James Potter and the Curse of the Gatekeeper

11. THE CIRCLE OF NINE

With a deft flourish, Slytherin threw a black cloth over the oval mirror on the easel. James cringed, fearing he'd vanish the moment his reflection was hidden. Slytherin gave him a disdainful look.

"Obviously, the mirror would be useless as a prison if the inmate could not be released by the jailor, you fool," he said. "Had you attempted it yourself, your fears would have come true, but if the mirror is covered by someone else, you are safe. You see? Even now, I am the consummate teacher, and you the reluctant pupil. Come to me, my friend."

James shook his head, pressing his lips together stubbornly.

Slytherin sighed wearily. "I'm not going to hurt you, boy. I merely require you to stand with me so that we may Disapparate together."

"You can't Disapparate inside Hogwarts," James replied. "Everybody knows that."

"I don't know who this 'everybody' is that you speak of, but I am beginning to suspect that the Hogwarts you believe you know is not the Hogwarts we currently occupy. Now come here."

James tightened his grip on the arms of the ladder-back chair. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

"You wish to get to the bottom of this misunderstanding, do you not?" Slytherin asked. "We both want the same thing, my young friend. Now come."

As Slytherin said the last word, he flicked his wand. The ladder-back chair leapt off the floor, taking James with it. It soared toward Slytherin, and then dumped James onto the floor in front of him. James scrambled to his feet, staring angrily up at the bald wizard.

"Why don't you just Imperio me, you big bully?" James spat.

"That is an Unforgivable Curse," Slytherin said, tilting his head in mock dismay. "I am a teacher at this fine establishment. As such, I obey the law of the land. I may not always agree with those laws, but nonetheless..."

Slytherin held out his hand.

James stared at it, frowning furiously. He knew that if he didn't obey Slytherin, the man would just force him to comply somehow. Something inside James determined that he'd rather walk into whatever awaited him than be carried to it. With that, he looked up into the wizard's cold eyes, and then took the proffered hand.

There was a sudden, dizzying sense of speed and darkness. The floor seemed to fall away from James' feet. A split second later, another surface materialized beneath him. James stumbled on it, and Slytherin let him go with a shove, driving him to his knees.

"No Disapparition," Slytherin said scornfully, stalking away. "No useful spells, no understanding of cunning or resourcefulness. I know not where you come from or who you are, my young friend, but whoever sent you must have been truly desperate."

James collected himself and stood, struggling with a sort of residual dizziness. Wherever Slytherin had taken him, it was very dark and cool. Wind blew fretfully, pushing a rafter of clouds overhead. The moon seemed unusually close. Its frosty glow illuminated the round, recessed floor of this strange place. James glanced around. The space was circular, with stone terraces leading down to a central wooden floor. On either side of this, two marble thrones faced each other. James' heart sank. He'd been here once before, in his own time.

"You seem to know much about us," Slytherin said, raising his voice over the moan of the wind. "Therefore, you must know the purpose of the Sylvven Tower. Its height, they say, places it outside the realm of the laws of men. Here, there is no such thing as an Unforgivable Curse. Here, my young friend, anything can happen."

As if to emphasize Slytherin's point, there was a sudden hiss and swirl of black smoke. It seemed to stream onto the tower, coalescing on a point to Slytherin's right. It formed the shape of a man in a black cloak. He was hoodless, with sharp features and cruel eyes. Slytherin smiled, not taking his gaze from James. More swirls appeared, hissing into shape, forming figures all around the circumference of the tower's top terrace. Every figure wore a black cloak, their heads uncovered. Each newcomer turned to look at James, their faces cold and calculating.

"Meet my Circle of Nine!" Slytherin cried, throwing his arms wide. "Fellow wizards who, like myself, recognize the inevitable future of the magical world, and who join me in fomenting it. Consider yourself honored to witness this, boy, for few alive know of us, or could guess at the counsels we keep. And now, let the summit begin! I have convened us this night because we have very important business to attend to…"

Shockingly, Slytherin suddenly flitted across the top of the tower, soaring, his feet not touching the ground and his robes flapping like leathery wings. He stopped directly in front of James, towering over him, his eyes fierce and intent. "You are that business," he rasped gleefully. He studied James' face triumphantly, almost lovingly. Then, suddenly, he turned away. His feet touched the ground again and he walked casually out onto the wooden floor of the center of the tower. James saw that the trapdoor in the center of the floor was closed and locked. There'd be no escape that way.

