Disclaimer:
Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
I own nothing but the original characters I make.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 92: True Name
"Mmm…let's see." Harry closed his eyes and began to feel the magical energies in the lake. This was an ancient body of water, and many interesting creatures lived in it.
"Ehm…Mister Potter?" Ludo Bagman got a bit closer to him. "Excuse me, but…aren't you going to jump into the water? The other champions are gaining advantage by the second."
Harry turned his head around and glared at the man. "Do not interrupt my concentration. I'm trying to establish communication."
"Eh? Communication?" Mister Bagman looked around the lake. The surface remained completely serene. "With who?"
Harry held his green wand firm in his hand and moved it across the lake. "With the spirits of the past, who still inhabit this lake. I'm requesting their assistance. I presume that is not against the rules?"
Everyone looked at him with confusion, having no idea what he was trying to accomplish with this.
Dumbledore stepped forward. "As long as you accomplish the task by the use of your magic, it is allowed."
Harry nodded and returned to the task at hand. He closed his eyes while his wand moved slowly.
He extended his senses a bit further away, using his connection with nature. Then he began to call.
"Uisge-beatha, anail na doimhne,
O chadal an uisge, èirich o chadal.
O chliabh fuar, dorch nan clach glasa,
Dùisgibh, a thaisbean, on t-seann chadal."
"W-what is he saying?" Mister Crouch turned to the Headmaster for an answer.
"Sounds like a magical chant. The ones used in the past…but I don't recognize the language." McGonagall offered her two cents.
"It's old Gaelic." Someone said.
They had expected the answer to come from Dumbledore, but instead it was Headmaster Igor Karkaroff who spoke.
"What?" He sounded annoyed by the surprise in their eyes. "We study ancient tongues in Durmstrang. No need to be that shocked."
"I thought it sounded familiar, yes. That is indeed old Gaelic." Dumbledore nodded.
"What is he saying?" Ludo Bagman asked.
"He is calling for Uisge-Beatha. The Water of Life. It is a way to refer to the ancient water spirits. He is trying to awaken something…"
But it was Harry's next line that caused some people to become shocked.
"Làmh Nimue air a' loch,
Mis' e, Myrddin, ag èigheach; mis' e, Myrddin, ag cluinntinn!
Sgaoilibh an uachdar, brisibh an fhàith-chalmain,
Air sgàth an t-saoghail bheò 's an t-saoghail eile."
"What?!" Dumbledore went pale. "That can't be right…he…" A lot of things started to make sense to him now.
"Instead of asking who I am, you should be wondering who I was." Those were the words Harry left him with during a previous conversation in which he had promised to answer his questions.
Dumbledore had foolishly misused the questions and ended up obtaining no useful information. But that line by Harry had always left him intrigued.
If he had somehow recalled memories from a past life, it would explain his immense magical mastery despite his young age.
But for that, he would have to have been someone extremely powerful in the past. A wizard who had reached the pinnacle of magic. But who…that was the question he should have asked.
"Myrddin?!" Headmaster Karkaroff exclaimed.
"Why are you two so pale? What did the boy say?" Headmistress Maxime demanded to know.
"According to old texts, when one tries to establish communication with the elemental spirits, they must offer their true name. Anything else and it will not work." Dumbledore said. "Mister Potter just identified himself as…Myrddin."
McGonagall stared at him for a moment. "Isn't that how people referred to…Merlin?"
Dumbledore nodded. "It is."
Madam Maxime chuckled. "What an arrogant boy. To believe himself to be like Merlin."
"The spirits will never respond to a false name." Karkaroff said. "His spell will not wo—"
The platform began to shake violently.
The waters were beginning to stir and form small waves that moved away from the center of the lake.
It was a strange and unnatural image. Something was happening inside the deepest parts of the Black Lake.
But just when everyone was ready to begin interrogating Harry, he simply jumped into the waters without making even the tiniest of splashes.
He just disappeared into the dark water without a trace.
A sense of uneasiness was spreading fast among the small audience at the judges' platform.
Whatever Harry had been doing seemed to have affected the lake itself. And if that was the case, the implication was that Harry had not lied about his name.
However, for those without the context that Albus Dumbledore had, this made absolutely no sense whatsoever.
"What is going on with the lake?" McGonagall asked. "I've never seen the waters moving in such a violent manner…are we safe here?"
"We should be." Dumbledore said. "If this is all Mister Potter's doing, then we shouldn't need to worry about being in danger."
"You are putting a lot of trust in that boy. I still don't know what he did." Madam Maxime said.
"Look! I think someone is coming out!" Professor Flitwick, who had been paying attention without saying anything, finally spoke while pointing at one particular spot where the water appeared to be moving in a strange manner and bubbles were forming on the surface.
"One of the champions is returning already? It's only been around five or six minutes." Madam Maxime said, hoping that it was her champion the one to resurface.
A column of water broke through the surface of the lake.
It took them a bit to realize someone was standing on top of the water column as it receded back into the lake.
Harry waited until it was low enough to jump back onto the platform while carrying Ginny in his arms.
"I believe I have completed the task." He simply said as he patted his robes.
No one knew how, but his clothes were completely dry.
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