Dark Journey

Thank You to ThrnBrooke.. LadyX.. Acr.. and Elecktra ! Hope you all enjoy and continue reading and just as importantly reviewing!! If not for you guys I might have given up on this one. I do have two more chapters that just need going over a bit with a fine tooth comb so give me some time and they will be up as well.


Dark Journey

Crystal Paths

Which Path is Witch? Chapter Two

Acheron paced before the council gathering his thoughts. He had been trying for an hour to make the council see his view. The human male thought it might be an uphill battle but this opposition was not expected.

\"Albus Dumbledore\'s first priority is to those children. He should be informed.\"

Balthazar jumped to his feet in outrage. \"You would jeopardize Chimaera for these two Chosen? Are you quite insane? There are others we could choose who have no ties to that world.\" It was unusual to see the Veela so inflamed.

\"These two were chosen for a reason. As much as we need them, they need us more. And,\" Acheron cut his steely gaze over at Balthazar, \"it would not be setting precedence. We informed Merlin of our existence and Gryffindor knew of us as well.\"

\"They were both chosen and decided not to join us, that is why they were told.\" Balthazar rejoined still standing. He leaned over the semi-circle table and looked to all of the council members. \"Dumbledore was never chosen. It would be setting precedence. We have never before revealed the extent of our world to the Wizarding World, or any other world.\" his words were heated. He had been on the council for a long many years and he knew his words held weight.

Bellerophon the leader of the lands of the Chimaera nodded his head but did not respond to the debate. He had made up his mind as soon as he had heard Acheron\'s reasoning. The younger man was right, Dumbledore was most dedicated to those under his care and he would never reveal anything about them or their world to outsiders, even under pain of death. But he let the younger men have their say in order to keep the peace among them. Balthazar especially needed to let his opinions be known to the council, if he was to be the next inline to assume the name Bellerophon then the others should know what he stood for.

Balthazar had always been rather snobbish in his views, and the mantel of leader that came with the name Bellerophon would abide no such nonsense. His childhood friend Mikal made a good Balthazar and second in command for the lands of Chimaera but if he could not bend the leadership would break him.

The banging of the judgment stone drew his attention, it was time for him to have his say and make the decision that would ultimately change their world.

\"We inform Dumbledore, he will know our founding, but nothing more. Our world will not suffer for this knowledge. He will not be able to tell anyone else but will at least have the peace of mind of his charges, these two and any others we might find over the years. We will make him the same offer we made Merlin. He will be our contact into the war. And make no mistake it will be War.\" His voice was firm with an edge to it that brook no argument from any in the room.

\"Bellerophon, I simply must protest. Never before has a thing like this been done. This Dumbledore was there during the Grindelwald uprising, yes he showed us his worth as a leader of men, but he was never chosen. He\'s never suffered for the...\"

\"That is enough Balthazar, not everyone must suffer for the knowledge. We did not leave that world only to make this one exclusive, but to make it safe. Not everyone who is worth knowledge must be Chimaera.\" It was an opinion Bellerophon had been trying to impress upon Balthazar since before he took the name title Bellerophon when they had been lads newly apprenticed.

\"Bellerophon you can\'t seriously be considering bringing the man into the fold?\" OakHeart, a wood nymph questioned.

\"No of course not. I am merely saying that the man needs to be told something of us. That is all. The man is already old even for a wizard, if we grant him a soul bond, if we, say bond his soul to that of the school, then we have an ally for at least the extent of the War. He might not have known the pain that life brings to all Chimaera as a young boy and therefore was not chosen, but he has since known that pain. Though he was too old to make the crossing.\"

The entire council was swayed with his logic. It was true, they had all heard of the Great Wizard Albus Dumbledore, and knew him to be a good man.

Y\'Andies, a rather horse faced young goblin woman stood and addressed Acheron. \"It is decided then. On the morrow, you will inform Albus Dumbledore of our history, but you do this \'out\' of the presence of the current chosen. He does not need to know everything about us until ‘after‘ his bonding. You tell him enough to placate him and that is all.\"

“He will ask how and why we choose,” Acheron stated questioningly.

“I care not what you tell him, as long as it isn’t the truth. Once he is bonded and spelled, once he is firmly ‘Ours’. Then perhaps we will tell him more. If he is bonded to that castle he will be alive for a long time to come. In the future he may show he is worthy of more trust, but not now,” Bellerophon spoke, and his word brooked no argument.

Acheron nodded his head in understanding then bowed low to the council and backed out of the circular room.