"A moment ago, down in my quarters, I was the teacher and you were the pupil, boy," Slytherin said, looking out over the low wall that surrounded the tower. "Let us now reverse those roles. My friends and I wish to learn much from you tonight. You have the honorable task of teaching us. Let us start with something simple. What is your name?"

James felt a strong urge not to answer. If he answered even the most basic question, he feared he would answer all of them. Some latent idea of braveness and nobility insisted he remain silent no matter what Slytherin or his cronies did to him.

"You are thinking it is courageous to remain silent, my boy," Slytherin said slyly, looking back at James over his shoulder. "You are thinking we will not merely kill you and use our arts to extract what we wish from the meat of your dead brain. You are thinking that such things do not happen to brave little boys. And this proves to me, my young friend, that you are indeed unfamiliar with this age. I know not what happens in the time from which you come, but here, terrible things happen to little boys every single day. Moreover, you are unknown here. You are a stranger. No one knows who you are, or even that you exist. If you disappeared, none would look for you. None would so much as notice your absence. Knowing that, do you really wish to stake your life on the hope that I, Salazar Slytherin, might be too soft-hearted to execute you this very night?"

James met Slytherin's eyes. They glittered in the moonlight like coins. There was no soul in them. In them, James could very well see his own death.

James swallowed, and then stood up straight. "My name is James," he declared, trying very hard not to betray his fear.

"See how easy that was, James?" Slytherin asked, gesturing grandly. James saw that the wizard had his wand in his hand. He flicked it, almost casually, and a bolt of stunning, excruciating pain rammed down James' spine. He arched his back and stumbled backwards, landing on the stone terrace. The agony was monumental. In it, James forgot where he was. His vision went white and hazy. All that mattered was that the pain should stop. It seemed to last hours and days. Then, suddenly, it was gone, and James knew that it had been mere seconds. His eyes cleared and he saw Slytherin standing over him, smiling with interest.

"I did not do that because you only answered the question partially," Slytherin said. "I did that because you hesitated. I trust you won't let it happen again."

Slytherin spun, as if to address everyone present. "And now, loud enough for us all to hear, what is your full name?"

James struggled up, grunting. His knees felt watery and very weak, but he got them beneath him. "James Sirius Potter," he answered, hating himself for it. The thought of that pain striking him again was horrid. He'd do almost anything to avoid it. And besides, he thought, what did it matter? What could Slytherin do with any information James might give him? It was a thousand years in the past, wasn't it?

But the future is built on the foundation of the past, a voice seemed to whisper in James' ear. He thought it was the voice of his father. Be careful, James. Be shrewd.

"James Sirius Potter," Slytherin said. "Such an innocent sounding name. Where are you from, Master Potter? When is your time? What can you tell us of it? Pray, leave nothing out."

"I'm from the future," James said grimly. "A thousand years from now. I am a student at this school in that time."

"Amazing," Slytherin said, his voice eager. "And yet this is obviously a lie. I credit your boldness, but it will not serve you well. Answer me truthfully this moment or face the Cruciatus Curse again. What say you?"

"It is the truth," James replied, raising his voice. "If you want me to make up something to suit what you want to hear, just let me know. I'll be happy to tell you whatever story you want."

"Do not tempt us, James Sirius Potter. If, indeed, Hogwarts College exists a thousand years from now, then it exists in a day when the magical realm has finally subjugated the Muggle hoard. There would be no room in such a college for a student like yourself, a boy of obviously dull abilities and mental weakness. Such a college would put you out where you belong: with the Muggle cattle and half-blood dogs. Tell us the truth now, or die with your lies."

"I'm not lying!" James said, growing bold. "Your predictions don't come true! In my time, the Muggles live alongside the magical world. They don't even know about us! The wizarding world has lived in secrecy among them for centuries. There are laws that make sure no witch or wizard tells any Muggle about us. Not only am I a student a Hogwarts, some of my classmates are the children of Muggles. In my time, any witch or wizard can attend Hogwarts, no matter who their parents are. Your stupid plans are going to come to nothing! In fact, in my time, you're best known for getting kicked out of the school because you were a mad, power-hungry loon!"

"You lie!" Slytherin roared, wheeling on James and raising his wand. "You have come here to sow deceit and doubt, but you are found out! You have not the slightest shred of evidence that this time you speak of is true, and the evidence of our very beings proves you false. The wizarding realm could never sink into the shadows of the Muggle world. It would be a blasphemy and a mockery. If this age that you describe were a reality, it would collapse under the weight of its own absurdity!"

