George let out a long sigh as he saw Luna’s house appear upon the horizon. The Chimaera walked next to him, meek as a kitten; many would not believe their eyes if they saw it. He limped forward, the wear of the last month showing in the lines on his face, the burns on his clothing, and the long, blood-stained gash along his right leg. There were many times on this journey that he had wanted death to claim him - to join Fred in the afterlife. After all, he had literally been standing at its doorway several times on this strange adventure.
Never would he have thought that he would find life through death, but he had found the strength to live out the rest of his life during this adventure. Maybe Luna had known that when she had sent him on this ridiculous quest; there was more to that young witch than most would ever see or understand. Perhaps her quirkiness and strangeness came from some other-worldliness or foresight that most could never understand.
She came out of her house and walked down to him, her eyes on the magnificent creature that walked with him. “Welcome, and thank you for coming,” she said to the creature, unafraid, though almost anyone else would cower in its presence. George was not surprised, though. After all, Luna had sent him to find the creature; she had written the ad that started this incredible adventure, he had come to realize as he’d talked to the Chimaera on their way to Luna’s.
Then, she turned towards George. “Did you find what you needed? Did you solve the riddle the Sphinx gave you?” George stared at her, confused. Chimaera stood there next to him; wasn’t she the solution?
“Yes, you see the Chimaera. She even came peacefully with me!
“She is here, but did you solve the riddle?” Luna insisted.
“Three creatures she, of dangerous blood waits to redeem; her siblings know where to find.
Life and death she guards and protects, lest balance lose its foot.
Go thee forth to seek her out, and when at death’s third door, whisper unto the souls kept there, Your own life you will find.”
George shook his head again, understanding finally settling in on his exhausted body and soul. The Chimaera grinned down at him. He had trekked through England, Ireland, Greece, Egypt, and Ethiopia to find the deadly creature next to him, but it was not the danger she represented that he had actually been seeking; rather, it had been the silence and pain within that he had been fleeing. Since Fred had died he had allowed a part of himself to die, too. He had been sent on this quest not to find something that was missing, but to reconnect with himself, to put himself back together after having his brother ripped away from him.
Tears stung at his eyes and rolled down his face. Luna approached him and gave him a big hug. “Go home to your family. I think a young lady is waiting for you there, too. They have all been worried, but I tried to explain to them that you had to go on this quest. You needed to find that you did have the strength and endurance to move on without Fred. You will always find some hurt when you miss him, but he did not define you. You were not one body. Look at all the creatures you met along the way! They all are unlikely creatures, but they live and thrive in their differences. Go home and sleep. Spend time with your family, and I will catch up with my friend here and hear about at least the last part of your journey from her. You can tell me the rest later.”
George stared at her a minute, but she had already turned back towards the Chimaera, who looked like she had found a long lost friend. The two of them walked towards Luna’s house, talking together like schoolgirls, both animatedly telling the other about their recent adventures. He pulled himself together and trudged towards home, eagerly awaiting the meal his mother would serve up to him quickly and the soft bed that also waited for him there.
***********************************
“Hermione! How are you doing? I hear that Ron has finally gotten the courage to ask you to be his wife. Congratulations!” George exclaimed to his new future sister-in-law.
“George!” Hermione came over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a big hug. “How are you doing? I hear you’ve recently become a world traveler! What was that all about, anyway?”
“Funny you should ask. I was just sitting here and thinking about things; I guess it started about a month ago, right after,” he gulped, this never became any easier “Fred died,” George said, with tears filling his eyes. Hermione grasped his hand, offering her support.
“I was sitting at the breakfast table - just sitting there while I watched everyone else eat and start going about their daily routine,” he continued. “I just didn’t know what to do; proceeding with the joke shop was just too hard. It was my dream with Fred, and without him there to bounce my ideas off of or to get advice on how to make things work better or to problem-solve on a new product that wasn’t working quite right, I just didn’t know how to proceed. I looked down, and there on the front of the newspaper was an article that showed this magnificent beast…the Chimaera. It said that the search was on to find this prized creature, and that a reward beyond price would be won by whoever took up the quest. Little did I know just how priceless a prize I was about to find!”
George paused a moment, staring over her shoulder. She turned and saw Aria, a friend of theirs from Hogwarts, standing there, and Hermione saw a light shone in George’s eyes that she had missed seeing since Fred’s death. It was different, but the same…she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what the difference was, but it was enough to paint a huge grin across her face. She saw life in his eyes again, not the hazy half-life that had been there the first few weeks after Fred had died. Aria came and joined them. She embraced George and then sat down bedside Hermione across from him. Aria nodded for him to continue his story.
