and tuned away, pretending to listen to what Ron and Charlie were discussing. Harry knew what Fred had meant, and shot him a cold look. Fred looked at him puzzled, and asked, “You know what I mean Harry. She’s been practically following you around in school. If you look behind you a couple of times a day, I guarantee you’ll se Ginny not too far behind.” Harry shot him another look, and George hit Fred in the arm. “Hey! What’s wrong?” Fred asked, hitting George back. Harry was about to argue back, and say that at least he had someone who liked him, when he heard a funny voice. It was a cold, hissing voice. It reminded Harry of a snake. It also seemed to be singing. Harry tried to listen, but couldn’t pick up the words, until it seemed to start from the beginning.

“The darkness fills the earth with power,

chaos and anger begin;

The five powers of light and magic,

will create the spirit within.

The first is love, stronger than the others,

revolving around a heir’s sister;

This will bring you closer together,

as you will be unable to resist her.

The second is hope, powered by friendship,

only realising your enemies can’t scare;

Otherwise your goals will be tarnished,

with fear of emptiness and despair.

The third is glory, crowned by the people,

for doing something you can’t remember;

But the next will be something you did for the best,

remember: bleak mid December.

The fourth is courage, armed by bravery,

this circles your friend’s blood;

Without this, he wouldn’t exist,

and neither would the next to come.

Last is the new, the everlasting, the future,

which holds the next key to dark side;

When you’ve vanquished your enemy, another will come,

and little Davie will have to decide.

Now you know the future ahead,

remember these final words of advice;

If the Greenness seems to shadow your world,

take off, and land with the mice.”

Harry sat there, his mouth open wide. Fred tried to put a potato in it, but Ginny hit him, and asked Harry, “Are you okay?” Harry closed his mouth and got up from the table. Everyone was now looking at him. “Uh,” he said quickly, as he dashed off towards the house, “I think I – uh – see you later.” The others stared at each other in confusion, as Harry opened the door, and dashed up to Ron’s room. He had a feeling this was something he needed to tell someone about immediately. He could tell Sirius, but it might worry him, and the last thing he needed was for Sirius to travel from wherever he was to make sure Harry was okay. But, perhaps telling Dumbledore would be wiser. Harry searched through his bag for some parchment, and began to write a short note.

Professor Dumbledore

I have just heard some kind of riddle, perhaps a song, in Parseltongue. I’m unable to tell you what it’s about, as I have no idea either. It hissed something about five powers of magic and light. One was love, another was the future. It also talked about a green darkness, and Hermione recently found a Green Skull in her bag, which Ron destroyed. I know this sounds stupid, but I don’t know what to do about it.

Harry Potter

He re-read the note, then took it to Hedwig, who was resting in her cage. She looked pleased to deliver a note, and while Harry tried to attach it to her leg, she was hooting joyfully. “Take this to Professor Dumbledore, Hedwig. It’s important it reaches there immediately. Then, once you’ve delivered it, fly back to the owlery. Okay?” Harry asked Hedwig, and she hooted, spread her wings, and flew out of the open window. Harry then turned to see Ron and Hermione in the doorway. They were looking a little afraid. “So,” Ron said nervously, stepping slowly into the room. Harry drew in a deep breath, and told them about the riddle. They were both shocked, as Harry sat down after finishing it. “But what does it mean?” Harry asked, in a long sigh.

Ron shrugged, but Hermione replied, “Five powers. One was love, something about an heir’s sister? Friendship was another one, and the future. Where any name’s mentioned?” Harry tried to recall one, and then replied, “Yeah, someone named little Davie was mentioned in the future part. Something about another enemy coming, and little Davie will have to decide...” Hermione paced up and down, looking like she was obviously trying to put something together in her head. Ron then asked, “So it wasn’t mum’s cooking then? Fred said he’d obviously bitten into a potato, and gotten food poisoning! Mum went livid, but no one ate any of the potatoes after that.” Harry smiled weakly. It was a nice attempt to cheer him up on Ron’s behalf, but it wasn’t working. Hermione then asked, walking over towards where Harry and Ron were sitting on the bed, “Who did you just write to?” Harry told her he’d thought of writing to Sirius, but he told Dumbledore anyway. “Well,” Hermione said, beginning to pace again, “It wouldn’t have mattered.

