Harry Potter: The Artisan's Path Chapter 23

Hi all,

Here’s the next chapter. I will post the polls for next week's chapters shortly.

31st October

It was Halloween, and Harry and Daphne were hanging out in the common room, not feeling like doing anything today. Their homework was up to date, and they decided to take a break from sorting out the Room of Hidden Things. They were making steady progress in the room and had cleared a significant amount of space, which made it easier to organise everything.

Hermione and Tracy were in the library, interested in discovering the mystery behind the Enchanted Wall. Although they couldn't see it for themselves, they were convinced there was information buried in the library somewhere. Harry had his doubts, reasoning that it would have been found after all this time. Still, the library was vast, being the largest collection of magical books in all of Europe, so it wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

Harry was relaxing on the sofa with Daphne in his arms, feeling utterly content. For the last hour, he listened to Angelina, Katie and Alice as they made their sales pitch. They wanted him on the Gryffindor Quidditch team next year after hearing about his exploits during the flying lesson. Apparently, they were desperate for a seeker and he was the perfect candidate. The captain, Oliver Wood, had put them up to it, not that they needed much convincing. Harry was coming around to the idea, but it was still too soon to decide. He enjoyed stringing them along, though. As soon as they realised what he was up to, they stopped bothering him and left to harass the twins.

Fawkes was perched on the back of their sofa and enjoyed all the attention he was getting from the other students. Since they knew he loved candy, they had been feeding him candy all morning.

"If you don't stop, you will get fat," Harry told the Phoenix. "How are you supposed to fly then?"

Fawkes flapped his wings at him lazily, dismissing his concerns.

Harry picked up a drawing and a pencil beside him. Over the past week, he had become interested in the activity. It all started when he showed off the Spell Cards to the club members. Although the cards were amazing, he was hit with a problem he did not foresee. It wasn't possible for him to simply store his Spell Cards in his pocket, as that was too slow and inefficient. He needed a device that could store his Spell Cards and gave him quick access to them. Furthermore, he needed a way to select the type of card he needed at a moment’s notice. He already had five different types of cards, and he planned to add more in the future.

He didn’t have to look far to find inspiration. The wand holster was designed to quickly release the wand into the user’s hand by flicking their wrist. It took some practice, as you needed fast reaction speeds to grasp the wand, but it soon became second nature.

His first step was to sketch a rough design. He had sketched in the past, but only sparingly. After several iterations, he came up with something he was reasonably satisfied with. During the process, he acquired a new skill.

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The host has learned a new skill.

*Drawing 1 [130/500] - Drawing is an art or technique in which images are created on a surface, usually paper, by means of marks made with a variety of tools, typically ink, graphite, chalk, charcoal, or crayon. The higher the skill level, the more complex and artistic the images the host is able to create.

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Since it was a skill related to crafting, then it was something he could learn. He should have acquired the skill sooner, as it would be immensely helpful in drawing up designs for his creations.

The card delivery system he envisaged was a leather gauntlet, but he encountered a problem. He couldn't wear it on the same arm as his wand holster, since it might interfere with it. He needed one of them to be on his left arm.

Harry needed to learn how to use his left hand to wield either a spell card or a wand anyway. He determined that the wand would be easier to wield in his off-hand, but he would need to train to use it. The Dexterity skill helped, but he wasn't ambidextrous. Since then, he had been casting with his left hand. His performance took a hit, but he figured it would be worth it in the long run.

“What are you drawing?” Daphne asked.

“Just working on the card holster,” Harry said. “I am pretty happy with it, but I can’t help but keep fiddling with it.”

“You can draw so well,” Daphne said. “Is there nothing you cannot do with your hands?”

“You have seen nothing yet,” Harry replied, waggling his eyebrows.

“Idiot,” Daphne said, rolling her eyes.

After working on the design for a while, he laid it down. Harry looked around to check the coast was clear before pulling the Marauder's Map from his cloak to check it. He continued to keep an eye on Professor Quirrell, but the man had stayed away from the third-floor corridor ever since the Master Artisans had arrived. So far, it seemed like they had not made any progress in solving the puzzle, as they were still here, having taken up residence in the castle.

