Harry Potter and the Orb of Power

Chapter 33: The Astronomy Tower

Harry stood at the bottom of the stair well, looking anxiously up at the staircase. It was darker than he had remembered, and for the first time in a long while, Harry felt pure dread spread through his body.

"You don't have to do this," Ron said behind him, his own eyes fixed on the darkness surrounding the stairs.

"Yes, I do. I need to know what's up there," Harry said determinedly, trying to hold his voice steady despite the fear pricking his insides.

"We're going with you then," Ron replied, making a move towards the stairs. Harry threw his arm out, catching Ron by the arm, and stopping him.

"You guys keep watch," Harry said, looking into Ron's eyes. He knew, deep down, that this was something he had to do alone.

"Be careful Harry," Hermione said fearfully.

"I will," Harry responded, and stepped onto the first stair of the staircase.

The world instantly went black around him. Harry couldn't see an inch in front of his face.

"Great," he muttered. "Guys, what happened to the lights?" His voice echoed in the darkness, resounding in his ears. Ron and Hermione did not respond. Harry turned around, and saw that the first step on which he stood had suddenly transformed into a cliff; the floor on which Hermione and Ron were standing had turned into a bottomless abyss. He felt panic rip through him; he scrambled further up the stairs in order to avoid the precipice. Harry suddenly felt very vulnerable; there were no railings to protect him from toppling off of the sides of the stairs.

Looks like the old security measures weren't strong enough, Harry thought sickeningly as turned to look at the top of the staircase. The Astronomy doors looked an eternity away from him, an impossible goal that he could not reach. Yet there was no alternative, that abyss at the bottom of the stairs was convincing enough to force him onwards.

"Ok, one stair at a time," Harry sighed, and moved up the stairs. As he climbed, he felt more and more secure that he could get to the top without falling. Moving more quickly, Harry made his way towards the door. He reached the halfway point when suddenly, the next stair disappeared.

Harry yelled, trying to stop himself from falling forwards, into the chasm that opened ahead of him. He waved his arms, trying to regain his balance. He teetered on the edge, fighting a losing battle against gravity and his inertia. And, with a sickening swoop of horror, he realized what was coming, and that it was inevitable. He lost his balance, and fell forwards. Closing his eyes, Harry felt gravity pulling him forward and, unexpectedly, he felt himself hitting something solid.

He opened his eyes, feeling dizzy and slightly nauseous. He was lying impossibly in midair; there was no visible support that kept him from falling. Feeling relief mingle with terror, Harry closed his eyes again, trying to stop himself from throwing up.

I thought I was dead, he thought sickeningly. Lying on what felt like cold stone, Harry took a few moments to regain his breath and his composure. Not wanting to test the support he was on, he decided not to get to his feet. He reached forward with his hands, and felt what seemed to be another step in front of him. The staircase isn't gone after all, it's just invisible. Feeling relief flood his body, Harry got to his feet, and withdrew his wand.

"Lumos," he muttered, and the tip of his wand lit up. The light did nothing for visibility, but a shadow of a staircase emerged in front of him. Harry looked up and saw that the staircase twisted crazily above him in shapes that clearly were not there when he was on the floor with Hermione and Ron. Taking a deep breath, Harry plunged onwards, climbing the stairs, trying to stay in the middle of the stairs for fear of falling off of the sides. He felt like he was walking for hours; his legs were beginning to sting with pain and his feet began to ache. Yet he climbed on, feeling exhaustion creeping through his body. After what seemed like an eternity, he reached the final set of stairs, where the door of the Astronomy Tower stood just in his reach.

"Finally," Harry muttered, taking a deep breath before plunging onwards. Harry pointed his wand forward, gripping it tightly, preparing himself for whatever was beyond the door. Taking another deep breath, Harry pushed open the doors to the Astronomy Tower. The room was incredibly dark, not even the light from his wand was able to penetrate the darkness.

"Illuminate!" Harry shouted, a deep red flare shot into the Astronomy Tower. He stepped inside, watching the red glare from the spell reflect off of the now repaired Astronomy Tower. The desks were rearranged, the ceiling no longer had a hole, and the pile of debris that had led Harry onto the roof not so long ago was now gone. "Professor Sinistra?" he called, his voice strangely echoing in the small classroom. There was no answer; he should have known, Professor Sinistra was probably attending the Vernal Ball.

"We're all alone here, Harry Potter," a low, growling voice called out in the darkness.

