Hogwarts: Era of Darkness

I was lying on my back, looking up at the ceiling, still feeling a little bit dizzy.

"Was it really that bad?" Lockhart asked, walking into the living room and making me groan as I sat up.

"It was weird. I still feel my teeth stinging from it."

"I am not an animagus, so I can't tell, but I always thought it was natural for them. I mean, after transforming, anything that an animal can do just happens. So, not everything is like that, huh? I will note that down when I write again!"

"Will you overexaggerate it?" I asked jokingly, making him shrug.

"Not this time. It has already been a wild experience, so there is no need to further decorate it."

"True enough." Quincy agreed as he entered the room, holding a flask with basilisk venom sloshing within it. "I tested it... and I have to say, it is brutal. It needs to be handled with care; otherwise, it could kill you just as fast as the snake's glare."

"Then, shouldn't you stop waving it around?" Lockhart gulped, taking a step back, keeping his eye on the flask.

"I reinforced the glass with magic; it won't break, even if you drop it. Here!" She chuckled, tossing it to me without worrying.

"Could you use it in potions?" I hummed, catching it mid-air.

"No, it can't be. This thing is too potent, and it eliminates all the other ingredients. It is only good for one thing: destroy whatever it comes in contact with."

"Then, let's see how it deals with a Horcrux!" I smiled, stood up, and went to retrieve the stone embedded into Slytherin's ring.

By the time I prepared everything, Grindelwald also appeared, watching calmly, wand in hand, ready for anything. Maybe it was our clear intention or the smell of basilisk venom after I pulled the cork out that made the ring react.

"Is... is it alive?" Lockhart gulped, watching as the heirloom was moving on the table's surface, tossing and turning.

"You don't know... what you are doing..." Echoed a hissing voice from within, angry and high-pitched. Well, well, well... Mr. Dark Lord finally decides he needs to beg, huh?

"Don't worry. It is just a fragment of his soul; it can't really affect us, and I am shielding your mind against him." Answered Herpo within my head, calming me down because I was indeed surprised to hear HIS voice.

"I think we do know what we are doing." Quincy answered, "Killing you."

"Like you kids would be able to!" Voldemort, or part of him, sneered at us.

"We can." I added, laughing as I started feeling surprisingly excited. The bastard who my Father once killed... Now, I will have a chance to join in on the fun and take part of his life away. Yeah, this feeling was incredible! "I've got the feeling you don't remember me, Mr. Voldy."

"I don't need to know about any of you."

"Don't forget, his is just a separated part of a soul." Grindelwald explained, keeping his eye on the talking ring, "Only his important memories are being shared between the pieces, the ones that are strong enough to leave a mark on them simultaneously."

"He is right." Herpo added to his words, "The returning phase from a Horcrux takes time because you are regaining all your faculties and memories."

"So I was not even an important mark on your map, huh?" I chuckled, using my wand and pointing it at the venom, which I still felt a deep connection towards. "Weeeeell, sucks to be you Voldy-Boldy. Because I'm going to torturously dissolve your soul into nothing, and I am going to enjoy it to its fullest."

"Big words... You don't even understand what you are dealing with, and you think-"

"You asked the wrong questions of your ancestor, Voldy." I said, interrupting him. Before he could say anything or think about what it meant, I pulled the venom out of the bottle and carefully, gently began to coat the ring with it, making sure it didn't touch the Resurrection Stone.

Following it, he was no longer in an arguing mood, nor would he think of belittling us, as what remained was his painful screams that, I can't lie, felt gratifying to hear. I don't know what it would feel like for a fragment of a soul to melt away, but I hope it hurt just as much as his screams indicated. As the venom did its job, I watched as the masterfully crafted ring began transforming, melting away as if it were thrown into acid. A bubbling, black sludge on the desk was what remained of Voldemort after a few minutes had passed, releasing foul-smelling, grey smoke.

"Wingardium Leviosa." I whispered, lifting the stone out of its nasty sludge bath and dropping it into a cup of water Quincy brought along. I rinsed it clean before picking it up and examining it from up close.

"So... this is a Hallow?" she whispered, and I saw Grindelwald gently nod his head, blink slowly, and turn his eyes away from it. "How does it work?"