"Still obsessed with Professor Quirrel?" Daphne asked, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I have a good reason," Harry said, pointing to the man's location on the map. "Why would he be in a girl's bathroom on the second floor?"

"What?" Daphne raised her head and looked at where he pointed. "That's disgusting. What is he doing in there?"

"Something sinister?" Harry suggested.

"Most likely," Daphne said. "Hang on, that's the bathroom Moaning Myrtle haunts. She terrorises any girl who enters to use its facilities."

"Moaning Myrtle is a ghost?"

"That's right."

"How did she get that name?"

"It is due to the noise she makes. She wails so loudly that it can be heard on the opposite side of the entire floor."

"Why not call her Wailing Myrtle? The word 'moaning' is misleading, don't you think?"

Daphne was confused for a moment before realising what he was insinuating, and she smacked his shoulder. "Don't be crass."

"What should we do about Quirrell? Is he even allowed in the girl's bathroom?" Harry asked.

"I think so. He could argue that he is investigating a disturbance or something. Since there are no girls inside the bathroom, there isn't anything to complain about."

"No girls besides Moaning Myrtle," Harry grinned. "Do you think Professor Quirrel has a fetish for ghosts?"

"I'm not listening to you anymore," Daphne huffed, pushing off his shoulder to stand up. "I am going to join the girls in the library. It seems the company I am keeping right now is repulsive."

"It was only a joke," Harry protested.

"Yeah right," Daphne sniffed, heading for the entrance. Before she could reach it, the door swung open and his grandmother entered.

"Hello, Professor McGonagall," Daphne greeted her. "Are you here to see Harry?"

"Yes," Minerva replied. "Although you may want to join us."

"Okay," Daphne replied and returned to her seat next to Harry.

Minerva sat down opposite them, looking nervous. Harry blinked, unused to seeing her in such a state.

“Harry, today’s the anniversary of your parent's death,” Minerva said. “I visit their graves every year. Do you want to see them?”

Harry went numb. He'd forgotten about their anniversary. It's hard to believe he forgot such a significant date. In fairness, he tried not to think about them too much. What was the point? It would not change anything, and it would only stir up negative emotions.

There was no denying that he was nervous about seeing them. What would he even say to them? It wasn't like he knew them, but was that a reason to avoid seeing them? They were his parents. The people that made it possible for him to be here today. At least he could honour their memory by visiting their grave.

“Harry,” Daphne placed a hand on his shoulder. “It will be okay. I can come with you if you need me to.”

"Thanks, Daph." Harry looked at his grandmother. "Don't we have to worry about Dumbledore coming after me?"

"Sirius, Remus and your grandfather will also be there," Minerva reassured him. "I doubt that Dumbledore will even remember that I visit them on this day of the year. Besides, you can always bring Fawkes for additional protection."

Fawkes trilled, obviously agreeing with the suggestion.

"When do we leave?”

“Not until later this afternoon,” Minerva said. “I have a couple of unruly boys serving detention with me today.”

When she mentioned them, they suddenly appeared behind her as if they had teleported there. Harry was not surprised to see it was the twins. Ever since they knew they had a large amount of gold coming their way, they had been testing out some new products of theirs and causing some mayhem.

“You called Professor McGonagall?” Fred grinned cheekily.

“It gladdens my heart to see your beautiful face, Milady.” Charlie bowed with a flourish.

“Flattery will get you nowhere. You are still serving detention with me,” Minerva said sternly, although her lips twitched as if fighting a smile.

Harry suddenly realised that he could get their gold now that he would be out of the castle. “Grandmother, can we stop in at Diagon Alley while we are out and about? There’s something I need to get.”

“As long as it doesn’t take too long,” Minerva said. “We want to return in time for the feast.”

"It will only take ten minutes," Harry assured her.

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In the afternoon Charlus, Sirius, and Remus met them in Minerva's office and they floo'd to a pub in Godric's Hollow. They followed the street leading to the graveyard. Fawkes appeared in a flash of flames and perched himself on Harry's shoulder. His parent's cottage happened to be on the same route they were taking, and Harry paused when he saw the wreckage. It was a stark reminder of the devastation that occurred the night his parents died.

