Act I: Chapter 6

Hello everyone,

Follow me on instagram at wtmcdonaldauthor! If you are feeling generous, and wish to donate to my writing career, you can find me at Patreon under the same name for early access to chapters of The Ladder, Defiant, and Tsunami of the South!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

*********************************************************************************************************

Classes started the next week after the yule ball and almost all of my free time went into learning how to harvest magical creatures and practicing occlumency. I was making very good progress on both aspects. I had been so focused that I had barely had time to respond to Fleur's letters, and we definitely hadn't seen each other since the morning after the ball. Hedwig really was enjoying the workouts and treats.

It took awhile for me to really notice the effects of the ritual but now that classes started again, it was obvious. I had to study less and less, especially if I paid attention in class and the material was interesting.

Homework was done almost without researching, I was so far ahead that the assignments wrote themselves. I read most chapters once and the information just stuck, and when it came time to use it, it was readily available. My grades were constantly getting better. I still wasn't top of the class, but that was because I didn't spend the time to actually try. Most of my free time went into getting ahead and practicing magic. It honestly didn't even matter until O.W.L.'s anyway so I didn't care that much about the top spot. That wasn't even the best part of the effects either.

The aspect that really improved was the speed at which spells were cast. My mind was very fast to switch between the spells and my new hand eye coordination meant that wand movements were precise with hardly any deviation. The wand movements become ingrained after a few tries of casting a spell. Most spells I only had to try once to get to work properly and then a few more tries to get them to cast silently.

I was starting to get into the really useful spells for dueling, although only the shield charm had been completely mastered.

My thoughts were broken as the training dummy across from me reformed itself after its destruction at my latest spell. I readied myself to perform the spell again.

My right arm drew back around my left shoulder and upon passing my head fire sprouted from the tip. I swung my wand back down in a whipping motion, the fire from the tip of my wand expanded and formed into a whip and it flew through the air. As soon as it reached its destination, it snapped and sliced into and through the chest of the training dummy.

The dummy reformed again and I sent a basic knock-back jinx followed by a bombarda at the ground which caused debris to shoot into and around the dummy. Before the debris could even land they were transfigured into twenty arrows and summoned back towards me. Most of them found their way into the dummy and the ones that didn't were continuing towards me. Before they could reach me and peirce me, they were transfigured again into a wooden shield which levitated and circled around me, ready to intercept any AK's thrown my way. Everything was done silently and within ten seconds.

It was a basic routine I developed to practice control over some of the basic spells while also getting used to incorporating transfiguration into my dueling style. I was shooting for a combination of Dumbledore and Grindelwald but I doubt I would reach their level anytime soon if at all. Their raw knowledge and experience is just too much.

I cast a quick tempus and turned around. Harry and I were supposed to meet at the front gate of Hogwarts. It was the eighth of January and the containers to hold the harvested basilisk were set to arrive via portkey. Harry ordered them and even fronted the cost of the containers when Gringotts said that there would not be a fee for using their materials. They were planning on buying everything from us anyway.

The galleons earned would go into a shared vault for Harry and me to share. Normally Gringotts wouldn't do any transactions with minors but since Harry was technically an adult for the duration of the tournament, they couldn't say no, or at least they didn't want to say no. After everything would be transferred, Harry would retain ownership of the vault and give me free reign to come and go as I please. The paperwork is still being drawn up for when he is a minor again, to make the vault a trust for both of us with no limitations on how much we can withdraw.

Basically we agreed to give Gringotts another one thousand galleons to make it so no adult could seize control over the vault once Harry was a minor again. I just had to trust him not to spend any of my share and he had to trust me not to spend any of his share. We were both ok with the details considering we are best friends.

I broke out of my thoughts as I noticed Harry and Professor McGonagall waiting for me at the gate. A quick tempus told me that we had another three minutes until the materials arrived.

"Hello professor." I said as I walked up to the two. "I didn't expect you here." I said with a look towards Harry.

"Yes well imagine the headmasters surprise when he got a letter from Gringotts about your arrangements." She said. "These things have to be approved."

'Wow we never even thought about getting permission.' I thought as I realized our mistake.

"Luckily Albus has a particular soft spot for you two." She continued as we didn't respond. "If it were up to me…"

Just then a Goblin of no particular importance appeared with a bag in his hand. "Mr. Potter, here are the materials. This portkey is set to activate in exactly one week at the same time. If you finish earlier than that, then you may say this phrase and it will activate it on command."

