"Is he strong enough Albus?" inquired the cloaked man.
"I'm not sure my friend, he has the ability. The potential is there, but I am unsure whether or not he has the discipline to yet realize it though."
"Since when has potential ever won the war Albus? Need I remind you of Katrina?"
"I remember your loss my friend," Albus sagged "so what do you intend to do I do not wish for him to be turned into a weapon, he has had a hard life as is."
"Albus! You cannot win a war like this. I intend to finish Voldemort. It is time for you to step back and allow me to take charge. Go through with the tournament I will give the wizard world a show and take the eyes off of potter. Mean while we will train him."
"Very well. I assume your apprentice will be our distraction," the cloaked figure nodded as Albus continued. Then we shall have to adjust the rules let me contact Karkaroff and Maxime and we shall begin, how will you begin his training?"
"why my friend with a test of course, mine versus yours? Non lethal of course, but he will get ruffed up quite a bit. I'll wait till he makes it to the burrow. Do find a distraction for molly will you."
"Of course, I wish your Alex the best. "
Harry lay awake listening to the snores of Ron as he stared at the ceiling. He couldn't believe his luck, the quiditch world cup! He could barely contain his excitement that night at dinner. He was also rather stunned at the changes he noticed in Hermione. Gone was the bushy haired little girl, now she seemed to have transformed into a wavy haired beauty that was well on her way to becoming quite an attractive young women. It was fair to say he had a lot on his mind so he neither noticed ron stop snoring nor saw Ron sit up with a blank look on his face and pointed his wand at harry. Nor did he hear the muttered compulsion charm before Ron fell back asleep.
'Hmmm a walk it is' harry thought as he got out of bed and pulled on a gray shirt over his head. He quietly slipped out of the house and began to walk past the garden and the small pond making a lazy circle through the woods to the make shift quiditch pitch behind the burrow. Just as he was about to emerge into the clearing he hesitated. Just then a bright red spell shot past barely inches from his face. Without a second thought he took off into the woods at a dead sprint.
With a soft pop, barely above a whisper, an arm collided with his chest sending him flying to his back with the wind knocked out of him. As he lay there gasping for breath he looked up and say a shadowy figure in a steampunk jacket, fingerless gloves, and what looked like black combat trousers and dragon hide boots approaching with a smooth ease that frightened harry. "Who are you?" whispered harry. He never got an answer as a boot came down hard on his left wrist followed by a fist to the side of his head.
"Uuuggghhh" harry ground out with a heavy tongue. Where am I I wonder? Must still be at the burrow I can hear Mrs. Weasley cooking. And Ron is still snoring.
"Harry, Ron time to get up its time for breakf… OH MY GOD HARRY WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU! MRS. WEASLEY GET UP HERE!"
"Bloody hell Hermione! What are you on about?" Ron grouched before "what the hell happened to harry?" Ron and Mrs. Weasley shouted at the same time.
"What are you all on about" rasped harry as he sat up. He looked at himself in the mirror and saw a terrible bruise all along the left side of his face and what looked like dried blood under his nose and from his split lip. As he reached up to touch the bruise he noticed a bright red cast on his left arm that greatly resembled a muggle cast he had when uncle Vernon had broken his wrist the first time. "Well don't I look like hell." Harry mused.
"What's that on the cast" Hermione asked a little taken aback by the way harry calmly assessed his injuries in the mirror.
Harry glanced at the other side of the cast and read a message left by his attacker.
Dear imbecile
It has come to my attention that you do not believe it necessary to carry a wand with you. Never make such a horrendous mistake occur again or your punishment will be far worse. I look forward to giving you more of these little tips. Do not let anyone tend to your wrist I have set the bones and given you a bone regeneration draught. Simply mending the bones will weaken the wrist and leave it more susceptible to future fractions. Until our next meeting
Adieu
Just then a loud knock from downstairs drew the attention of all present.
"I'll get it" announced Mr. Weasley, who had followed his wife up the stairs.
"Are you sure your alright harry?"
"I'm fine Mrs. Weasley I promise. I've dealt with far worse" harry said for the tenth time as they made their way downstairs after Mr. Weasley.
As they entered the kitchen they were greeted by a rather amusing sight of two cloaked men restraining a worried looking Dumbledore from rushing the stairs.
"Oh thank Merlin" breathed Dumbledore upon seeing harry "I'm glad you are alright I was expecting far worse."
"As was I," said the taller of the two cloaked men, "any particular reason you were so lenient?"
"Beyond the fact that the idiot didn't have a wand, not really I was expecting more of a fight from the boy to be honest." Said the other cloaked figure.
"Professor would you mind explaining how you knew I was injured? By the lack of reaction from Mr. Weasley I'm assuming he and Mrs. Weasley knew that it was going to happen but I'd like to know why I was attacked if you don't mind." At this Hermione stared open mouthed at harry. How can he be so calm she wondered?