"Um, sorry to interrupt..." Lockhart mumbled, pointing at the sludge, "Shouldn't we do something about it? Is it safe? Is it destroyed? Is he... dead?"

"It is." Grindelwald spoke, waving his wand and making it disappear. "Good job. We now have one Hallow and made sure Dumbledore can't complete the set. Our next move should be to decide what to do with the war going on. How can we interfere, if at all? Our priority should be separating Dumbledore from another Hallow."

"Not from all?" I asked, looking at him while holding the stone.

"I think fate won't care if someone only has one Hallow in their possession." He answered me calmly before leaving, making me look puzzled, glancing at Quincy, but she had no answer either.

"Well... he is... right?" Lockhart mumbled, watching the little grey rock, "What are your next steps in defeating the world's two greatest wizards?"

"We will interfere in their fights." After a moment of silence, I declared, closing my fist around the rock. "Both parties are doing nothing but causing chaos. First things first, we will start airing out everything, aiming to recruit the regular people."

"What do you mean by that?" Quincy asked, curious, hugging my arm while I explained.

"First, we will spread the information about us, my family, what my Father did and why. Tell the world everything."

"I don't think they would buy it." Lockhart warned me, and I knew he was doing it for my sake, and he was right.

"Yeah, I know, but it can plant the seed of doubt. Plus, aren't we in the presence of a talented writer? You will be in charge of our... how the muggles call it? Propaganda!"

"M-me?" He blinked, pointing at himself, but I could see the sudden happiness in his blue eyes.

"Yes. It will be up to you to write hit pieces and make the readers teary-eyed! We will spread it forcefully and probably use some old contacts we have." I smiled, looking towards the diary we used in the school. "We will also show your side of the story, Professor. Tell them what you were forced to do and why. Let the world know that instead of helping you or helping us, the Order was glad to discard both of us!"

"Will you...?" Quincy whispered, and I knew she was asking if I was aiming to announce that Snape was a double agent.

"No. I want chaos, but I don't want to give a definitive advantage to one side. I want them to keep fighting so Snape's identity will remain a secret."

"Snape?" Lockhart asked, his mouth opening wide.

"Long story." I grinned, looking at the stone within my palm. "We will also tell them about the Hallows."

"What?!" They yelled, looking at me, shocked.

"Not everything. I just want Voldy to know that his big enemy, Dumbly, has the Elder Wand in his possession, and that is why he has been a thorn in his side. That is the sole reason why he can fight his awesomeness and resist his rule for decades. Play it up a little, Professor Lockhart! Make it sound epic."

"I... I will try my best, Young Friend!" He nodded, starting to rub his hands together, "Let me see what I can do!"

...

....

......

Maybe it was because of what we were going to do, but I slept horribly that day. I had weird, vivid dreams of school, Voldemort, and my Father, and no matter how many times I woke up or tried going back to sleep, it never worked. In the end, I sat up, gently rubbing the head of my wife sleeping next to me before deciding to go out and get something to drink. My feet just touched the cold, stone floor when I froze up because there was a spirit before me, looking down at us with a kind, warm smile.

"Dad..." I said, my voice shaking and squeezy. I was unable to say anything more, just looking at him with my thoughts buzzing within my head, wanting to force out so many sentences at once that I totally shut down.

"I am glad to see you two again, Son. I am so proud of you..."

"You... are... you... here... are..." 

I wanted to reach out to hug him, but my hands passed through him. He was there... yet he wasn't. Was this the work of the... stone?"

"It is." He answered as if reading my thoughts. "But you can't rely on it, son, don't fall into its trap. I am dead, and I can't come back to you. And... I won't."

"But..."

"I am with your grandparents and with... Your should-be-mother." He said gently, keeping his smile, watching me with a kind, caring gaze. "We are all proud of you. I came to tell you because I had no chance to say goodbye to you personally. I am sorry about what I did, son... I just hope that-"

"I understand." I nodded at him before turning to look at Quincy. "I understand it well, Father. I do not blame you. I think I would have done the same..."

"I am glad... I am glad to be your father."

"Me too." I smiled, feeling tears roll down my cheeks. "You were the best father I could have asked for."

We didn't say anything after that, and I watched as he slowly disappeared, continuing to smile. For the first time in a long time, I felt peace when I thought about my Father.