Elementals
Chapter 1
Wind blew through wings that helped the enchanting bird fly through the sky. It felt so natural to be flying in the air with large red wings stretched as far as they could go.
Harry's eyes snapped open when he heard his alarm clock he sitting on the side table next to his bed. He felt lucky that the clock actually worked because the room he was currently located was full of Dudley's broken toys, he no longer deemed worthy. Harry gave a small sigh of relief. For once, it wasn't his aunt or uncle waking him from his sleep. Not that it would be needed anyway. He's had many night terrors anyway, so if it wasn't that then it was his relatives. But occasionally, like today, he would feel like some higher power was allowing him to sleep in and get a good nights rest, but he wouldn't hold his breath because now that he thought about it, he probably jinxed the possibility. Harry sat up and gave a little stretch before taking a glance at his clock.
6:20, It's was time to get up.
Harry Potter...
What could he say about himself? Well nothing, other than the fact that he was bored out of his mind. When the Order of the Phoenix came to Kings Cross before summer vacation started, they warned the Dursley's to leave Harry alone, or else. Actually the 'or else' part came from Moody, but Harry had silently prayed that they would listen and it seemed to work because now they all but decided that he no longer existed inside their home unless it was to make sure that he had enough to eat. Wouldn't want the Order thinking they his relatives were starving him again. Harry was bored because the first thing he did once he returned home was finish his homework in case the Dursleys were going to go back on their word because they liked to lock his possessions inside his first bedroom; the broom closet under the stairs. He couldn't really consider that place a home. He didn't know when he'd find that. Ron's family was amazing, but it wasn't enough for him. It wasn't his own. He felt guilty for having those thoughts, but it was the truth. He felt like he was intruding, despite Mrs. Weasley's constant reassurances that he wasn't and that he was always was something he nearly forgot about. Today was July 31st. It was his birthday. Today he was 16 years old. Which was probably why he saw three rather impatient owls screeching with anger and sharply tapping on his window to gain his attention.
"Sorry, I'm coming," Harry said, even though that didn't stop the owls.
He felt lucky that his relatives didn't bother with him anymore, otherwise there would be more shrill screeching, but the volume would become much louder.
Harry opened his window and two owls including his own arrived. One was obviously from Ron because the pea-sized owl, named Pigwidgeon, was hooting excitedly around his room. Hedwig was perched on his shoulder waiting for him to receive his letter. He would definitely guess that it was from Hermione because she didn't have an owl, but a cat named Crookshanks. Hedwig was very good about going to his friend's house to make sure that her master wouldn't be lonely for his birthday. Even though they couldn't physically be with him, he was glad to receive letters from them. Harry untied Hedwig's parcel away from her foot to let her fly to her perch and rest. He put his letter on the bed to tango with Ron's incredibly energetic owl.
"Come on Pig, calm down and give me the letter from Ron."
Harry held out his hand so the tiny ball of fluff could land on him. After another five minutes, Harry managed to coax the bird onto his hand to retrieve the letter with the promise that he could share some of Hedwigs food. He untied the letter and let him go.
The final owl was a Masked Owl. He wasn't very familiar with that owl, but he saw Remus hanging around with him on occasion during third year. Harry removed the letter from it's leg and watched as it moved towards Hedwig, after Pigwidgeon left.
"Are you expecting a reply?" Harry asked the owl. The owl moved his head down, indicating 'yes.'
"Alright then. Hold on." Harry opened Remus's letter and sat down to read.
Dear Baby Deer,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Congratulations on turning 16. I am so proud of you and I know your parents and Sirius would be too. I want you to enjoy your birthday and the gift that was included. I want you to follow the directions exactly as they are written. You'll know what I'm talking about once you see. It's a book written by the Marauders. Now ignore this old wolf and go on and take a look. Have a good one. I'm sorry, I can't be there for your birthday, but a grander party will definitely be happening once you arrive at Grimmauld Place. Yeah, I hate that place, now more than ever. Unfortunately, Dumbledore insists that it's the safest place for you to be besides your relatives house. Anyway, I hope your aunt and uncle listened to us from that day and aren't giving you any trouble. Contact us if they are, or better yet, just contact me in general no matter what's happening.
I can't wait to see you, Moony.
Harry smiled as he set down the letter. He reached for the item that came with Remus's letter. He considered Remus like the Uncle that he should have had. He felt like Remus understood what he was going through. Probably even more so because Remus knew his parents and Sirius even longer than he himself did. Harry shook his head to rid himself of the depressing thoughts. If he thought about them even more, he'd start crying and that was not something he wanted to do. He was so tired of crying, but sometimes he couldn't help himself. Being alone made him think about depressing subjects.