Both of them will know soon enough.” She then stopped, and turned to face Harry again, and asked quietly, “Did you mention the Green Skull?” Harry was about to replied, but then hit himself on the fore head. “What?” asked Ron, looking worriedly at Harry. “I told him about the skull, but I didn’t tell him about Annette Skeeter!” Harry moaned. Hermione smiled evilly, and replied, “Good. I don’t trust her, and not just because of her sister. I almost guarantee, that Annette Skeeter does NOT work in the Improper Use of Magic Office at the Ministry. In fact, I’d be surprised if she even worked at the Ministry at all.” Harry and Ron were astonished. “Why didn’t you say anything, then?” Ron asked crossly. Hermione replied, sitting down next to him, “Because – if she’s a Death Eater, she’d have killed us there and then. But – if she’s an operative of Dumbledore’s, then he’ll already know, and when Dumbledore replies, or more likely, talks to Harry tomorrow at the feast, We’ll know everything.” Harry was starting to see some sense in this. Ron, however looked puzzled. “Look,” Hermione said, lacing her fingers through his, “Everything will be answered tomorrow when Harry talks to Dumbledore, okay?” Ron nodded, but then his face went white, and retracted his hand. Hermione stared puzzled at Ron, then realised, and turned to Harry. Harry’s concentration had been on their hands, and was still staring at where they’d been. He then looked up at them, who were both looking a little worried. Harry realised that this was a very awkward moment. Hermione and Ron looked uneasily at each other, and then turned to Harry.

“Harry,” Hermione said, her voice sounding strangled, but Harry put his hand up to silence her. “I overheard something the other day that told me.” Harry said reassuringly. The couple stared at each other, and then at Harry. “You mean,” Ron said nervously, “You already know?” Hermione finished. Harry smiled, and replied, “Yeah. Why, is it a secret then?” He said it kind of sarcastically, but they got the picture. “It is kind of,” Hermione said, twirling her fingers in her lap. “We were just worried, y’know, that you’d think we were abandoning you.” Ron said, still looking worried that at any moment Harry was going to go mad. “Abandon me?” Harry asked puzzled.

“Y’know,” Ron replied, looking and sounding a bit calmer, “You might have thought, that while you were fighting You-Know-Who or something, that we’d be snogging in the common room or something.” Harry laughed quietly, making Hermione and Ron jump. “I’d never think of anything like that. To be honest, I’d rather you guys didn’t fight Voldemort or the Death Eaters.” Ron looked relieved, but Hermione asked crossly, “And why shouldn’t we be allowed to fight them?” Harry replied, in a matter-of-factly voice, “Because you’d get killed. Voldemort and the Death Eaters are stronger than two fifteen year olds.” But Ron said in a mocking tone, “And how old are you, again?” Harry sighed, and said to the both of them, “Listen – I’ve dueled with Voldemort before. Okay, so last time I got lucky, but I’ve got to one day. Dumbledore seems to think so, or he’d probably go up to Voldemort, and kill himself.” Ron seemed satisfied, but Hermione asked worriedly, “But what makes you think you can do it by yourself. That riddle said you needed love, friendship, bravery, courage... Are you telling me that the riddle was just joking?”

Harry shrugged, and replied, “I’m not sure what the riddle was on about, but the last line was something about landing near the mice. Whatever that means, I’m not sure, but it spoke of greenness and shadows covering the world. Do you think it was talking about the Green Skull?” Ron shrugged, and replied, “I’m not sure, Harry. Its destroyed now, and the bit have been blown away. But whatever it was, it took control of Hermione.”