"Why haven't you cleared the debris out yet?" Harry asked.

"I haven't been able to muster up the courage," Minerva said, a tear rolling down her cheek. "After that night, I was devastated, and I took a long time to get back on my feet. Funnily enough, it was because of the Ministry's bumbling attempts to steal the cottage from the Potters that I was able to break out of my depression."

"What a bunch of idiots," Charlus growled. "I would like to pay the old Minister a visit to give her a piece of my mind."

"It's one of the reasons I quit the Aurors and moved to America," Sirius said with a sad twist of his mouth. "Everyone was celebrating Voldemort's downfall, and praising Harry for his noble sacrifice. It got to be too much."

"He didn't have to twist my arm to leave," Remus added. "I was already sick of the place."

"Are you going to be returning to America," Harry asked, afraid of the answer. He enjoyed having them in his life.

"Not likely," Sirius said. "I have to fulfil my responsibility as a godfather, or your parents would likely haunt me."

"You're pack," Remus said simply.

Harry looked away. He wouldn't show how much those words meant to him.

"Why did they want to take your property?" Daphne questioned, still confused about that point.

"They wanted to turn it into a memorial," Minerva said heatedly. "A place where people could come pay their respects to James, Lily and Harry. It is not that I was against the idea in principle, but they wanted to place it right next to the wreckage of the house. The idea was abhorrent to me."

They reached the gate leading to the cemetery and followed the path until they reached a pair of graves with his parent's names on them. Harry froze, unable to take another step. He allowed the others to step forward and place flowers on their graves. Only Daphne stayed by his side, holding his hand in comfort.

Charlus kneeled down at his son's grave and lowered his head, asking for forgiveness. "I am sorry, son. I made so many mistakes that led to our estrangement. If only I had another chance...."

Eventually, Harry gathered his courage and laid the flowers he was holding on their grave and kneeled down on the grass.

"What do I even say to them?" Harry asked quietly.

"You can tell them anything. I am sure they would be happy to hear your voice," Sirius said.

"Tell them what's going on in your life right now," Minerva suggested. "They would be happy that you are doing well, and amongst loved ones. That's why they gave up their lives. So you could live."

Harry told them about his life events since escaping the orphanage. Looking back on it, he found the events to be slightly surreal, as if they happened to another person. It was probably due to the appearance of the Source, as it affected his life profoundly. He told them about Gabrielle and Daphne, the two girls in his life that made him happy. He didn't realise it, but at some point, he began crying. The sight of their graves forced him to face the reality of their deaths. Prior to now, it was only a distant concept without any real substance to it.

Fawkes hopped off his shoulder and onto their graves. He shed a tear for them, adding his own tribute to their memory. Harry patted his companion in thanks.

"What the hell?" Sirius swore, suddenly summoning his wand. He was looking in the direction they had come from.

"What is it?" Charlus questioned sharply, turning around with his wand in hand. Harry hadn't even seen him summon it.

"I could have sworn I saw Peter."

"What?" Remus growled. He almost sounded like a beast. "Are you sure?"

"Peter Pettigrew?" Minerva asked, her face paling.

Harry watched the adults become more alert, with their wands raised, as if expecting a fight. "Who is Peter Pettigrew?"

"The traitor who betrayed your parents to Voldemort," Sirius spat out.

What? Why hadn't he heard of this before? Before he could ask any questions, Charlus took charge of the situation and started giving orders. "Sirius, you stay with my wife and protect the kids. Remus, you may be able to find him with your enhanced senses, so you're coming with me. Fawkes, I want you to get the others out of here if they are in danger."

Fawkes trilled in agreement.

"Be careful," Sirius warned. "He is a rat Animagus and a cunning bastard."

"I am well aware," Remus said grimly, walking off in the direction Peter had been seen. Charlus flanked him, a stern expression on his face. If there was a chance that he could capture the man who was partially responsible for his son's death, he wouldn't let it go to waste.

Harry reached inside his pocket and retrieved some of his Spell Cards. If shit went down, he would be ready. Five minutes later, the two men reappeared, looking disappointed, but still alert.