((*))

Snape scowled as he let the silent students into his private chambers. What had he been thinking to voluntarily allow students into his inner sanctum?

\"Come on now do not dally about in the doorway.” He didn\'t even try to hide the scorn from his voice.

Draco looked about the lavishly decorated room in wonder. Who would have thought Snape of all people would have such a decadent room. The floors were covered with a thick dark blue carpet that felt almost too soft to walk upon and the walls were covered in rich vibrant tapestries. The depictions were of great battles and mythic beasts. For all the richness of the walls and floors what really had him gaping was the great overstuffed sofa taking up half the space in the middle of the room. A dark maroon velvet covered the great hulking almost bed like sofa, it looked like something you could curl up in and never want to move from.

Harry stood behind Draco with his mouth hanging open. Never in his young life had he seen splendor such as this. And to think it was in Snapes rooms. Who would have thought the greasy bastard had taste like this. He had thought they would be staying in a sparsely decorated dungeon. Something that no fire could ever warm.

The surprise of the room momentarily took the boys minds off their reason for being here. It was the clicking of the door lock that brought them out of there sensory trance. Draco wondered into the room a bit more and was quickly lost again in one of the battle scenes depicting a dark haired man slaying a dragon. Harry being slightly uncomfortable being locked away in Snapes chambers walked to the fireplace and muttered the spell to light the wood inside. The room might not need the extra warmth but it would give him something to stare at while trying not to think about that resounding click.

Snape sighed as he watched the boys avoid each other and thought it was probably a good thing. He cleared his throat as he walked further into the room unbuttoning his outer robes as he went.

\"Well, do you have any questions you need to ask? Anything you want to discuss while making up your minds?” He asked as he sat on his favorite end of the sofa.

Draco turned with a snap of his robes that reminded Snape of himself at that age. \"There really is nothing for me to think about.” He announced. \"I\'m going.\"

The only thing that showed Snapes surprise was the double blink of his eyes. \"And why pray tell is that?\"

\"There is nothing here for me except to become a Death Eater, and more of the same treatment of this past summer. Dumbledore might not know a lot about these Dark Riders but he wouldn\'t have even let us know about them if they were evil. And he certainly would not risk loosing his golden boy if he thought we were in any danger from them.” Draco finished and crossed his arms across his chest defensively.

Harry turned as the blond began speaking, their eyes met for a moment acknowledging what Draco had said. He thought about what Draco said, the boy was right. There really was nothing here to keep him. Nothing he would learn in this school would help him defeat Voldemort any more than it had helped his father or Sirius or countless other wizards that had gone against the Dark Lord. And this might be what the Prophecy was referring to, the ‘Power he knows not’. As he contemplated his stare shifted to the locked door, he could practically feel the walls closing in on him.

\"That goes for me as well. There is nothing here at Hogwarts to keep me here. I\'ve no family to speak of, and...” He drew a deep breath, and turned his back to the door. \"No one would deny that I need the training.” \'What ever that training may be\' He thought to himself.

\"Well, I see you have it all figured out then.” Snape sneered. \"You know nothing about these people and yet you are going to go off with them, trust them, with nothing more than a \'Nothing is keeping me here\' attitude.”

“I came to Hogwarts knowing less than that about the Wizarding world,” Harry snarled back at his greasy professor.

Anger fuelled Snapes jump from the sofa and he started pacing furiously. \'Damn whelps who did they think they were?\' he growled inwardly.

\'They are getting the chance of a lifetime. And you know it.\'

\'They are being stupid. They aren\'t even asking any questions.\'

\'And what answers would you give them? You know as much as they do, and don\'t tell me that if you were chosen you wouldn\'t jump at the chance.\'

\'Oh, shut up!\'

\'Hmmph!\'

Draco stared at his pacing professor wondering what was going on in his mind. He could see there was some type of struggle going on; it wasn\'t often the man let so many emotions get through that mask of anger. He looked to Harry; he had seen the ebony headed boy staring at the door lock and wondered how he was fairing being locked in again. Why he cared he couldn\'t say but the Boy Wonder looked pale even in the fire light.
\"Sir, since we have both decided to go and have no real questions. Can we now go and pack our belongings.\"

\"No. The house elves will see to it later I\'m sure.” Snape gritted out through his fury. Why he was so intensely angry he couldn\'t say but, why in the name of Mordred did these two get chosen. The taste of jealousy was foul indeed. He stopped cold in his tracks. Jealousy, yes he was jealous. Damn it, he could use the training for the fight. Had he not been through enough pain? Was he not a powerful wizard in his own right? Why then had he not been chosen? He was jealous of his students. They weren\'t stupid; they were jumping at a chance of a lifetime. How could he say he wouldn\'t do the same in their place? No, in a heartbeat he would trade places with them.