"Who is that? Show yourself!" Harry called to the darkness. Slowly, emerging from a grey mist, a sentinel appeared out of the darkness.

"Very well, young Potter. I have shown myself. You've done well to reach this very room," the grating voice growled back at him. "I had my doubts as to when you would finally have all of the pieces to come here. For awhile, you had the Orb, but that is not enough."

"Then what else do I need?" Harry responded, his hand still tightly gripped around his wand, ready to act if this sentinel made a move. It would be a long time before Harry forgot the last time he encountered this sentinel; its iron grip around his neck was still familiar to him.

"Courage, young Potter. Courage is the key to this puzzle, for if you do not find the will and the bravery to confront what is beyond, you will not survive."

"Who are you?" Harry asked, advancing on the sentinel with his wand outstretched.

"I would have imagined I gave you that answer a long time ago," the sentinel responded. "I am Verdoth Longbottom, original headmaster at Hogwarts and founder of the Order of the Phoenix."

"Longbottom...you were the original protector of the Orb of Power!" Harry said, his mind working overdrive.

"Very good, young Potter. Mr. Ollivander entrusted me with the charge of protecting the Orb of Power when too many knew that he held it. It has long since been handed down through the generations of Longbottoms, until now." The sentinel stirred from the shadows, creeping closer to Harry. Harry didn't dare take his eyes off of him.

"So why are you helping me?" Harry asked. "Why go through all of this trouble?"

"Because no one else seems to want to," Verdoth replied. "Your revered headmaster and his allies in the Order have decided to keep you in the dark, a step that I did not agree with. However, in my present state, I had no say."

"There's a witch who is helping me too!" Harry blurted out before he could stop himself.

"Indeed," the sentinel responded. "A powerful one, I'd say." Harry saw the shrewd look on Verdoth's grey face, and gasped.

"You know her, don't you?" Harry asked, his mind turning even more faster.

"Indeed I do. She sought me out when she heard that Dumbledore was enlisting the aid of sentinels in the order of guarding the castle. She knew that you would need protecting, more than what Dumbledore had given you. He's grown tired in his old age..."

"Who is she?" Harry demanded.

"That I cannot tell you. She will reveal herself, in time."

"But..."

"Now is not the time to remain idle. I must show you the truth, as was my charge. Let's see if you, young Potter, are able to figure out the next puzzle." Verdoth moved past Harry and towards a bland looking, purple drape hanging on the wall. He disappeared behind it, leaving Harry alone in the Astronomy Tower. Harry rushed over to the drape and threw it back, but saw only a solid wall with an inscription next to it:

Those on official business may enter the Workman's Closet.

"Now why would something be hidden in a closet?" Harry asked himself, looking at the wall in frustration. "Open. Open up. Open says me. Oh bugger." Harry kicked the wall, and instantly regretted doing so. Harry's foot filled with pain, and cursed aloud. "Why won't you just tell me the answer?" And then suddenly, the answer clicked.

Use the Orb of Power.

Harry took the chain out of his robes and made the Orb materialize on the end of the chain.

"Here goes nothing..." Harry muttered. He closed his eyes, and swept all thoughts out of his head but one: How do I get past the wall?

A burst of wind swept through the room, flapping his robes. Light shot out of the Orb and showed a young boy standing in front of a door. Harry watched in awe as the boy flashed and turned into a phoenix, which then disappeared in a burst of flame. The image then shifted to the other side of the wall, where the phoenix turned back into a young boy.

"Of course. Phoenixes can Apparate on Hogwarts grounds!" Harry declared triumphantly. The light rushed back into the Orb and the wind died down. Tucking the Orb away, Harry walked up to the purple drape. "Now to transform into a phoenix." Harry closed his eyes, and waved his wand.

Harry felt a warm feeling spreading throughout his body, and it did not take a long time to realize that he had made the change. Fluttering midair in front of the door, the Apparition came instinctively. With a burst of flame, Harry found himself on the other side of the door. Harry flapped his wings, and with a flash, he turned back into his usual self.

Harry found himself in a very dark corridor, with black-flamed torches sticking out of the wall. The dank stone and the stuffy air around him reminded him of the pathway to the headquarters of the Order, and more frighteningly, Azkaban.

