Colin Creevey Versus The Apocalypse

Chapter 1

Colin Creevey was a boy of twelve years, in his second year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the greatest school of magic. He was a slightly annoying boy who aspired to be a photographer. He was Harry Potter's second greatest fan, right after Ginny Weasley. He was part of the Gryffindor house and wanted to be a hero like Harry. (Even though Harry is an anti-hero.) Of course, Colin only thought it would be a dream; he never thought it would be true.

The Dementors were around the school, scaring everyone to death. Harry Potter was supposedly in danger. He'd fallen off his broomstick just a few days ago because the Dementors were feeding on the emotions of the crowd. It had been the scariest moment of Colin's life; he couldn't sense anything around him for just a few moments. He remembered waking up (or at least seeming like it), seeing Professor Dumbledore order the Dementors off the field. Harry's broomstick had shattered. The Dementors were almost always scaring Colin; the only time he wasn't was when Professor Remus Lupin, the new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher was around. For some unknown reason, Professor Lupin seemed to scare the Dementors. Colin wasn't sure why, but he could feel something strange about Professor Lupin. Why was he always sick? No matter how strange things could get, Professor Lupin was his favorite teacher. Then one day, in the Great Hall, everything changed.

* * * * *

The Hogwarts students were eating their dinner that night. The teachers were seated at their own table while the four houses each had separate tables, having a conversation. They looked concerned. Colin wasn't sure why, but he could tell something was seriously wrong.

Professor Lupin whispered something to Professor Snape, the Potions teacher. He nodded and whispered it to Hagrid, who rose out of his seat and whispered to Professor Dumbledore. The headmaster nodded and rose from his chair.

"Colin, what do you think they're talking about?" asked a fellow second-year, Ginny Weasley.

"Don't ask me," he whispered back. Colin sneezed. He was allergic to some kind of food served at the school, but he could never figure out what it was.

* * * * *

A few hours later, in the Gryffindor common room, Joey Walcha, one of Colin's best friends, showed Colin the latest issue of The Daily Prophet, newspaper of the wizardry world. Joey's father was one of the editors of The Daily Prophet, and Joey always got the paper everyday.

He constantly flipped pages. He stopped at a page with a huge, one-page ad. It looked something like this:

And his followers shall rise,

To wreak the turmoil

For the most powerful man's

Rise to power.

 

Prepare yourself; he is rising,

Surging with power.

He wants revenge.

He wants blood.

He wants power.

 

Colin gasped. "Who wrote this?" he asked Joey. Joey shrugged.

"I asked my dad that, too. The ad was paid for and all. They had to run it. He said that if they didn't, the person would kill them," Joey said gravely.

"Colin, what are you two talking about?" asked Ginny, walking up to them from behind. She poked her head in between the two and saw the ad in The Daily Prophet and gasped.

"It must be him," Ginny said. She turned the other direction to face the window.

"It must be who, Ginny? You-Know-Who?" Joey asked.

"No, someone worse than Tom. Someone more sinister. Someone deadlier," Ginny said darkly.

"Who?" Colin asked, intrigued.

"I don't know his name; but when Tom imprisoned me, he talked about Harry and this other man. He called him some weird name in another language. But then again, he said it was a simple Muggle name, not worthy of the person it had been bestowed to," Ginny responded.

"What kind of language?" asked Joey.

"It sounded like a snake hissing. I'll bet that it was parseltongue," Ginny responded.

"But if it can't be You-Know-Who, who can it be?" wondered Colin out loud.

"It must be someone awful if You-Know-Who kept talking about him," said Joey.

"Let's not jump to conclusions. Now, Ginny, you need to tell Professor Dumbledore about this," Colin said. He brushed his hand through his hair. Joey looked at Ginny with a Do-you-need-any-help? kind of look.

"Guys, look outside," Colin said. There was a man outside the window, peeking through.

"Could it be" Ginny wondered, cut off in mid-sentence by Joey.