He handed the bag and a piece of paper to Harry, and then he was gone.

"Well ok then." I supplied.

"Now why you two would need containers normally used to house harvested dragons, Albus didn't tell me but please don't cause any trouble with this." She said as her face softened.

We started walking back into the castle in silence. Once we arrived at the stairs we noticed there was a certain someone waiting on us.

Albus fucking Dumbledore stood there with a twinkle in his eye and a slight smirk on his face.

He didn't say anything at first, then he turned around and walked towards the stairs, who were oddly not moving, and told us. "Come along then."

We followed dumbly as McGonagall broke off to go be stern somewhere.

"Headmaster, where are we going?" Harry asked.

"No don't tell me yet, I want to see if I can figure it out where it is." Dumbledore said out of the blue.

I just followed wondering how he figured out we were going down to the chamber. 'I guess it's not really all that hard to figure it out. Why else would we need harvesting containers.'

'Didn't Harry tell him where the chamber was already?' I thought as I watched the eccentric old man lead us to the second floor.

"Let's see, all the children were petrified on the second floor." He continued as we stopped off at the second floor.

He turned and immediately started walking the correct direction.

"And when the chamber was opened for the first time, a student died in a certain bathroom. Ah here we are." He kept muttering to himself as he arrived at the bathroom.

"Oooooohhhhhhh hello professor." We heard as Moaning Myrtle flew out of one of the stalls. "Harry." She continued as she waved and somehow got a blush as a ghost.

"It's headmaster now Myrtle. How are you?" Dumbledore replied.

"How am I? How am I? I'm dead! Ahhhhhhh." Myrtle answered as he upset her and she flew back into the stall.

"Now Harry, have I guessed correctly." He continued as if the interaction had never happened.

'What the fuck is happening right now?! Can we get out of showing him?'

Harry continued to just stare at the headmaster as if he was a lunatic. Eventually, instead of answering, he hissed out a command at the sink.

'Apparently not. Not like we have anything to hide really.' I thought as my panic started to die down.

The ornate sink moved in the same way it always did except this time, stairs automatically appeared.

"Oh my, quite dramatic." He murmured. "Shall we?" He asked turning back to us.

"Headmaster, has anyone told you that you are certifiably insane?" I said as I walked past him and down the stairs, with Harry right on my heels.

"Yes, quite a few times Mr. Weasley." Was all the response I got.

We continued into the chamber and once again the headmaster wouldn't shut up. "Might I also say, I wasn't aware you could dance so well."

"I had a lot of practice." I said honestly.

"Yes yes, on the seventh floor perhaps?" He continued while I had an inner panic attack.

"Having the paintings spy on me headmaster?" I asked deducing how he knew of my activities. Harry looked extremely uncomfortable with the conversation.

'Is he going to make me stop using the room?'

"I find that they just report anything they find interesting. I normally have to ask to get any truly good information." He continued and I couldn't help but feel interrogated. "Am I to assume whatever it is you are doing up there is also to thank for the improved performance in your classes?"

I didn't answer, instead I just turned to look at him as he pulled information out of me without even trying. "Am I in trouble Headmaster?" I asked deciding to get to the point.

"For bettering yourself? No, my boy, quite the opposite. I am encouraging you to continue." He said bluntly as we arrived to our destination and the basilisk came into view.

I looked towards the headmaster to see the reaction on his face. Gone was twinkly eyed grandfather persona. In its place stood one of the most powerful wizards to ever live. The Elder Wand was in his hand quicker than I had seen anyone draw.

"Harry my boy, tell me that is not the basilisk you had to face." Dumbledore said.

'Does he really not know of what happened down here.' I thought to myself as I took in his reaction. 'He's realizing that Harry is only alive based on pure luck.'

"I told you it was big." Harry said in response.

"I don't think you two understand the danger you were in that night.." Dumbledore continued. His wand was no longer in his hand.

"We definitely didn't, I am not sure that I do now either." Harry responded.

"How do you plan on harvesting it?" Dumbledore asked him.

I decided to cut in since I had done all of the research. "Well the only valuable parts, that the wizarding world knows of, is the skin, the eyes, and the venom."

I paused before continuing. "But since it doesn't have it's eyes, courtesy of Fawkes, all we have to do is skin it and extract the venom. Both are fairly easy to do if only time consuming."

I didn't answer instead I walked over to Harry and got the back that was no doubt expanded on the inside to hold all the materials.