"Lumos!" Harry muttered, and a light appeared at the end of his wand. The dust in the air muddled the brightness of the light. Harry walked in relative silence, hearing only a dripping sound from far ahead of him. He walked on, trying to ignore the fact that blood was dripping from the ceiling, and was oozing out of the cracks in the floor. The stench of it was heavy in the air; Harry had to fight back the impulse of throwing up. On he continued, fighting nausea, until he reached the end of the corridor. A large door loomed ahead of him, emblazoned with the seal of Hogwarts on it. Suddenly, Verdoth walked through the closed door, and stood in front of Harry.

"Very, very good. You've made it this far, there is just one more obstacle. You have toiled through the winding staircase, you have shown intelligence in speaking to me, and you have shown your cunning by entering this hallway. You have proven your courage by walking the paths of blood. Now you must prove that you can enter here.

"And how do I do that?" Harry asked, knowing that Verdoth would not give him the answer. Verdoth stepped aside as Harry approached the door. Harry put his hand on the Hogwarts seal and pushed. The doors swung slowly open. "That was it?"

"I didn't say it was going to be difficult," the sentinel responded, and swept into the room. Harry glared at the specter as he entered the room.

The room was relatively empty, save for four caskets standing in the middle of the room. Perched on each of these stone caskets were four different statues, each as large as a person. The first statue had a statue of a lion, sitting on its haunches. Despite the fact that the statue was realistically colored, it seemed to be made out of stone. The lion had fur of pure gold, and a mane of deep scarlet. Far from menacing, the lion looked kingly, proud. Harry felt a sense of reverence swell from his chest, and he forced himself to look at the other statues. The next one was a large statue of a serpent, which too was colored. The snake was that of a dark green color, its body coiled. In the middle of the coil the snake's head rose to the height of the lion, its silver head looked ready to strike. The last two statues were oddly not colored. The third was a stone eagle, its wings thrown back in flight, its hooked beak open in a silent scream. The eagle eerily reminded Harry of the eagle shape his guardian witch took at St. Mungo's. Harry drew his eyes from the eagle statue and looked at the last, a small, stone badger on top of the last casket. Compared to the other statues, the badger looked embarrassingly feeble, and the look of clear admiration in the badger's face did not help much.

"What is this place?" Harry asked, looking at the statues. He turned, and on the wall across from the statues was a large, elegant painting. A lion and a snake were standing opposite each other. The eagle was in mid-flight directly in the middle of the lion and the snake, while the badger was nearly off of the edge of the painting, half buried in a hole in the ground.

"You are standing, young Potter, in one of the best hidden chambers in Hogwarts, Chamber of Secrets notwithstanding," Verdoth's voice echoed through the chamber. "This is the Tomb of the Founders, the final resting place of the four greatest wizards and witches of our age." Just as Verdoth stopped speaking, a ring of torches surrounding the chamber burst alight, illuminating the entire chamber. Harry realized that he was standing on an elevated platform with the caskets, while a staircase to his left led to a depressed area which Harry assumed was for those who wished to visit the caskets.

"This is too much," Harry mumbled, deeply entranced by the painting on the wall. As the torchlight flickered across the canvas, it looked like the pictures were moving.

"Gryffindor insisted that this room be adorned by a Muggle painting of the four. He always felt that they should not forget their common heritage with Muggles."

"I bet Slytherin liked that," Harry said sarcastically.

"Unfortunately, Slytherin was not around to make such a judgment."

"What does all of this have to do with the Orb?" Harry asked, thoroughly confused.

"The Orb was once important to Salazar Slytherin. He knew, as did Gryffindor, that it was the first in a chain of three objects that would lead him to immortality, a goal that he strove to achieve. The Orb led to the second object, and the second led to the third, which grants the holder incalculable power. In his thirst for power, Slytherin attacked Ollivander, hoping to steal the Orb for himself and progress to the next step. Ollivander, however, told Slytherin that he had put the Orb under protection. My protection."

"So Slytherin attacked you?" Harry asked, trying to trace where Verdoth was going with his story.

"No, Slytherin did not know that it was in my care. However, at the time, we did not know of Slytherin's descent to madness. He had merely left the school, and we were all sure he would someday return. Gryffindor, most of all, placed hope in the fact that Slytherin would return. He even made moves to amend his argument with Slytherin, and in good faith, he explained that he held in his hands the last object in the chain of three. A noble move on Gryffindor's part, but one that was irrevocably stupid, for Slytherin no longer had to use the Orb of Power."

"So this is useless," Harry said, holding the chain in his hand.