Slytherin turned again, his robes flapping in the wind as he raised his arms. "My friends! We are confronted with a mystery. If the world this James Sirius Potter describes is, in some version of the shifting mists of the future—and against all logic—a reality, then it must be prevented at all costs. And if, as I strongly suspect, this boy is a fraud and a liar, flying in the face of our every attempt to consort with him as gentlemen, then he is our mortal enemy. Either way, our course is clear…" Here, Slytherin whipped around again and glared at James. "The boy must die," he said, grinning viciously. He raised his wand.

Without thinking, James ducked and leapt as Slytherin called the words of the Killing Curse. The bolt of green sizzled over James' head. He scrambled down to the lowest terrace and hid behind one of the two stone chairs.

"Stay your wands," Slytherin called to his associates, unperturbed. "I can manage the boy. None of you need bother yourselves."

James wished desperately that he still had his wand. An idea occurred to him and he called out. "Hey! You call yourself a gentleman? Not much nobility in cursing a kid, is there? At least give me my wand!"

Slytherin laughed in delight. "Finally, the boy shows some spirit," he cried. "As you wish, Master Potter. Let us duel. Come forth and collect your wand."

James peered cautiously around the side of the throne. Slytherin saw him and his grin widened. He produced James' wand from his robes and held it out. James steeled himself and climbed to his feet again. He began to cross the wooden floor toward Slytherin, carefully and quickly, his heart pounding.

Suddenly, surprisingly, there was a loud thump from directly beneath James' feet. He jumped, startled, and looked down. He was standing on the trapdoor.

"They come, Salazar," one of the cloaked wizards said. "They have sensed our summit. We must depart. Deal with the boy elsewhere."

"No," Slytherin said, still grinning. "They cannot reach us. The tower cannot be breached from outside by any means until the summit is ended. It is the magical law of the Sylvven Tower. Let us finish our work first, and then deal with my fellow founders. It is high time they realized the error they have made in plotting against me."

Voices emanated from below and there was another thump on the thick wood of the trapdoor. The magical lock rattled but held firm.

"Take your wand, James Potter," Slytherin said. "Let us finish this as wizards."

James firmed his resolve and stepped off the trapdoor. He'd heard the stories of how his father had faced off against Voldemort in very similar fashion. But as James had thought so many times before, he was not his father. James had no chance against the sheer malevolent power of Salazar Slytherin. Worse, there was no place to run or hide. The tower was too high to escape from. James didn't even know how to Disapparate. Shakily, he reached up for his wand. Slytherin released it, still smiling.

James cleared his throat as he backed away, holding his wand in front of him. "Do we bow first?" he asked.

"I bow to equals," Slytherin said, baring his teeth. "You may bow when you're dead." He swept his arm forward. "Avada Kedavra!"

James leapt again and the spell struck the throne with a blast of green sparks. A small, detached part of James' mind realized that he was making very good use of the physical techniques he'd learned in Professor Debellows' Defence Against the Dark Arts class. He almost groaned aloud.

"Use magic, not acrobatics, boy!" Slytherin taunted, shaking his sleeve back. "Let your corpse be the first thing my fellow founders see when they join us here! Face me and die with a shred of honor!"

James was terrified. He rolled on the wooden floor and scrambled up, waving his wand wildly. He pointed it, desperately trying to remember the incantation. It was one of the first he'd ever learned, but his mind was a complete blank.

"That's more like it!" Slytherin rasped, striding forward, coming to meet James. He held his wand casually before him, teasing James with it. "Do your worst, boy! Show me what they teach you in this fantasy time of yours! Do it now!"

James blurted the spell the moment it came into his head. Slytherin spoke his curse at exactly the same time. Both bolts exploded over the wooden floor, lighting it. Slytherin's green bolt pierced James' oversized robe, passing right through it and under James' outstretched arm, barely missing his body. James' yellow bolt struck the lock on the trapdoor. It unlocked with a burst of sparks and the door flew open, releasing a beam of light and the sound of voices.

"It's open!" someone cried. "Someone unlocked it from above! Beware a trap! Protego!"