Harry opened the gift and gave a small gasp. In his hands was a book that was indeed written by the Marauders. The title was plain and simple. The Marauder's Guide to Animagi. Harry's smile widened when he saw the title and made a quick glance at the pictures that moved across the cover. It was a picture of Remus, Sirius and his late father. They were laughing and randomly turning themselves into there respective forms. Remus having no choice in his form because of the moon, turned into a werewolf, three days a month. That was what drove the Marauders into helping their friend, so they could spend even more time together than they already did. To them, it was another way to cause a little mischief because they weren't technically supposed to know about Remus' furry little problem.
Harry set the book aside making a silent vow to read it carefully later. He got out a few pieces of parchment for his thank you letters to his friends.
Dear Moony,
Thank you so much for the gift. I will definitely be taking a look into the book. I've been thinking about the possibility of becoming an animagus at some point. I promise to read over it carefully and follow your directions. I can't believe you guys actually wrote a book. WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!! Anyway, as for the Dursley's, everything is peachy. As in, absolutely nothing is happening. They pretty much just leave me alone and act like I don't exist. The only time they've bothered to acknowledge my existence is if they wanted me to go pick some items up for the store. Even then, they usually just leave a note. Well, I'm going to stop talking about my boring life and open my other gifts from Ron and Hermione. I wonder what they got me. It doesn't matter, as long as they write. And you're not old. Your still at your prime. No, I'm not just being polite.
Missing you, Harry.
P.S. Do you really have to call me Baby Deer?
Harry attached the letter onto the Masked Owl's leg and allowed him to leave and deliver his letter to Remus. He silently watched until he couldn't see the owl any longer and moved onto Ron and Hermione's letters.
Dear Harry,
Happy Birthday Harry. I hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy yourself, but don't forget to do your homework either. There's nothing worse than leaving an assignment till the last moment. I was so glad that Hedwig is a reliable owl to come see me because I don't have any other way to get you your present to you. Your present is a potion. Now, before you decide to discard it, let me tell you a little secret. It will help you along the way with that little book Professor Lupin sent your way. Yes, I am aware of what it is because he told me before he decided to send the book to you. He wanted to know if you were interested in becoming an animagus and I had a suspicion that you would be pleasantly surprised about it, so read the book first and then take the potion. It will help you see what animal is meant to be for you. I read about it in the library, when you told me your parents and Sirius were animagi to help Professor Lupin with his wolf. Once again, Happy Birthday.
Love from, Hermione.
Harry was glad that Hermione failed to mention the little tidbit about Peter Petigrew because he really hated that rat. He was regretting not letting Sirius and Remus kill him back in third year. Anyway, Harry began writing a thank you note for Hermione, next.
Dear Hermione,
Thanks for the potion. You guessed right. Becoming an animagus is something of interest for me, now that I've got the book from Remus. And what do you take me for? Why would I have tossed the potion if it wasn't for seeing what animal was meant for me. (Insert sarcasm here.) Unless of course it was a protein helper for my health, then I would definitely be saying bye, bye to it. Not. I wouldn't do that. Even though they are disgusting, from having to take them so many times with Madam Pomfrey, I would have taken it. All you have to do is tell me what it is because you know how useless I am in potions.
Thanks, Harry.
P.S. Don't have a heart attack, but I've already done my summer homework. Yeah, I was that bored.
Harry moved onto Ron's letter. He would have Hedwig deliver the letters once he was finished with Ron's letter.
Harry,
Sorry, but saying 'Dear' sounds kind of weird to me. I only say that for people I don't really like and you're my best mate. Take my aunt for example. Happy Birthday Harry. I hope it's a good one for you. 16 huh? Are you still a shrimp? I hope you've grown some. You were still the shortest compared to everyone when we left each other at Kings Cross. Maybe mum should do the whole muggle thing. What is it called? Pinch to grow an inch? He He He.
Harry rolled his eyes.
Anyway, I got you a gift. It's not much, but I hope you like it. Do you like the book Remus got you? I reckon' that I'd like to try it out with you. I can't wait till Dumbledore gives the okay for you to come over.
Happy Birthday, Ron.
Harry took a look at Ron's gift and smiled at the simplicity. It was his favorite wizarding candy. It was typical of Ron to get him this, but he couldn't help but love it every year he got it.
Dear Ron,
All I'm going to say is thanks for the gift. Oh and about that short business, ya ain't funny. Just because your family is full of giants doesn't mean everyone is (Note my defensiveness here, Ron). Hmph. Yeah, I hope Dumbledore makes his decision soon. I'm going mad here. Don't worry, I'm being treated all right. They pretty much just ignore me. I can't wait to see everyone.
Best mate. Harry.
"Come here, Hedwig," Harry said to his beautiful owl. Hedwig flew towards him and allowed him to attach the letters to her leg.
"Take these to Ron and Hermione. Okay?" Harry requested.
Hedwig gave a quick nod to her master before taking off towards the sky to make her important deliveries.