"Not so, Harry, not so," Verdoth said, standing under the painting. "For Voldemort, the wizard who now seeks to follow the same path, has no idea of where the second or third objects are. He knows only that the Orb of Power was kept in a fortress where great sorrows had occurred, meaning St. Mungo's, once a fortress during the dark times. Once he knew that my family held the Orb, he made a move for it. Thankfully, you were there to get it before him."

"So let's just destroy it!" Harry yelled. "If we destroy this, he can't find the rest of the objects!"

"If only it were that simple, Verdoth said sadly. "The Orb only can lead to the second object, which leads to the third. Destroying the Orb now will do nothing to stop the track. Things have been set in motion, which means that either you or Voldemort will find the third object."

"Why us two?" Harry asked.

"A good question, a question that leads to why we are here, in this particular room," Verdoth said. "The keys to your past, present, and future are here in this very room."

"I don't understand."

"Then let this help you understand, for in the past hold many puzzles and answers that will help you unravel your destiny," Verdoth whispered. He snapped his fingers, and the painting ahead seemed to become alive. "The painting is the doorway." Harry walked slowly towards the painting, his hand outstretched. The instant his fingers touched the canvas, he felt himself being sucked into the painting. He landed on a stone cold floor, and realized that, once again, he had been transported to another time. Verdoth was standing above him; he held out a hand to help Harry up.

"The language they speak is different from yours, but you'll be able to understand the words they say. I leave you now, and will return when you have gained the precious knowledge that you have come to receive." Verdoth snapped his fingers, and disappeared.

"Different language?" Harry repeated, unaware of what Verdoth was talking about. He looked around and realized that he was in some sort of large office. There was a large desk facing the entering door, and a woman with dark black hair, garbed in blue and white robes, was sitting at it, writing a letter. Next to her was a woman in bright yellow robes, speaking gravely with a person who seemed to be behind Harry. Harry turned and saw the live version of Verdoth Longbottom, clad in deep purple robes. Harry knew better than to say hello; he had enough experience with these sorts of trips to know that his presence was not noticed.

"...I'm worried about the children, Verdoth," the woman in yellow was saying. "Without a steady and reliable teaching figure, I fear they will not get the education they need."

"My dear Helga, the children will do fine for now. I'm teaching the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, and that should be fine for now," Verdoth replied in low, gravelly voice that Harry was quite familiar with.

"Yes, but the Headmaster of the school should not have to teach," Helga replied. Harry could only assume that this was Helga Hufflepuff, one of the four founders of Hogwarts.

"Desperate times, my dear Helga. There is no other option," Verdoth replied, his hands spread.

"Well, if the oaf hadn't left the school, we wouldn't be in this position," the woman in blue said with a trace of attitude that Harry found quite unpleasant. "Then again, Godric always did have his stubborn side."

"It is not Godric's fault that Salazar decided that Muggle children were below those with pure blood. In fact, I'd say it was rather random," Verdoth replied. "Rowena, perhaps you could have intervened before Salazar left."

"And said what? Besides, both of them should come to their senses and realize they are being childish," Ravenclaw replied, still not looking up from her letter.

"You just don't want to choose a side," Verdoth insisted, with a bite of impatience that was hard to deny.

"And why should I, Verdoth?" Ravenclaw responded, finally looking up and giving Verdoth an icy stare with her cold, blue eyes. "It is their squabble, let them sort it out. I will not choose between friends."

"Rowena, no one expects you to choose," Hufflepuff responded kindly, giving Verdoth a nervous look. "Hopefully they come to their senses and stop this foolish nonsense. A happy ending is waiting for us here."

"I do pray you are right, sweet Hufflepuff," Verdoth responded. A burst of flame appeared in the middle of the room, and a familiar phoenix appeared from amidst the flames.

"Fawkes," Harry whispered. The phoenix was carrying a note in its talon.

"From Godric," Verdoth whispered, taking the manuscript and unrolling the parchment. He read quickly, and his expression got more and more panicked as he read. "Damnation!"

"What is it?" Hufflepuff asked, standing up quickly from her chair.

"Salazar has proposed to duel with Godric to decide who is right in their argument. A duel to the death," Verdoth responded. Hufflepuff covered her mouth with her hand, while Ravenclaw made no such movement. Harry saw her jaw clench, and could almost feel her getting angry.

"I must head them off. I'll do what I can," Verdoth bowed, sweeping out of the office in a hurry.