"Certainly my boy, first however let me introduce a colleague of mine by the name of Tiberius smith and his apprentice, whom you've already met, Alex. Tiberius is an old friend of mine who will be teaching at Hogwarts in the coming school year." As Dumbledore was talking the two men removed their cloaks. Revealing a tall man with dark gray hair that was cropped short, and even grayer eyes that seemed to take in the entire room in a single glance. The man radiated power and harry could instantly tell he was a man who demanded respect and had probably more than earned it in his life. Then harry looked at Alex and felt his stomach knot painfully as he recognized the same person who had attacked him. He still radiated a smooth deadliness that even now seemed to put half the people in the room on edge. "And Alex here will be attending Hogwarts for his final two years. I hope you don't hold the earlier events against him."
"You still haven't explained why he attacked me."
"Ah yes well you see it was a test of sorts, to assess your abilities as they stand."
"I take it I failed."
"Quite spectacularly I must say, but don't worry it will be corrected." Tiberius said in a stern voice
"However as it stands if you don't hurry you will miss your portkey to the world cup." Said Albus.
Alex picked up a small bag from beside the door and began to search through it for something. "Are you sure you don't mind Alex tagging along Arthur?" Tiberius asked.
"Not at all, it wouldn't be right for him to miss it, I am sorry you have to walk with us Alex unfortunately the apparition laws are a bit different than in the states." Mr. Weasley said kindly.
"Not a problem sir" he said as he threw a leather bundle at harry. "Put that on and don't take it off ever. It's a wand holster, anti summoning, concealment and many more charms are on it. Also once you place you wand in it only you will be able to use it." Alex said as harry examined it.
Harry placed it on and it instantly adjusted to his arm as he placed his wand inside it. "To summon your wand just flick your wrist and will it into your hand, and to put it back just think of it retracting into the holster."
Harry did as Alex said and was surprised at how natural it felt catching his wand as it shot out. With a nod he grabbed his pack from the pile Mrs. Weasley had put together the night before and began walking after Alex and Mr. Weasley.
Soon the twins, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were all hurrying to catch up with Mr. Weasley as he was setting quite the pace. The hiked till the sun was just rising before the finally made it to the top of stoatshead hill, their designated portkey point.
Suddenly there was a crack as a man appeared at the top of the hill, "Arthur good to see you."
"You too Amos. Where is your boy I thought you said he was coming? Oh where are my manners kids, Alex this is Amos Diggory, he works with me at the ministry." By the look on Mr. Weasley face harry realized he wasn't the only one to notice Alex's wand retracting back up his sleeve.
"Nice to meet you all! He is just climbing the hill now my knees aren't what they used to be you know. Anyways are we waiting on anyone else? Should be about time to go after all." Amos said jovially.
"No just us is all, ah there he is, kids I'm sure you already know him but Alex this is Cedric Diggory." Said Mr. Weasley.
"Nice to meet you, Alex is it?" Cedric said with a nod to the rest.
"It is, nice to meet you Cedric." Alex said.
"Will you be attending Hogwarts this year? Should be an interesting year what with the… oh I'm sorry I'm not spost to mention anything about that." Amos apologized with an excited smile and a wink to Arthur.
"Oh is it a secret? I'll make sure to not mention it to anyone. I was under the impression everyone knew it was going to happen again this year." Alex said with a slight smirk.
"Wait a minute you know what's happening this year! Dad you have to tell us it's not fair for him to know but not us you've been torturing us for weeks!" Ron whined.
"It's not my fault Albus saw fit to inform him and not you. Anyways it's time to be going. You have it Amos?"
"Indeed everyone gather round." Amos said as he pulled an old boot from a bag on the ground
"Just put a finger on the boot" Alex whispered to harry.
Harry nodded at him. "Word to the wise flex your knees slightly and stare at the boot" Alex hissed as they jostled their packs into a position to better crowd around the boot.
With a rush of swirling color harry felt a rather uncomfortable jerk in his navel and they were off. Suddenly they stopped spinning and harry flexed his knees and found himself among the five left standing while Hermione and the rest of the Weasley children were left in a heap on the ground.
"Well don't lay there all day we best be moving out before the next group arrives" Mr. Weasley threw over his shoulder as he Amos, Alex and Cedric made their way up the hill.
"Bloody hills" muttered Ron darkly as the rest began the climb.
The sight that met their eyes was almost unbelievable as the mounted the top of the hill.
Literally a sea of tents met their eyes with thousands upon thousands of wizard just began stirring as the sun rose. The group said their goodbyes to the Diggory's as they parted ways headed toward their separate camp sites.
"Alex you wouldn't know how to set up a tent would you?" Mr. Weasley asked as they neared an open square with Weasley written on a picket in the front.
"Well enough" came the reply. Quickly and efficiently Alex had the tents set up and a small fire going without once reaching for his wand.
"Boys you're in the tent on the left, Alex you and me will share a room in the other tent girls you'll also be in the other tent so pick a room to share and me and Alex will take the other." Mr. Weasley said.
"Harry would you mind helping me get the water?" Alex asked smoothly?
"Not at all" with a reassuring smile to Hermione harry hopped up and followed Alex.
"Ive been wondering about you harry. From all I've been hearing I was expecting you to be far more upset about what happened. Speaking of which" he said as he flick a finger towards Harry's cast removing the writing and transfiguring it into a plain black brace, "that should be almost healed by now. Care to explain?"