"Would it be possible to acquire some of its blood? For alchemic purposes?" Dumbledore asked as he revealed the true reason he why he accompanied us down here.

My eyes widened and I paused what I was doing before I got an idea. "For the right price." I said completely seriously.

Harry turned to me in shock. "Ron.."

"Of course." Dumbledore cut in interrupting Harry as the twinkle returned to his eyes. "It can't be too much, considering it is useless right now. We don't even know its uses yet or if it has any at all."

"Absolutely, that is why we" I said pointing at us "would only ask for a promise of a future favor. One that comes with no questions asked."

"I have the right to refuse if it is too drastic. Anything within reason, you have my word on."

"Deal. You can have it all." I answered as I began levitating the huge containers designed to hold the skin. There were at least ten of them in the bag. There were also countless amounts of vials for the venom.

Finally after getting it all out and setting it up, I walked down to the tail of the basilisk. If I was going to mess up, it would be at the smallest part of the skin. Taking a moment to think I started stripping down to just my pants, didn't want to mess up the school robes afterall.

When I was done I noticed Dumbledore eyeing the wand holster on my wrist with interest and I realized he could see both of my wands. Deciding that there was nothing I could do about it I drew my main wand and approached the beast.

I also grabbed the tape measure that the goblins supplied but I have absolutely no knowledge of why they sent it. My questions were answered as it shot out of my hand and drew itself out about eight feet and landed on the basilisk. Well that makes this easier.

At my mental command a shimmer of air appeared around the tip of my wand. It's a spell that is used for surgery most of the time, it creates an extremely sharp knife at the end of it. The practical aspects of it went beyond just surgery obviously but it was mostly used for precision.

Then I got to work. I cut along the edges of the tape measure very slowly, the skin actually provided a fair amount of resistance so sawing motions were necessary during some parts. I found that the first time I cut it was too shallow and didn't actually reach the muscle so I had to start over. The ethereal knife grew in length out of my wand and I started again. Once the hide was sufficiently cut, the tape measure moved to the next dimensions.

Luckily it was a Sunday and barely noon because it took me six straight hours of cutting to get to the neck. Harry and the headmaster were talking about nothing the whole time and watching me from comfortable seats the headmaster conjured up. After a sufficient amount of skin was taken off, the headmaster decided to start collecting his samples of blood. He was obviously expecting us to let him take the blood when he came down because he had vials ready to go hidden somewhere in his robes.

He drained the beast way before I was finished and began levitating the hide into the bins for me. It was obvious to me that the headmaster wouldn't leave us alone while we did it so I mostly ignored the two of them while I worked.

The Venom was the easiest to extract actually. The goblins provided a tool that is normally used on acromantulas to extract their venom, all I had to do was penetrate the sack and fill up vials.

After everything was said and done I sat down, exhausted from the days work. It was mentally draining to keep the spell up the whole time and also controlling it to make sure it went deep enough.

"That was impressive wand work Mr. Weasley. I noticed that you have begun doing everything silently." Dumbledore said and I sensed a question in there somewhere.

"Yes sir, everything I know I can do silently." I told him honestly since he was so helpful earlier.

"Interesting, it wouldn't be a stretch to assume you are ahead in your studies then either?" He continued.

I only nodded at him. "I am about half way through next year in all of the wand classes. " I answered seeing no reason not to tell him since it was only the three of us down here. It was all true too, the ritual had unbelievable boons. Now that everything came easier, the school material was breezed through. Occlumency was the only thing proving at all difficult, and I was becoming better and better at controlling my emotions and making my mind blank.

"Seriously?" Harry asked skeptically.

I decided to get dressed as they asked me questions, I only nodded in response to Harry's question.

"Perhaps a demonstration is in order?" Dumbeldore said as he pointed to his conjured chair from earlier. "Could you vanish this for me? Silently of course."

My wand was back in my hand immediately and I vanished it with a quick motion silently. I sheathed my wand smoothly as soon as I finished the spell.

Harry's jaw was on the floor and Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling like mad.

"Very impressive Mr. Weasley. Your academic improvement has been noted amongst the staff but nothing has led us to believe this level of proficiency." Dumbledore said.

I didn't know what to say. 'It's not enough.' I thought as I remember who I was going up against in the future.

"Will we need the body for anything else headmaster, Harry?" I asked not wanting it to start decaying and stinking up the chamber, while also directing the conversation in another way. The look in the headmasters eye let me know that it wasn't the last I would hear of it.