"Did you find anything?" Sirius asked.

“We found a stakeout spot,” Charlus said grimly. “It looks like he has been here for a while.”

"His scent is all over the place," Remus added. "It is unmistakably Peter. His Animagus form always gave off a distinctively unpleasant odour."

"Do you think he's waiting here to ambush Grandmother?" Harry asked with concern in his voice.

“Maybe,” Charlus said. “I don’t see another reason why he would be here. I bet he didn’t expect the rest of us to be here, though.”

Everyone looked around uneasily, as their current location was too exposed. If Peter wanted to attack, he could do so from any direction. With his Animagus form, he could sneak up on them at any given moment.

"We are returning to Hogwarts now," Minerva said firmly.

"I still need to take a trip to Diagon Alley," Harry reminded her.

"What do you need from there?" Sirius asked. "I will get it."

"I need a thousand galleons from my trust vault," Harry said, handing him his vault key.

Charlus frowned at his grandson. "What do you need a thousand galleons for?"

"Business transaction," Harry lied. "Do not worry, I will replace it in the future."

"It's your gold," Charlus said dismissively. "Minerva and I will apparate the kids back to Hogsmeade, then we will take them up to the castle."

Sirius and Remus nodded and disappeared with a crack. Fawkes followed them in leaving by flaming away. Charlus grabbed Harry's arm, who braced himself for an unpleasant trip. He felt the familiar sensation of being squeezed through a tube for a brief duration before his feet slammed into the ground. This time he managed to keep his feet, as well as his stomach contents, but Daphne was not so lucky.

"You get used to it after a while," Harry said sympathetically.

"You’re not helping," Daphne groaned, wiping her mouth.

They returned to the castle and Daphne paused in the Entrance Hall, looking down at her messy robes “I need to shower before joining the feast.”

Daphne looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to escort her.

“But I’m hungry Daph,” Harry whined, and he wasn’t lying. His stomach had been grumbling for a while now. He skipped lunch because he wasn't able to eat anything, as he was anxious about visiting the graves of his parents.

“You are supposed to act like a gentleman,” Charlus scolded him. “Escort Daphne to the dormitories. I may as well stay for the festivities. I will see you in the Great Hall."

Harry sighed but followed his girlfriend in climbing all the way up to the Gryffindor dormitories. He decided that he might as well take a shower and change into something else since he was there. It took him only ten minutes, but Daphne took her sweet time. Harry grumbled as he waited in the common room. His stomach was protesting mightily now.

Daphne appeared twenty minutes later, looking radiant, and smelling divine. He took her hand and they headed out of the common room. Halfway down to the Great Hall, Harry paused as he suddenly felt a sense that something was wrong.

"Rip....tear....kill.."

"What the hell?" Harry looked around wildly. Something was approaching, and it was not friendly.

"What's going on?" Daphne asked, concerned about his sudden agitation.

"Humans...I smell them nearby....rip...tear....kill."

"It's time for us to get out of this corridor," Harry said urgently. "Come on, I know a nearby shortcut that will take us down to the next floor."

Harry pulled her along despite her protests. Suddenly, a loud hissing sound could be heard behind them as they ran down the corridor and turned a corner. He could have sworn that it was saying something, but it felt slightly off. Whatever it was, it sounded too close for comfort.

"What the hell is that?" Daphne screamed in terror.

"Whatever you do, don't look back," Harry said, his instincts telling him that it was important.

There was a loud thump behind them. As far as he could tell, it sounded like the thing behind them was trying to turn the corner, but hit the wall. The thing must be massive. Harry spotted the candelabra that led to the hidden passage and sprinted towards it. He reached out and pulled it down. There was a grinding sound as the stone wall shifted, sliding out of the way to reveal an entrance.

Harry's instincts screamed at him that they were out of time, so he pushed Daphne through and into the narrow passage. They retreated a few steps and then something hit the doorway, causing a piece of stone from the ceiling to fall to the ground. Harry could feel a foul stench of air wash over him before they raced down the staircase. As soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs, they stopped to catch their breath.

