Story: The Titans of Secrets
Chapter Twenty Seven: Behind The Codenames

The winds stood as still as a frozen lake. Ginny's breath, now visible due to the frost, was the only thing she could see before falling down to her knees. She was forced to think of a plan.

She figured out that it probably meant he was the one, whoever he is under the hood, who Confusion requires. That led to another depressing thought: the professor who was required by the mystery criminal would have long since been abducted by the Wendigo.

What do I do? Shade's gone. . . How do I find him on this huge planet?

Biting her lip, she got up began running deeper into the woods in hopes to track the path of the Wendigo. Unfortunately for her, the snow covered the trail after a while. Panting and holding her knees, Ginny thought hard. There must be a way.

And the idea bloomed in her mind: the mirror.

"Dragonfly, Enigma!" she shouted, posing readily as her professional gear enveloped her. The cold wind was nothing but a light pinch under the thick black robe. Dragonfly quickly took out the mirror and whispered the magical words: "Shady."

The mirror's surface rippled but nothing happened. Shade could probably not pick her call. Hoping against hope, she performed the charm which revealed his location.

"But that's impossible. . ." she breathed out when Shade's location became apparent. On the surface of the mirror was a tiny green dot pointing at the bottommost  department of the Ministry: The Department of Mysteries.

______________

The cold wind pinched her uncovered skin as the Firebolt beneath her rumbled slightly with the breakneck speed it was currently going on. She could not keep her calm. Not when whatever was happening was taking place like a nightmare.

Dragonfly had sent a patronus to Hermione telling that Shade was kidnapped and that she was on her way to Muggle London from where she would go down to the Department of Mysteries. She wished she could teleport to the place directly rather than flying: she enjoyed flying but not under such an immense pressure and with Gilligan's broom. Cursing her accessory for deeming the mysterious place as safe, she leaned even closer to the handle, simultaneously using her feet to steer away from the clouds.

However, the turbulence hit her and she had to tilt herself a little to keep from falling off the broom; her broom seemed like heaven now.

After a few more minutes of a freezing and fast ride, she finally reached the ministry. Even more so later, she stepped her foot on the black marble tiled Department of Mysteries.

The whole place was eerily silent. Taking out her mirror and performing the charm again, she let the tracker lead her as she rode the Firebolt. It was not even a five minute ride to Shade's location.

Dragonfly stopped before entering the room. Through the small gap, she saw a vertical shaft resting above four obelisks. Her mind formulated a plan and she acted upon it.

"Expecto Patronum," she whispered and a silver horse shot out her wand. She mentally commanded it to distract whoever was on the other side by knocking out something. Soon after the wispy stallion left, the sound of glass crashing and breaking into a million pieces in the ground was heard. Grinning to herself, Dragonfly used it an opportunity and flew up to the shaft in a flurry.

"Ruddy rats," a voice cursed. "Crucio!" The shouts of Shade filled her ears with rushing dread and panic: he was being tortured. Dragonfly burnt a small hole on the shaft and peeked down. She could see the hooded head of Shade, a black haired man and a blonde haired older man. What shocked her was what she thought was Dumbledore's cap.

Dumbledore was the teacher they were looking for, she realized in a pang of feeling idiotic. There was another rumble and the sound of footsteps was heard. She peeked down again and saw another hooded figure approaching.

"Ah, well. Here is the Unspeakable you asked for. After the Wendigo delivery from Forbidden Forest, I have finally succeeded in the task mentioned in that contract of yours. Now, can you please let me go?" the new guy asked. Wendigo delivery from the Forbidden Forest? That was why they attacked Hogwarts! They had to hide the Wendigo and what better place than the mysterious forest? Dragonfly realized.

"We are rather glad you brought them to us, Sixteen. But I'm sure you still have one last thing to do," the black haired man said.

"What is it Riddle?"

"Remove his Unspeakable accessory and you as well as your family are free to go."

"Easy." Sixteen walked towards Shade. Panic filled Dragonfly; Shade's identity would go haywire if she did not interfere. If she did interfere, her plan would get spoilt. She remembered Silverflight's advice of time being more important in essence even before plotting. Making her decision, she bit her lower lip and crouched still.