“The article said that the Chimaera had last been seen out near Dublin. I had nothing better to do, and something about the creature that was pictured just struck me. I still can’t explain exactly why I picked up my wand and dragon-skin jacket and headed out the door with a purpose. I didn’t stop to tell anyone where I was going; I just…left. I headed straight towards Dublin, Apparating to near Seamus Finnigan’s house. I realized almost immediately that I had only read the headline and that I basically had no idea what I was looking for, but I just started walking around and asking questions about the Chimaera; it led me to this little pub on a back street called Echidne’s Brood. The stories that I found on the wall there would set my steps for the next few weeks. There, I read on the walls all the legends about Echidne and Typhon and their children: the Chimaera, Sphinx, Cerberus, Orthrus, and Hydra. Each story consumed me, and each kept me moving on towards the next.
"I don’t know for sure how long I stood around that pub, but the owner seemed to be very patient with me. I would move from booth to booth, eating at mealtimes and sipping a beer in between. At night, there was a cot in the back which the pub owner’s wife pointed out to me. It seemed that I wasn’t the only person who had gotten caught up on the old mythology that surrounded their little pub. I spent at least a few days there consumed by the stories of these monsters, some of which were alleged to be guardians to the gates of the Underworld itself.”
George related his story to Hermione and Aria with his eyes half-closed, not watching her reaction and not seeing the rest of his family members slowly join them in listening to his tale. First Ron walked over, then Harry and Ginny, and soon his mother and father were there, and, at last, Percy came over to hear his brother’s tale as well.
George was now in storyteller mode; his eyes were glassed over and he stared straight ahead, having taken a seat next to the fire blazing in the hearth of the kitchen. Light from the flames danced over his face, and he seemed to take on an otherworldly quality.
After a few days I made it around the entire pub. I sat there a few moments, collecting my thoughts. I didn’t know exactly where I was going, but, for some reason, Egypt seemed to call to me. I’d forgotten my broom, and it would have been much too long a journey for that, anyway, but, for some reason, I knew I needed to search out the Sphinx to ask her the where her sister resided. I knew both creatures could be quite dangerous, and I knew that, perhaps, I would be risking my life, but there was this NEED inside me. I HAD to go; it was as if my life depended on it. Looking back now, perhaps it did.
I then remembered that Bill used to take the Magic Ferry from London, and I wondered if it left from Dublin, too. I asked the owner of the pub, and he had a twinkle in his eye as he told me how to get to the dock. Within a couple hours, I was on my way. On the boat, I paid my way and went to my cabin. I interacted with a few of the other passengers; one of the groups there was a couple, Gracie and Mark, who were on their way to Egypt on their honeymoon. Their eventual goal was Cairo, like me, but Gracie had her heart set on seeing the mountains and elephants in central Africa first. They were going to ride the ferry to Cameroon and then use their magic carpet to fly cross-country to the Rwenzori Mountain Range in Uganda. The couple took a liking to me, and convinced me after a while into joining them on their search for elephants.
I slept a lot of the way on the ferry, but the beauty of Africa around me on the magic carpet ride took my breath away as we rode across the Congo River Basin and over into Uganda. We spent just one night there, but awaking in the morning and seeing the mist that rose from the ground masking the middle of the mountains behind, the blue of the sky, the green of the grass, and the magnificent elephant herd that crashed past our tents, started to open my eyes to everything that was in the world that I had yet to experience.
I felt like Fred was there next to me, pushing me to continue on this quest for some unknown treasure. I ate breakfast with Gracie and Mark, who were as thrilled by the sights as I. They were possibly going to remain there a few more days, but I knew I needed to press on with my quest. They didn’t want to leave yet, but, at my insistence that I needed to keep going towards Cairo, they packed up their things and went with me. I had every intention of going alone, but they insisted that they had gotten me this far and they would get me to Cairo as well. They felt it their duty to see me all the way, I suppose. When I told them my actual goal was to go to Giza, they took me there, instead. The pyramids rising out of the desert were a welcome sight.
Several hours later, we were standing at the foot of the Great Sphinx. It wasn’t where my heart was calling me, though, so I quickly said goodbye to my new friends and started again on my quest. Before I could go far, Gracie came running up behind me and gave me their magic carpet. “You seem to have more need of this then we do!” she said. “We are here to be tourists, but you seem to have a mission of some sort. Good luck on your quest!”
I walked around for several hours, unsure of what I was searching for, but I made my way to the far side of the Great Pyramid; there, I saw a dark doorway and knew that was where I needed to go. Before I could push back the dark cloth that blocked the door, a hand pulled me roughly back, forbidding me to go forward. The man who threw me back did not speak English, but, after a short duel, I was back at the curtain. I don’t even remember what he looked like. He was challenging, but after several of the battles I’ve been in through the past year, he was not too difficult to stun out of my way. He was not willing to talk or even attempt to listen to me…in any case; I pushed away the curtain and soon found myself face-to-face with the Sphinx.
She was standing near the door and blinked at me as if she had been expecting my visit. ‘Ginger hair has something to ask. Our next destination will soon be revealed. A riddle first before he can finish his task; when all is said and done, he will be healed,’ she said. I just stared at her, awaiting the inevitable question. I knew she would eat me if I didn’t answer correctly, but I also knew I had to follow through with what I had begun. I admit I was confused by the ‘our’ in her riddle; I was in for a big surprise, for she intended to accompany me on the next step of my journey.
