Inspiration:
Inspiration:
Now I am a big fan of JK Rowling she is a great author etc etc… but after reading the complete Harry Potter franchise I was a bit let down with the construction of Harry Potter as the boy who lived to defeat Voldemort because quite frankly it was all Hermione and the plotting of the dead- ghostly Dumbledore. Sigh
So I though that especially after the Trizward cup you would see a change in Harry, maybe more assertive realising what exactly the war meant. But alas we did not see that.
So anyway I was thinking a I would like to see a more independent Harry, and a little more of what Harry could do, plus a lot more of his history and the other characters. Now it picks up after book 4 the golden fire.
Disclaimer:
I own nothing but the computer I am writing on.
Harry Potter and The Path Unlocked byTheGreyPrince
- Chapter -
The Failings of Man
"There's something iffy with that boy" said Vernon Dursley as he paced around the living room
"Well of course there is dear" replied Petunia unconcerned "best not to worry about it"
Vernon grunted "well normally I don't concern myself, but have you seen him" he sniffed "Looks as if his not sleeping, what with those dark circles under his eyes… can you imagine what the neighbours would think"
"Well we'll just keep the boy inside"
"But then he'll be in here with us" he fell silent "I guess we'll just tell the neighbours the boys part of some sort of social experiment and be done with it"
"What a wonderful idea" exclaimed Petunia as she went back to dusting and he went back to the TV.
From his place on the stairs Harry snorted in amusement before turning and quietly creeping back up stairs into his room. He walked to the patch of floor in front of his bed and sat with his knees to his chest and his face buried into his knees. It was worst than he thought if his uncle had noticed. The first few nights after summer he had tried to sleep but after Vernon kept coming to him in the middle of the night with a broom threatening to beat him black and blue if he didn't quit that screaming, Harry gave up trying to sleep. At first he stayed up all night reading his books which thankful Uncle Vernon now made him keep in his room because it was taking valuable space in the cupboard which he would need for Dudley's trophies (once he earned his first weightlifting one of course). So he had stayed up reading until his mind was too exhausted to conjure up thoughts before he tried to sleep. But this also met with the threatening of the broom. So now Harry slept on the floor his back against the end of his bed, his knees pulled into his stomach. Now this approach was horrendously uncomfortable and meant that Harry only ever got 1 hour sleep at a time- meaning that he woke well before he had the chance to dream. But it seemed that he would soon actually have to sleep or Vernon may do something drastic like lock him in his room where there was nothing to do but be trapped with his thoughts.
Plenty of times he had thought about writing Hermione or Ron but he didn't know what to say- besides they didn't write to him either. And after feeling the vestige of anger and hurt he told himself they were simply giving him time to grieve. Which he wasn't doing of course, rather his tactic was deny and avoid thinking about it. During his time in solitude he had been reflecting a lot on his life and the people in it, especially Dumbledore. Dumbledore who Harry had looked up to as his saviour, Dumbledore who had always been there for him, Dumbledore the only wizard that Voldemort had ever been afraid of, Dumbledore Dumbledore Dumbledore. Don't get Harry wrong he still respected the man but now knew that he was nowhere near perfect. That although Dumbledore thought he was protecting Harry he was actually harming him. There were too many questions that Dumbledore refused to answer, and too many aspects of his life that he controlled.
When Harry thought about all his friends he wished that he could have been more like them all. Maybe he'd be a better person for it, maybe things would be easier. Ginny's innocence, Hermione's curiosity, Ron's tenacity, Fred and George's creativity, Sirius's loyalty, Hagrid's strength, Dumbledore's power and even Malfoy's ability to control his emotions. If only he could for a second be like them, then things would be different. At least that was what he had to believe.
Harry uncurled himself till he was standing and then went over to his trunk. Rummaging through it he took out his defence against the dark arts book and began to read it. Over the course of the weeks he had been home he had already read it cover to cover and practiced the wand movements. He'd probably have to start up on transfiguration next, which was easily his second best subject (not counting care of magic).
Hedwig hooted at him and dipped her head to the side while indicating to the book. Harry raised an eyebrow and turned over the pages of the book slowly until Hedwig gave a hoot to stop. He was on the last few pages of the book when she hooted. Harry looked at the page and noted a list of references to other books. "What do I do with this?" he asked and she moved on her perch and motioned towards some parchment. Recognition flooded his features and he went to the trunk and took out rolls of parchment, a quill and ink. "Good thinking" he said as he beginning scanning down the list of names. When he finished with that book he searched the back of the rest of the books until he had a sizeable list. "You up for a journey" he asked her as he examined his note. "Take this one to the book store in Diagon Alley, and this one" he said as he tied another note to her other foot "take it to another bookstore- money's not an option" he said as he finally tied a bag full of galleons to her. Hedwig hooted in delight and nipped his finger affectionately. "Do try to hurry" he said as he petted her. Walking to the window with her on his arm he opened it wide and watched her soar into the night.
Harry moved back to the table and took out his transifguration book. He would need to know all the basics before he moved on. But before he got started he wrote out another note and left it by Hedwigs' cage for her return.
Harry Potter and The Path Not Taken by Destinysarrow