Harry trudged down the stairs to eat some breakfast. He got himself some cereal. As he was eating he saw a note from his aunt who went out of town for the day with Dudley. He had to go to the store and by groceries before she came back. Once he was finished with his breakfast he got a set of keys and walked to the nearest store. It took him five minutes to gather everything that was on the list and he was ready to head home.
Harry gave a slight shiver. He felt it odd because the weather was hot today. He instinctively looked behind him, but didn't see anything. He let his hand creep into his front pocket where his wand was located. He wasn't an idiot and he didn't want to be caught off guard anymore incase it wasn't an Order member watching him. Just to be on the safe side, or Moody's paranoid side, he pictured it being a Death Eater. He didn't look back again to make who ever it was following him think, he wasn't aware. He kept his breathing calm and steady and settled the bags on bench on the front porch. He got out his keys to unlock the door.
"Stupefy," Harry heard.
He was right. It was a Death Eater, if the skull mask and flowing black robes were anything to go by.
"Protego."
Harry shot back before the spell could reach him. Harry was able to block the spell. Harry knew that using magic away from school and in front of muggles was against the law and he was almost expelled from Hogwarts last year, but in a possibly fatal situation, he would be an idiot to back down. 'As Moody always says, Constant Vigillance.' Harry thought. The spell didn't feel very strong. He figured that the spell must have came from a low ranking Death Eater. Unfortunately the wards only took affect once he was inside the house, but Harry just couldn't let any other muggles get hurt on account of him so he did the only thing he could think of.
He ran.
His plan of running, would lead the Death Eater away from the Muggles because they only wanted Harry. Well, they wanted him for Voldemort rather.
"Avada Kadavra!"
Harry's eyes widened as he managed to dodge the spell. The death eater may have felt weak, but they certainly seemed to have the drive to be able to use the killing curse on him. He didn't dare let it hit him. They weren't Voldemort, so who knows if it would work. He didn't want to take that risk because it just might.
Harry huffed as he continued throwing the Protego spell in the air behind him as he ran through the forest that he knew was behind his. He looked behind him to make sure he was well enough ahead of the Death Eater, but discovered that he had a persistent one on his hands.
Without knowing it, Harry and the Death Eater passed into an invisible barrier separating the two worlds.
Harry was too distracted to see where exactly he was going and tripped over a hidden log he felt his ankle snap and he gave a yelp of pain, but now that they were far enough away from anyone, so no one would get hurt. 'Shit. I think my ankle is broken.' If anyone would get hurt it wouldn't be anyone he loved or at least cared about. While he didn't exactly love the Dursley's he wasn't hateful enough to want them dead.
"Stupefy," Harry shouted.
Harry's spell was easily deflected, so he tried another one before the Death Eater could respond with another spell.
"Reducto."
Harry got a hit. He watched the death eater fly back into a tree. He saw the man hit his head against the tree and then heard something whiz by him. He froze not knowing what was going on. He heard a scream of pain and Harry whipped his head towards the Death Eaters voice. He couldn't quite tell what it was, but it looked like a knife. The Death Eater had been stabbed. Harry had turned around the best he could and saw two men. It was a man with a mask that covered half his face, with silver hair that defied gravity. The other man was someone that had black robes with red clouds printed on them. It confused Harry slightly to see that they both had a metal like plate across their foreheads. They both had a symbol carved into them.
Harry panicked he couldn't see the man in the black robe with red clouds any longer. Instead he felt rough fingers covering his mouth and the sight of another knife flying towards him.
"Who is this? Reinforcements? You could have gotten a stronger boy. He looks weak."
Harry couldn't understand a word that the man had said, but he had a feeling he was in trouble with this man, to say the least.
"Leave the boy alone. He has nothing to do with this! Don't do anything to the kid!" Harry heard the other man shout back.
Harry felt something sharp against his neck. It dug into his neck a little too much because he could feel his own blood running from the cut that was no doubt adorning his neck. He took a sharp intake of breath, but was relieved that he still had his wand with him.
"Stupefy!" Harry shouted jabbing his wand behind him.
Harry could vaguely see the silver haired man's eyes widen as he watched the other fly back stunned. The man quickly regained himself and slowly approached Harry.
"Are you all right?"
Harry gave a frustrated sigh before answering. "I don't understand you."
'That's odd. A language barrier? What language was he speaking? I've never met anyone who couldn't understand our language. Where is the boy from? This is going to be complicated. I should take him to Hokage-sama. He may look weak, but he managed to blast that Akatsuki member off him. But more importantly. What was that Jutsu the boy used and why did it come from a stick?' The Masked man thought.
While the mysterious man was in his mantra of thinking, Harry was trying to think of a way to communicate with the man. He really wanted to tell the him that the spell he used wasn't going to last forever.