Harry tried to control his breathing, deep breath in, long breath out. Relax, breath, lather rinse repeat. It did no good. Finally when he could take it no more he walked to the door and put his forehead against it. He had made his decision to leave the school. Was it really necessary to listen to Snape anymore? If he was no longer a student. He could just walk out now, couldn\'t he? His hand was shaking as he reached for the doorknob.

Draco stood silent and watched the little drama unfold. It seemed Snape was lost in his own thoughts and didn\'t realize Harry was about to escape the colorful prison. The debate was short but intense. Did he help Harry escape or did he force him to stay? Well if they were to be together after this then it would be beneficial to help him now. Maybe they could be friends later, when they were away from the influence of the Wizarding world. He walked over the stand behind Harry just as the other boy reached for the doorknob.
He put his hand over Harry\'s and just held it for a moment before letting a touch of his magic join with Harry\'s just as before. They didn\'t speak a spell; they just let their combined magic force the door to unlock. Neither boy said a word as they pulled the door open; when their eyes met it was in mutual understanding. They really didn\'t want to be stuck in this room with Snape if this was to be their last night here at the school.

Snape stared into the fire, not even realizing as his young charges broke through his shields and left the dungeons. He wanted to leave all of this mess behind. Hadn\'t he done enough in the war effort? Given his life his very soul to Dumbledore as a spy. He had committed atrocities that he would dream about for the rest of his life in the name of the light. And yet these two slips of life got chosen to be taken away from it all. Chosen to learn magic he could only ever dream of. It was just another way to show him that what he had always believed still held true – the Snape line was cursed. He sat down in his spot with a sigh, completely forgetting Harry and Draco were supposed to be there as he wallowed in self pity.

((*))

They wandered the school, down long corridors and short stairwells. Narrow passageways and secret portals. Neither cared who was in the lead as they both just needed to clear their heads. Hours later found them at their wanderings natural conclusion. The astronomy tower. It was barely twilight when they settled in beside each other in the small niche along the towers wall.

Harry was lost in thought about his Uncle Vernon and Pain while Draco’s memories of the Dark Lord replayed over and over in the blonds head. Hours past without a word spoken. Hours it took to remember and then put away the Pain from the summer. Harry was finished first, having more experience putting his Uncle in the back of his mind and letting the Pain go. He stood and walked to the edge of the tower, his back to Draco. Minutes later the blond came and stood next to him. Not being able to take the silence any longer Harry spoke.

“So, we’re really going to do this? Leave our world behind,” he turned to look at the other boy, “Have you ever heard of these, Dark Riders before, Draco?”

“Only rumors really. My father used to say that if I was bad he would call them to carry me away and I would never see my mother again. Like the muggle boogeyman I guess. And yes before you ask, I know about the muggle boogeyman. He is real you know, but like most things magical the muggle world has it wrong,” Draco sneered. After a moment of the messy haired boy simply staring at him he finally sighed and shook his head.

“Potter.. Harry, if we do this, if we really go and leave everyone we know behind. Could we start over. You will be the only person I know there and regardless of how we feel about each other familiarity will draw us together if nothing else.”

Harry thought about it for a few minutes. “I don’t know Draco. Can you get over your upbringing? Can you let go of the snobby comments and the ’better than everyone else because you are a Malfoy’ -ness? I think perhaps we could be friends, but not until we know what is going on. Let’s see how things happen and then decide. For now lets just agree to put up with each other with out all the nastiness. How does that sound?”

He thought about it for a minute. Wasn’t this what he wanted. To get away from being viewed as only a Malfoy. By going with the Dark Riders he was turning his back on his Malfoy heritage. Already he knew Voldemort was not the ’end all, be all’ that the Death Eaters claimed he was. And he really didn’t know Harry Potter well enough to claim to be friends. Yes, ending the hostilities and waiting to see how things turned out. That seemed like the best compromise. He stuck his hand out in an eerie echo of first year.

Both boys held their breath as the moment stuck them, then green eyes found blue. Hands met and finally breaths were released. Then held again as their magic surged.

“What is that? It’s the third time it’s happened?” Harry asked in wonder.

“I don’t really know, I’ve never heard of anything like it. But at least we know we would work good together. Right?” Draco said as he stared down at his hands. Just a trace of light purple was left weaving in and out between his fingers before fading into the orange of his natural aura.