Slytherin roared in fury. He pointed his own wand at the door, but it was too late. Figures ran up the stairs from below, wands at the ready. Spells exploded in all directions, illuminating the tower's peak like fireworks. James took the opportunity to dive behind the marble throne again. The air was suddenly full of the hiss and swirl of Slytherin's circle of nine Disapparating from the top of the tower. One of them remained long enough to approach James, flourishing his wand. He had a black goatee, which bristled as the man grinned.

"Nice trick, boy," he growled, "but we detest unfinished business."

James' reflexes had been sharpened by his duel with Slytherin. Even as the man finished speaking, James whipped his wand around and shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

There was a sharp crack and the man's wand shot from his hand, spinning into the darkness beyond the tower wall. The force of the spell pushed the man backwards. He stumbled and tripped on one of the terraces. With a roar of anger, he spun to see where his wand had gone. Realizing it was lost, he turned back, his hands hooked into claws and his face contorted with rage.

"Stupefy!" James cried, scrambling backwards, but his aim was off. The spell struck the stone floor to the man's right.

"You'll die for that, boy!" the man roared, pouncing like a beast.

There was a flash of purple light and the man screamed in mid-pounce. He landed hard in front of James' feet, bringing his face down hard enough to break his nose. James heard the crunch and grimaced. He scrambled to his feet, eyes wild, waving his wand crazily.

"Halt, boy!" a voice commanded. A hand suddenly grabbed James' wrist, bringing it up. James struggled against it for a moment, and then looked to see whose hand it was. Godric Gryffindor's stern, narrow features looked down at him.

"The battle is over, my friend," he said, releasing James' wrist. "Whoever you are, you are one extremely fortunate young wizard."

"He's not just a wizard," a woman's voice said, and there was a hint of an amused smile in it. James looked and saw Rowena Ravenclaw throw back the hood of her blue cloak. "He's the youngest cleric in the realm. And he's tussled with Salazar before."

"Where's he gone?" James suddenly asked, looking around the top of the tower.

"Vanished," Ravenclaw answered gravely. "Escaped. Assumed his true form and flown off."

"What's his true form?" James asked, shuddering as his adrenaline wore off.

"Rowena speaks facetiously," Helga Hufflepuff replied, approaching the tower's low wall and peering out into the darkness beyond. "Slytherin is an Animagus. She speaks of his animal self as his true form since she believes him unworthy of the title of human."

"Is he a snake?" James asked, joining Hufflepuff by the wall and peering down.

"Curiously, no," Gryffindor answered. "Salazar's true form is perhaps even more fitting, for he has proven himself to be similarly blind, nocturnal, and bloodthirsty. Salazar's Animagus is, in fact, a bat."

A groan reminded the assembly of the stricken man with the goatee. He rolled onto his back and struggled to sit up, one hand clapped over his nose.

"This man is no danger without his wand," Gryffindor said, "thanks to our quick-thinking friend here." To the man, he said, "I'd not attempt to Disapparate if I were you, Lord Morcant. That was more than a Bonelock Hex I cast on you. It was also a Lanyard Charm. You'd get no further than a stone's throw before being leashed, and I am told it can be rather painful."

"You broke my nose!" Morcant cried, showing them the palm of his hand. It was slick with blood. "I'll kill the lot of you! Return me my wand this instant!"

"I think not, my lord," Ravenclaw replied. "I suspect you won't hold a wand for quite some time. We have many questions for you, and it'd be best if you answered them."

"You'll torture me, will you?" Morcant spat, climbing to his feet. "I'm not afraid of what you'll do to me! I'll never speak. Do your worst!"

"We won't need to torture you," Hufflepuff said reasonably. "If you choose not to answer our interrogations, we shall simply let you go."

Morcant narrowed his eyes. "How dare you mock me? I know your kind! Your lies do not deceive me!"

"You know your kind, Morcant," Ravenclaw corrected politely, "and you assume everyone else is of like mind. We shall indeed release you if you refuse our questions, and we shall not harm a single hair on that fetching beard of yours. You should beware however; your release might result in some people getting the wrong impression. Some observers might interpret your unscathed release as a sign that you told us absolutely everything you know."

Gryffindor arched an eyebrow meaningfully. "Your associate, Salazar Slytherin, would not appreciate that, would he? He has been known to deal rather harshly with those who betray him."

"He would not believe such lies," Morcant scoffed. "He knows I am trustworthy. Besides, I am not afraid of him."