“Our next destination will soon be revealed, a riddle and rescue is in store for you,” she said as she began to pace across the tiny room. It was then that I saw the chain around her neck, the leather harness digging deep into her leathery skin, blood trickling down. Immediately, I started to move towards her, stopped short by her hard, cold stare. I realized then that she wanted to be rescued, but had to ask her riddle first. “Ancient, poor country where millions still live; landlocked home where I can thrive.”
She stood there staring at me. It was then I realized she had asked me the question already. I needed to name our next destination to live through the next few minutes and rescue the poor mistreated sphinx. It came to me then; her original home! The wall at Echidne’s Brood said the original Sphinx called Ethiopia home. Where else would this creature call home? It was a poor country and landlocked. She had opened up her dangerous paws, claws out, ready to rip me apart; when I whispered my answer, she cocked her head, not believing that I had known it. I saw the bones thrown around the room of those who had been unable to correctly answer her. But, obviously, someone had bested her to keep her chained there like that, hadn’t they? I answered her again, now loud enough for her to hear me. “Ethiopia.”
A broad smile lit up her face. She allowed me to approach and remove the harness that was so injurious to her. She licked at the wounds while I searched for a bit of water to cleanse them with, as they had festered a bit. She cautiously allowed me to clean her wounds and even heal them a bit for her “ it was not as effective as she was a magical creature and therefore immune to some spells, but it was enough to ease her pain.
Together, we left that dirty, dark room, ready for the fight outside the door. She had told me about her capturer and how he had prevented any of his own men from coming into the room as he knew they would fail her tests for life. He had bested her at her own game and overpowered her; for ten years he had kept her locked up, taking bits of her mane and scales from her tale for Dark potions. Together, we got on the magic carpet that Gracie had given to me and off we flew towards Ethiopia.
Together, the Sphinx and I traveled over desert and grasslands, both of us staring at the beauty of the journey. We passed over multitudes of animals; I followed the path the Sphinx directed. As we’d taken off, I’d cast an Invisibility Spell across us and the magic carpet so as not to cause an international incident and to prevent Muggles from seeing our passing.
As we traveled, the Sphinx seemed perplexed. “The forests are gone! Where are all the trees?” she kept asking. I remembered reading about the destruction of the forests in Ethiopia due to fires that Muggles set to open up farmland, and told her about what I had read. Her sadness at the news was heartbreaking; she was returning to a home that was being destroyed.
I encouraged her to find willing wizards to assist her in an endeavor to save the remaining forests. I knew of one such group and asked if she could direct me towards Bahir Dar, near Lake Tana. A friend of mine from Hogwarts was working there and would be able to assist her. Gabriella was a few years ahead of Fred and me at Hogwarts, but she had been Captain of the Quidditch team the year before Harry came to Hogwarts, our first year on the team. She saw our potential the moment we walked into the common room the first day, but waited till our second year to put us on the team. She always said she needed us to “grow into the team.”
The Sphinx directed me, and soon we were landing in a clearing near Lake Tana. We crossed over a forested area and a stream as we came down to land just outside the wizarding camp located there. The green of the forest stood out in my mind.
It did not take me long to find Gabriella, and she was more than glad to see me; she was ecstatic to meet the Sphinx, even with the danger it entailed. The Sphinx had a riddle just meant for Gabriella, who quickly answered her question.
The Sphinx had started to tell me about her mother Echidne, her father Typhus, and her other siblings, her brothers Cerberus and Orthrus as well as her sisters the Hydra and Chimaera. She knew I was searching for Chimaera but was unsure where she was at the moment. She did think that perhaps her mother or one of her siblings would know where to find her, but whomever I sought out would be a danger to my life. She and I had become quick friends, and she hated to see me die to one of her family members. She also knew that this was a quest I needed to complete alone. She saw the hunger in my spirit and my need to find meaning in life without Fred. I had told her a bit about him in our travels, at least until my heart and spirit started to bleed again, and I fell silent from the pain. The Sphinx told me to eat a good meal and rest; she would think about whom to send me to next. Gabriella turned me over to a friend to find both while she and the Sphinx started to talk strategy. The Sphinx knew the Ethiopian people well, along with their history and their cultures. Gabriella knew the modern times and ways. Together, they would be a force to be reckoned with.
Sleep was quick to find me, especially with a full stomach.
When I woke, it was to find the Sphinx sitting across the room, watching me. “Deep sorrow covers thy soul, young wizard, and therefore I think it best that it is my mother you seek out to find out the whereabouts of my sister, Chimaera. Echidne is a monster to human eyes, but her heart is well and alive. She did well in raising my siblings and I though death is what people see in us. Each of us was created with a purpose, with a destiny in store for us. Though our deaths have long been recorded in history, alive we all still remain. Hidden by wizards and witches were we, away from Muggle eyes. Into myth and legend are we, but for those who care to believe. Echidne’s lair is Arima, which can be found in the ancient Grecian Isles. Under ruins at Aegina near the Saronic Gulf, not far from Athens is it.”
