Hello little readers, welcome to the first challenge taken by ChallengerArrives. Below is the basic information of the challenge.
Challenge Given by: Lighted Candle
Challenge: Salazar's Apprentice
Requirements (short modified version):
Must be family/friendship based. No romance.
Harry travels to founder's era (or a different dimension with the founders) for some reason after battle.
Harry does not arrive near Hogwarts or a Founder.
Harry saves child from being kidnapped by wizards with a grudge against Slytherin line. Option A: They kidnapped the child for parseltongue in order to get at "treasure" Option B: Minions of chaos and destruction a.k.a. bandits (Randsome) Option C: Other reasons. (Ex. Warring wizarding factions) Bonus: Child is related to Salazar.
Harry saves two other children from witch burning/stonings.
Harry teaches trio how to fight with weapons and escape from enemies.
When they arrive at Hogwarts, there is a skirmish going on or they are found by a familiar of one of the founders.
In light of the Life Debt, Harry has gained by saving Salazar's relative, Harry is apprenticed, adopted as a son/brother (particularly if Salazar knows Harry is a parselmouth) and/or saved from enemy.
Optional
MoD Harry - it's his job to destroy items like horcruxes or creatures fleeing death (can sense the things he is supposed to destroy when he is near them)
Salazar is trying to find his relative but enemies are hampering search or does not know his relative is alive (reason for turning 'dark' before, he was trying not to be caught off guard again.)
Check out the actual thing if you decide to take it because I left out the pre-written MUST HAVE part of it.
My reaction upon finding the challenge: So restrictive... *smirk challenge accepted*
Disclaimer: I wish I was a genius like that. J.K. Rowling is living proof that blonds are not stupid.
Now, let's get started.
Chapter 1 Disappearances
Harry but his lip as he looked through Hermione's notes frantically. She and Ron had gone to test her newest theory and they hadn't returned. In fact, he couldn't feel their life energy, a power he'd gained after becoming master of death.
Hermione had wanted to test out the theory and he had wanted to go with them because he had a bad feeling about it but had another mastery test to pass. Hermione had assured they'd be safe and he'd let them go. "We're only going to set it up, we'll wait for you before we start it up." When he got there after passing his mastery, they hadn't been there and there had been a distinct magical feel to the place. It was eating him up. He never should have let them go without him.
"Calm yourself Harry, getting worked up won't solve a thing." Salena whispered in his ear.
After the final battle that had happened 11 years ago, Harry had reunited with Salena, a fellow magic user he'd met as a child and she'd returned memories he had asked her mother to take from his mind, an hour before Dumbledore obliviated him and took him back to the Dursleys. She proved even proved them through muggle means. A necklace he had given to her with his child-sized fingerprints on them and a muggle video of them and her elder brother together.
Salena had been a year younger than Harry and in Hufflepuff where it had been impossible to get near Harry alone since the house had a buddy system. (No one was allowed to leave the common room alone.) Her brother had died a month before his letter was to arrive. Her mother followed two weeks after.
Salena was a parselmouth as well. She had gained the ability from drinking a mixture of the venom and blood (willing-given without malicious intent) of a Zilant, who was now her familiar.
Harry took a deep breath. "Thanks Salena."
Honestly, he should have gone with them. Their safety was more important than his stupid mastery, he already had about nine others. Where it took most people a half a decade to finish apprenticeship, it took Harry about year each.
Harry had traveled the world with Ron, Hermione, and Salena learning everything he and Hermione could. Hermione out of love of knowledge and Harry out of interest. Ron tagged along for the fun of it, he ended up earning a mastery or two himself. Salena just didn't want to leave Harry's side again.
They learned magic both ancient and recent. Where one of them didn't know something, it was likely one of the others knew it. Every year, they lived in the muggle world for a month, expanding their knowledge and fitness. Ron had learned swordfighting, Hermione learned archery, Salena polished up her bo staff ability and Harry learned a large variety of weaponry but still specialized in knife throwing and martial arts. (They even went into a hidden village of ninja once or twice.) Of course, since the quartet did almost everything together, they all knew the basics of the other's knowledge.
Upon returning to the United Kingdom, Harry had entered yet another apprenticeship and had passed this one in under eight months and it had led to this.
"Let's take a break." Salena said. "You are too worked up to think straight right now."
"I want to check the place they were at again first."
Salena bit her lip. She was worried about Ron and Hermione but Harry was working himself to death. Even if she said no, Harry would somehow convince her. It wasn't just her either. When Harry got his memories back, parts of his old personality reappeared, like why the hat wanted him in Slytherin. It was hard to say no to Harry and if you did... well, in the end, Harry got what he wanted. "One look." Salena relented.