Gryffindor approached Morcant and leaned toward him. In a conspiratorial tone of voice he said, "I hear rumours that Salazar's been developing a curse that turns his enemies inside out. Technically, I'd say that was impossible, but Salazar is quite the genius when it comes to such things. Knowing him, he'll simply continue practicing it until he gets it right. He's probably hoping you'll betray him, just so he has an excuse to use you as another test subject."

"He'll trust me!" Morcant insisted again. "He knows I would never betray him!"

Ravenclaw shrugged. "Salazar never struck me as the trusting type," she said, "but perhaps you know him better than we do."

"On the other hand," Hufflepuff mused, "if you do decide to assist us, we could protect you from any potential reprisals."

Morcant scoffed, and James heard desperation in the man's voice. "You? Slytherin has twice the power of the rest of you combined!"

Gryffindor smiled. "I'm certain he has convinced even himself of that. But why, then, did he transform into a flying rodent the moment he witnessed our approach? Why did he flee rather than face us wand to wand? Slytherin does not ask himself such questions, but it behooves you, Lord Morcant, to think about it very carefully."

Morcant scowled furiously. Finally, through gritted teeth he said, "He means to overthrow the lot of you. He wishes to control the school entirely, and use it as the seed of a magical empire. He knows you have been plotting against him. His intent is to strike first."

"How instructive," Gryffindor said grimly. "He believes we have been plotting against him. But do let us continue this elsewhere. Rowena, Helga, perhaps you might escort our mysterious young friend back down to the main castle? I will accompany Lord Morcant to a safe place. We can palaver there at our leisure."

Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw agreed. A moment later, there was a loud crack as Gryffindor Disapparated from the tower with Lord Morcant in tow.

"Let us retire to the Great Hall," Ravenclaw said, turning to James and Hufflepuff. "It should be deserted at this time of night. Perhaps our friend would like something to eat as we discuss?"

Hufflepuff nodded. "Indeed. We must determine who you are, young man. And how to return you from whence you came."

"I can't imagine how we'll do that," James replied, remembering the shattered portal mirror. "My only way home was smashed to bits by Slytherin. I'm stuck here."

"Surely this is not the case," Ravenclaw said cheerfully. "It may not be immediately apparent, but the solution shall present itself."

Hufflepuff smiled at James. "The answer is almost always simple, young man, but rarely is it easy."

James had begun to walk toward the open trapdoor, but he stopped when Hufflepuff said that. Where had he heard that before? A moment later, he remembered. Merlin had said something like it in the cave when they'd gone to get his cache. Doing what is right is nearly always simple, Merlin had said, but it is never easy. And then, connected to that, James remembered something else the big wizard had said, later, when they'd all been in the Headmaster's office, examining his unpacked devices and curiosities.

James turned on the spot, his eyes wide, wondering. It couldn't be that simple, could it? He had to find out, and quickly.

"No," James said excitedly, "not the Great Hall. We have to go back to Slytherin's quarters! Right away, before he comes back!"

Ravenclaw furrowed her brow. "Why in the earth should we go there?"

"And what makes you think he shall return?" Hufflepuff added, studying James' face.

"Because he'd never leave all his stuff," James answered quickly. "His 'dark trinkets'. They're too important to him. He'll come back for them, probably right away, before anyone moves any of it. We have to get there first. If I'm right, he has something really important. It may be my only chance of getting back to my own time!"

Ravenclaw merely studied James, her eyes serious and thoughtful. Helga Hufflepuff, however, nodded curtly. She stepped forward, and held out her hand.

"In that case, dear boy, let us forego the stairs. Rowena, wand at the ready. If we intend to hurry, then let us hurry like witches, and hope that Salazar has not already outwitted us this night. On the count of three. One… two…"

"Three!"

James felt the disorienting jolt of Disapparition again as Hufflepuff took him away from the Sylvven Tower. A moment later, a dim hallway appeared around him and his feet hit the stone floor. Almost instantly, there was a second loud crack and Rowena Ravenclaw appeared next to James and Hufflepuff. Both women had their wands out. They scanned the hall in both directions. Without a word, Hufflepuff pointed. James looked. He recognized this hall as the one that led to Slytherin's quarters. Now, with a shiver, he saw that the door to the wizard's office was ajar. Light spilled from it, and there was the clunk of stealthy movement.

"What is your name, young man?" Hufflepuff whispered, not taking her eyes from the door.

"James Potter," James replied as quietly as he could.

