Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not my property. He belongs to J. K. Rowling and the people who publish the books and make the movies (but probably to J. K. Rowling first and foremost, since she came up with the whole idea). I'm writing this purely for my own amusement and not for material gain.
Harry really sat contemplating his awful year. In all actuality it would probably have been more accurate to say that his year had been horrid, all things considered. He pondered how he could have slacked off so badly at his studies. All those years ago when he received his letter, was he not elated and a chance at a new beginning? Was he not proud of his parents having heard multiple times how smart they had been? Did he not wish to too make them proud and follow in their footsteps? Once again Harry sighed, just thinking of how if he had been more studious, maybe, he would not feel so inept at the task that he faced ahead. Oh how Harry loathed this whole horocrux burden he was currently saddled with. With a heavy heart he voiced his insecurities to his only true companion his owl.
"I have no idea where to look or how to find a horocrux. How will I go about knowing what the items are, or their locations? Argggg I am not Dumbledore I can't feel magical traps, am abysmal with potions or even know which potion is which by just looking at them. I have to thank Snape for that though. He couldn't teach a frog to croak if his life depended on it."
In retrospect it probably wasn't the smartest thing, to well in one's insecurities, but what is a young boy to do facing hardships that would crumble a man yet alone a boy. Now that young Harry had started letting out his fears, it was as if a dam broke in his mind, and he could not stop himself.
"I will never be able to defeat Voldemort let alone his Death eaters. While I may be able to hold my own against anyone in our school facing his inner circle will be next to impossible. I hate snape with all my heart but he taught me something. Oh yes he did, he taught me that I have been lucky all this time. I couldn't take on Snape even when his back was turned to me. What good am I when I can't take out one opponent with their back against myself? I am an ordinary child compared to all of them."
All these morbid thoughts starting running through his head, in which he was fairly certain, he would not live to see his eighteenth birthday, without his trusted mentor to rely on. These thoughts of death and loneliness brought an overwhelming sense of sadness, which flooded Harry's mind and heart. As an outside observer the only indication that this young man was having a nervous breakdown was the slight narrowing of his green eyes and a thin curtain of mist that developed around his eyes.
As Harry sat rigid at the windowsill wallowing in self pity, Hedwig stared out the window her eyes narrowing as a majestic phoenix approached in the distance. Said owl being smarter than given credit for and sensing something was about to occur, started hooting, to alert her master and break him out of his depressing thoughts. Sensing the mood in the room said phoenix known to all as Fawkes, Dumbledore's familiar, sang a song of harmony lifting Harry's spirits and announcing his presence. With all the tact that Harry possessed being none he asked the first thing which came to his mind "Fawkes what are you doing here?" Said phoenix not wishing to delay in his last assignment left to him by his master, merely left a parchment and an intricate item, before flashing away from the human realm. Little did anyone know especially Harry, that another worthy master would not descend this earth for the next millennium. Being such rare creatures not much was known of them and how fortunate it was to even be in their presence.
Slowly Harry approached the parchment wondering what could possibly be written on it by Dumbledore, as he had no doubt it was from him. As he slowly opened it he noticed that his hands were sweaty in anticipation and was already starting to dampen said parchment. While he unfolded the letter he resolved himself for any number of possibilities.
Dear Harry
I write to you knowing that this letter will find you in distress and sadness. It is with a heavy heart that I must add to this burden. The only consolation I can offer is that knowing the truth is invigorating. Yet I doubt you will share that opinion with me by the end of this letter. I fear I have dawdled enough and must confront you about a great lie that you have been led to belief. When a wizard or witch turns seventeen and hits there majority our greatest secret is revealed by magic herself. On your seventeenth birthday magic will unleash your power, and depending on your ancestors will give you and in depth understanding of your rank, in certain aspects of magic. While purebloods are not stronger then muggleborns, our blood carries powers which muggleborns simply cannot ascertain. Powers such as Parselmouth which I am sure you understand. Our blood also carries affinities for certain magic's though, and our brains will unravel faster, letting us learn magic at a faster rate. While your friend Hermione is at the top of her class, I fear this year you will have to be more delicate with her, as she will be surpassed in her classes. This I do not say lightly but it is certainly the truth.
