Death at Hogwarts - A Harry Potter fanfiction

Chapter One

I looked up as the half giant, Rubeus Hagrid answered the doors, looking round and then finally down, noticing me at last.

“Oh 'ello!” he said. “'How can I help you?”

“Well. . .I'm soaked to the bone. Might I stay the night?” I asked, getting my tongue round the current way mortals spoke.

“Oh, o' course! Come in!” he said, moving out of the way as I entered Hogwarts. The entrance hall was enormous and could probably fit a mortal house several times over.

“Jus' wait here while I go tell the Headmaster.” Hagrid said to me while lumbering off towards the sound of five hundred chatting students. As I gazed round the huge hall, the doors to the Great Hall opened and the students came pouring out like a wave, chattering amongst themselves. Upon seeing me, some of the looked at me, some stared at me, and some, particularly Slytherins, didn't bother giving me a glance at all.

I shook my head as Albus Dumbledore came out of the Great Hall and smiled at me. I took a good look at his long white beard, wondering how he was still alive. No matter. His death would come far sooner than anyone was expecting. Of course, he knew of it and had already made plans. All the great wizards knew when I was coming for them. I had to wonder if he could see through my disguise as his calm blue gaze seemed to x-ray me.

I smiled at him and he beamed back.

“So you need a place to stay for the night to ride out the storm?” he asked.

I nodded again, playing it safe.

“Feel free to stay as long as you like, consider yourself a guest here, go where you like, and think of this place as your home.” he said, graciously.

I was very pleased with his words. It made everything so much easier.

The caretaker, Argus Filch reluctantly showed me to my room, which was nice enough and had everything I needed and everything I didn't need. The only thing in it that I needed was a place to sit and a mirror. The bed was completely unnecessary, as was the wardrobe.

I sat down on a chair at the dressing table, which had a mirror on it, and stared deep into it and deeper still. After a few seconds, my disguise faded and I was left staring at my own skeletal reflection, my hooded robe hiding my bare skull as I took the form that most mortals saw me as, and one which I had permanently adopted until their look of me changed. I was the Grim Reaper, and as such, changed as people's perception of me changed.

A few centuries ago, I had been called the Devil, something I found funny, as I wasn't evil, but then again, I wasn't good either. I simply was.

Looking round the room again, I decided to go see Albus and have a talk with him.

Arriving at his room, I knocked upon the door, something I had never really had to do.

“Enter.”

I walked in and closed the door behind me and sat down at his request.

“Ah, yes. I don't believe I introduced myself. I am -”

“Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” I finished for him.

“So it really is you. Either you are early, or I am late.” he said.

“You misunderstand my reasons.” I said. “I am not here for you – yet. I am here for my things.”

He looked confused, and I looked to the wand that was laid out in front of him.

“You call them the Hallows.” I said softly.

“But. . .no, you can't be here for them – Harry hasn't defeated Voldemort yet.”

“That is of no concern to me. I want back what is mine, especially the Stone and the Cloak.”

“Why the Cloak? You can't be seen by humans anyway.”

I transformed into the Grim Reaper and held up the arm of my robe, showing where it was frayed.

“Five hundred and sixty four years it has taken to heal, Albus! I need my Cloak back so I can finish repairing it. Then Harry can have it back. I only need it for a minute.”

He nodded.

“I will talk with Harry and ask to borrow his Cloak. He will not refuse.”

“Good.” I said, pleased. “Be warned though – I do intend to stay here for a while. You know, of course that your time ends this year, correct?”

He sighed sadly. “Yes. One way or another, I will die this year. If not by Draco's hands, then by Severus'.”

I watched him quietly.

“But of course, to the adventurous mind, death is but the next big adventure.” he said, smiling.

“If you want to call it that, sure.” I said, a little confused. Mortals could be so strange sometimes.

“I will have a bed made for you in one of the rooms we have.”

“Actually, given that my current appearance is that of a young man of sixteen, I think it would be a better idea if I were to be in one of the dormitories.” I suggested.

“Excellent idea. Which House?”

“Gryffindor.” I said immediately. “He was nice when he died, didn't complain but spoke to me as though I was a friend, much like Ignotus Peverell.”

Albus smiled. “What on earth made you give them the Hallows?”

“Made? Nothing. I was testing them. Ignotus, I saw would love my ability of invisibility, so I took a small portion of my own robe and fashioned the Cloak. Cadmus was very arrogant and wanted to humiliate me. I knew he would ask for a way to bring others back from death, though only I can do that – so I gave him the power to call their spirits back, but not their bodies. Antioch wished for pure power, much like Tom does now, so I took a splinter from my scythe and fashioned the Wand.”

“The stories say you took a branch from a tree. . .” he looked confused.

“Stories change over time, Albus. The current story is incorrect. It states I sought Ignotus out – I did not. I knew he would come to me when his time was up, and he did, gladly.”

Albus nodded. “I'll have you put into Gryffindor immediately then. If anyone asks, you're here from Durmstrang, about to become a Hogwarts student.”

I nodded and left, heading to the Gryffindor Common Room, whereupon I was stopped by a portrait of a plump woman in a pink dress.

“Password?” she asked imperiously, gazing at me.

Damn. I hadn't got the password.

Looking round to ensure no one saw me, I transformed and she screamed.

“Now let me in.” I said, walking right through her.

“Well, I say!” I heard her gasp as I strode on through, reverting back to my human guise as I entered the Common Room, which, thankfully, was deserted.

I took a good look around, admiring the warm colours, and the way the room seemed to make you immediately feel right at home, safe and secure. Whether the students realised it or not, this room was full of magic designed to make them feel safe when they were in here.

I suddenly sensed someone and turned around to see a young man with jet black hair and emerald green eyes stood staring at me, the scar on his forehead telling me what I already knew. This was the boy with two souls – Harry James Potter, the unwilling Horcrux.