Hufflepuff whispered, "You were right, James. Salazar is here, returned for his cache, as bold as brass. He knows his time is ended here. Rowena and I will face him and attempt to reason with him. If we prevail, we will help you seek what you need. If we are bested, then I am glad to die knowing the name of our mysterious benefactor."

"You may reason with him if you wish, Helga," Ravenclaw said quietly, obviously anxious for a fight. "But I will be negotiating with my wand alone. The sheer bravado of his returning this night, beneath our very noses!"

"I want to come with you," James whispered, raising his wand. "This is my fight too. He tried to kill me!"

Ravenclaw narrowed her eyes at James, smiling thinly. "He may well finish what he started if you accompany us, James Potter. But it is your choice."

James had expected a bit more resistance than that. He smiled a little nervously. Honestly, he thought, what was the worst that could happen? History proved that all four founders survived this night. Of course, as Slytherin had implied earlier, history didn't say anything whatsoever about a dark-haired boy who might have been along for the ride.

"I'll lead," Hufflepuff whispered, pointing toward Slytherin's door. "Rowena, to my left. James, you follow. Stupefy Salazar if necessary, but no more. Remember that he is still one of the founders of this college, and deserving of respect."

"Respect be damned the moment he raises his wand," Ravenclaw muttered as they inched down the hall.

"He sure wasn't using Stunning Spells on the tower," James whispered. "Just watch for—"

A bolt of green seared the floor next to Ravenclaw's foot.

"Stupefy!" Hufflepuff shouted, aiming her wand at the open door. A shadow leapt aside as her spell struck the lintel, exploding into red sparks. "He's wary of us! We must charge him! We're too vulnerable here!"

James struggled to catch up as Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff ran toward Slytherin's doorway, heads down and wands firing. Red bolts peppered the doorway, forcing Slytherin back.

"Cease this, Salazar!" Hufflepuff shouted. "It is not yet too late to abandon this course of action!"

James still had seen nothing of his former captor. As they drove through the door of his office, ducking for cover behind chairs and a bookcase, a shadow escaped into a dark doorway, hissing angrily.

"Ware his form!" Ravenclaw cried. "He can be small and winged. He may hide!"

Hufflepuff peered from around the bookcase, her wand ahead of her.

"He is not in sight. To the inner chamber."

James followed the witches as they moved across the room. He was amazed at their movement. It was graceful and flitting, remarkably quick but utterly controlled. Their wand hands preceded them, steady as stone. James' heart slammed in his chest, making his own wand shake in his hand. He glanced aside as he passed the double doors of the laboratory. They were still slightly open, but the space beyond was dark.

"Sweep the room," Ravenclaw said as she moved into Slytherin's inner sanctum. "Ravaelio!"

A beam of soft lavender light spread from the tip of Ravenclaw's wand, lighting the wall. Slowly, she moved it all around the room, letting the light touch every surface. Finally, she lowered her wand, extinguishing the lavender light.

"He is not hidden here," she said, obviously disappointed. "He has fled once again, methinks."

James finally took a moment to look around. This was obviously Slytherin's sleeping quarters. It was surprisingly small and cluttered, with gothic pillars and buttresses all round it. A single window was securely closed and locked.

"Let us take advantage of the moment, then," Hufflepuff said, turning to James. "What is it that you believe Salazar might have in his possession? What tool might prove helpful to you?"

James tried to explain the age he'd come from, and how he'd arrived in this century by accidentally wishing himself through the Magic Mirror in the Headmaster's office. He described appearing through the smaller silver-framed mirror hung behind the rotunda statue and its subsequent destruction by Slytherin.

"I assumed that that had been a Magic Mirror as well," James said. "But now I don't think so. Slytherin loves things like that; he'd never destroy something really magical just to keep me here. I think the Amsera Certh Mirror can see through any mirror, maybe even anything that reflects! So the mirror behind the statue was just a normal mirror after all."

"That mirror was a remnant from Hadyn's occupation," Ravenclaw nodded. "There'd be nothing magical about it."

"But Slytherin knew all about travelling through Mirrors," James went on. "He said that he thought he was only one of two men on earth who knew about that. And then, just now, when we were up on the Sylvven Tower, I remembered the Headmaster saying something like that. He said that his Magic Mirror was one of only two ever made, and that the other one had belonged to somebody he knew. But now I know who that person must have been! Slytherin has the other Magic Mirror! The twin of the one that brought me here!"

Ravenclaw's eyes had grown very sharp and wary. She glanced meaningfully aside at Hufflepuff.