She paused, then, and stared at me a minute before continuing. “I have one more riddle for you, though the answer is not for you to tell me. The first part you know the answer to; the rest is for you to discover in your heart. Three creatures she of dangerous blood waits to redeem; her siblings know where to find. Life and death she guards and protects lest balance lose its foot. Go thee forth to seek her out, and when at deaths third door, whisper unto the souls kept there; your own life you will find.”
The Sphinx then gave me directions to find the ancient lair, making me promise to share the information with no one else. Many have sought out her mother to create new monsters, to kill her and use her body in potions, to trap her and use her scales and other body parts that would grow back, and such. Only a few have found her lair, and fewer have returned to the human world. I knew it was dangerous to attempt to enter her lair, but I felt driven forward. The Sphinx gave me a riddle that her mother would recognize and a tuft of her mane as proof that I was her friend and companion. The riddle was proof that I had done her no harm. I set out with the magic carpet for Greece after a satisfying breakfast with the Sphinx. In a few hours, I saw the Grecian Isles below me, the ancient ruins collapsing into dust. I came to Aegina on the Saronic Gulf and sought out the entrance to Arima there.
I was careful to follow the Sphinx’s directions, as I truly was not ready to die at the claws of Echidne. As I entered the lair, fear kept me alert. My wand was in my pocket, and the lock of the Sphinx’s mane was in my hand. I did not want Echidne to feel threatened, but I also wanted to make sure she knew I was a friend and not a foe. I slowly moved down the earthen tunnel. Treasures from Greece’s past lined the walls, along with beautiful sculptures made of marble. I knew there were many who would covet the beautiful artworks that were perfectly preserved here. This did not look like the lair of a serpent monster.
I came to a fork in the path; there, I stopped. The Sphinx had told me to wait here for her mother to find me. It did not take long for a voice to echo up at me, though from which tunnel, I could not tell. “I smell my daughter, the Sphinx, on you, but I see her not.”
“She sent me here, for I am on a quest to find your other daughter, Chimaera. I need to talk with her, although I cannot say for sure why I am driven to find her. She gave me a lock of her mane to show that I am her friend and a riddle so that you would not think that I killed her or stole the lock.”
“Go on then, mortal, what is this riddle?” the Mother of Monsters said as she slithered out of the right tunnel. She rose above me, ready to strike and steal away my life if I faltered or failed to prove that I had done no harm to her daughter.
“A story spreads from whispers of truth and goes out into the world. An allusion can be thus created then, and history forgot. What, then, is this story called, that allows a legend to hide?” I softly spoke, gaining heart with each word so that by the end I was speaking with confidence and all fear fell away, for in the serpent’s eyes I saw recognition of the truth.
“A myth is thus created, and with myth my children and I have thus been able to live our lives unthreatened by mortal men…and even some immortal ones. I hear my daughter’s laughter in the air about you, and I see you are not a threat. It was brave of you to come and face one such as I, but perhaps it is not courage that you lack. I see loss set deep down in your eyes, and that I fully understand. My husband yet is kept from me, in his prison under Mount Etna. Perhaps someday I will see him again. Come follow me; I see weariness alight in your features, and there is a fire at which you can warm yourself. My servants will see that you have food to eat and a bed to sleep in tonight. In the morning, we can talk about my daughter,Chimaera. It seems that many family secrets may be shared with you yet, but I see a wholesome spirit there. Few are the mortals that we can trust, but great rewards can be found in trust such as that.”
Echidne slithered ahead of me and I followed; weariness was causing my steps to drag. The stress of the day had caught up to me. I couldn’t help but wish for a warm bath to soak in and some tea to ease my hunger. I had been traveling the entire day, reaching the cave just before nightfall. So many thoughts weighed heavy on me, but my new friends had brought me hope. How many sorrows and hardships they had endured through the centuries, but still they found hope alive! She led me to a magnificent chamber; a man in livery waited there.
She spoke quietly with him a moment, and then he came and bowed at me. He beckoned me to follow him. I had to presume, then, that he did not speak English. I cast a translation spell, and we were able then to talk a bit, though exhaustion prevented me from talking much. He led me first to a bedroom chamber and then to a bath. He told me food would be waiting for me in my chamber after I had refreshed myself. It all seemed like Echidne had read my mind. I soaked in the bath until my eyes were so heavy that I stumbled out; fresh clothes were awaiting me outside, and my soiled clothes had been removed while I had been deep in thought in the tub. I dressed and went to my chamber to find a wonderful stew, fresh fruit, freshly baked bread, and cheese to dine on. After I had cleaned the table, I sat on the bed and knew no more until morning.
