text: [Themes: fan fiction, RPG, mystery, fantasy]
  
  You manage to learn the knockback jinx and are actually fairly surprised at how quickly you managed to do it, as well as how effective it is. Soon, you are knocking over twigs, leaves and even small logs as if it were nothing.
  
  "Right," says Hagrid, "I reckon you're all ready to go out into the woods, just stay close to me and you should all be okay. Oh, and take these magical oats. Give it to any plant-eating creature, and it will be your closest friend." You take a handful of oats, then follow Hagrid.
  
  You head into the forest, and at first it is nowhere near as scary as you were expecting. The sun shines through the trees, casting its beams upon the leaves on the forest floor.
  
  "Now," says Hagrid, "We'll be looking at a fairly popular beast today, the-" he stops in his tracks; the path is blocked by something stretching from one tree to another. On closer look, it appears to be a massive spider's web.
  
  "No," mutters Hagird, "No, this isn't right...all the Acromantula abandoned this place after-" he abruptly stops. "Back the way we came!" He says, "We can't do this, it's too danger-"
  
  Suddenly, you hear a clicking from above you. A huge, black creature with eight massive legs and two huge pincers, the size of pineapples, hangs above you from a gigantic thread of webbing. The students scream, but before you can react, the furry legs grab you. You can feel the bristles against your cheek.
  
  "No!" Cries Hagrid, firing spells at the spider with his Umbrella, "No! Bad spider! Let go!" But the spider quickly ascends into the treetops covering you in webbing...
  
  You awaken, in the middle of a dark and black forest, surrounded by webbing and stuck to the base of a tree trunk. The trees loom over you, their leaves and branches covered in thick, grey spider-webs. You whisper "Diffindo!" and the webbing surrounding you becomes undone. You are in the heart of the Forbidden Forest; there is no way you will be able to survive here alone. However, you hear a sound not far off. As you creep closer, you realise that there are several paths in the woods. Each path leads to a different part of the Spider's Nest, where he keeps his prey. It is likely that the more difficult paths will contain the most powerful prey...however, with your magical oats, you should be able to tame any plant-eating animal to help you through the woods. So which path do you choose?
  
  > The less dangerous path
  It seems to be wiser to go down the easier path, and you step out into the woods. The path is relatively light, and there are few creatures here to disturb you. Sometimes, you see things dart around the trees, but nothing ever tries to bother you. You see hoofprints on the track, and look to the horizon. A group of people with horse bodies watch on-centaurs. It makes sense why this is place; it is Centaur territory. They recognise you as a lost student, and do not bother you.
  
  "Blimey!" he says when he sees you, "Are you hurt? Do you need any help? I have a full vial of antidote here if anything bit you-"
  
  You assure Hagrid you are fine, as he apologises profusely.
  
  Eventually, you find your way back to Hagrid's Cabin, where the Unicorn leaves you. However, you get the feeling the Unicorn will be keeping an eye on you if ever you pass through Hogwarts' Grounds again. Hagrid takes you into his cabin and gives you a cup of warm tea and a small baked food known as a scone. The scone, however, is as hard as a rock, so when he's not looking, you quickly hide it away.
  
  Finally, you thank Hagrid and return to the Castle.
  
  You find your way to the Main Hall, and see both James and Selwyn there. They were very worried about you and are ecstatic to see you alive. After you catch up, the conversation, as it normally does, turns to the Dark Lord Voldemort, and what to do about him.
  
  "I think we should look into his emotinal weak spots," says James, "If the Dark Lord returns in any capacity, we should know what he valued the most..."
  
  "I don't think that's wise," interject Selwyn, "If the Dark Lord returns, then we need to send him back where he came from as painfully as possible. We don't need to know about his "feelings"..."
  
  What do you decide to do?
  
  > find what Voldemort valued the most
  "If you're really set on doing this," says Selwyn, reluctantly, "Then I know the best place to go. If we want to know Voldemort's feelings, then we should visit someone trustworthy who spent time in his inner circle. And the one trustworthy person who kept close to Voldemort is Severus Snape."
  
  "But Snape is dead," James points out.
  
  "That won't stop me," says Selwyn.
  
  You travel up the moving staircases, until you reach the Gargoyle that guards the room to the Headmistress' office.
  
  "Password?" Yawns the Gargoygle in the dark corridor.
  
