Harry Potter and the Wyvern's Crown

Chapter 20: A Death in the Family

Draco was speechless. Then he sneered, 'Almost had me there, Potter. Almost.'

Harry looked at the prouder, taller boy then his eyes fell on the crest that adorned the other's cloak. He looked up, his mouth dark, and spoke. 'Had you, Malfoy? Can you understand a single word I'm saying?' Harry smiled, knowing that Draco couldn't.

The other boy's hands flashed to his ears, 'Parseltongue.'

Harry cleared his throat. 'The Sorting Hat seemed to think I had potential.'

Draco wrinkled his nose. 'It would, of course. But it managed to put you where you belong.'

'I'm sure,' Harry muttered, 'But one thing still doesn't make sense.'

Draco's cool eyes flicked up, 'What?'

'Where Raven's gotten to.'

* * *

Bethany was beautiful. She moved in the witch's dance so well. It was Gregory's first year. Or was it his first year as a head boy? So proud he was of that fact. And she danced. Her perfect blue eyes met his glassy green ones again. He was smiling. Why had he never noticed how perfect she was? Her long mousey hair was tied back in a long braid, and she danced. A sudden tap at his shoulder drew his eyes from her figure and he looked up at his senior by one year, the Ravenclaw named Raphael.

'Dost thou have a fondness for her?'

Gregory blushed. How could he say so to his fellow head boy? The proud Ravenclaw was doubtless closer to her than any other.

The taller boy smiled, then jerked his chin towards the pale-faced red head that stole the comely Bethany's hand and now paced with her in the music, 'No need to say. But watch that one. If thou does not, the serpent boy will snatch her from thee.'

Gregory smiled, 'I have no fear of that, Ravenclaw. None at all, dear friend.'

* * *

Harry shook the lingering edges of the vision from his mind. It was absolutely insane to think that history was doomed to repeat itself. But the visions that were plaguing him, and understandably Malfoy as well, were not only a constant irritation, but were leaving behind more questions than answers with every passing moment.

But at the very least, one question was finally answered. Raven had been called away late the night before. Alicia had been awake when a man had come into the room, put he had used a charm to make everyone who had been roused by the interruption to fall asleep. No one else was able to give an honest description of the man.

He thought to inquire during Transfiguration, but the project of turning a green pine cone into a badger distracted him completely. That and he happened to have a conversation in proto-English during the last ten minutes of class with an apparition of Stephan while he joked crudely about what the tail end of a Slytherin girl ought to look like. Feeling rather like a moron, he flopped down on a bench at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall later that evening and sighed. He was almost too stressed out by his visions to feel worried by Raven's absence. The Chasers had all confirmed that she hadn't put up a struggle, and had been concerned enough to leave most of her things behind. But even thinking that, he started to fret. His stomach hurt. He had no idea how he was supposed to pass his courses, or what he would do with the rest of his life, if this didn't end soon. He'd skipped dinner, and now he was beginning to which he hadn't. He touched his stomach, which gurgled harshly.

When he considered going back to his dorm and lying down to rid himself of his new-found nausea, a breeze at his back made him look up. Albus Dumbledore was standing there, his twinkling eyes very serious.

'May I have a moment, Mr. Potter?'

Harry nodded and stood, for the moment, nodding forgetting his worries instantly. His eyes were on Dumbledore's, and he followed the tall wizard into the bowels of the school. Harry almost didn't understand when he realized where they were going. The headmaster tapped the gargoyles head before his office door, 'No More Bertie Botts!'.

Harry grinned, recalling his first year when the poor headmaster came off of his ban on Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans only to eat an earwax flavored one. He bowed his head and walked in. Fawkes the phoenix was in his cage, quite still, though he turned his head towards Harry. Harry looked at the knickknacks around the office, it had been so long since he had been in here. But rather than picking up one these strange and wonderous objects, Dumbledore picked up a simple looking envelope. It had been opened.