"Well besides the fact that I feel like an idiot. How did you get the compulsion charm on me, and how did you apparate last night but now you can't and how did you cast a spell if your under 17?"
"Simple I was on the Weasley's, who happen to be purebloods, property. Here id be apparating into a densely populated and heavily supervised area. And as for the compulsion charm I used an imperius curse on Ron… an imperius curse is considered one of the three unforgivable curses by your ministry. But that's neither here nor there. One other thing that we must establish is that we must get along so if you harbor any resentment towards me speak now."
"I will not complain as long as it does as it yields some results. Is this how you were trained?"
Harry watched as Alex's eyes seemed to darken and the air seemed to shift slightly. "no my training was much more… intense." He seemed to lose himself in thought so harry allowed himself to think over the past few hours before he finally came to a startling conclusion.
"Voldemort is on the move again isn't he? That's why you and Tiberius are here isn't it?" Alex seemed to snap back to the present and locked eyes with harry and seemed to evaluate him for a few moments before answering.
"Perhaps there is some hope for you after all. You and mad eye will get along famously at this rate. Yes that's why we are here my master seems to believe that Voldemort has a plan to return and with the escape of peter Pettigrew my master decided it was time to intervene."
"Why did he decide to intervene?"
"That is a question for professor Dumbledore? Ah here we are." They had arrived at the water spicket and Alex filled his water bottle with far more water than should have been able to fit in it before he filled the kettle harry was carrying. They walked back in silence for a while before Alex suddenly asked a question.
"What do you believe would be the most useful spell to be able to perform wandlessly?"
Harry was taken aback by the sudden line of questioning, "Stunner?" harry said.
"No. can you tell me why?"
"I don't know. It takes out an opponent why isn't it a good spell to be able to be able to perform wandlessly?"
"Oh it is a good spell, but I asked you what would be the best the best? The best spell is one that can't be seen or hear. There now you have a hint."
"Well what about a levitation charm."
"You're on the right track but still not there, what about a summoning charm, or a banisher, or even a memory charm? All three enough to destroy an opponent's concentration. However one has an inherent flaw can you tell me what it is?"
"The memory charm? "
"Yes go on…"
"Because if you are looking for information you could accidentally erase it," Harry went on emboldened by his success, "my turn, why do you use the dark arts?"
"I'll assume you are referring to my use of the unforgivable?" he went on as harry nodded, "well it is my belief that the inherent darkness of magic is in the wizard wielding it. For instance do you know the origin of most healing spells our healers know of originated? Like for instance vanishing and regrowing bones, how to restart a heart, and even how to clear ones lungs of fluid? All developed by dark wizards either to torture or even to prolong the torture of a victim. Now my final point, what is the first spell most all young students learn?"
"Well, the levitation charm…"
"And wouldn't that be a dark spell? What if I was to levitate you a hundred feet into the air and drop you?"
"Well I see" harry said.
"Think on that for a while" Alex said with a small smile, he could practically see the wheels turning in Harry's head.
When they finally arrived back the saw Ron storm out of the tent with a red hand print on his face muttering darkly about the twins and their so called help.
"He is utterly clueless isn't he?" Alex commented with another small smirk.
"Most of the time" harry admitted.
Hmmm interesting, harry thought he seems to know so much about us.
"You really should learn to shield your mind. You are practically screaming at me." Alex said now smirking with that damn twinkle in his eye.
"What do you mean?"
"You mean no one has ever told you about occlemency? Good lord what has Dumbledore taught you? oh right, nothing! Good lord. Occlemency is the art of shielding your mind from others. A skill you should have been taught long ago."
For the rest of the afternoon Alex guided harry in meditating teaching him to control breathing and shut out all the distractions of his senses. He told harry the first step in creating shields was finding his center and grounding himself in it. It took most of the day and both alex and harry noticed Hermione listening in from the couch.
Finally once it began to get dark out Alex called a halt to the meditating and told harry to go enjoy himself till the match began.
"Come on Hermione, we have to find souvenirs." Harry urged as he dragged her along.
"Harry, what's going on how are you so calm why is Alex attacking you one minute then you are all chummy the next what's going on?" Hermione asked with a determined look in her eye.
"Let's talk later ok, for now just know he is helping me. You heard him teaching me occlumency."
"Do you really think it helps with memory and controlling the flow off magic?"
"Let's hope so. Maybe this year will be easier than I thought. Not to mention I can now go to hogsmeade without getting in trouble."
"Oh yes. How great it will be. Oh harry would you take me to honeydukes, oh please harry take me to the three broomsticks, oh harry id love it if you take me to madam puddifoots." Hermione said sarcastically in a frighteningly good imitation of several of the girls in their classmates' voices.
"well Hermione if all of those are such bad Ideas were do you want me to take you?" harry said with a lopsided grin.
Hermione blushed red enough to make any Weasley proud and continued to open and close her mouth as if trying to find the words that seemed to have escaped her "did.. did you just ask me out?" Hermione finally stuttered out.
"well I'm trying to," harry said with a mischievous grin.