1161 Warding Rite Ⅱ

With that intent in mind, Rowan carefully thought about the runes she needed to use. The Chamber of Secrets was ancient. Whatever magic had been used by Salazar Slytherin to create the Chamber of Secrets; she would need to match it. She needed to request that the existing structure accept the change without destroying what was already in existence.

With that thought in mind, Rowan pulled out an Elder Futhark rune, it is a line with two slanted small lines tilting upwards like a strange capital letter F. The Elder Futhark is one of the oldest forms of runic alphabets, (runescript). The runescript predated even the Vikings, who used the more commonly known and who used the Younger Futhark runes.

Elder Futhark would likely have been known or used in Salazar Slytehrin's time, but Rowan could not discount the fact that other types of ancient magic had been used in the creation of the Chamber of Secrets. Even when in the past, Salazar Slytherin had not recounted from whence he came except for "from the fen." Furthermore, Salazar Slytherin was well learned and well-traveled. The original wood used to forge his wand, snakewood originated from Central and South America (more than likely Brazil).

Thankfully years of taking Ancient Runes and Ancient studies with Professor Babbling and Professor Salah had finally paid off. After much thought, Rowan selected the oldest written runescript language ever recorded in the history of mankind, ancient Egyptian. The ancient Egyptians worshipped the cobra for its power, both good and bad such as the winged serpent goddess Wadjet a matron and protector, and Apep the Egyptian god of chaos.

Knowing her ancestor, Rowan knew that Egyptian runescript would have greatly appealed to Salazar Slytherin's vanity. Even if Salazar Slytherin had not used Egyptian magic to form the Chamber of Secrets, she believes the intent and power of the runescript will help achieve her goal. If nothing else, the Egyptian hieroglyphics are an ancient archaic language of a people that worshipped serpent and therefore should be highly compatible with parseltongue.

With that in mind, Rowan reached into the pouch and selected an Egyptian (hieroglyphic) rune. The Egyptian rune drawn is that of Djed, the rune appears as a vertical (line) a shaft with four horizontal bars a hieroglyphic of a (stone) pillar meaning strength and stability. Holding a rune in each hand, she closes her eyes and continues to meditate.

Every step of the ward rite had been intentionally done or deliberately selected to convey a meaning. From the dawn of humanity in every culture to the present there is a belief that there is power or a certain significance to be fond number. And for wizards and witches doubly so for a number is not just a mere numeral but rather a magical representation or significance of magic and knowledge.

There are nine Elder Futhark runes, a symbolization of the power held there in the number 9. The well-known tale of the Norse God (or Great Spirit), Odin who hung from the world tree Yggdrasil for nine days and nine to gain wisdom and knowledge. The direct correlation to the world tree (their tree of life), Yggdrasil, (an ash tree) that encompassed all nine realms. The number nine is not just a mere number to them but a representation of spiritual growth and knowledge.

The same applies to the number five in Egyptian numerology, the number five represents the five Egyptian goddesses and the five Egyptian gods in existence. The number five represented each point of the star or rather the pentagram of the afterlife. A direct reference to eternal life that after death, their king Osiris, became a star.

Furthermore, to the ancient Egyptians, the number fourteen. There are 14 candles, 14 runes, and 14 herbs/twigs to be used as part of the ward rite. The ancient Egyptians believed that the God (Great Spirit) Osiris was split into 14 pieces. 14 divided into 2 is 7 and 7 multiplied or summed with itself is fourteen again.

The ancient Egyptians revered the number 7 for its power over the heavens and over luck. In their time, the ancient Egyptians could only see seven plants in the sky, the visible power or fate of the heavens. The number 7 is not just a number but rather it symbolizes perfection, and completion. It is the perfect number in their eyes.

With these thoughts in mind, Rowan knelt there until she felt she had done all that she could to convey her intent to the runes cradled in her palms. Returning both runes back into the string-drawn pouch, she reaches into her mokeskin bag and removes a bowl, a white silk cloth, and a leather flask filled with water. Making sure not to spill a drip, she poured the water into the bowl.