'This was addressed to me, but it asks that I tell you about it. Raven Hawksmoor...I believe you know her...' His smile was a little patronizing, but kind, 'was the one who sent it to me. It appears her step-mother was attacked last night. Miss Hawksmoor doesn't expect that she will survive very long. She'll be away from school for at least two or three days. She wanted you to know this, so I am respecting her wishes.'

Harry swallowed and tears bit at his eyes. His hands balled into fists. He had no doubt that one of those American Death Eaters, what had Raven called them? Dark Fates? Had been the perpetrators. All of this, just to get back at Raven's father? It was cruel. And he had no doubt that they would be after Raven as well. But Raven was infinitely more prepared to fight them than Harry was. But it bothered him that she was in danger. He looked at his shoes to gain a sense of normality, for as worn as they were, he wondered once again what life for them both would have been like if they were both muggles, attending a normal muggle school.

Certainly, they wouldn't have people trying to kill them both.

When he realized that Dumbledore hadn't dismissed him, he looked back up, confusion on his face. The headmaster was holding a very familiar looking sword and sheathe. It was the sword of the original Gryffindor, Godric. Gregory's great, great grandfather, if Harry had it correct from the visions.

'Curious,' the old man murmured, 'curious that you managed to draw this from Godric's Sorting Hat when it had been locked away for all those years. Very curious.' He raised his bushy eyebrows. 'When I took this from you during your second year here, I think I took from you a gift that Godric intended for you to have. Therefore, I return to you what is rightfully yours.' He held it out to Harry, pommel first. Harry gaped, but his hands opened of their own volition and he took the treasure into his possession.

'Now, I want you to be well aware of the responsibility that such a weapon has. You may not draw it within this school, for any reason. It is a charmed weapon, a fine one at that. The one who wields it becomes a master at its use. I believe you know that, though.' His eyes sparkled dangerously. 'I also don't want anyone knowing you have it. You will take it home after this semester, and I hope I do not see it again unless you are sporting it with a good purpose in mind.'

Harry nodded, putting the weapon underneath his clothes. His heart was pounding. He had the sword back. It was almost a sickening comfort. He hadn't known that it would make the user a master, but it felt right. After all he managed to slay a basilisk with his eyes practically closed. Dumbledore released him then and Harry practically ran back to Gryffindor tower, carrying the precious weapon under his robes, and immediately hid it under his bed. Ron almost caught him, and Harry turned around suspiciously.

'Harry...have you seen Raven?'

Harry shook his head. 'She was called away last night.'

Ron blinked, 'You know why?'

Harry shook his head. Obviously, the fact that Dumbledore had taken him to his office meant that Raven wanted to keep this private to a certain point. Ron made a face, as though he were trying to judge Harry's truthfulness. Harry would have succeeded too, if Gregory, lingering on the edge of his mind, had not seen the most disturbing thing in his life.

Stephan had taken Bethany to the Wyvern's Crown. Not only was that wrong by all means of the rules, for she was no head boy, and she was a half-blood, but she was no longer her soft, pleasant self. She was like hard glass, standing in the same soft robes as Stephan. The cruel boy turned his head, and with a soft strike, bit her neck.

'NO! RAVEN!' Harry said the wrong name, but he had the same reaction. And though Gregory had managed to stay conscious, Harry did not.

* * *

He woke in the Hospital Wing, and threw off the covers. He was moving before he even thought about it. An arm caught his. He turned, and saw the desperate eyes of Draco Malfoy. The Slytherin seemed concerned.

'I saw the same thing.'

Harry was breathing hard. 'Did you really? From Gregory's eyes?' Something occurred to him, 'Or Stephan's?'

Draco's eyes narrowed, his demeanour returning to bitter resentment, 'You bloody idiot!'

Harry shook his head, and stormed out. He didn't have the time to deal with this. Not with Draco's attitude, not with all this nonsense in his life...

'I saw it through Raphael's eyes, you pathetic slug,' Draco snarled behind him. 'Raphael Hawksmoor's eyes.'