"Let us search," Hufflepuff said quietly. "Then we shall know for sure."

Ravenclaw raised her wand and said the same incantation as before. The lavender light appeared at the end of her wand again. She turned slowly.

"In my last pass," she muttered, "I was merely searching for sign of Salazar, either as man or bat. Now…"

Hufflepuff paced around the room, watching the lavender light play on the walls.

"There," she announced, pointing.

Ravenclaw paused, resting the beam on a very large painting. It was a full-length portrait of a narrow-faced wizard in burgundy robes, and it was very nearly life-sized. The portrait slit its eyes at them and scowled. James saw that as the beam passed over the portrait, it illuminated the faint outline of a hidden doorway.

Ravenclaw pocketed her wand and stalked across the floor. She grasped the frame of the painting and pulled, but it was stuck tight to the wall. Hufflepuff joined her, but they could not move the painting even with all three of them pulling it.

"No more kid gloves," Ravenclaw said angrily. She stood back, motioning the others away. She pointed her wand at the portrait.

"Rowena Ravenclaw," the portrait sneered, "you know not what you are doing—"

"Convulsus!" Rowena cried, interrupting the portrait. There was a blinding burst of white light and the portrait seemed to vaporize. A moment later, once James' eyes had readjusted to the relative dimness of the room, he saw that the portrait had not, in fact, been completely obliterated. The frame had been destroyed, and the painting had been slashed straight down the middle leaving a gaping hole. The wooden back of the painting had been entirely blasted away, lost in the dark space beyond.

James, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw approached the slashed portrait carefully. James, between the two women, could see a sliver of light winking back at him from the depths beyond the torn canvas. In the dimness of the hidden chamber, James' own face looked back at him.

"It's there," James breathed, both elated and frightened. "I can see my reflection. It's the Magic Mirror!"

Hufflepuff illuminated her wand and held it out. Very carefully, she crept through the shredded painting into the dimness of the chamber behind it. Her wand lit the space and shone on the mirror's frame. As James entered the chamber and peered around Hufflepuff, he could see that this mirror was nearly identical to the one in Merlin's office, except that it stood upright rather than on its side. Also, there were words engraved on the golden frame of Slytherin's mirror. The inscription didn't make any sense to James, but the first word, carved in beautiful, flowing script, was 'Erised'.

"The Mirror," Hufflepuff said simply, her voice awed. "It wasn't destroyed after all. He had it this whole time."

Ravenclaw's face was flushed with anger. "We should have known. But what of its Focusing Book? Without it, the Mirror's power is uncontrollable and capricious, reduced only to its most basic and illusory functions. We must search for the book."

"Indeed, and search for it we shall, once we have told Godric of this discovery," Hufflepuff said. "For now, other matters demand our attention. James has done us a second great service. I suspect he'd prefer to take his leave if he can."

"I would, if you don't mind," James agreed. "It's been really cool to meet all of you. Well, most of you. But I'm really anxious to see if I can get back."

"James Potter," Hufflepuff said, smiling. "We'd have a myriad of questions for you, not the least of which would be what becomes of us, and what is this school like in your time. But I strongly suspect that the less we know of such things, the better."

"There is one question we should ask though, Helga," Ravenclaw said. She turned to James, her face grim and thoughtful. "If this tale you have told us is true, and I have no reason to doubt that it is, then the Headmaster of this college, some thousand years hence, has had collusion in this time with Salazar Slytherin. James, answer me this one question as truly as you can. Do you know the real name of this Headmaster of yours?"

"Sure," James said, frowning quizzically. "I thought I'd mentioned him already. It's Merlin. You'd probably know him as Merlinus Ambrosius. He came to our time last year, on the night of the alignment of the planets. I guess you'd call it the Hall of Elders' Crossing. I saw him just this evening. Well, heard him, actually, when I was trapped in the laboratory. He was right out there, in Slytherin's office."

Ravenclaw's face had gone very pale. She studied James, and then turned to look at Hufflepuff.

"He was here this very night," she said quietly. "It is all true. We scarce believed it."

"And this boy is proof that he succeeded. It is far worse than we expected. The legend—"

"Hush, Helga," Rowena said gravely. "James needn't hear of the details of that."

The two women looked at James. In the wandlight, their faces were very pale and deadly serious.