I woke with a headache, but I pushed myself up anyway. I had yet to find Chimaera, and something pushed me forward. The final riddle of the Sphinx couldn’t help but roam through my mind as I’d fallen asleep the night before. “Three creatures she of dangerous blood waits to redeem; her siblings know where to find.” Obviously, the Sphinx was not the sibling who knew where to find Chimaera, but maybe Echidne would send me on to another of her children who would know where she was to be found. “Life and death she guards and protects lest balance lose its foot. Go thee forth to seek her out and when at death’s third door, whisper unto the souls kept there; your own life you will find.” It was this final part that confused me and kept me guessing. What did the Chimaera protect…what balance did she preserve? I needed to find out…as restlessness would remain until I found the answer.
I entered the room’s antechamber and found a nice breakfast waiting for me. I washed up a bit first and then set into the food. As I ate, I was soon joined by the Mother of Monsters, who slithered in as I was finishing my meal.
“I’ve decided that Cerberus is the obvious choice as to who would know where to find his sister, Chimaera. He can be very dangerous, and he takes his job very seriously. He guards one of the gateways between the underworld and the living world. Few living mortals see him without a permanent pass into the afterlife, though. I give to you this scale to take with you; it is one I have shed and he’ll know my scent immediately. It will give him pause long enough to listen to what you have to say. Here, also, is a letter from me to him. Infrequent is our correspondence, as few will approach one of us, let alone both of us! You can find his cave in Laconia, not far from the town of Sparta here in Greece.” She described to me some of the landmarks that led to the cave in detail, then escorted me to the entrance of her lair.
“Good luck, young wizard, in your travels, I hope that my scent is enough for Cerberus to listen to you. Sometimes, he can be a bit headstrong. He sometimes listens to his stomach faster than his head,” Echidne said as we parted ways. I got back on my magic carpet, cast my invisibility spells, and took off in search of Cerberus’s cave.
This trip was much shorter then some of my other recent trips. It did not take me long to get to Sparta, although it took me longer to find the landmarks as time had taken its toll on them as I searched for Cerberus’s Cave. After about an hour of searching, I went into a wizard’s pub to get some lunch and planned to continue my search after a good meal. Frustration had started to take its toll and I hoped a meal would help to relieve it. Much to my surprise, I was about to meet up with a friend. As I sat down at the bar, a dark shadow loomed behind me and sent me scrambling for my wand, but, before I could get my hand fully on it, a large hand had landed on my shoulder.
“George Weasley! ‘ere in Greece? What’re you doin’ here? Ev’rybody back home’s worried ‘bout you!” came the voice of Hagrid from behind me.
I turned around quickly, a large smile on my face. It sure was nice to see a familiar face after the last few days, and it felt like much longer! “Hagrid! My story is much too long to tell you right now. I’ll give you the short version. I read something in the paper that sent me looking for Chimaera; I’m not sure exactly why, but I just know I need to find her. I’ve met her sister, Sphinx, rescuing her down in Egypt, and then she sent me to see her mother Echidne-” Hagrid interrupted me here.
“You met Echidne ‘erself and came out alive, eh? Let me buy you a round of drinks for that one, George!” Hagrid said, beaming. I just looked around the almost-empty tavern and sighed in relief that no one else seemed to be listening to my story. I did not want anyone following me or trying to find the secret into finding Echidne’s lair from me.
“I’ll tell you all about it back home, but, right now, I’m searching for Cerberus’s cave. I need to talk to him to see if he knows where his sister may be found,” I continued.
“Why didn’t you just say so? Fluffy is there right now, having a fine time with his cousins. Cerberus and Orthrus are entertaining ‘im a while. About once every couple years, the three of ’em try to get together for a wrestling match. Fluffy is a bit smaller than the other two, but he holds his own, ‘e does! Gets a bit rough down there for a day or two; I let ‘im have ‘is fun before takin’ ‘im back home again. Here, let me show you!” Hagrid said, as I quickly paid my bill and followed him out into the Spartan streets. I practically had to run to keep up; as we left the town, Hagrid slowed down and became more cautious, checking behind him and I to make sure no one else was following.
“Had a young lad followin’ me once a few years ago; lost his life, ‘e did; I’m always much more careful now,” Hagrid explained, as he ducked into a cave that matched the description I’d had from Echidne.
I lit my wand as we were swallowed up in darkness. After a few minutes of walking, I heard what sounded like a big dogfight…and, as we rounded the corner that was exactly what it was; in front of us was three large dogs, two with three heads and one with two. I recognized Fluffy easily enough; the other two had to be Cerberus and Orthrus. As we approached, Fluffy left the fight and ran up to Hagrid, greeting his master with enthusiasm. The other two were much more cautious. I had Echidne’s scale in one hand and the Sphinx’s mane hair in the other, palms up to show that I meant no harm. They both growled at me as they caught the scent of their mother and sister.
“I come in peace. Sphinx and Echidne are my friends, and have sent me on to you. I search for your sister, Chimaera, and Echidne thought that maybe you could direct me in her direction.”
“What would a mortal such as you want with our sister?” one of Cerberus’ heads asked with a growl.
