A Legacy of Evil: Thought and Memory

The room is dark. Immediately, I flick my wand and light shines bright, brighter as the doll covers her face before peeking cautiously. A sentiment I can certainly get behind as I look around in turn, a little confused. The door has vanished behind us, leaving us in what looks like a vast lake. The water laps at my feet, and despite it we don't sink beneath the water. A glimpse downward gives me an incredible surge of nervousness and I grimace and immediately snuff the light out.

The doll taps the side of my head from her place on my shoulder and I speak aloud. "If there's something down there, I'd rather not draw it to us." So, I tap my wand against the side of my head, relying on a partial transfiguration as my eyes convert to something more common on an owl as I stare around at what lies before us.

Right where I swore was nothing prior, was a small island with a dead tree. Two shapes, small would be perched on its branches and any confusion as to what they were would be eradicated as the harsh croak of ravens put it to rest. Baba Yaga didn't seem to be responding to my questioning probe, so I took a deep breath and approached the tree and them by extension as I paused and blinked.

On the other side, where I couldn't see till I came closer was the corpse of a man, with a spear torn through his side. He had died horribly from the looks of it, a noose around his neck as the doll placed her hands over her mouth.

I stared and after a few moments, I began to raise my wand to take him down before a voice, harsh and twisted spoke.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

My eyes flicked to the ravens, both staring at me with intelligence in their gaze as the first one continued, as calm as can be.

"He died asking for it, that he did."

"Though he did scream mightily, moment the spear came." The other raven said thoughtfully, a woman's voice this time though just as harsh as the first as the first raven snickered.

"Funny that. He wanted wisdom, yes, he did. What sort do you think he got, dangling from a tree all nekky and eviscerated?"

"Maybe, 'oh gods, oh why did I do this?'" Mocked the second raven as the first laughed aloud.

"I suppose that'd do it! But he's old news! Yesterday's trash and not even so much as an eyeball to munch on."

"He only had the one." Said the lady raven, ruefully as she added. "And you ate it, like you were more vulture than raven!"

"I'm a growing bird! I need my nutrients."

"Look, as much as I appreciate a good routine as the next man, I am in something of a hurry." I interrupted as I asked politely as I could.

"How exactly can I leave this room and head on? I'm looking to get to the control room of the Dancing Hut." Both the ravens looked at me before the first began to whisper loudly to his companion.

"He doesn't know? With that there doll on his shoulder and granny in his pocket?"

"Well, you can hardly blame him." The lady raven replied as she added kindly. "I don't think they gave him something for it."

"They never do. Might be he's not wise enough? Hey! You wanna strip and try out autoerotic asphyxiation?"

"If you didn't know, you could have said as much." I remarked with a shrug as I added. "It has been a while after all for you."

"Oh brother, I think he just insinuated your memory is going." The raven remarked as the other began hopping up and down on the branch in fury, which I strove to calm down.

"Oh, nothing of the sort. Simply that it has been a long time since anyone has come here. So, I suppose my actual question here is whether or not you're here to test me or perhaps you were trapped here too."

The first raven calmed down before he spoke. "Oh, no. We could leave anytime we want, see? Its just... We're waiting."

I blinked and glanced at the body, pointing towards it in confusion. "You're... Waiting for him?" Both ravens nodded as the second spoke.

"Been forever see, since we saw him. He said he was going to do something, then whoop! Off he hangs, and here we wait."

"Yeah, he's old news see?" Said the first as he added. "But y'know, he's also kinda special to us. But we can't do anything to wake him up, not without his eye."

"I thought you ate his eye?" I asked and I was treated to the sight of the ravens shaking their heads.

"No, not his eye. His Eye. Popped right out of the skull and into the water!" She emphasized as the doll and I at her words looked into the water as one.

The dark, creepy water that was gods know how deep as I grimaced. ".... That'd do it. So... You want it back?"

"Bring it back, we'll lead you out safely ourselves! We so swear! We so swear! We so swear!" Both spoke in unison, and I sighed heavily as I took the doll off my shoulder and gently placed her on the side. She looked up in worriment as I remarked.

"Be patient. I'll be back."

I looked back at the water and then cautiously knelt and pressed my fingers to the surface. Just like before, I couldn't pierce it as I began putting more weight on it only to be stymied. Alright then... I got up and began waving my wand, analyzing what laid before me as I murmured and walked back and forth before I spoke.

".... That is an intricate bit of spell work right there." As far as I could tell, it was spelled to prevent anything from outside the room piercing through. And thanks to the elastic nature of water, it seemed to be self-repairing in turn which I tested with a cutting charm that did as much effect to it as I thought. Ever tried to cut water with a knife? Yeah, as useful as you'd expect as I tried a summoning spell and failed in turn.

Now for phase two. I went for a pebble from the small island, tapped a light charm to it and threw it into the water.

To my satisfaction it sank, and I watched the glow sink lower and lower, till it hit the bottom far below.

"Ooooh, aren't we a clever-britches." Came a comment from the peanut gallery and I sighed out before I began to strip. Shirt, jacket, hat and boots and socks. Pants. Left only in shorts, I grabbed the spear (more of a pointed, fire tipped stick really) and tapped a bubble head charm on my head as I stepped out on the water surface and slashed the spear at my feet.

