CH59 - The Rings of Power

The area was dusty but considerably cleaner than the grunge that had characterized the entrance under Moros' lair. Its somewhat habitable state was undoubtedly attributable to the dark lord's inhabitance of it back when he was a student himself. The room was decorated in a spartan manner, but what little was present was unquestionably the height of luxury back when it was first created.

Edmund's eyes were instantly drawn to the large bookshelf covering three of the room's four walls, packed full of books. There were titles in countless languages present among them, most of which Edmund did not recognize. Some were sure to be obscure, while others may have been written in now-dead languages. Although the publications varied in language, quality, and legibility, they appeared to have all been organized by subject. There were many he recognized from his time in the Room of Requirement, but countless others were foreign to him. Unlike the rest of the study, the tomes seemed carefully preserved, as though they were regularly maintained.

He, of course, knew the truth. No one had touched them in almost a thousand years.

The oak wood of the shelves was also in immaculate condition, its veneer and stain sparkling just as brightly as it would have if applied yesterday. From the knots in the planks and the uneven nature of the logs, Edmund would gander that Salazar had assembled them himself, his desire for secrecy disallowing him from involving anyone else in the creation of any aspect of the chamber.

He would have moved closer for a more intimate examination if not for the pulsing of the wards warning him against such a thing. The protections were a masterpiece, woven together so that there were no gaps, no loose threads that could be easily exploited. Their functionality was primarily unknown to Edmund, but there were several hints that he could pick up from the intent that was shining through.

Anti-fire, preservation, stasis, and most importantly...

Identification wards. More specifically, magical recognition of those of Slytherin descent. Edmund technically qualified, but it mattered little. Until a lord and heir were determined, access to Salazar's legacy would remain unavailable.

The thought brought Edmund's attention to the sole wall bare of any shelving. Leaning against it was a small table, similarly fashioned to the other furniture within the room. It was tall, coming up to Edmund's torso at the perfect height for him to rest his elbows upon it. Doing just that, he steadied himself for what was to come.

For sat before him now were the two signet rings of House Slytherin.

The two rings were identical, except for one being accented with gold and the other with silver. Both had a metallic band composed of a substance similar to stainless steel, which Edmund recognized as goblin-wrought silver. The ring's head gradually swelled into an even square, slightly raised above its frame. The crest of House Slytherin was proudly displayed on top, a green background overlayed by a silver serpent. The symbol of resourcefulness and ambition. A sign of power.

The ring with silver detailing was sat in the open on a velvety cushion, waiting to be claimed. The other was surrounded by a translucent blue bubble, which Edmund's danger sense had been chiming about ever since he entered the room. The former belonged to the heir and the latter to the lord.

'Why did you never take the heir ring with you?' Edmund asked curiously. 'Even if you couldn't become Lord, it would be undeniable proof of your identity as the descendant of Slytherin.'

'The ring will not leave the room unless a Lord prospective exists within the world. It is a safety measure to ensure the rings do not become separated when a rightful heir comes along,' Marvolo explained, his voice tinged with overt anticipation.

Edmund hummed in understanding, hovering his hand over the ring shakily.

'It will not hurt you,' the dark lord urged. 'The magic of the family longs to be used. It longs to be restored to its deserved status. It holds a shadow of Salazar's intent, and he would do no wrong to his heir.'

Lifting the ring in his hands, Edmund held it to the light.

'Place it on the pinky finger of your non-dominant hand,' Marvolo instructed.

He sucked in a deep breath before slipping it on.

*-*-*-*

He opened his eyes.

Open?

When did they close?

No. Wait. He didn't have eyes, so how could he have opened them? He didn't have a body. He didn't have anything.

But that wasn't right either.

He could still feel... something.

A presence circled him. It was snakelike in its undulations, growing ever closer to him. Just when he thought it would begin to constrict him, it stopped, comfortably snug.

Around what? He had nothing that could be wrapped around.

Yet his magic felt comforted. It felt alive, like it was roaring freely for the first time after being caged for so long.

The presence around him seemed happy with his reaction, filling his mind with a vague sense of approval. Contrary to its positive response, it coiled even tighter, sticking to every inch of his being.

Unhurriedly, it began to meld within him, fading away as if it had never existed at all.

All that was left was an imprint.

An imprint that marked him as the true heir of Slytherin.

*-*-*-*

Edmund came to consciousness with a gasp, surprised that he was still standing.

'It feels like an eternity has passed, but I assure you it was only a second,' the dark lord murmured knowingly.

'Y-Yes,' Edmund sat down on the floor to catch his breath. 'I understand.'

The ring had slimmed considerably, perfectly fitting his finger now that it had acknowledged him as its worthy bearer. Still, it was designed to be gaudy and recognizable at a glance. It was by no means subtle.

'Is there some way to hide this thing?' he asked.

'Yes...,' Marvolo drawled. 'It's a nifty little trick called "taking the ring off your finger." Have you ever heard of it?'

Edmund chuckled exasperatedly, some of the tension draining from him at last. 'Yeah, yeah, I get it.'

'After the ring has recognized you, its relevance amounts to little. Besides being used as a seal for official documents, it serves only as a status symbol,' the dark lord elaborated. 'Even the proudest of purebloods only wear them at special functions for posturing.'

'Makes sense,' Edmund deliberated. 'I've never seen any of the students wearing one.'

He slowly got up, looking at the table once more. His breath caught at what he saw. Or rather, what he did not see.

The protections around the Lord's ring were gone.

The golden eagle containing the dark lord's wisp of consciousness flapped its wings and screeched with glee, its giddiness irrepressible.

'Quick, quick! Just as we discussed!' Marvolo practically shouted.

Swiftly, Edmund wrapped the signet ring into a secure package before tying it to the creature's talons. He took one last look at the books behind him before returning to where he had left his broom.

The only thing left was for Voldemort to don the mantle.

In just a few hours, the lost knowledge of Slytherin would become known to the world once more. A new powerhouse was about to rise. One that would shake the very roots of the British wizarding world.

As he flew back up the tunnel, Edmund heard Marvolo shouting. 'I cannot wait to see the look on Dumbledore's face!'