"Is it gone?" Daphne asked shakily. Harry pulled her into a hug and she clutched onto him desperately. They took a moment to comfort each other. Although they hadn't seen what was chasing them, it was still bloody terrifying. In fact, it may have been easier if they had known what was chasing them.

"For now," Harry said grimly. "But whatever it is, it's dangerous. If that thing is roaming the castle, others will be in danger. We need to tell the Headmaster and the professors."

“Where are we?” Daphne asked as they emerged from the passage into another corridor.

“On the second floor,” Harry replied.

“Wait, this is the same corridor with Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom,” Daphne realised.

“Come on,” Harry said. “Let’s go down to the Great Hall.”

They didn’t make it very far, though, as they turned a corner, they spotted something shining on the wall between two windows. It was illuminated dimly by flaming torches placed in sconces along the wall.

“What is it?” Daphne asked, squinting through the dim lighting.

The two slowly approached until it became apparent what it was that attracted their attention. There was something written in a gleaming red colour, and streaks of it were still flowing down the wall. Harry's stomach lurched when he realised it must be blood.

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.

ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE

“Harry,” Daphne gasped, pointing to something set against the wall below the writing.

Harry was so distracted by the words that he hadn't seen the huge lump that was largely obscured in the shadows. They approached, and it soon became apparent what it was. It was a person bound by a chain, and attached to the wall. His eyes were glassy, and he was motionless.

“Is he...?” Daphne turned away in horror, unable to take in the sight of him.

Harry felt for a pulse on his neck, but he wasn't able to feel anything. Harry resisted the urge to recoil in horror. A man was dead in front of him. It was the first time he encountered a dead body, even though he was raised in a rough neighbourhood.

It was then that he realised he had seen the wizard before. It was one of the Master Artisans that had come to the castle to solve the mystery of the Enchanted Wall. He knew this because all wore distinctive golden robes with a symbol of a hammer on the breast, the same as the one that the guild branch in Diagon Alley used. It must be the symbol that represents all of the Artisan guilds.

Turning away from the sight, he grabbed Daphne's hand, who still had their back turned to the scene. “Come on, we need to get to the Great Hall.”

They rushed down to the first floor and barged through the double doors into the Great Hall. The noise in the hall ceased as everyone stopped to watch Harry and Daphne run towards the head table. It was apparent that there was something amiss.

“What’s going on, Harry?” Minerva rose from her seat, noticing their panicked expressions. Charlus and the Headmaster stood up as well.

"There's a dead guy on the second floor," Harry blurted.

There were exclamations of shock from both the professors and students. His voice hadn't exactly been quiet.

"What?" Headmaster Flitwick exclaimed, his squeaky voice even higher than usual. "What are you going on about? Explain yourselves!"

Harry gestured widely, unable to put into words what he really wanted to say.

Daphne employed her Occlumency and managed to calm herself down. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and he looked at her sheepishly. "Harry, use your Occlumency to calm down. Then explain what happened from the beginning. You have a better idea of what happened."

Harry employed his Occlumency and took a deep breath before he began recounting what happened. From the point where he heard a voice that sounded like it wanted to commit violence, all the way up to where they found the message on the wall and the dead body. When he described the man in detail, one of the Master Artisans stood up in shock.

“Indra?” He shouted out in disbelief. His colleagues also looked shocked.

“He didn’t attend the feast, Master Karlsson?” Headmaster Flitwick asked. He seemed to realise for the first time that one of them was missing from the feast.

“Indra is Indonesian,” Karlsson explained. “He doesn’t celebrate Halloween. He told me that he was going to spend the evening examining the Enchanted Wall.”

“We need to go check for the scene ourselves,” Charlus said grimly. “I suggest we seal the Great Hall to protect the students and have some professors standing guard. I will volunteer to go with the party that investigates.”

“Good call,” Headmaster Flitwick said briskly. “Charlus, Hagrid, Quirinus, Master Karlsson and I will go to the second floor to investigate the scene. Hagrid, we may have a beast of some kind on the loose.”

Professor Quirrel looked like he was going to faint. He was clutching his necklace tightly.

