All Too Complicated

By SilverWolf7007

Chapter the First – In Which Harry Considers His Situation

It's hard to say where or when it all started to change. There were many, many factors involved. But if I were pressed to give an answer, I would say that it was the summer after my fifth year. After Sirius died.

You see, the death of my godfather shattered what little trust I had left in Dumbledore. I left Hogwarts that year, and I never planned to return.

My friends had no idea, of course. Ron wouldn't have understood, and though I'm sure now that Ginny and Hermione would have done, I wasn't so certain at the time.

Vernon and I were getting along as wonderfully as usual that summer, which pretty much meant I was confined to the house and yard, fed worse than a dog and used as slave labour.

And I, in my infinite wisdom (not to mention grief and anger) was spending the summer provoking him.

Not long after things seemed to hit the fan, I looked back and decided that provoking him had not been a good idea. I look back again now, and I know that it was the best thing that could have happened.

If I hadn't provoked Vernon, I would have never been able to find any information on magic schools that aren't Hogwarts, Durmstrang or Beauxbatons.

I suppose that in a way, I have him to thank for everything I know now. Hm, I wonder what he would think of that if I were to inform him. The man would probably die from horror. Interesting thought…

The point is, really, that my provoking of my dear uncle led to him kicking me out of the house. Left with nowhere to go, I was about ready to wander off and see if Voldemort would take me in.

And that, boys and girls, is when I met my very first ghost. Well, sort-of ghost. Actually, Toni isn't a ghost at all, not in the traditional sense. It's…complicated.

Yeah, complicated. The story of my life.

Harry wasn't sure what he was going to do.

He was sitting on his trunk only a few houses away from the Dursley residence, there were nine days until his sixteenth birthday, Hedwig was glaring at him and he had absolutely nowhere to go.

After three weeks of irritating one another, his uncle had finally decided that he'd had enough and kicked Harry out of the house.

Harry was finding it hard to be especially sad about this, but he had to admit that it was going to make his life a little difficult.

He had absolutely no intention of writing to Dumbledore, who was a shifty, manipulative old coot, or to the Weasleys, who would probably feel obligated to tell the aforementioned old coot.

In fact, that was pretty much the reason he couldn't write to any of his friends – somehow, Dumbledore would find out. It was even possible that the Headmaster was monitoring his outgoing mail.

So Harry was stuck.

"Lost?" a sweet voice asked him.

Harry looked up from the road and found a pair of amber eyes mere centimetres from his own. They pulled back and he discovered that they belonged to a white-haired girl of about seven. "No, just a little…delayed. How about you?"

She smiled brightly. "Not lost at all! I know exactly where I am. I'm here!"

He couldn't help but grin back, especially when she gave a delighted little twirl. "Here and excited, I see."

"Yes, I am. My skirt is new!" She twirled again, showing off the ankle-length black skirt. "Isn't it pretty?"

"It's lovely. Do you live near here?"

She pointed to the house across the street. "Over there. Sort of. I stay with Corey a lot and he lives with Max and Brad and Rowan and Dana but I don't have to stay with them now you're here!"

Harry gave her a startled look. "I'm sorry?"

"Harry James Potter, my name is Toni, and I'm your spirit guide!"

Harry blinked. "You're my – what now?"

Toni giggled and sat down on the ground at his feet. "Your spirit guide. See, you are what is gen'rally called a Mediator. We don't know why you're called that though, or anything. It's all…complicated," she pronounced it carefully, looking at him hopefully. He gave a small nod and she grinned. "Anyway a Mediator always gets a spirit guide."

"Wait, wait. What's a Mediator?"

She stared, eyes wide. "Oh! I practiced this bit so we knew you'd know what I meant! Corey said it was perfect!"

"Go on then," Harry prompted with a smile.

Toni took a deep breath, let it out in a rush, and began. "A Mediator is a living person who can speak to dead people, make spirits into temp'ry ghosts so other people can see 'em, travel in and through the spirit realm, and act as a go-between for a spirit and their friends or family – only you don't do that much."

"Okay, I'm going to save being all shocked and panicky until you've explained it all. Tell me more about spirit guides."

"Yay! I like this bit cos it's about me. Anyway, a Mediator has a spirit guide to help them with being a Mediator. Sometimes you'll need someone to back you up so you don't get kicked out of the spirit realm, since sometimes spirits can't recognise a Mediator."

"Are you all this…young?"

"Silly, of course not! Rowan's same age as Max, and he's her guide. But Dana is your age, and she's Brad's guide. And Corey's guide is a few years older. It's different for all Mediators, and all Mediators find out what they are and get their abilities at diff'rent ages too. I think I'm the youngest spirit guide in a while though."

"So…are you…you know…"

"Dead? Yep. I'll tell you more about that another time. Any more questions?"

"Just one more for now. Can other people see you?"

She tilted her head to the side. "That's kinda hard too. When there are people around, you can make it so they can see me. Even if you aren't there. Or you can make me be invisible to anyone who isn't a Mediator. But I'm not a ghost. And I'm solid." She poked his arm. "See?"

"I'm not sure," he said with a mock frown, before reaching over and messing her hair. "Ah, now I see," he laughed as she squealed. "Yep, definitely solid. So you're pretty much just a normal girl who is technically dead and can be invisible?"

"Yep! I can eat, and drink, and sleep…I'm all normal. Mostly."

Harry smiled softly. "Might be best if you keep staying with the people you've been staying with then. I don't exactly have a home right now."

Someone cleared their throat behind them. "You're welcome to stay with us."

They turned, startled. Harry took in the bright aqua eyes and sandy blond hair before smacking his forehead. "Duh, Harry. Kid says she's living with Corey. How many Coreys are there on Privet Drive?"

"One," Corey answered needlessly. "And that's me. It's been a while, Har."

He stood, grinning, and let the blond man pull him into a tight hug. "Missed you, Cor."

"You too, brat. Now pick up your trunk and get inside before I spank you."

Harry smirked as he grabbed his trunk and began to follow Corey and Toni inside. "Sorry Corey, I got over that crush a long time ago."

Corey spun in surprise. "What crush? What?"

Laughing, Harry passed him and let Toni lead him into the house. "Didn't you know? You were my first crush."

Corey just gaped at him from the footpath.

And this would be the rewrite of It's a Fact, Kid. I'm not especially fond of this new title either, but it's better – and more relevant – than the other. Updates on this are likely to be rather infrequent, somewhat like everything else I write, I guess, but I really wanted to get this up.

Not really sure what else I can say here. Holidays are good for writing in? Meh.

All right, I'll leave it here. Hope you liked, please review.

Oh, and if you read the original (which I can't help but hope you haven't, as I think it sucks), tell me if there's anything in particular that you either do or don't want to see in this. Can't guarantee I'll comply, but you never know.

Love you all,

S. Wolf