Harry was the one to answer. "No, I've already got a souvenir, don't need any more." He said pointing to the scar on his arm.

"Would you do the honors then headmaster?" I asked.

He was obviously in a good mood after the days events and in an impressive display on wandwork, a ring of fire appeared and approached the head of the snake first. I expected it to slow down and not do a good job of burning the corpse but it went unhindered down the full length of the beast and soon enough there was nothing left but ash. A flick of the Elder Wand and the ash was promptly vanished.

"In order to rise out of the ashes, the phoenix first must burn." I quoted as I stood up and grabbed the bag containing the remains of the basilisk.

"Very poetic Mr. Weasley. Now, would you like to deliver the package now or later?" He asked.

I looked to Harry who shrugged. "Might as well get it over with."

The three of us continued in silence as we walked out of the chamber and towards the main gate. Once we arrived, I wasted no time in beginning. "Grab hold." I said and Harry drew the piece of paper out of his robes.

Once all three of us grabbed the rope that doubled as the portkey, Harry spoke the words.

"Vault 301."

The headmaster and I landed on our feet on the pristine marble floors of the bank. Harry was sprawled out under us. 'He's still terrible at magical travel.'

"Name?!" A goblin from the archway barked before we could react.

"Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, we have.." I started before being interrupted.

"Follow me." He said before I could continue explaining what we were doing.

All three of us moved towards the entrance as we obeyed him. "Only the account holders!" He barked out once more.

Dumbledore just turned and sat down on one of the many benches on the wall and pulled out a book from nowhere.

Soon enough we were led to Griphook's office as he was Harry's account manager and got assigned the new account by default.

"Mr. Potter, sign here, here, and here."

"Mr. Weasley, sign here, here, and here. Excellent, here is the key to your vaults, the money will be transferred after we do an appraisal of the goods you have delivered to us. As we discussed, two hundred thousand galleons will be transferred if we are satisfied. Good day."

It took us less than five minutes before we were back on Hogwarts grounds and walking through the front gate. "A productive day wouldn't you say?" Dumbledore said as we began walking inside.

'That's one way of putting it.' I thought as we reached the great hall.

"Mr. Weasley would you mind staying behind for a moment." Dumbledore asked as we were about to part ways.

"Yes sir." I answered not letting my irritation show at being denied food and sleep.

"It will be quick, I promise." He said in response. 'Maybe my irritation did show.'

"What is is headmaster?" I asked when Harry parted from us and headed to the gryffindor table.

He produced a book from his robes, a very familiar book, one without a title or name on the front of it. 'The Mind Palace.' My memory supplied as I recognized it as the book I had been studying everyday since it's discovery.

My face must have shown my thoughts because Dumbledore spoke. "Ah, so it is you." He said.

Panic gripped me for the second time today. My thoughts raced as I realized where the room had been getting the books from. "Yes." Was my only response.

"How? While you displayed casting beyond your years today, you are no match for the wards around these books. " He asked eyeing me without his grandfather persona.

"No one can hear us right now, they will only hear whispering." He added as he noticed I was looking around us at the students walking around us.

I made the decision that honesty was the best course of action when dealing with the situation.

"There is a room on the seventh floor, I call it the Room of Requirement. There is no door, it appears when you are in need of it. I hadn't figured out where the books it supplies come from but now I theorize that it is from anywhere within Hogwarts." I answered.

Realization dawned on his eyes as he heard my explanation. "Have you read any of the other books from this author?"

"Yes, two more. A Beginners Guide to Casting For The Learned and The Road to Legendary Casting. I heeded all of the warnings I promise, and I haven't performed the ritual." I continued to tell him the truth.

His body seemed to sag, whether in relief or from something else I couldn't tell. He looked like he aged another twenty years as sadness gripped his eyes. "We will talk more of this later, promise me you will be careful with this information."

"I promise."

"Good." Was his only response as he put a hand on my head and moved to enter the hall, looking every bit of his age.

'Dumbledore is fucking scary.'

*********************************************************************************************************

A/N: Wow that was the longest scene I've written without any line breaks in it.

What does everyone think of the developments? Scary Dumbledore, but is he good or evil? What do you think he will do now that he knows what Ron is up to?

I think Ron learned a good lesson from this. He learned that people are keeping tabs on him and that he hasn't been covering his tracks well enough. He also learned that Dumbledore is not to be fucked with, at all.

Impressive wand work huh? Ron is progressing well.

Let's talk in the reviews!