He put his arm gently around her, and she leaned onto his shoulder. She looked very upset by it. Harry wasn’t sure whether to ask her, but asked her anyway, “What was it telling you to do?” She didn’t say anything for a moment, but then she sat up, pulling away from Ron, and drew in a deep breath. She then told them about it. “It was like the impervious curse, but much stronger. It was like a wizard was in control of me, but actually part of me at the same time. It was telling me to do strange things. It seemed to be angry when me and Ron were together, and kept whispering Harry’s name into my brain. I think it was trying to get me to...ask Harry out or something.” Ron looked at Harry, with a jealous sort of look. Ron knew that Harry got all the good stuff, and when Ron had finally got the girl of his dreams, something was trying to give her to Harry. Ron was right – everything did happen to Harry. Hermione continued, a single tear rolling down her face, “I tried to fight it, and I managed to stop it from making me do anything stupid, but I know I did do one thing.” Ron and Harry stared at her for her to continue. She wiped her face, and said, in a small voice, “I told Ginny I loved Harry,” she then burst into tears, as Ron held her.

Harry hoped she was only crying because of the torment, and not at the prospect of being in love with him. After a while, and Hermione had wiped her eyes again, and Ron had calmed her down, Harry spoke. “Whatever this skull was, there’s obviously more than one. The book Sirius gave me only explains what it look likes, and that its a dark object.” Hermione then said, looking like she normally did, bossy and full of ideas, “When we get back to Hogwarts, I’ll get Professor McGonagall’s permission to go into the restricted section. I’ll say it’ll benefit my OWLs if I read some of the advanced Transfiguration books in there. Then, I’ll see what I can find in the dark arts section.” Ron seemed to agree, but Harry said, shaking his head, “That won’t work. The pass they give you, only works in the section from which the teacher teaches. Any other book from another section will just scream. Believe me, I know.”

He remembered from his first year, when they were looking for Nicolas Flamel, and Harry had searched in the restricted section. When he’d opened the book, it screamed out loud, and Filch the caretaker had almost caught him. Ron then said hopefully, “Perhaps the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher will like one of us.” Harry thought back over the last four they’d had. Quirrell had been their Dark Arts teacher during their first year, but Harry killed him when he tried to stop him from stealing the Philosopher’s Stone. Gilderoy Lockhart was the second, and he lost his mind after a memory charm backfired. Remus Lupin was the third, and by far, Harry’s favourite. He had been an old friend of his dad’s and Sirius’s, and had tort Harry his Patronus. The fourth was Barty Crouch, disguised as Alastor Moody. But, Barty Crouch’s soul was sucked out by the Dementors, after he’d confessed to killing his father and helping Voldemort back to power. The last two had liked Harry, although Crouch had only been helping him so that Harry would win the Triwizard Tournament, and be transported to Voldemort. But Harry wondered who it would be this year. Would the real Moody stay on? Would Lupin come back? Harry guessed Ron had meant him as being the one becoming friendly with the Dark Arts teacher. “I wonder if it’ll be Lupin?” asked Hermione hopefully.

Harry nodded, but Ron said, “Lupin was all right, but it’d be great if Mad-Eye Moody stayed on.” Hermione shook her head, and said, “I don’t like that eye! Parvati said that at the Yule Ball last year, he seemed to be looking through all the girl’s dresses!” Ron laughed, but came to his senses when Hermione hit him in the chest playfully. Harry then brought them back to the main subject, “If it is Lupin, it’ll be easier to get a pass. Even if its Moody, it might be easy. But anyone new, and it probably will be, and we’ll have to start from scratch.” Ron then coughed, and said sceptically, “Are you forgetting something? That wasn’t Moody last year, it was Barty Crouch Jr.” Harry nodded, and added, “I know, but Moody will still be easier to talk to. Dumbledore will have told him everything, especially about Barty Crouch’s helping me.” Ron seemed to agree, as did Hermione. Harry noticed it was the first thing they had agreed on all day. “Well,” said Harry, getting up and stretching, “I’d better go apologise to your mum. See you later,” and he walked off towards the door, closing it behind him. He guessed that Hermione and Ron would be ‘busy’ for a while...