The Artifact

Beta - The Goblet

Part - 5


Albus Dumbledore and Rubeus Hagrid had been gone less then thirty minutes when Abner Davenport and a contingent of Unspeakables literally invaded Hogwarts.

Minerva McGonagall did not even have the chance to voice an objection before she, and most of the Professors and Prefects, were rounded up by two dozen Unspeakables and held at wand point.

As for the other students, according to Professor Flitwick he had seen the boys being herded to the Gryffindor tower.

Professor Snape reported that the girls were being held in the entrance hall.

A sour expression on her face, she reached out a hand. Sparks arced as her thin fingers touched the edge of the containment spell where they were imprisoned, but the Deputy Head Mistress did not flinch.

\"What is the meaning of this?\" She growled as the leader of the men strode into the Great Hall manhandling Rolanda Hooch. The hearts of the other teachers sank. When she had not been taken with the rest of the staff, they had hoped the she would remain free, and perhaps escape to bring help. The others were forced to move back as the magical prison was opened and the struggling woman was pushed into the circle of angry Professors. Snape and Vector managed to catch her before she hit the floor.

\"My name is Abner Davenport. This is the business of the Department of Mysteries.\" He flashed the question mark on his collar. \"You will cooperate fully.\"

\"We would have, had you given us a chance,\" McGonagall informed him, hands on her hips. \"What is it that you intend to do here?\"

As if to answer her question, five men came into the Great Hall. One held up a massive glass vase. The others surrounded him, wands at the ready as if expecting an attack.

\"What is that thing?\" grumbled Mr. Filch, clutching his grizzled old orange cat Mrs. Norris protectively to his chest.

\"That \'thing\', is the Womb of Morgana.\" Davenport informed them.

\"I thought it was lost almost two hundred years ago,\" gasped the diminutive Professor Flitwick.

\"Not lost, unfulfilled,\" replied the Unspeakable.

\"You believe that the Chosen will be found at Hogwarts?\" Flitwick asked.

\"I have seen Hogwarts reflected in the sacred water,\" he said, as his eyes watched the glass vessel being placed before Dumbledore\'s place at the staff table. \"Every female of breeding age will take her turn, reach into the water and try to find the magical pearl within.\"

\"Breeding age!\" Hooch hissed. \"How dare you speak of our students in such a vile manner!\"

\"We are doing what needs to be done for the good of our world. And you Professor, will take your turn as well,\" said the man coldly. Hooch growled, but was too angry even to retort.

\"Which is why you lured Dumbledore and Hagrid away,\" noted Professor Vector.

\"Yes, in their own ways, the two of them could have interfered. It is best if they stayed out of the way until the Chosen has been found,\" admitted Davenport.

\"Wait, you say that vase is the Womb of Morgana?\" Hermione Granger, friend of Harry Potter and a seventh year Gryffindor Prefect spoke up. \"I read about it in Magical Object of Merlin\'s age. It...\"

\"I am sure that you have Miss Granger,\" Davenport assured, cutting her off. \"We will start with all women on the staff who have not yet undergone menopause, then Seventh year girls, and work our way down.\"

The Unspeakables and other interested parties from the Ministry, including a smirking Lucius Malfoy entered the room, causing many of the students to pull together nervously for mutual comfort.

Davenport pointed his wand at the female teachers. Madam Hooch, Professor Trelawney and Professor Vector all glowed green, while Professor McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey and Madame Pince were shrouded in black. \"Take these three and the female prefects to the Vessel,\" he ordered one of the Aurors. \"Escort the other Professors out.\"

\"You most certainly will not. I am not leaving my students.\" To everyone\'s surprise it was Severus Snape who stepped forward, arms folded over his chest. He glared at Davenport. \"The safety of these children is our responsibility.\"

\"Yes.\" Professor Sprout stepped up beside him with her hands on her broad hips. She glared angrily. \"We are not leaving this spot!\"

There was a long silence, as Davenport considered their stance. \"I suppose it would be less trouble to allow you to stay. You will remain silent and will be kept within the confines of the spell. You will not attempt to disrupt the proceedings. Anyone who does will be stunned and removed. This should not take long. All we must do is find the Chosen, then we will leave.\" His men came up and opened the spell, waving for the indicated teachers, Hermione Granger, the female Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin prefects and forced them to the staff table.