With the leather flask empty, Rowan set it aside before dipping her hands into the bowl. With care, she summered them and washed them but made sure not to allow a single drop to tip over the edge of the bowl. With her hands cleansed, she used the white silk cloth to clean her hands. Afterwards, she vanishes the water from the bowl and the silk cloth, before putting the bowl away.

Prepared to draw the runes, Rowan reaches into the string-drawn pouch for the first rune. It is an Elder Futhark rune, Fehu meaning security. She gently sets the rune down just past the shallow dip of the perimeter of the circle directly inside the circle. The rune is set directly across from where the angelica herb lies, and the beeswax candle stands upright. The three items form a direct line to each other.

The three items (the outer candle, the herbs, and the elder Futhark runes) lie directly across from each other in a vertical line. The number three is sacred or rather divine to the Norse. Odin was dead for 3 days after he sacrificed himself to become a god (a Great Spirit). There are 3 roots to the world tree, Yggdrasil. There are 3 Norns who spin the thread of fate for all living begins. And there are three gods who created the 1st humans, Odin, Vili, & Ve.

With care, the second rune Uruz meaning strength, endurance, and willpower is placed in the exact same position in front of the beeswax candle and the ash herb. This continues for each rune that is drawn, next is Thurisaz for thorn symbolizing a defensive or piercing force. Hagalaz for overcoming obstacles. Nauthiz for restriction and willpower. Algiz for protection, luck, instinct, and guardianship. Sowilo for power and success. Mannaz for humanity, balance. Lastly, Gebo for sacrifice, an offering, an exchange.

Pausing for a second, Rowan made sure to flex her stiff hands before taking a clean silk cloth from her mokeskin bag. She wipes her hands clean with the silk cloth as to signal her worthiness, before vanishing the cloth. She does not immediately reach for the ancient runescript but rather contemplates for a moment the symbolism before her.

Once again three items will line up directly vertically in symbolism. The number three is just meaningful to the ancient Egyptians and symbolized plurality (a fact or state of being plural, an existence that is not just limited to as.) The Egyptian number three is even written as three vertical marks not just limited to one. The God Atum was one and became three when he gave birth to the triad Horus, Osiris, and Isis (or that of Shu and Tefnut counting himself to create a triad).

With care, Rowan reverently draws the first Egyptian rune, Djed. The Egyptian hieroglyphic appears as a pillar, a vertical line with three slashes representing completeness, strength, and stability. She sets the rune down barely inside the circle in the sand directly in front of the bright, violet Amethyst crystal lying in the indent of the circle, and directly across from the tallow candle nearly touching the outer indent of the circle.

A sense of completeness seems to fill the air as Rowan reaches for the next rune. The rune drawn is Leb meaning the heart. The rune is carefully placed in the same manner in front of the Red Jasper crystal. The next rune is Ka for the soul. The fourth rune is a winged sun pictograph symbolizing protection for all eternity. The last hieroglyphic is the Acacia Tree of Iusaaset, the tree of life meaning destiny.

 Kneeling back on her heels, Rowan takes a moment to rest to look over the ward rite one last time. Satisfied that everything is where it should be. There must be an exchange and offering so to speak. With that in mind, she tucks her wand in her mokeskin pouch, and the rest of the items are left outside except for the muggle flashlight that provides light. She methodically removes her robes, and slippers, and is left only in her cotton pajamas.

The smooth stone feels awfully cold under Rowan's bare feet. Her skin is covered in goosebumps from the chill of the tunnel. She shivers and reaches into her mokeskin pouch one last time. A glittering silver goblin-forged dagger emerges in the dim light.

 The dagger had been a personal gift from the Grok Gringotts. It was a simple blade with no fancy engravings. The dagger had only served one purpose and that is for protection. Protection in Gobbledegook did not just mean defense but also to attack to defend oneself. And she knew for a fact that the dagger could slice through a feather without even needing to press down on the blade of the knife.