"Sirius Black?" finished Joey.

"No way. No one would be stupid enough to try and sneak into Hogwarts with Professor Dumbledore and the Dementors on campus," Colin said, voicing his opinion.

"Sirius Black killed thirteen people with a single curse. I think he would have the cunning to sneak into Hogwarts and escape the clutches of the Dementors and Professor Dumbledore," responded Joey. Colin nodded. The three looked at each other, and the shadow had disappeared. It seemed to have just been a figment of their imaginations.

"Guys, I gotta go study," said Ginny, "We have a test in Herbology Monday, two days from now. I'll see you two later." Ginny walked out the common room to the girls' dormitory. The two decided it was time for bed and left for their dormitories.

* * * * *

The next morning, Harry Potter was in the common room, looking over his notes.

"Harry," Ginny whispered. Colin was right behind her. It was early in the morning. The sun had barely risen. The sky was a dark orange. Harry's wand illuminated the area around him.

"What? Colin?" Harry grumbled; he was only half-awake.

"Did you see The Daily Prophet?" Colin asked.

"No," Harry replied, still looking at his notes. He looked behind the chair. "Where's your friend?"

"Joey's asleep. He always sleeps late," Colin replied. Ginny's face was blood-red. Thank goodness Harry isn't looking at us. Ginny would be so embarrassed, Colin thought.

"Excuse me," Ginny whispered to Colin, "but I gotta go." Ginny took off quickly.

"Colin, what do you want?" Harry asked. He turned around, mad because he was tired of Colin's constant bugging.

"Okay, there's this ad in The Daily Prophet. The ad calls for some guy's rise to power. Hold on, let me go get the paper," Colin said. He ran into the dormitory. Joey was still asleep. Colin grabbed the paper.

"Harry look at this," Colin said, showing Harry the ad in the paper. Harry's jaw dropped, and his glasses fell down to his the end of his nose.

"Could it be Voldemort?" Harry thought out loud. Colin shuddered; he hated it when people said the dreaded name. But he didn't bother being the umpteenth person to tell Harry Potter not to say the name.

"Ginny said that it could be someone worse. Look Harry, I'm sorry if I ever made you mad; but I promise to stop bugging you. When you saved Hogwarts from You-Know-Who, I knew that I could never repay you. I nearly died. You don't know what it's like to be petrified. You're aware of everything that surrounds you. You can hear it, but you can't see it. It's like a radio show. You imagine everything that's around you. I can't describe it any further," Colin said.

"Colin, this man thinks he's more powerful than Voldemort. And if it's true, the world as we know it is in for something very, very bad. The Ministry of Magic is already in trouble with Sirius Black on the loose. This can only get worse," Harry responded.

"Harry, what do you think will happen?" Colin asked. Harry sighed.

"Colin, I don't know what to expect. But if he's worse than Voldemort, we really are in for something awful. Colin, look outside," Harry said, pointing at the sky. Colin turned to the large window; light rushed into the common room.

"See the sun, Colin? I'd bet that if this deadly man appeared and did what was promised in the ad, it could be the end of the world as you know it. That sun would rise no more. And we'd all be dead," Harry said gravely.

"Then that man would die, too. Wouldn't he want to live? If I was some evil sorcerer" Colin said, before he was interrupted by Harry.

"He's a lunatic. He doesn't want anyone to live. Don't you get it, Colin? He hates everyone. He has his followers. In order for him to rise, he needs support. And when he's done, he'll kill everyone else," Harry said.

"I'll see you later, Harry. Thanks," Colin said, walking away. He exited the common room, walking down the castle walls to the library. Colin really didn't have anything to do, as it was Sunday. That was pretty much always the case.

A low sound came from behind Colin. Colin turned around. There was nothing. He continued walking. There was that same sound again.

"Who's there?" Colin said aloud to the castle walls. There was no answer. Colin continued walking on, until he found the library. The mysterious sound occurred again. What was it?