“I understand, Headmaster Flitwick,” Hagrid rose from his seat. “I will grab meh crossbow and join yer shortly.”

“No need, Hagrid,” Minerva said, pointing her wand and conjuring a huge crossbow and bolts for him. She made it look effortless.

“Thank yer, Professor McGonagall.” Hagrid hefted the huge crossbow in his hands like it weighed nothing.

“It sounded like it was hissing,” Daphne explained. “Like a snake.”

“Are you sure Miss Greengrass?” Severus asked sharply.

“I heard the same,” Harry said quickly. “Whatever it was, it was huge. It couldn’t follow us into the secret passage.”

“Harry and Daphne, you can go and join your table now and have something to eat,” Minerva said.

Harry sidled up to his grandfather and motioned for him to lean down. “Be careful. My instincts were telling me that looking directly at the creature would have ended badly for us,” Harry whispered.

“Is this your Animagus form’s special ability at play?” Charlus asked quietly. He looked grim as if he had just thought of something.

Harry nodded before joining Daphne in walking towards their table.

Professor Flitwick rose up from his seat and addressed the students. “Students are to remain in the Great Hall until we can determine what’s going on. Can the Head Boy and Head Girl work together with the Prefects and do a headcount of all the students? If there is any missing, please report it to Deputy Headmistress McGonagall right away. You don’t have to worry. As long as you are here, you are safe.”

Harry and Daphne were instantly bombarded with questions when they sat down at the table. Despite employing his Occlumency, Harry's nerves were on edge and he lost his temper. He snapped at them, telling them to leave it alone. Percy stood up and told the rest of the table to leave Harry and Daphne in peace.

Now that the adrenaline was leaving him, he was feeling hungry and tired. Harry piled his plate for food and began eating. Daphne couldn’t eat anything and only nibbled at her food. Their eyes kept straying to the door, waiting in tense anticipation for the adults to return. 

Harry noticed that one of the Slytherin prefects run up to his grandmother and speak to her urgently. Was one of their students missing? Minerva pointed her wand, and a small glowing cat emerged before it disappeared straight through the door.

Half an hour later, the adults returned, looking grim. Every eye in the hall was on them as the professors gathered together in a huddle to discuss the situation. Eventually, they broke up and Headmaster Flitwick addressed the students again.

“I'm afraid that the body of Master Halihi has been discovered on the second floor. Furthermore, a student has been found dead in a classroom nearby. It was a Slytherin named Phylis Whitehead. My heart goes out to all those who knew her.”

The entire hall was abuzz with chatter, and most of the students looked scared. Hogwarts, one of the safest places in Magical Britain, had lost two lives on the same night.

Headmaster Flitwick continued. “We will be calling the Aurors in to investigate as a crime may have been committed. Students will be camping out in the Great Hall tonight as we have not found the creature roaming the castle. If everyone has finished their dinner, then we will move the tables and conjure some sleeping bags. Mr Potter and Miss Greengrass, can you come over here please.”

The students stood up and the tables vanished. The professors worked together to conjure sleeping bags for all of the students. Harry and Daphne walked up to the table and Minerva quickly pulled them into a hug, not caring that she was in front of the entire school at the moment.

“I nearly lost you, tonight,” Minerva said.

“We would have probably died if it wasn’t for Harry,” Daphne said quietly. “He reacted so fast and got us out of there.”

Harry said nothing but hugged his grandmother tighter. Although he had been brave when the situation called for it, the realisation came of how scared he had been at the time. Thank god he had a Demiguise as his Animagus form. The ability to sense danger was completely broken. Even so, they had nearly been caught. If he hadn’t brought the Marauders Map from the twins, and known about the secret passage, then the outcome would have been far different.

“Your parents are being called in, Daphne,” Minerva explained. “The Aurors will want to speak to you, and they need your parent's permission first.”

Daphne nodded, and Minerva finally released them. Harry just so happened to glance in the direction of Professor Quirrell and caught the man sending him a murderous glance. As soon as he was aware that he had been caught, he looked quickly away.

What the hell was Professor Quirrell’s problem?

So, what do you think? Next chapter, an investigation ensues.

Thanks for reading.