"The ring, you fool!" Riddle barked. Riddle. Was it Confusion? Before she could ponder the question however, Sixteen had grabbed Shade's hand.

"Let – me – free – you – cowards!" Shade stuttered out. Ignoring him, Sixteen pulled out his ring in a moment of anxiety. Shade's robes were off quickly and Dragonfly could see a mop of black hair. A loud gasp was heard from Sixteen.

"Harry?" he asked in a shaky voice. Dragonfly's heartbeat increased by a million. She pondered if he had really said it was Harry. Surely Shade was NOT Harry Potter. . .! Or was he–?

"What – n-now? You are g-gonna kill – m-me eh? Try – n-now!" Harry spat. Riddle laughed maniacally and the blonde man, who she supposed was Gel, snorted. Sixteen fell to his knees.

"What have I done –?" Sixteen asked lowly. Dragonfly cursed her position: she could not clearly see what was happening below. Riddle walked towards Sixteen and tried to pull him to his feet. However, the latter was not in the position to get up.

"Gellert, I thought you had changed for the better," Dumbledore's calm voice echoed to her.

Who was Gellert. . .? She had heard of the name somewhere but for the sake of Merlin she could remember where.

"I might have in the present but not in this present," Gel or rather Gellert replied. "I think your time is up, Albus."

"Ah – I am afraid erasing the future will not change the past. Perhaps, you don't realize that in your Hallows madness?" Dumbledore said.

"It is true I am mad for the Hallows and I will get it now, today almost fifty years hence from the date I am from!" Gellert proclaimed. Dragonfly's mind whirled fast as past newspaper articles flashed in her mind like a pictographic memory. Gellert Grindelwald, the Dark wizard Dumbledore defeated back in the days. But from the place where Dragonfly was crouching, she could swear that Gellert looked much younger than Dumbledore. Gellert boomed, bringing Dragonfly back to the reality. "Riddle! Get the boy's invisibility cloak!"

"I'm not your servant!" Riddle hissed nevertheless approached Harry. A low gasp for breath was heard and Dragonfly struggled to see what was happening below. She could make out Riddle's wand pointed at Harry's adam's apple. Frantically looking around, the Unspeakable came up with a plan which she hoped was not flawless.

Pointing her wand below, she murmured the new spell she learnt in hopes of successfully casting it: "Argentea Nebulus!"

A steady fog shot out of her wand, taking the form of a Phoenix as it descended down. Dragonfly let it dissipate and it did most willingly, enveloping the hideout in mist. Mounting the broom, she dived down and got down next to Harry. "Ssh, I'm here to rescue you," she whispered when he jerked in his binds. "Diffindo!"

The ropes binding Harry and Dumbledore slit and fell down just as the fog was forcibly cleared. Harry fell to his knees and so did Dumbledore. The mist dissipated, revealing the striking faces of Riddle as well as Gellert. Both of them looked to be in their teenage or early twenties. Dragonfly positioned herself in a fighting stance, wand front and ready to fight.

"Ah, here's the last and incapable Unspeakable, Dragonfly," Riddle hissed. His voice sounded strangely like a snake. Thoughts of her plan failing swirled in her mind.

"No! Don't – listen to him, Dragonfly!" Harry said in between breaths as he got up to his feet. Sixteen looked up and got up to his feet too. He tried to support the wobbly Harry but was harshly pushed away. "Don't! I don't trust you! Heck, I don't even know you!" he shouted. The tension in the room shifted considerably and Dragonfly could sense another negative emotion: guilt. Swirling in the atmosphere was the gloomy smell of guilt.

"I'm – s-sorry, brother." Saying so, Sixteen removed his hood with shaking hands, shocking Dragonfly but most of all, Harry. "I know you will never trust me anymore. . ."

It was the one Dragonfly considered her best friend.

It was Gilligan Potter.

Ah! I'm cruel!! All the reveals in one chapter! ;)

Did any of you guys guess this? Let me know! ;) (Maybe you did sis dream_rxses)

Thank you so so so much for 1k reads, guys!! I can't thank you enough!

Your thoughts on this chapter? Comment!

Thank you for reading!

Miyoko x