"Verdoth will put a stop to this," Hufflepuff insisted, in a tone that made it clear to Harry that she was trying to convince herself.

"Dear Hufflepuff, you have no idea," Ravenclaw muttered, standing up from her desk. "This duel will not end anything. As long as they have breath they will fight and duel and destroy until everything they have fought for is gone."

"But why?" Hufflepuff asked, clearly aghast by this assumption.

"Because they do not see what is right in front of them, that they are alike. They are too insistent that they are so very different from one another, but verily they are but the same. They have one common goal: to educate the children as best as they possibly can. Yet they are too wrapped up in their own convictions that they don't realize that they are being relentlessly stubborn and irrevocably stupid."

"But it seems deeper than that," Hufflepuff responded. "They've been growing apart for quite some time."

"Whatever the matter, the dispute will not end here," Ravenclaw muttered icily.

"What of the students? I fear for their safety," Hufflepuff said in an increasingly panicked tone of voice. "Salazar himself has common sense, yet his exposure to the Dark Arts may have made him slightly insane."

"And what if he has? Shall we set ourselves against one of our friends?" Ravenclaw demanded.

"No, but you must understand that Salazar is not acting rationally!" Hufflepuff shrieked in a rare defensive retort. Ravenclaw remained silent.

"I cannot choose between them," Ravenclaw repeated stubbornly. Suddenly, an owl flew through the open doors of the office, carrying a note in its talons. Ravenclaw grabbed the owl and ripped the message from the owl's grip.

"Oh no," Ravenclaw sighed.

"What?"

"Godric can't find Salazar," Ravenclaw replied.

"Maybe he didn't come?" Hufflepuff whispered. A muffled explosion rocked the castle, and Ravenclaw looked at Hufflepuff sadly. Students were screaming in the hallways. "We must do something, Rowena! We must stop Salazar before he hurts anyone, himself included!"

"You are right, Helga, we must do something. I cannot choose, but he will," Ravenclaw replied, pointing at the phoenix.

"I don't understand..."

"I warned Salazar that if he ever made a direct attack against the school, I would use the Arbiter Spell against him. And so I shall; the phoenix will decide who is right in this matter."

"But Rowena...the implications..."

"I know full well what this could mean, Helga. Let us pray that Godric and Salazar come to their senses." Ravenclaw held out her arm and Fawkes glided silently onto her arm. "I will not choose between them. You, phoenix, will make that choice. You will decide who will end the conflict, when their faults are mended, when they become as one, when they realize there is no difference between them."

"Rowena, is this the right thing to do? Reconsider!" Helga pleaded. Ravenclaw shook her head, and waved her wand. A dark blue light exploded out of the edge of her wand, surrounding Fawkes in a blue shell. The light turned white, and the shell exploded outwards.

"So it is done. If Godric and Slytherin come to their senses, the spell needn't be sealed."

"What have you done?" Hufflepuff whispered in terror. The doors

opened and a frightened student ran in.

"Miladies, Lord Slytherin has invaded the school! He promises to kill all those who are Muggle-born!" the student yelled.

"Including you, you sniveling little rat!" a cold, deep voice responded.

"Salazar, do nothing foolish!" Ravenclaw responded, pointing her wand towards the doorway.

"Like this? Avada Kedavra!" A green light entered the room and struck the young boy. With a rushing sound, the boy collapsed to the ground, dead before he even hit the cold stone. Harry felt a cold shudder pass over him. He died just like Cedric...

"George? George?" Hufflepuff pleaded, rushing towards the student.

"Back, Helga. Do nothing...foolish," Slytherin responded with sickening mirth. Hufflepuff backed away from the boy as Slytherin entered the office. He looked like a man who was slightly disfigured. His face looked rather monkeyish, and his eyes were turning totally black.

"What has happened to you, Salazar?" Hufflepuff whispered.

"A few experiments here and there and I have a new look," Slytherin responded icily. "Now, I'm here to interrupt the Arbiter Spell you planned on pinning on me." Hufflepuff grabbed the phoenix quickly, and before Slytherin could move his wand, Ravenclaw was once again pointing her wand at him.

"Do not move, you filth!" Ravenclaw bellowed, her nostrils flaring, an expression on her face eerily reminiscent of Professor McGonagall.

"Filth? That was rather harsh," Slytherin snarled with a cruel smile on his face.

"You abysmal, wretched piece of vermin!" Ravenclaw shrieked. "How could you murder an innocent boy?"