Immediately, I sank as if it was normal water with a splash as I immediately cast a warming charm on myself. I could breath easier in the freezing water, as I began to kick out and go lower. My wand began to glow as I produced a brighter light, combining with revellio as I saw something glint.

As I swam closer, the more intrigued I became. It looked like Mad-Eye Moody's eye, the pale blue orb though there was some differences. Ivory seemed to be the main material, as I picked it up and examined it, the workmanship interesting but not really something I'd need yet.

I kicked upward, heading for the surface and was almost blindsided as something swam my way like a dart and was repelled by a shield charm as I caught a glimpse of something. A woman, gorgeous to behold as her hair swirled, framed perfectly in the light as her eyes widened at the sight of magic.

And then as others swam into view, I realized what they were as they smiled and sharp teeth like a predators maw were seen as they screamed and launched themselves en masse.

Dangerous for anyone.

Not for a wizard as I raised my wand and encased myself in a bubble of ice. As their hands clawed uselessly at the ice, I let science do the rest as I floated upward and broke the surface, creating a door and leaping for the island as I ran across the water surface and spoke to the alarm of the doll.

"Hang on, I have an idea!" I rushed to the tree, picking up the doll as I scrambled up and as I got height I raised my wand... And blinked as my magic suddenly went uncast.

With the light I had cast, I could see everything. The maidens in the water, the desperation as they slammed their hands onto the water surface, trying to break free. They had tried to kill me, or something and yet...

I don't know why I did it. It was a whim, it was a fancy-call it whatever you want.

But from my position instead of preparing to fight, I encased them all in sphere's of ice and then opened them up as they hit the surface.

The enchantment that would keep anything but what was in the chamber from breaking out, would aid me once more as one by one, they each froze... Surprised and confused as they realized they were on the surface before they looked up at me.

The smiles they suddenly sported would be a sharp contrast to what had been done before, warm and happy as they turned to mist and were gone.

The ravens who had seen it all let out a croaking chuckle.

"Will you look at that? He bleeding freed the Rusalki!"

"Why'd he do a thing like that, I wonder?"

"Hadn't a clue. Where was this generosity, when he perverted our little feathers tiara?"

The sheer venom in their voice shocked me more than anything as I looked at them. The ravens hadn't changed at all, there was nothing more dangerous about them and yet, it felt like I was square in the eyes of something that'd kill me if I gave ground and a brief vision of being devoured by a flock of crows crossed my mind, as their voices grew harsher.

"That was you, weren't it?"

"Seven shattered, forever broken! Forever cursed!"

"Perversion of the Art!"

"Just like Him! Just like Him!"

The doll leaped onto the branch between us, spreading her arms and I admit, the way she came to my defense made me feel a little better as I opened my mouth and tried to speak, but felt my tongue fail me.

And then another voice spoke, guttural and old.

"The beginning of wisdom... Is that of knowing you fucked up."

As one, we all turned to the corpse on the noose, as it turned its head. A glowing, blue orb gleamed from one eye socket, the other long empty as it added grouchily.

"The second part is working to correct it. Boy, I'd like my staff back please."

"Boss!" The ravens cried out, flying for the corpse as they landed on his shoulders and I wordlessly, handed over the spear as he spoke.

"Ah, thank you boy."

He made a gesture and the noose vanished as he floated down and I stared cautiously at his body. He looked back and after a moment, snorted.

"What? Never seen a naked man before? Prude."

I just shook my head, tired and stressed as I spoke. "Look, could you please send me out of here if you know the way? I'm looking for the control room of the Dancing Hut."

The corpse stared and after a moment, snorted.

"Damned stupid thing to do. But if you want an exit, the door is right there." He pointed and I turned around, seeing the door on the water that I came in from as I scowled and turned back.

"Not what I.... " I blinked.

The corpse was gone. The ravens too, with only two feathers to denote their passing, laid on the ground and wrapped in leather twine. I took it up, shivered and began drying and dressing myself up before taking the doll as I spoke.

"Alright. Ready?"

She nodded and as I headed for the door, I asked Baba Yaga.

"So, what's the deal with the corpse?" There was silence and then her voice remarked slyly.

"Just a brat who bothered me and my sisters constantly."

I'd dwell more on that, but my attention was well and truly caught as I opened the door and found myself somewhere else entirely.

Somewhere far, far too familiar as I gasped in shock.

We were in a graveyard. Mist swirled around everywhere and as I walked through, I found something I knew would be there. A cauldron, ready to boil and as large as the one in Baba Yaga's hut. Set right before a gravestone that I knew intimately, the name I had seen from a distance but had never ventured to myself out of shame.

The grave of Tom Riddle Sr. as I spoke aloud with shock and fury.

"What is this?!"

"A long-expected meeting." Hissed a voice, high-pitched and cold. I turned, wand out and before me on the other side of the cauldron was a figure in a dark robe and hood.

Red eyes gleamed in the shadow of the hood. His fingers such as I could see were spindly and corpse pale, but it was the wand in his hand, held like a threat and a promise all in one.

The same wand I held, as Lord Voldemort spoke with relish.

"I've been wanting this meeting for a long, long time now.... Imposter."