At the same time, half a dozen wands were aimed at the rest of the staff to keep them in line.

\"According to the legends, there is a magical black pearl somewhere in the water.\" Davenport announced to the assembled women. \"You will each come up in turn, dip your hand in the water and try to find the pearl. The one who finds it will be the Chosen of Morgana. That young woman will be greatly honored.\"

With a look of distaste, Madam Hooch pulled up her right sleeve and shoved her arm into the water. She drew it out again, then opened her hand for all to see. It was empty.

The same thing happened when Professors Trelawney and Professor Vector made their attempts. They also came up empty handed.

When Hermione Granger took her turn, there was obvious anticipation from the audience. She was Harry Potter\'s friend after all. Everyone, including the other students, noted the look of relief on her face when her hand was also empty.

Soon the Professors and prefects were all back in the containment spell.

\"What will happen to the girl who is chosen?\" Minerva McGonagall quietly asked Hermione, now that their captors were distracted.

\"According to the book I read, the Chosen, the one who finds the pearl will receive a great gift. Something called the womb of Morgana. The Chosen will give birth to a child that will be known as the Avatar. He will be heir to the power of Merlin.

\"A child?\" gasped Professor Sprout somewhere between shocked and enraged. \"Bugger the power of Merlin! The girls here are children! Most of them are not of age!\"

\"Quite!\" growled one of the Unspeakables, drawing his wand.

\"Those monsters,\" hissed Madam Hooch to her fellow teachers as they waited for the man to lose interest and watch the girls being herded to the staff table to take their turn. \"We cannot allow this to happen.\"

\"No wonder they tricked Albus into leaving Hogwarts. He would never condone this abomination, and he has the power to stop them.\" Minerva McGonagall growled, wishing fervently that she had her wand. She would show the bastards, perhaps turn them into a lovely set of gold buttons!

\"There must be some way for us to get out of this containment field.\" Flitwick said desperately. He cringed as four sixth year Ravenclaw girls were urged to take their turn by the wand wielding men.

\"I would not worry about it.\" Severus smirked, his voice low so as not to alert their captors. \"Our students are smarter than these men think, they seem to be deliberately avoiding the pearl.\"

\"And why do you believe that Professor Snape?\" They all turned to meet the eyes of Abner Davenport. The Unspeakable was standing behind them, with a slight smile on his face.

Snape glared, but said nothing.

\"You will tell me what you mean, or I will have to use Veritaserum to gain my answer, and perhaps a few others?\" he threatened.

\"Causing trouble Severus?\" asked Lucius Malfoy. \"You really should learn to watch that caustic tongue of yours. It has often caused you, discomfort, hasn\'t it?\" Snape said nothing, knowing what Malfoy meant. He had been tortured with the Cruciatus curse by Voldemort more then once for \'insolence\'.

With a frown the Slytherin spoke. \"I would not wish to provide you with entertainment,\" Snape said softly, then turned to the Unspeakable. \"The pearl is sitting on the bottom of the basin in plain view. They must be deliberately avoiding it.\"

\"What do you mean it is sitting on the bottom of the basin?\" demanded Davenport.

\"Just that,\" Snape countered. \"It is black, roughly the size of a grape. Surly you can see it?\"
\"I see nothing,\" said one of the Unspeakables standing nearer the artifact.

Malfoy walked over and examined the basin thoroughly. \"He is lying, there is nothing here.\"

\"I do not see it either,\" confirmed Davenport, he continued to stare at the vase for a moment, then turned back to the professors. \"If this is a trick you will suffer, Snape.\" He motioned two of his men forward. \"Bring him.\"

tbc