“Right,” Harry drawled out. “Anyway this is a mystery for another time. I don’t think Snape is going to be to happy that we snuck out.”

“Please, if he isn’t here yet then he is still brooding that we were chosen and not him.”

“What!”

“While you were busy staring a hole in the door, I was paying attention to the good Professor. He was so jealous he couldn’t stand it,” Draco chuckled. “That’s why he was such an ass. Well, that and because he was talking to you. I mean he really isn’t like that to us Slytherins.”

“You know just because we made peace between us doesn’t mean I trust you. Too much has gone on for it to be that easy. That whole thing with Umbridge, didn‘t exactly make anyone like you. You are going to have to prove you can change. We’ve made peace, not friendship, that’s going to take time.”

“Yes, I know I’ve been an ass. But really with my father and the Dark Lord constantly harassing me, how was I supposed to act? But you are right, we will have to earn each other’s trust,” Draco nodded at Harry slightly and smirked. “Just think. A Malfoy and a Potter in Chimaera. Do you think they know what they are in for?”

Harry laughed at the devious grin stretching across his new friends face. He had never before seen real non-malicious humor coming from Draco before. It made the other boy look not quite so sinister. Harry found he rather liked it and it lifted his spirit’s a bit more.

“Not a chance!” They laughed together before turning and wandering the school a bit more for the night.

((*))

Dumbledore was enjoying his morning tea when the black figure materialized in front of him. It was to his credit that he did not spill his tea, though to say he was shocked would be a vast understatement.

“Albus Dumbledore, my name is Acheron. I have a message and an offer from the High Council.”

“Yes, yes, well,” Dumbledore cleared his throat and attempted to pull himself out of his shock. “Please have a seat and a spot of tea. Do you drink tea? Lovely thing tea.”

Acheron chuckled and lowered his hood. “Headmaster Dumbledore, your reputation proceeded you. Yes please, I would enjoy tea. And I must apologize for my arrival, it was deemed prudent to appear here and not at the gates. We do not wish for our presence to be known, nor our business discussed with any but yourself.”

Dumbledore waved his wand over the tray and another tea set appeared, this time with steaming scones from the kitchen and a bit of clotted cream. He felt this particular discussion might go on past breakfast.

“Quite alright, Mr. Acheron. Yes indeed it gave me a bit of a shock but quite alright. I readily agree, this business need not get to the public eye anytime soon. Now then, sugar?”

“Pardon me!?” Acheron blinked.

“Sugar? For your tea?” Albus began to twinkle, his charm rarely failed him.

“Oh! Yes, no, err. No, no sugar please. Perhaps a bit of milk.”

A few minutes passed with only the sound of tea being served and the niceties of polite society being observed before either of the two men spoke again.

“Now then, I believe you said you had a message and an offer from the.. High Council?” Dumbledore led in to the conversation.

“Yes, indeed. You see the High Council has decided that you may be taken into our confidence. You and you alone. In order to hear the offer you must submit to a Secrecy Spell. You would never be able to speak about what you learn of the Chimaera to anyone who is not of the Chimaera. Will you submit?” This was the only part that Acheron was unsure of. Dumbledore believed that if the need was great enough secrets must be told. However some secrets were better left secret. All leaders knew this, it was one reason the leaders of Chimaera thought Dumbledore had never become a formal leader of the Wizarding World. Would he agree to keep their secrets?

Albus thought for a bit. To be able to learn some of the secrets of Chimaera and yet not to be able to speak of them. Somehow he knew that his contact with the Chimaera would be limited, very limited after this. So in effect he wouldn’t be able to speak of them at all. Yet, for his own personal edification and curiosity, he wanted to know. He chewed the tips of his mustache a bit in an old habit while thinking. Yes, he felt this was something he could do. Besides if he submitted to the secrecy spell he wouldn’t be able to inadvertently spill any of their secrets, even if he wanted to.

“Yes, I will submit to the spell. I find myself intensely curious about the Chimaera, not to mention, I worry about my students welfare if they go with you.”

Acheron had to smother a smile. He had hoped Dumbledore’s natural curiosity would override any reservations he might have. Now all that was left was the spell, once Dumbledore heard about the Chimaera society and the offer he firmly believed there was no way the old wizard could refuse them. He reached out with his magic and placed the spell on Dumbledore. Acheron did smile as Dumbledore’s eyes widened slightly at the display of wandless magic.