Harry gave that lop-sided smile. "Of course."
"I'm going too."
"But-"
"No buts. If you disappear too, how do you think I would feel?!"
With a huff, Harry gave up. "Let's go then." He took her hand and squeezed it. She returned the squeeze. Together, always. I'll make sure you will never feel alone again.
The location was secluded. While the pathway was unstable, the actual meeting place was a perfectly shaped cubicle made of magic repellent rock that the pathway was also made of. Magic buzzed in the air, unable to sink into the rock. The magic was so compact it was visible, tangible and all around alive. The best kind of place for magical rituals, that is, if one was experienced enough, something that Ron and Hermione were not.
Harry looked over the runes used for the ritual. He mumbled to himself about each one.
Salena looked around worriedly. "The magic here... it's angry."
"Of course it is," Harry replied. "Magic is meant to flow freely. It's no wonder that it hates being cooped up like this. As soon as we find out what happened to Hermione and Ron, we will set it free. It's possible that the magic decided that it would use the ritual they set up as an escape route."
"Indeed, you are correct on both accounts." said a new voice.
Harry and Salena turned to see a glowing ball of light. It shifted as if it had no real physical form. "We are Mogut, one of the personifications of magic." It introduced itself. "If you release us, we shall send you to the lands your friends have unintentionally gone to."
"Deal." Harry agreed.
"Harry!" Salena cried alarmed. "How do we know we can trust it?!"
"I can feel it." Harry said. "Besides, magic cannot go back on it's word unless the other brakes their word, especially if it promises a magic user."
He opened the door, "Reducto." he said, voice low and teeming with power, and collapsed the pathway. A vortex of magic was created as a gaping hole in the ceiling allowed a small potion of magic to leave and leave it did at an incredible rate.
"Thank you." Mogut said. In a flash of light, Harry and Salena were no more.
It was lucky that no one was around to see the flash of light or the two bodies that dropped from it. One male and the other, female.
"Urgh. You okay?" asked the male.
"I'm fine, you?" asked the female.
"Nothing broken." the male replied.
The two got up and checked each other over, a habit from the war they had fought together. They stared in shock.
"You look ten!" they both cried in shock.
"Wha- how, why?" the girl said, too in shock to actually make an comprehensible sentence.
"Deep breaths, come on. In and out, in and out." the boy said cautiously.
"This makes no sense!" she cried after calming down enough to formulate a proper sentence.
"You'd think impossible and senseless things would be normal for you now, hanging out with Harry for almost two decades and all." the male said in clear amusement.
"Ron!" the girl admonished.
"What?! It's true!" the male identified as Ron defended.
The girl shook her head. "First things first, we need to figure out where and when we are."
"Let's go explore!" Ron said excitedly.
"Just like old times. And here, I thought we were done with adventures." the girl laughed.
"But Hermione, we'll never be done with adventures." quipped Ron.
"Truer words have never been spoken." Hermione replied jokingly.
"Aye." Ron said in jest. "Untoward this venture, we newly bound forth."
Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's antics. "That made no sense."
"You know what I mean." Ron pouted. He offered her his arm. "Shall we?" he asked with a grin.
"We shall," she agreed with a smug grin, taking his arm. The duo skipped off.
A few seconds later...
"How long did it take Harry and Salena to drill this into you?"
"Oh, shove off, 'Mione." he huffed. The skipping slowed to a walk and their hands moved to link there rather than the elbow.
Suddenly turning serious, Hermione sad. "Since we look like children, it would be better and far more believable when we meet others to act lost and afraid."
Ron nodded in acceptance. While he was better at war strategies, Hermione was better at everyday, unexpected, and impossible situations. Better, not the best, that was Harry.
Their group at the very basic went like this: Harry = unpredictable; all-rounder; mediator; leader, Ron = war; distractions; comedy relief, Hermione - book research; warder; back up mediator, Salena = field reserch (spy); hunter; Harry's about to blow up detector; back-up mediator. Of course, it wasn't hard for any of them to know when Harry was about to blow up. However, those who didn't know Harry as well... Obviously, it was all much more complicated but this WAS just the basics.
Another thirty steps had Ron accidentally stepping onto a ward. Hermione's cry of warning barely out.
Suddenly, they were surrounded.
Ron and Hermione huddled together, Ron in a protective position and Hermione in a position where she could act scared but still guard Ron's back and he, hers.
For a moment, there was shouting in a language that neither understood, leading to Ron and Hermione to let their guards down so they could run, then two flashes of light, and the duo fell unconscious.
It's a bit short with only about 1,500 words, not including the A/Ns, but I hope you liked it.