This though is only the first revelation I share with you on this evening. I must also impose another truth far worse. While you may on a subconscious level know this, magic is sentient. It ranks all of us in all fields and proudly presents our rank on our right shoulder, as long as you have reached journeyman status. There are different levels of skill when ranked. I will endeavor to give you the short version in this letter and to buy The Truth Revealed by Henry Godric Moor if you are still interested in learning more. Knowing the basic concepts of magic up to what magic deems ten percent of the subject matter, qualifies you, as a student. From ten percent to twenty five percent you are ranked an apprentice. As you move up from this level, all wizards and witches over the age of seventeen will see a mark, indicating your skill level, and thus determining your field of expertise. After this level though, expertise has nothing to do with subject matter but instead it involves intent, and the connection a wizard or witch shares with magic. It is sad to admit but alas no muggleborns will get past this level. It is also the reason most muggleborns abandon our world once finding out. To truly understand this you will have to wait until your birthday in order to see and feel for yourself. Let me just state that muggleborns marrying into our bloodlines is a positive one. It allows for our blood to be rejuvenated, since it is only connected to magic through one ancestor's lineage of usage. Our magic does not decrease by intermarrying it actually amplifies, as two dominant bloods are not fighting over one's body, to see which one prevails. Instead one set of powers is set free to dominate and amplify your magic.
Let us get back to the subject matter, as I seem to have diverged from the ranks. From twenty five percent until fifty percent you will be ranked as a journeyman. Barely ten percent of our population has reached this level of expertise nowadays. This demonstrates how we as wizards and witches are letting our magic corrode by being lazy unfortunately. From fifty percent until seventy five percent you are considered a Master and as you can see the reason we are very fortunate to have professor Snape teaching for us. When this occurs a fidelus spell is enforced not letting anyone under seventeen see your rank in your fields of expertise. For those rare few individuals who reach a higher level of understanding they are referred to as grand masters or mages. I can safely boast of being a grand master in two areas and a master in another three. Now you might be pondering why I tell you all this now instead of letting you wait until you learn this on your own. The answer is simple yet disheartening. At this present moment in time you are just not equipped with enough knowledge to make a significant contribution to this war. I have made a grave error in allowing for your happiness over that of preparing you for this war. In my defense youth in all of its glory defines who you become as a man. I am proud of whom you became, and now I hope you allow me to meddle with your life one last time. For if I do not meddle I fear witches and wizards will lose hope once they gaze upon you, and see that you have no level of expertise to rely on. A certain trinket should have arrived with this letter. It is our most precious resource which my family has guarded for over 800 years The Eye of Merlin. With said trinket we are allowed to live two youths, and it is always the reason we Dumbledore's are seen as prodigies. I bestow this power upon you in hopes to fix my wrongs over you, as well as hopefully aligning a better future for England. To use it you must sacrifice that which you hold most dear to you and in return your body will be transported ten years into the past. Under no circumstance use it before your eighteenth birthday young Harry. By now you have realized the dilemma and the true reason you will be mad at me. I ask you to hide yourself in my ancestor's home for the next year, until which time you will be propelled backwards in time ten years. I realize what I ask of you but life is never easy. If you throw caution to the wind then there is a chance that we will be thwarted. To reach my ancestor home you must journey to Gringotts and they will know what to do from there. I bid you a farewell young Harry for to the educated mind death is but the next great adventure."
After finishing the letter Harry now knew that there was no choice to be made, for his life was still being planned out for him. The empty feeling of leaving his friends and loved ones behind was overpowering. In the end though he knew in his heart he would follow through on Dumbledore's plan. Looking at his companion Harry states "Hedwig girl get ready for some traveling, as it seems it is time for us to embrace our role in society."
End of chapter one
please let me know what you guys thought. Looking for a beta as well so all those who wish to apply for the job let me know. thanks
