Harry looked back in shock as Daphne reacted with a shocked in draw of breath. It them clicked in Harry's mind that Roma was wearing a similar robe to what he and John had worn 'up there'. Her reddish-brown hair, parted in the middle with a short fringe, fell about her shoulders to about shoulder blade length. She was also barefoot.
"Roma?" asked Hermione. "Why are you here?"
"Daphne Anna worked a little quicker to get the bonds established than we, originally, anticipated," explained Roma. "But, we now see it was the right thing to do. Secondly, because Albus Wulfric went for the Legilimency probe faster than we thought he would, he became temporarily incapacitated sooner than expected.
"That's now given us a window of opportunity we had not foreseen. A window where you three can accomplish things before Albus Wulfric can... meddle."
"I thought you knew what was going to happen?" asked Daphne.
"We do not," replied Roma. "The moment you were backstepped, the future... as you knew it... ceased to exist. It must be this way due to Free Agency."
"Free Agency?" asked Daphne. "What's that?"
"The mortal world... here... was created to give each soul the right to make their own choices," she explained. "You truly choose your own future. We can only nudge you in the direction we'd like you to go, and destiny also plays a big part, but your choices are ultimately your own.
"Daphne Anna's choice to immediately establish the bonds had... has... a ripple effect going forward through time. It's those ripples that were initially unforeseen. If we knew what was going to play out, then Harry James would never have suffered his six previous deaths; and you girls would not have suffered your own."
"That makes sense," said Hermione. "So, what did the changes make to alter our plans?"
"With Albus Wulfric incapacitated, now is the time to get some things done," she replied. "Very soon, you need to go down into the Chamber to estimate the effect of magical rot on the carcass of the basilisk, or have someone do it for you. Since what occurred during your second year, Albus Wulfric has placed monitoring charms on the sinks in the girls' bathroom. He would know you were going down there, again, if he was here. And he would stop you. However, you have the skills to have those charms moved out of the way.
"If you do not do this soon, Ronald Bilius is going to beat you to it. Without the friendship in place he feels no remorse in stealing from you, Harry James. He has not already done so, because he wasn't worried you would finally figure out the value of the carcass and do something about it. And, he knows that he would be a prime suspect if the carcass goes missing."
"But it takes a parselmouth using parseltongue to get in," said Harry. "How is he going to get in?"
"Ron's a parselmouth, Harry," said Hermione. "During the battle of Hogwarts, we had to go down there to get some venom to destroy the cup. He told me he faked the sound of parseltongue to open the entrances to get us in there. He lied. Parseltongue cannot be faked. Only a true parseltongue can open the two entrances; so, he's a parselmouth."
"Wh-what?" exclaimed Harry, completely shocked. Then he got angry. "Why... that... little..."
"Enough," said Roma, holding up her hand in a stop gesture. "You now know the truth. Do not go acting on it other than to claim the carcass. Do not let on that you know he's a parselmouth, lest it raise questions as to how you know."
"I thought my parselmouth ability was as a result of the horcrux within me," grumbled Harry.
"It is not," replied Roma. "Like many others with a long familial history of wizardry and witchcraft, you are a descendant of Salazaar. So is Ronald Bilius. Both of you trace that history through the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. You, through your paternal grandmother Dorea Melania; he, through his paternal grandmother Cedrella Lucretia."
"So, when I was speaking in parseltongue, he understood every word I said," Harry sighed.
"Yes," said Roma. "That's how he knew what words to say to quickly open the passageway from the bathroom, and then open the main door to the Chamber."
"Alright," said Harry firmly. "That's now become a priority."
"Next; but, do this first," instructed Roma, "tell Minerva Isabell... your Professor McGonagall... you need to talk to Hermione Jean's parents about the bond before they find out about it through other means. You'll also want to stop by a bookshop and buy a book for your parents to read about what the bond actually means, before you go.
"If you wait too long, Albus Wulfric will return and meddle again. It would lead to Hermione Jean's parents finding out through... other means. And that is a situation we do not want."
"Two priorities, then," said Harry.
"And, with that, it's almost time for me to go," said Roma. "But, one final thing... when we come to visit you, we do so as Guardian Angels, not Grim Reapers. We only hold the latter title after your deaths."
"Nice to know," said Daphne.
With a small smile, Roma seemed to fade away.
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