"Hear me now, James Potter: beware Merlinus," Ravenclaw said, speaking with great emphasis. "The sorcerer has a glamour that bewitches those who wish to trust him. If he has achieved the position of Headmaster, then he has already fooled many. It may even now be too late for your world. But you may have been sent here this night for a great purpose. Perhaps you go back to serve as a warning. That which Merlinus bodes upon your world is an evil like nothing the earth has ever known. The Gatekeeper of the Void may even now be unleashed, and Merlinus is its Ambassador. There is no battling the Gatekeeper, but if you can find a way to destroy the Ambassador, James Potter, you must take it. Do not let him put his glamour upon you. If the moment comes, it will not be the time for discourse or hesitation. It will be the time for action. Do you understand?"

James looked intently at Rowena Ravenclaw's earnest, pale face. Even here, a thousand years away from the events she was describing, she was clearly terrified. Slowly, James nodded.

"How dare you?!" a voice shrieked suddenly, furiously, making them all jump. "My chambers! My cache!"

Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw both spun in the confined space of the hidden chamber. They pointed their wands as a dark figure tore the decimated portrait away. The voice screamed, and it was chillingly inhuman. James suddenly remembered the slightly open doors of Slytherin's laboratory, remembered thinking he should warn Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw to check there. Slytherin had fooled them with a shadow, and then hidden there, probably in his bat form. And now, enraged that they had discovered his greatest secret, he seemed trapped halfway between his forms, half bat and half man. His voice buzzed hideously. Great, leathery wings flapped from his hunched back.

"Go James!" Hufflepuff cried, pointing her wand at Slytherin's grotesque shape. In his blind rage, he beat his enormous batwings, flailing them against the wall, preventing him from entering. He slavered monstrously, lunging and snapping his fanged mouth at the women.

"No!" James yelled. "I mean, I don't know how! I can't think!"

A bolt of red seared the air, striking Slytherin's wing. He screamed and the wing flailed limply.

"Get away from that Mirror!" he screamed, the words sounding alien in that strange, half-bat mouth. "Touch it and die!"

"Just go!" Ravenclaw urged desperately. "Just as you did before!"

Slytherin lunged again, finally forcing his way through the decimated portrait hole. Both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw shot him with Stunning Spells, but in his mutated form, they only slightly weakened him. He snapped and roared at them.

James turned away and flung himself against the Mirror. The moment he touched it, the reflection sank away, revealing the familiar silvery smoke. It swirled dizzyingly before James' face.

"Go, James!" Hufflepuff cried. There was a whoosh and a horrid slashing sound. One of the witches screamed, but James couldn't tell which.

"I wish I was anywhere else!" James said aloud, then, panicked, he amended that. "I wish I was home! I wish I was in my own time! Right now!"

Directly behind him, Slytherin roared, his voice both human and beastly. James felt the air of Slytherin's beating wings and sensed the coming slash of the bat-like talons.

And then all of it was gone. The hidden chamber winked away, sucked into the swirling silvery mists. James felt the same odd sensation of flipping, as if he was being reversed through the Mirror. There was a rush of noise and speed, and then he was falling. He tumbled forward, catching himself on his hands and knees, and his wand clattered to the ground in front of him.

James looked up. He was in a small dim room. It seemed to be full of dusty trunks and stacked crates. He scrambled around, looking back in the direction from which he'd stumbled.

There, looking exactly the same but for a thick coating of dust, was Slytherin's Magic Mirror. The first word of the now-ancient inscription was still plainly visible: 'Erised'.

"James?" a girl's voice asked, startling him. "Is it you? It is! Wake up, you two! It happened!"

"Rose?" James asked, completely perplexed. She appeared from the shadows near the door, disheveled and covered with cobwebs. James blinked at her. "What are you doing here? Where am I?"

Ralph was climbing sleepily to his feet. "It's the middle of the bloody night. What else matters?"

"He knew!" Rose said, almost hopping with excitement. "He said you'd turn back up here if we made the Mirror ready, and you did! The three of us have been waiting here ever since dinner! We've been worried sick! James, what happened? Where have you been!?"

"Wait a minute," James said, climbing to his feet. "How'd Ralph know I would be showing up here? Nobody could possibly have known that."

"Not me," Ralph said sleepily, clapping James on the shoulder, "although I'd love to take credit for it. No, this was all his idea."

Ralph hooked a thumb over his shoulder. James looked and saw the boy getting slowly to his feet, a tired, crooked smile on his face.

"About time, Potter," Scorpius drawled. "Have a nice little trip?"