“I don’t know why I seek her, but I know that I need to find and speak with her. I’ve found myself lost in my own life, having lost a half of myself recently; quite literally. My twin brother may have gone this very way recently after a great battle in Hogwarts. I seek only how to live without him,” I explained, almost pleaded, with the two dogs.
“I thought you looked familiar. He stopped here and talked a minute before passing through my gate. He somehow knew you’d come this way, and asked that I please help you. Since you have also captured the attention of my sister, Sphinx, and my mother, Echidne, I will trust in the goodwill of your heart,” Cerberus said as he looked to his brother, Orthrus.
Orthrus turned towards me, approached me, and sniffed at me with both of his heads. I couldn’t help but get chills at those giant heads that close to me, but I stood still and let him do what he needed. “A friend of Hagrid’s, of Sphinx, and of Echidne is to be trusted. Our sister can be found near Viscri in Transylvania. Atop a hill stands an old stone castle with tower and wide, circular window that opens to the sky. Much of the castle is gone, but she resides in the tower there. A few grave stones stand out front. Chimaera guards the third entrance to the Underworld near there." Excitement filled me at those words as a piece of the riddle fell into place! “With the vampires setting up house in Transylvania, it was decided that an entrance needed to be put there. We can’t control all the evil in the world, but we can assist their victims to the afterlife,” Orthrus explained.
“I can help guide you there. I’ve been meaning to give my sister a visit. Sometimes, our lives can become quite lonely. Many are rightfully fearful of us. Our friends are few. She deserves a break, anyway. I can keep guard a little while, and give her a vacation,” Orthrus volunteered.
“That is a great idea, O!” Cerberus said two of his heads grinning; he looked almost like a puppy. “Chimaera will be accompanying George home. She has a friend she’s been wanting to visit, a friend who sent George on this quest,” he continued.
“I always forget that you can see the past, present, and future, or at least glimpses of them all,” Orthrus said to his brother as one of his heads shook back and forth. “Guess that is why you win many of our wrestling matches; you can see what I’m going to do before I do it!”
“It does come in handy, but I win our wrestling matches because I’m stronger!” Cerberus replied. This banter started a new wrestling match that lasted much of the afternoon. Fluffy had to join them, and Hagrid pulled me to a ledge that seemed safer to watch them from. We caught up on everything that had been happening since the last battle. We ate lunches we had packed from the tavern, and settled down for the night.
In the morning, Orthrus was ready to head towards Transylvania. I said farewell to Hagrid and Fluffy as Orthrus said his farewell to his brother. Cerberus turned towards me as we were leaving and said, “Time is full of surprises. You will find happiness in life, and will be with your brother soon enough. Don’t stop living just because he is gone. Your dreams still exist, and can be accomplished. He was not your entirety and wasn’t even half of you. You will always miss him, but moving on does not mean you don’t mourn him.” Then, he put his massive paw on my shoulder; with a gentleness one would not figure a giant hound could possess, wiped away the tears that were falling from my eyes. I nodded, and Orthrus and I got on the magic carpet to fly towards Transylvania.
In a few hours, with Orthrus’ help, the guard tower where his sister resided was just in front of us. The protective magics that surrounded it would have made it quite hard to find without his help.
As we approached the guard tower stairs, Orthrus got excited, both his heads looking like a puppy that had gotten a surprise treat. He jumped in front of me and said, “You’d better let me go in first. I smell not Chimaera in these hallways but Hydra! What a great surprise for me, but we don’t want her to breathe on you…your untimely death would be a burden for us all, as you’ve proven to be a great friend to the entire family so far. First, you saved Sphinx, then befriended Mother, then dared to visit Cerberus, meeting me in the process. Now, you’re about to meet the entire family, except Father - but, as much as I miss him, I do not wish this world to be destroyed. By now, I fear, he would hope only for vengeance on the Gods and care little for what harm he does on the way. Mother, my siblings, and I have found peace with the Gods and the humans. We work now to protect those who have gone onto the afterlife and even help the few humans who dare to befriend us in the Outer World. Hydra knows how to protect humans from her breath that she does not wish to harm…but an unexpected visitor would not be on her list of those to protect,” Orthrus explained before hurrying ahead and into the stairway.
I crept up slowly behind, even listened at the door as he greeted his sister and went on to explain my presence. There was a stench in the air that made my stomach do somersaults, but I wondered how much of that was nervousness at meeting the last of Chimaera’s siblings…none of which I truly thought I’d ever meet. I wished to tell Fred all about these adventures; sadness filled me that I couldn’t. Then, I thought about everyone I could share it with. I made the decision, right then, to write it all down and to share with at least my close family and friends. I did not want to share it with the entire Wizarding world because, as Echidne had said, there are many in the world who would want to enslave her and her children to do harm unto others. It had to be a lonely life, but finding true friends would be well worth it. I sat there on that upper stair and thought about all the people who really mattered to me. Even with Fred gone, they were still there for me. No one could replace Fred, but that didn’t mean that I couldn’t find new close relationships, that I couldn’t be come close to anyone else…perhaps this was an opportunity for me to open windows and doors into my life that couldn’t have been opened if Fred was still there. I could turn my life around and make the best of the tragedy that had turned my life upside down. I couldn’t help but think of Aria, back home waiting for my return. She’d been trying to get me to come out of my shell. After all she knew what losing a twin felt like as well as I did.