  "Tabby Cat," says Selwyn instantly.
  
  "I've seen you sneaking around here," scowls the Gargoyle, "I'm sure you overheard that, but the spell requires that I let anyone who knows the password through..." the door creaks open, and the three of you sneak into the Headmisteress' room.
  
  Dozens of portraits line the wall which blink in the sunlight, above the desk with a golden, clockwork mechanism ticking away gently upon it. They are all the past headmasters of Hogwarts; even Dumbleedore is there, snoozing away with his half-moon glasses.
  
  "Severus Snape," calls Selwyn to a portrait of man with black hair, grey eyes and a cold expression, "We are hear to ask you about the weaknesses of your former master, Voldemort."
  
  "That man was not my master," hisses Snape's Portrait, "He was a vile, twisted abomination. Nevertheless, he had some weak points. One might think, at first, that he even loved his Snake, Nagini. However, when I investigated further, I found that he saw her as a tool, too. The ritual he used to place his soul into her was traumatic for her, involving acts so evil even I dare not utter them here. No one could cause that amount of pain to someone they loved. No, the only time I ever saw any happiness on Voldemort's face was when he stepped foot into this Castle. I don't know whether it was the Castle itself, or the feeling of having absolute power over it, but that was when I saw true joy on his face."
  
  After the interaction, Snape doesn't seem to wish to talk about it anymore, and you all leave to visit your final class...
  
  > Defence Against the Dark Arts
  You make it to the Defence Against The Dark Arts Room, and sit down in your seats. There are whispers about your teacher; no one knows who he is, or have seen their face. Some students whisper that he might be a ghost; others think his face may be deformed, and still others even argue that he might be an undead.
  
  Finally, a figure enters the room, his cane knocking on the floor every time he walks forwards, silencing the room. His feet, strangely, do not seem to be making any sound when they hit the floor, and his huge, brown robes makes it impossible to see who he he is.
  
  "Greetings, children," the figure growls, a low pitched noise that you can hear in your very bones, "My name is Professor Skoll, and I will be teaching you Defence Against The Dark Arts." He removes his hood...to reveal the face of a Werewolf!
  
  A collective gasp arrises from the room; a student even screams, but Skoll merely chuckles with a wolfish glee.
  
  "No need to worry," he barks, "I may be a Werewolf, but that doesn't mean I don't have standards for my food. And let me tell you, not a single one of you would be worth making into a meal." Skoll pauses.
  
  "But in all seriousness, I do think you deserve an explanation. Firstly, when the Dark Lord was vanqiushed, most people were convinced that the curse he had placed on the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher had vanished. However your Headmistress thought there would be lingering effects, and since the spell only affects humans, she thought that I, a permanent Werewolf, bitten during a rare phase of the moon on a leap day, who can keep my mind intact with frequent Wolfsbane potions, would be perfect for the job. Turns out, she was right."
  
  "Now," says Skoll, "It is time for the lesson. We will be testing everything you have learned by sending you to fight off some lesser, dark creatures. You will each be granted an amulet, and each amulet is a portkey, meaning it will transport you to and from the target location. The location you are sent to will be an obstacle course, of sorts, and you simply need to get to the end of the course to complete the task. If you run into problems, the amulet will send you back instantly so you are not in any real danger. It is recommended you read the guide to Darkness beforehand, to know what you are up against."
  
  An amulet appears on the desk in front of you in a puff of smoke. You may grab it, when ready...
  
  > grab the amulet
  Suddenly, your location shifts away from the inside of Hogwarts to a damp, grassy ground. You open your eyes, your face on the grass, and stand up. You are on an island, in the Great Lake, by a boulder. The boulder has an arrow on it, pointing to the shore of the Island. Suddenly, rising up out of the water are strange beings; they look a bit like monkeys, except they have turtle shells, and the top of their head is shaped like a bowl with water inside of it. They walk towards you, their fangs bared. What do you do?
  
  > use the "Flipendo" spell, or the "Stupefy" spell
  You cast the spell at the attacking creatures, and this causes them to fall back. As soon as the water falls from their head, the creature is knocked out. Eventually, they give up, and sink back into the water.
  
  You continue on, and as you walk along the river shore, the clay and mud ruining your polished boots, a white fog rolls in, obscuring your vision.
  
