Chapter 56: The Veil of Death

Hogwarts Castle, Somewhere in the Scottish Highlands

December 2nd, 1992, 04:32 PM - Wednesday

"When Salazar died, he named me, his goddaughter, his heir and next Lady of house Slytherin."

Selena finished explaining to the snake, who started hissing again. After it stopped, Selena turned to Erik, who said to her what it hissed about.

"He asked how you, who are claiming to be the goddaughter of Salazar, are still alive. And it is asking if we are immortal."

Selena chuckled at what the snake hissed, and started to talk to it all about their status as ageless people, and how one could not attain true immortality.

"Really, Tom. There are dozens of ways to attain the status of agelessness, and you, literally, choose one that would not only NOT give you what you wanted, but that it would guarantee that you would turn crazy. There's a reason why nobody messes with its own soul, and Herpo was known as a fool. When you damage your soul, you are doing damage to your very being. You are damaging your magical potential. You must have noticed that after your first trinket was made, your magic stopped growing naturally, right?"

Selena said to the snake, who started hissing back at the couple. When it stopped, Erik translated to Selena.

"It said that he had noticed it, but he continued to grow strong through the rituals."

"And at what price? You don't need to answer that, I know very well what kind of rituals can increase the potency of your magic, and I would say that you would have been punished in the afterlife for it, but you will not. By mutilating your souls, you barred your entrance in any of the afterlifes that exist. Not even Hella would accept you in her realm."

Selena said, and after a little pause, continued.

"Your only destiny now is nothingness. There, your soul will be forgotten to all. It will wither away until it completely disappears."

Selena added to the snake, who was now gone quiet and lowered its head back to the plastic floor of the transparent carrier box. It had lost all its will after this last conversation.

"Since we seem to be done here, I will take you to your last residence."

Erik said and summoned a dark black piece of cloth. He then made a long cut in the middle of it and covered the transparent carrier box with it, letting the top handle of it go through the cut. Its objective was to provide darkness to Tom, the snake, and with a wave of Erik's hand, it now provided sound isolation too. No sound could be heard inside the carrier box and no sound would be heard from inside it too. Erik then called for a house-elf of Hogwarts.

"A house-elf, please?"

*pop*

"How can Tootsy help Lord Ravenclaw?"

Asked the little creature after appearing by Erik's side with a soft pop sound.

"Hi, Tootsy. Can you, please, take this carrier box to the office inside the owner's chambers? Put it on top of the low central table that we have in there."

Erik asked the house-elf, who nodded its head in confirmation of the order. It then disappeared with the carrier box letting behind only the sound of a soft pop in the air.

*pop*

"The owners' office? Really? That's your safe place to keep it?"

Selena said to Erik, after the house-elf had departed. She was looking at Erik with one of her eyebrows held high in her forehead. Erik chuckled at her reaction.

"I only said that I would not tell them where the snake was being kept, not that it would not be at the castle."

Erik replied to his wife.

"And what safer place than under our noses? Only we can enter those chambers. Safer than that, only keeping it at our home, and I really don't want that thing there."

Erik added to Selena, who nodded at him, agreeing with what he had said. She really didn't want that snake inside her house.

"And I had set a special surprise for anyone who tries to open the carrier box without my authorization."

Erik said again, letting an evil smirk appear on his face.

"You trapped it?"

Selena asked Erik.

"Of course you trapped it."

Selena said to Erik, rolling her eyes at him.

"I will have no pity for anyone who tries to free it, that is for sure."

Erik replied. He then looked at his wristwatch and saw that dinner would be starting soon and turned to Joan and Leona, who were listening quietly to their conversation.

"Girls, it's almost dinner time. Let's go eat something and then we can have a long dip in the bathtub together, what do you say?"

Erik asked them. The girls looked at each other and then let out a giggle.

"Sure, just a dip, he says…"

Leona says.

"Yeah. Like he could control himself."

Joan adds.

"Or like we could control ourselves."

Leona adds too, and she and the other two women start to giggle again.

Ministry Headquarters, London - England

December 19th, 1992, 03:00 PM - Sunday

It was now seventeen days after the 'capture' of Tom, the snake, and a lot had happened during that interval of time.

Ron Weasley had bought a new wand and it seemed to have boosted his morale. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had reported an increase in good results during their classes from the boy.

The same happened with Neville Longbottom. The boy's grandmother had visited the castle to take him to buy his own wand. Neville said that she was not initially convinced that the 'problem' was the wand, but after talking with Olivanders, who had said to her the same thing that Erik had said to Neville, she was convinced, and Neville got a brand new wand, and most important, one that worked for him. The result was immediate. All of his Professors had reported his quick advancement in classes that needed a wand, even if he had to relearn to control the output of his magic to new wand.