I was swiftly brought back to the current time and place by a really large paw being placed on my shoulder. Orthrus was standing behind me, a look of sympathy in his eyes. On our travels, I had shared the events that had set me out on this quest. I had told him about Voldemort, about my years at Hogwarts, and about the loss that had ripped my life apart. He did not show pity as he said, “I have lost many friends in my life, and a few siblings who the world never got to learn about. It is difficult, the pain does fade, if just a fraction; hold onto the good memories, let the bad ones fade, and share your life still with them. They can hear you in the Underworld, and they cheer for all your triumphs and mourn with all your losses. Use these events to become a stronger person. Don’t let yourself die, too. I had a brother who faded away when his twin sister died, both lives so short…” His eyes became unfocused as he recalled his own loss.
He shook his two heads and came back to the moment. “Come, meet Hydra! Here is a scarf with perfume to help protect you from her breath. She is in the far corner so that she can talk, but she does not want to harm you,” he said, bounding back into the room. I cautiously entered the room; in the far corner was a serpent woman who reminded me a lot of Echidne, except this serpent had nine heads. Each head was focused on me as I entered the room.
“Welcome, George. Chimaera is away, but I welcome you in her stead,” said the middle head. She did most the talking. She had learned that it was easiest for people to follow what she had to say if only one head did the talking, apparently. I had had an idea of what talking to Fred and I was like for everyone around us in my travels with Orthrus because his heads took turns, and sometimes one finished the thoughts of the other. It was an insight that I was glad to have had.
It seemed that Orthrus was too late to come give Chimaera a vacation, as Hydra had come to visit; it seemed she had taken a few days off, leaving Hydra behind to visit some friends in Alba. She was to return the next morning. We all shared our recent stories and had a great evening listening to each other’s tales late into the night. It was well after midnight when the warm fire and wine had me yawning so bad that Orthrus took me to the room set up for human visitors; I slept until midmorning the next day.
Orthrus had me cover him in a cloak of illusion that he said was given centuries before by one of his friends. It made him appear to be human to those who did now know or fathom his true form. He said that each of his siblings were given such a cloak; only Hydra had difficulty going out in public wearing it, as it did not protect the humans from her deadly breath. He led me down the road through the mountains to a quaint little village that looked like it hadn’t changed much in centuries; only a few modernizations proved that it was indeed a part of the world I knew. It reminded me of Hogsmeade. Orthrus explained that it was indeed a wizarding village; Brasov was protected from Muggles because they set up a medieval town for them to visit that they thought was the entirety of the village, when, in fact, it was much larger but there were protections and anti-Muggle spells cast about the majority of the town. There was not much to eat at the castle, so we were coming here to get a few supplies and a good lunch. By the time we returned back to the castle, Chimaera should be home. Hydra was also quite hungry for a tavern meal, but she could not risk killing so many humans. One of our tasks for the day was to bring her back something.
Orthrus and I arrived back at the castle, expecting to meet back up with Hydra, but, when we were almost there, Orthrus was leaped upon from behind. I grabbed my wand and held it up, ready to defend myself and my new friend. There, upon her brother's back was Chimaera, playing like a young pup with her older brother. I learned later that this was one of their childhood games. They would hide and leap out at each other. Surprise and an advantage over the unsuspecting was always the goal, although it helped make all the siblings formidable foes as it also taught them to always be on the alert for danger. The two wrestled for more than thirty minutes; I quickly backed away and to higher ground for fear of being pulled into the fray myself. I had a few spells in my arsenal that would help, but I didn't really want to hurt either of them.
Watching them was a lot of fun, and I was cheering each of them on equally. Soon, Hydra came out to join in the play, and I moved to higher ground so as not to be endangered myself, especially from Hydra's breath. Here I was, out of the way, and she didn't need to keep an eye on how close they came towards me and risk killing me in the process. I watched them getting comfortable as the time passed, and I saw that this could last a while. The siblings did not often see each other; their wrestling was great fun, exercise, and a way of remembering. I thought of similar wrestling matches between Fred and me, or even with any of my other brothers. This bout seemed to remind me of some of the Quidditch games that we all played together. It wasn't long till I fell asleep, dreaming about my family.
I was gently shaken awake, several hours later, by a brown paw, one that was unfamiliar to me. It startled me at first, although in the last few days I'd been near lizard claws, dragon claws, and dog paws. This was a giant lion paw. I slowly followed the leg up until I met the eyes of Chimaera. "I've heard that you've gone to a lot of trouble to find me. I'd be interested in the reasons, but I'm glad for the chance to see my brother. You've brought my family closer for a while. Sometimes I think we all get so busy living our individual lives, doing our individual duties that we forget the importance of staying in touch with each other. Come tell me your tale, and share in some dinner," she said, leading me towards the inner chamber. A blanket had been laid across me as I slept; I felt the coolness that had entered the air as darkness had descended.