“Now that we have that settled, let us get down to business. The High Council has agreed to allow you certain information about our world. Much like your world, the Wizarding world is separate from the Muggle world we, the Chimaera’s are separate also. However we separated a long time before the Wizarding World was established. You might say that we were the first wizards. All wizards that came after we separated from the world, came from the non-magical folk who were left behind. We have kept up with the current debate of Pureblood versus Mixed and find it ironic that those so called purebloods are nothing but a very old mixed blooded family. But that is neither here nor there,” Acheron shifted in his seat, uncomfortable with that line of discussion just yet. He would wait until the children were firmly in their grasp before voicing his or the Councils opinions on such matters. He took a breath and continued.

“The reason we separated is both very simple and very complicated. Now remember that this was a thousand years before even Merlin was born and magic at that time was wild. Very few could manage to tame even a fraction of what a full grown wizard can use now. Like all things though there were those few. These Mages made it their life’s work to tame and use this magic. Of course while most of them only studied to use the magic for themselves or the good of human kind there was one who studied only for the power it gave him. A clichéd story to be sure, but this is the way of human kind, no, the way of the universe. A universal truth, if you will. Even then at the beginning, there was darkness, and at the end of endings there will still be darkness. Again this is a philosophical debate for another time. Needless to say the dark mage Borathien, had a plan to dominate everyone. The others fought him, it was a long and difficult struggle but eventually the light won. Like all wars there was great cost. Magic in the area of the last stand had changed the land, the magic its self had changed. Children were born changed, some could control magic with a thought from birth, some were protected from magic. And some were mutated, human mixed with animal. Races were born, magical races that have since become common to you was then in the beginning stages of evolution. Centaurs, Veela, Dwarves, Goblins are the ones to breed true. Others came later, the were creatures, Drakens, Kyree, others I’m sure you have never heard of and perhaps never will. The thing is that these creatures breed true, and they were spreading. The non-magical people began to fear and rightly so. For the tainted magic began to spread. The elders gathered, led by the great Bellerophon and his apprentice Balthazar, they used their great knowledge gained during the struggle with Borathien and they separated the land that has become known as Chimaera from the rest of the world. The protective barriers that were put into place also kept the tainted magic from getting out. You must understand that this is an overly simplistic explanation of our history but for now it is all that you need to know. Since that time our culture has evolved we have cleansed the tainted magic from the land so that no new species have appeared in the last three thousand years. We are now a land at peace, a land made up of all the different species that evolved. A beast made from many parts, we are Chimaera,” Acheron stopped finally and drank a bit of tea.

He had been paying attention to Dumbledore’s reactions during his long winded explanation and thought the old man might actually grasp what had been done to protect the Land though he could not possibly understand the whole of it. Acheron didn’t even understand the whole of it sometimes.

Dumbledore sat in silence for a minute contemplating what he had just heard. Myth and legend. But was this really something to hide from the world? What was so important here that needed to be protected so? Nothing. So there was more, there must be. He looked back to Acheron and what of the Dark Riders? Why were they only ever seen in dark times, and why did they only take children connected to the dark?

“What does this have to do with my children? A history lesson is not a message. What is the message? And what is the offer?” Dumbledore let a hint of steel flow through his voice. He was not going to be intimidated or sidetracked from knowing the whole of the truth if he could help it.

“We keep track of the outside worlds, and the flow of magic. When a dark lord rises the taint in the worlds magic grows. We let it be until it gets to a dangerous point, when it grows to the level that it will begin making physical changes on the world we step in to correct and cleanse the magic. That our reason for being after all. The message is this. We remember you. You fought during the rising of the Dark Lord Grindelwald. There have been several smaller dark wizards to rise since then but they never gained the level of Grindelwald, until now. This abomination Voldemort has achieved the change. He has submersed himself so much in the tainted magic that he is no longer human. By virtue of this change he is now Chimaera. Therefore the High Council has decided to aid you in this fight. In exchange for this help we make you an offer,” Acheron paused.

While Dumbledore was thrilled that they would have help in this fight, help they desperately needed he was concerned with what the price of such help would be. Were the children the price. Would it be worth it? He had already resigned himself that the price of Voldemort’s death would be Harry’s life, could he say it wasn’t worth Harry and Draco’s future. At least they would live, even if they could never come back to the Wizarding World.

As Dumbledore’s mind raced with the various plans and scenarios, Acheron sat back and watched. He was not surprised when Dumbledore sat forward and nodded in acceptance.

“What is the offer?”

Acheron grinned as he outlined the plan just as he had to the High Council, well almost.


tbc...