"With a simple spell of my own creation. I call it the Killing Curse. Simple, yet efficient."

"Salazar, you need help," Helga pleaded. "Stop this madness, for the good of the children!"

"I am doing this for the good of the children. Godric is too weak to teach these students. I will purge the school of the Muggle-borns, and then this school will be the perfect learning environment!" Slytherin shrieked.

"You shall not harm another student!" Ravenclaw bellowed. "I do not wish to kill you Slytherin, for it would seal the spell and doom us all. So please, come to your senses, and depart!"

"You think you can kill me? I will soon be beyond immortality! Yet, perhaps you're right." Slytherin bowed his head. "I have been acting foolish...I've gone too far haven't I."

"Salazar," Ravenclaw said, lowering her wand slightly.

"Now who's acting foolish!" Slytherin bellowed. He waved his wand and uttered a string of words in a language Harry did not understand. A black bolt of energy erupted from his wand and hit Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff screamed; Ravenclaw looked startled. A shadow seemed to creep up her right leg, slowly turning it into a thing of shadow itself. Ravenclaw screamed in agony, and waved her wand. A white light exploded from her wand, and the shadowy substance around her leg shattered. Ravenclaw collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily from the pain.

"Rowena!" Hufflepuff shrieked. Salazar, looking panicked that Rowena threw of the curse, hurled the same curse at Fawkes. Hufflepuff shrieked; the curse missed Fawkes and struck Hufflepuff across the chest. The shadowy substance crept up her right leg, but because she was holding Fawkes, she could not use her wand to stop the progress. The substance started to creep up her left leg now, steadily climbing up her body. Screaming with pain, Helga released Fawkes, who then burst into flame and vanished.

"HELGA!" Rowena cried as she waved her wand. However, the substance had now reached her shoulders, and was entering her mouth.

"Rowena..." Hufflepuff whispered, before her body completely disappeared. Ravenclaw clambered off the ground, staring at the spot where Hufflepuff once stood, not able to believe what had just happened.

"What did you do?" Ravenclaw whispered, her breath caught in her chest. Harry watched in horror as Ravenclaw suddenly understood that her best friend had just died before her very eyes. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" Harry turned to look at Slytherin, and saw that Slytherin looked deeply shocked.

"She should have stopped the spell..." Slytherin mumbled, looking more human than he had in this entire encounter. "I meant to kill the bird!" Ravenclaw turned, and with a wave of her wand, a bright white light issued from it, blasting Slytherin out of the office.

Harry saw Slytherin rise from the ground and then disappear, a look of sorrow stuck on his face. Ravenclaw remained standing, the tears now trickling from her eyes. Verdoth and a man that was unmistakably Godric Gryffindor entered the room. Gryffindor wiped his black bangs out his brown eyes and looked at Ravenclaw in horror.

"What did he do?"

"You did this too, the both of you," Ravenclaw yelled savagely, and limped past Gryffindor. Harry meant to follow, but the scene twisted into a grey fog. The scene then cleared, and Harry was in a cemetery. Harry recognized this scene; he had this dream around Christmas time. Only now he knew who everyone was. Godric Gryffindor, wearing robes of pure white, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Verdoth Longbottom, were surrounding the empty grave of Helga Hufflepuff. The three of them were having an argument.

"You can't fight him, you can't! You can't subject the students to this! They've seen enough death! You cannot kill him! You'd sink to his level, and you cannot allow that!" Ravenclaw shrieked.

"It has to end," Gryffindor replied sternly.

"If you kill him, you seal the spell and doom generations to come! Don't damn the rest of the wizarding world because of a petty grudge!" Ravenclaw shrieked. But Gryffindor would not listen. He escorted Verdoth over the hill that they were on, and Harry realized that a battle was about to begin. A battle that Harry had seen, one where the white wizard, Gryffindor, would kill the dark wizard, Slytherin.

Everything played out as if it was a movie Harry had seen many times. The knights and the giants crashed in battle. Slytherin used the Sententia Curse on Verdoth, submitting him to a life of eternal damnation. And Gryffindor punished him for it, by chopping off his head. Gryffindor killed Slytherin, and whatever spell Ravenclaw casted, it was now sealed.

Harry felt dizzy with this new knowledge; the world seemed to be spinning all around him. Harry closed his eyes, wanting the trip to be over, and when he opened his eyes, he was back in the Tomb of the Founders, Verdoth Longbottom standing over him.