Inside a feast such as one Mother would prepare was laid out. It seemed that, like Echidne, Chimaera had some human friends that assisted her with tasks, but they had been sent on a brief vacation while she was away for their protection from Hydra's deadly breath. I sat and considered the sadness and loneliness she must feel. Unlike her siblings, she could not have the occasional human in her life for fear of killing a friend. I would have to think upon this; I wondered what it was about her breath that brought certain death to any mortal who approached her. Perhaps I could teach her a spell that would protect those she wished to be around, but would still allow her the protection when endangered. I would have to find a way to analyze her breath to see what sort of poison was there.
I feasted with the three and shared my story with Chimaera. I filled in parts that even Orthrus had not heard. We resided there, sharing stories, for several days. I told them of all my years at Hogwarts, and they shared some of their stories. I learned that the tales of each of their deaths was circulated to protect each of them. So many "heroes" had sought them out to destroy or kill them that, together with some of their human friends, they circulated the stories of their untimely deaths so that the adventurers would stop harassing them. It worked effectively. Many of the servants that worked for Chimaera, Echidne, Orthrus (though he did roam more than many of his siblings), Cerberus, and even Hydra had done it for generation upon generation. Each family of servants took pride in sharing their secrets and, though occasionally one of the humans would betray them, it was easily settled. Each of them was a monster of sorts. Each had a task that they took great pride in.
Their family was tasked with protecting the doorways to the afterlife. Sometimes, it was hard. Sometimes, humans would try to gain access to loved ones that had crossed over. They all saw the hope in my eyes as they told me their family duties...but they all also saw the understanding when they fully described their task. They were not go-betweens from this life to the next. They protected the living from passing through too early, and they prevented the dead from returning and upsetting the balance between life and death.
I then spent a day alone, writing a letter to Fred. I knew that they would make sure it was delivered, although I also knew that he did not need the letter to know what I was feeling. The letter was for me. I understood that I needed to keep living, not to allow his death to end my own hopes and dreams. I needed to understand how much my other family members needed me and loved me. I still had a life to live, and I expected to live it to the absolute fullest. There was a young lady back home that was waiting for me. She had been through a lot herself, and I intended to help her deal with the pain and help me through my own. I would still hurt when I thought about Fred. I would still long for his input. If I thought long and hard about things, I would be able to hear his voice and even think about what his replies would be. He was not gone forever, just for now.
While I shared the story of my life, Chimaera's eyes had lit up when I mentioned one of my friends. By a strange coincidence, we shared a friend; though once I knew who that friend was, the strangeness was better understood. A few years earlier, Chimaera had met a young witch who had just lost her mother to a tragic accident that, to many, appeared to be suicide. She was not well understood by others and had beliefs that many thought nonsense. Her mother had always encouraged her dreamy nature and though her father had also supported it, but it was just not the same. Chimaera helped her see that differences make us all unique. Who was more unique than Chimaera and her family, after all? When I told her about all Luna Lovegood had been through recently, she wanted to come along with me to visit her friend.
After finishing my letter to Fred, I realized that it was time for me to head home. I missed everyone and knew that they had to be worried about me. Hagrid would have told them I was well, but after hearing whose company I was keeping, they would still be afraid for my life. I needed to go back home and pick up the pieces that remained. I needed to show my family that I could move on; I needed to show myself that I could keep my business going, and there was Aria, who I needed to make aware of my strong feelings for her.
After one more night of fellowship with Orthrus, Hydra, and Chimaera, I set out for home. Chimaera had asked if I could take her to see Luna, and, since Luna lived just over the hill from home, I saw no reason why I couldn't. Though I knew magic carpets were quite forbidden in England, we took out the one I'd been given early in my recent adventures and set out for home.
**********************************
George finished his story there, and then blinked back to awareness. His entire family, and many of his friends, sat there around him; some had tears in their eyes. Others had hands raised, as if in school, to ask him questions about his adventures. Hermione had a quill and paper in her hand, having recorded much of what George had said. Rolls of parchment were tossed behind her as she’d cast a spell on her quill to record all he had said. He’d have to get a copy from her to read; the story was already fading from his mind. The memories remained intact, but it was as if, for a while, he’d been taken over by someone else; someone with a knack for words and stories. Usually, that was a struggle for George, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Fred hadn’t sent a little help his way. George shook his head one more time before attempting to answer a few questions. It wasn’t long until he had to excuse himself and go to his room. Aria joined him. He felt exhaustion from his travels, but it was almost like he was now awakening from a dream he would never forget - one that had changed his life forever.
Mythical Reality by Cwiddy
Story Notes:
This was written for Gauntlet 8 in the beta forums. Thanks to Apurva Patel for betaing for me! :)