  You do not know where to go, however, you see two lights in the distance. One is a constant light that is perfectly still, while the other is a flashing light that seems to move up and down. Which way do you go?
  
  > follow the still light
  You follow the still light, even though the other one seems to be getting more and more frustrated, and you are finally lead out of the mist, to the other end of the Island, surrounded by old oak trees.
  
  Something moves in the trees. At first you think it is a Stag, but it is far too tall. Then, as the being approaches you realise it has the head of a Stag, but the body of a man...and its teeth are red, dripping with blood. Out of the woods, other animals start to appear; a bear and two wolves, all with green, glowing eyes. You try to cast a spell, but the creature is somehow blocking your magic. How do you react to this?
  
  > Run!
  As you turn to run,
  
  Your amulet begins to glow, and takes you back to Hogwarts.
  
  Professor Skoll greets you.
  
  "I don't blame you, little cub!" Says the werewolf, "I must say, out of all the students, you got reasonably far, but others got further still."
  
  It is night time now; you must have been in that fog for longer than you thought...
  
  As you step out of the room, James and Selwyn run up to you, their faces pale.
  
  "Emilie is in the Great Hall!" Says Selwyn, "She's doing the ritual now!"
  
  "It's true!" Gasps James, "It's all true! I didn't want to believe it, but she is trying to summon Voldemort's Spirit!"
  
  "That's it," you say, "We need to inform the teachers-we need to do it now!" You turn back to Professor Skoll, but James stops you.
  
  "We tried that," he explains, "We were put in detention for making up lies about students, and we only just escaped...we can't risk this again, we have to confront her now!"
  
  All three of you rush towards the Great Hall as fast as you possibly can.
  
  It is eerily quiet outside the Great Hall, and the doors are closed.
  
  "Listen!" Hisses Selwyn, and you put your ears to the door, and hear a sinister incantation...
  
  "Carry my plea, beyond the Veil,
  
  To where no mortal soul may sail.
  
  Your life shall return, past its start, end and middle,
  
  When I call your name : Tom..Marvolo...Riddle!"
  
  If Emilie's ritual is allowed to be completed, she may be able to summon Voldemort. What do you do?
  
  > burst in and confront Emilie
  You throw the doors open and charge into the Hall. Emilie sits there, eyes closed and cross legged. There is a Cauldron full of a strange mist, and she is surrounded by strange items that all look heavily damaged. A locket, a ring, a diary, a burned Tiara, a snake's fang, a goblet and a locket of jet-black hair.
  
  Emilie opens her eyes, then gasps.
  
  "No!" She cries, "You can't interrupt me, you don't understand, I'm trying to help you all!"
  
  "Don't listen to her lies!" Hisses Selwyn, "All we need to do is take away those filthy objects, and the ritual will not stopped! We will stop the Dark Lord's return for good!"
  
  Two Slytherin students with two different goals. What do you do?
  
  > hear Emilie out
  "Thank you," says Emilie, shaken. Selwyn looks aghast, and James doesn't know what to think.
  
  "You've all been having strange dreams, haven't you?" she says, "I know what they are; when Voldemort was destroyed, his soul was split into eight pieces. Each piece became an infant, with no memory or knowledge of what Voldemort had done, and each infant is being tormented forever, in the afterlife. My parents work at the Department of Mysteries, in the Veil's room, and they have found this truth out from there. The torment these souls feel is so profound that everyone attuned to magic can pick up on this, in their dreams. It will never end, until these infants are freed from their pain.
  
  So what I have done is found a way to temporarily reconnect the echoes of Voldemort's soul. For a few minutes, here on the site of his death, I can bring his spectre back. He'll be harmless, but if he can somehow be convinced to find peace, these dreams will stop..."
  
  "Don't be absurd!" shrieks Selwyn, "He will never be able to find peace and he should never be able to find peace! Don't you know what he's done?! His soul ought to be locked away in pain forever! A few stupid dreams are worth that price!"
  
  > allow Emilie to complete the ritual and summon Voldemort
  "No!" Cries Selwyn, and aims his wand at Emilie.
  
  "Expelliarmus!" Shouts James, and Selwyn's wand flies out of his hand, and James picks it up.
  
  "Just give her a chance, okay?" Says James. Selwyn looks from you to James, then tries to run towards the objects around Emilie, but without a wand, he cannot break the shield charm around the circle.
  