Colin turned around once more. He walked back down the castle corridors, away from the library. The sound was not occurring. Colin wondered if it was just an echo.

"All who dare to challenge me will perish in flames. They will die horrible deaths. And my revenge shall occur. You will die. C'mon, give me your best shot. You want to be a hero. You believe that you have what it takes to challenge Julius, the greatest sorcerer of all time. The man who gave Voldemort his inspiration. The man who could beat any great wizard over the past few years in a fight. You are a brave boy; you could prove to be useful," said a voice. Colin gulped. A man who claimed to be the deadliest person alive was in Hogwarts. Colin picked up his pace, hoping to find Professor Dumbledore.

* * * * *

Professor Dumbledore was an old man with white hair, a long beard, and moon-rimmed glasses. He was chatting with Professor McGonagall. Professor Dumbledore was supposedly the only man You-Know-Who was scared of, but Colin doubted that this man Julius was scared of the headmaster.

"Hello, Colin. Could you excuse the professor and I for a moment?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"I'm afraid not. This is too urgent. Professors, he spoke to me," Colin said. "Julius spoke to me."

"Julius?" inquired Professor Dumbledore. "Are we thinking of the same Julius?"

"Is he a powerful wizard who is probably a deadly lunatic?" Colin asked.

"Why, yes," responded Professor Dumbledore. "Some of his followers in this cultsomething like thatput the ad on behalf of him in The Daily Prophet. Alexander Walcha informed me."

"Albus, isn't he dead?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"He probably has a secret Sorcerer's Stone. No one probably knows about it, but that is the only way he could be alive. I don't think that he would ever kill a unicorn," Professor Dumbledore said to his colleague. "But no one can jump to presumptions. Now, Colin what did Julius say to you?"

"He told me to take my best shot; that I could be useful to him. Sir, he said that his challengers would perish in flames," Colin said.

"What do you make of it?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"Well, if you want my honest opinion, I think he wants to destroy human life. Everything. The Apocalypse is at hand. Voldemort never succeeded. What if he succeeds? He wants the ultimate revenge. That would be killing everything," Colin said. Professor Dumbledore nodded.

"Colin, you are not to go off and try to stop the worst wizard ever. This man was worse than Voldemort or Salazar Slytherin. Combined, even. Do you understand the point I am trying to make?" asked Professor Dumbledore. Colin nodded.

"Yes, sir. But what are you going to do about Julius?" asked Colin.

"We're keeping it secret for now, Colin. All of Britain is crazy over Sirius Black. If anyone finds out about Julius, people will accuse the Ministry of Magic of being unorganized and unprepared for any attacks against us. People think Julius is dead. We must keep it at that. Minerva, send an owl to Cornelius Fudge. He must be informed immediately. The world is in danger. Now, Colin, you heard none of this. Minerva, please leave and send that owl. I must talk with Colin," Professor Dumbledore said.

"Yes, Albus. Should I tell any of the other teachers?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"There will be a staff meeting tomorrow evening, after dinner. Please make sure the teachers are informed. Thank you, Minerva," the headmaster said. Professor McGonagall walked away. Professor Dumbledore stared at Colin.

"Colin, do you understand that everything you heard is secret? This is an incident of which we hope to keep the world unaware of," Professor Dumbledore told Colin.

"But what if he leads someone here into a trap?" Colin asked.

"Then I shall go rescue the person. I warn you right now. If you go off trying to fight Julius, you are almost guaranteed to die. Trust me, Colin. Only experienced wizards have come out alive. And most of them came out scarred for life," Professor Dumbledore said.

"Sir, what if he speaks to me again?" Colin asked. Professor Dumbledore sighed.

"If he speaks to you again, you must respond. Tell him that he's a nobody; a man who is forgotten in the wake of someone greater."

"And if that doesn't scare him?" Colin asked.

"Nothing will."