Temporary Professors Aurors Moody and Tonks had conquered the students too. Their lessons were liked by all the students of all years. That they were following Erik's methodology in teaching only helped their reviews. It helped, too, that they really knew what they were talking about. Moody was mainly teaching NEWT years, while Tonks was responsible for the lower years. The young woman's bubbly personality really got her extra points with the first and second years.

Harry Potter was under the constant care of Madam Pomfrey. She had discussed with other healers from Saint Mungo's Hospital his situation and they had planned the best treatment for him. One could see the effects of it already. The boy had gained almost ten kilograms without going chubby, a reflection of his increased appetite during the meal's time. He had received the visit of his godfather too. It was monitored by his head of house, of course. The two had a lot to talk about and decided to try to pass the winter's holidays together. Sirius Black was renting a temporary home for him while his contractors were cleaning some of his family's homes. He wanted to at least have one in good condition for him and possibly Harry's more permanent residence. The man had even planned a beach vacation for them both already.

The girl who was a victim of the black diary of Tom Riddle had consulted with a healer from Saint Mungo's Hospital. The healer had said that she was alright if you didn't take into account her fatigue. Being physically well, the girl, Ginevra Weasley, had been strongly recommended to consult with a mind healer too. Possession could leave mental scars that would heal better if treated soon. The school would pay the bill for any treatment necessary, of course. Unfortunately, even finding who was the person who gave the black diary to the girl, the slippery man could not go under trial for something based on memories. Ginevra's father, Arthur Weasley, had relented in knowing that the man, Lucius Malfoy, who was an old 'enemy' of him, was basically a pauper now and had his 'good' reputation ruined. Lucius Malfoy had lost a good part of his fortune paying back what he had robbed from Hogwarts, and that would slow the man's agenda in the political world, a thing that Arthur Weasley and the man's other enemies would be sure to capitalize on.

Another good news was that Professor Binns could finally rest in peace. Selena and Erik had interviewed and choosen three new members for Hogwarts staff. The three new teachers were already put on par on how the school will work, and they were ready to start their new function with the beginning of the second semester.

And all that were just the 'extras' that happened. Erik was now entering the Ministry accompanied by his three wives. His objective here was a simple one, at least for him. He was asked to transport Tom, the snake, to the Department of Mysteries, where it would be tossed through the veil, and to serve as a witness together with his wives to the death of the 'Dark Lord'. Croaker had talked to Sirius Black about the situation that they had in hand with the prophecy, and then, they both talked to Harry and explained their idea for it. The boy had not needed time to think about it at all, he was very eager to get rid of this 'ghost' haunting him and jumped at the opportunity to get rid of it permanently. After some discussion about the fine prints and a contract that was signed by Harry Potter, Sirius Black and Croaker, the 'sentence' of the Dark Lord was passed and the Department of Mysteries was thirty sickles richer.

And that's why he was carrying the dark clothed carrier box in one of his hands as he entered the Ministry through the floo. As Erik approached the security booth, which was empty because it was Sunday, a gray cloaked individual appeared from behind it and greeted him.

"Welcome, Lord Ravenclaw. I'm here to guide you and your ladies to the room where the veil is."

The Unspeakable spoke to Erik, who nodded at the man with his head.

"Thank you. And please, you can guide us. We will be right behind you."

Erik said back to the Unspeakable. The gray cloaked man then turned and walked by the side of the security booth, bypassing it totally. The little family continued following the Unspeakable and they entered inside something that strongly resembled an elevator. After everyone was inside, the Unspeakable pushed the button to the ninth floor and with a short 'ding' sound, the doors closed and the elevator started to move. After some seconds, with another 'ding sound, the elevator's door opened and they all exited the elevator.

The unspeakable guided the group to a very inconspicuous door and opened it. As they all entered, the Unspeakable turned to the group.

"I will strongly advise that you don't touch anything in the rooms on the way to the room of death."

The Unspeakable said to the group and turned back and started to walk to another door in the room. The group looked at each other and shrugged, and then started to walk behind the Unspeakable. It didn't take long for them to arrive in the desired room. Erik and the girls were certain that it would be very difficult for anyone who does not work for the Unspeakables to find their way in the labyrinth of doors. As the group entered the room where the veil of death was located by following the Unspeakable, Erik and his wives took in the details of the room. Very likely the new classroom for Defense Against the Dark Arts class, the room of death was configured in a shape that imitated the design of a greek auditorium. If Erik would have to give a name, he would say that it resembled the theaters of old. The difference was that on the top of the stage stood a stone archway that looked so ancient, that anyone would ask themselves how the thing was still standing. It was unsupported by any wall and hung on it, fluttering softly to an inexistent wind, was a tattered black curtain, or veil.

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