Chapter 8 - Resurrection Stone

Entering Madam Malkin's shop with Mimsy I was greeted at the door. She seems to be excited about showing her new masterpieces. She brought me to a changing room with the clothes and practically threw me inside. The clothes are the same as the first outfit Mimsy picked out for me. Black jeans, grey hoodie, white undershirt, boxer b.r.i.e.f.s and white sneakers with socks. Except now their all made with magical enhancements(magical u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r lol). Auto fitting and cleaning, heating and cooling depending on the temperature, etc. These clothes will never wear out and always look brand new. As I leave the dressing room I'm welcome by Madam Malkin inspecting every inch of my body. I guess she has OCD when it comes to her clothes.

Clawing my way out of the store after being used as a clothing manikin for Madam Malkin's new ideas. I take a breath maybe I shouldn't have commissioned clothes from her. I feel like I lit a fire under her and now she's enjoying her job a little too much. Well, whatever as long as I get my magical clothes I can tolerate an overzealous Madam Malkin. Mimsy will pick up the other orders when they're done anyway so no harm is done. After leaving Madam Malkin's I head home meditate working on my Occlumency defenses.

A week later the goblins started tearing down the wards around the Gaunt shack. I went with Mimsy and Dobby to watch how they do it. The ward around the house wasn't visible until an old goblin grunted something gobbledegook their native language. Immediately a dark red transparent dome appeared protecting the shack inside. The goblins took out brushes and jars filled with a dark paint-like substance. I asked what it was and they said it's ink mixed with dragons blood.

One goblin went to the north, south, east and west sides of the barrier and started writing runes on the barrier while channeling magic into the brushes which then enters the paint. After five minutes of writing, they backed up and waited. I was sitting there thinking they failed and the protection was too strong until I started to see something on the barrier. Cracks were slowly streaming through the transparent shield like a spiderweb. Originating from the runes the goblins drew. After an hour of waiting the barrier shattered and disintegrated into nothing.

After that, the Goblins cast more spells at the house to make sure theirs no other protections. Now a team of warrior goblins equipped with goblin silver weapons and armor enters the house. Goblin silver is pure silver, forged and enchanted by goblins using goblin magic. They have been making it for at least a thousand years. Goblin made silver possesses properties that wizardkind are incapable of reproducing. I guess they wanted to be safe than sorry. Who knows what Voldemort would place here to protect his soul piece.

After a minute they came back out and gave the all-clear and the goblins that broke the barrier went inside. I would follow but that place is disgustingly dirty and I don't trust myself to not touch the Gaunt ring if it coerced me to. I have Occlumency shields but so did Dumbledore and he put the ring on. Screw that I'll play it safe and wait here. A minute later the goblins came out while levitating a ring with a black stone in front of them. They need to get it to Gringotts to remove the Horcrux and curses. They apparate to Gringotts and I have Mimsy do the same for me. I have to make sure I get the ring more specifically the stone in the ring

Appearing in Gringotts I'm brought to a waiting room and after a while, I'm brought a bill and a ring. Damn these guys are really expensive, but it's totally worth it. Heading home I ask Mimsy and Dobby for some privacy and head to the living room. Putting the ring on my finger I thought who should I summon. I decided to summon Lilly Potter just for a test but nothing happens. I wonder if I should light some candles, turn out the lights and get my ouija board out. I try again but this time while pouring my magic into the ring. A slightly transparent version of Lilly Potter appeared in front of me looking confused.

"Hello, I'm Harry Potter nice to meet you, mom." I said with a smile. It worked baby master of death here I come.

"I'm not your mother, my Harry died already he's with us in the afterlife. Who are you really." She said looking threateningly at me.

"Well, I guess you could say I am and I'm not your son at the same time. Your son had responsibilities here in the living world, but sadly he died. I was chosen to take his place. I mean you no harm I just wanted to test something. I can send you back so don't worry. How is Harry in the afterlife? I'm sure he's happy to be away from those nasty Dursley's." I explained. Lilly looked irate at the mention of the Dursley's. When her baby came to the afterlife she learned how he was treated by his own flesh and blood and she was still angry.

"Harry is fine don't tell me you became Harry because of that god awful prophesy?" Lilly asked. I get how she feels a prophecy made by a drunkard caused her family to be put in the crosshairs of a dark lord.

"You got it in one. Apparently, Harry Potter is needed to fulfill the prophesy so I was asked to take his place." I explained. She nodded her head with a look of pity probably because I now have to fight Voldemort in her child's place.

"How did you summon me? I've never heard of magic that summons the dead." She asked

"Have you heard the story of the three brothers?" I asked and she shook her head.

"The Tale of the Three Brothers is a fairy tale often told to wizard children. The story goes like this Three brothers, travelling along a lonely, winding road at twilight reached a deep treacherous river where anyone who attempted to swim or wade would drown. Learned in the magical arts, the brothers conjured a bridge with their wands and proceed to cross."

"Halfway through the bridge, a hooded figure stood before them. The figure was the enraged spirit of Death, cheated of his due. Death cunningly pretended to congratulate them and proceeds to award them with gifts of their own choosing."

"The eldest brother, a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence. Death granted his wish by fashioning the Elder Wand from a branch of a nearby elder tree standing on the banks of the river. The second brother, an arrogant man, chose to further humiliate death and asked for the power to recall the deceased from the grave. Death granted his wish by crafting the Resurrection Stone from a stone picked from the riverbank. The third and youngest brother, who was the most humble and wise, did not trust Death and asked for something to enable him to go forth without Death being able to follow. A reluctant Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Invisibility cloak."

"The three brothers took their prizes and soon went on their separate ways. The eldest brother traveled to a village where a wizard whom he had quarreled lived. He sought out a duel and fought the wizard using the wand, instantly killing the latter."

"Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the eldest brother walked to an inn not far from the dueling site and spent the night there. Taken by his conscience and l.u.s.t of the Elder Wand's power, the eldest brother boasted of this wand gifted by Death and his own invincibility."

"That very night an unknown murderous wizard crept to the inn as the eldest brother slept, drunk from wine. The wizard slit the oldest brother's throat for good measure and stole the wand. That was when Death took the first brother."

"The second brother returned to his home where he lived alone. Pushed his magic in the stone and the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared before him, much to his delight. Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally, the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, committed suicide by hanging from his balcony so as truly to join her. That was when Death took the second brother for his own."

"Death searched for the youngest brother as years passed but never succeeded. It was only when the third brother reached a great age, he took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. Greeting Death as an old friend, they departed this life as equals." I explained.

"Are you saying that you summoned me with the resurrection stone?" She asked.

"Yes but I don't plan to keep you here for long. I just need to ask some questions." I said.

"Ask away the faster this is done the faster I get back to my family." Lilly said.

"How do you feel? Are you having the same symptoms as the woman from the second brother's story?" I asked

"Hmm I'm not sad but I definitely feel uncomfortable kind of like I don't belong here." She said.

"Maybe the symptoms get worse the longer you stay here. Okay, one more test and I'll send you on your way. I'm going to order you to do something all you have to do is stand there and not do it. Ready? (she nods) I order you to say pumpkin." I said.

"Pumpkin" she said and looked horrified at being controlled.

"Alright, that's all I needed thanks for your time it was nice meeting you." I said and cut off the flow of magic to the stone.

I've learned three things one: in order to summon someone a continuous flow of magic is needed once stopped the spirit goes away. Two: souls brought to the living world feel out of place like they don't belong. Symptoms may escalate the longer they're summoned. Three: souls can easily be controlled.

(Thanks for reading!)