  The ritual is now complete. Suddenly, glowing threads appear around each of the items, which connect with each other and cause a beam of light to appear above the circle. The beam of light screams, but it is a very faint sound, like an echo.
  
  "Riddle!" Calls Emilie, "You are free of your torment for just a few moments. You can be free for eternity, if only you show remorse; if you truly understand the evil that you have done!"
  
  "Remorse?!" Hisses the voice of Voldemort, "Remorse?! As if my creation of the Horcruxes, my search for immortality, is something I should be ashamed of! As if the muggle blood I spilled is worth anywhere near as much as magical blood! I have suffered greatly over these years, but I would gladly suffer a hundred more years rather than feel remorse for them!"
  
  "It's not use," you say, "There is no love in Voldemort, no love for anyone...how can you make someone who has never loved feel remorse?"
  
  "There must be a way!" Says Emilie, "Everyone has something that they love; they must!"
  
  What do you do?
  
  > suggest that Voldemort may have loved Hogwarts
  "Riddle!" You shout, "You may have hated muggles, and the muggle world, especially your Orphanage. Even other wizards and witches meant nothing to you, and you saw your only friend, Nagini, as a tool to advance your agenda."
  
  "You know me well, child," he hisses, "Well enough to know that I will never, ever show remorse or regret."
  
  "But I know one place you did love," you say, "Hogwarts Castle."
  
  Voldemort's Spectre is silent,
  
  "Ever since you came to Hogwarts, you were enchanted," you say, "You saw Hogwarts as proof that you were special, that you were above those muggles, or muggle-borns with muggle parents. But the fact of the matter is, Hogwarts was founded by four people, three of which wanted people with muggle parents to come here. Each brick here is just as much for a muggle-born as it is for those of magical birth!"
  
  "Silence!" Hisses Voldemort, "I would have fixed that great error!"
  
  "Yet did you 'fix' Hogwarts?" You point out, "Hogwarts always helps those who ask for it, yet it helped Harry Potter, time and time again, defeat you! And when you, Voldemort, were finally placed in power of it, it was destroyed almost beyond repair. Face it, if Hogwarts has any feelings at all, it absolutely hates you, and your ideas about "magical blood"!"
  
  Voldemort doesn't say anything.
  
  "I wanted Hogwarts to be strong," He whispers at last, "I thought that the purging of muggle blood would make Hogwarts rise higher than ever before. But all I brought was devastation and destruction, with the Castle itself turning against me..." Suddenly, there is a bloodcurdling scream, one that shatters the windows of the Great Hall, and the light vanishes.
  
  "What was that?" Asks James, bemused.
  
  "The ritual is over," breathes Emilie, "Riddle is gone."
  
  "Great!" Says Selwyn, "Just great! Maybe his spirit is awakened now, and can travel anywhere it wants!"
  
  "That's not how this works," Explains Emilie, "One of two things has happened. Either, Voldemort's beliefs have not changed, and the nightmares are going to get worse and worse, or he showed true remorse in his final moments, and his spirit is finally at peace."
  
  In the days after the ritual, there was much talk in the Wizarding World of the strange dreams that had plagued their inhabitants for a few days. The Ministry had been investigating these dreams, only for them to mysteriously stop all of a sudden. It appears the ritual was a success; Riddle's broken and battered soul, at least in part, showed remorse and regret for the actions he had committed, and was given some semblance of peace in the afterlife.
  
  Meanwhile, Fleece's Orphanage continued to get less and less money to the point where Mrs. Coal was considering shutting down for good. However, one day, a man in a Purple Robe came over. He said he had been requested to do this by one of the former orphans, and left a strange, golden drink with Mrs. Coal called "Felix Felicis". After drinking it, Mrs. Coal somehow managed to negotiate for a huge deal with the government. The greedy executives, who were simply using the Orphanage as their own, private piggy bank, were booted out, and the Orphanage became the most happy and well funded State Orphanage in the whole of London.
  
  After a few decades, James managed to convince the Ministry of Magic to help out muggles a lot more, and many of their most major problems suddenly became solved by a mysterious, outside force. Emilie worked in the Criminal Justice System and hugely reformed it, brining re offending rates to an all time low. Selwyn, meanwhile, learned to let go of his hate and went to live a quiet life in the countryside. All was well.