HARRY POTTER AND THE GRIMOIRE OF DABRIA
By
TONKINESE CAT
"Before setting out for revenge, first dig two graves: one for your enemy and one for yourself"
Confucius
A/N: A huge thanks to my good friend and editor Paige the Lunar Pilgrim for looking over and fixing all sorts of things in these first two chapters.
CHAPTER ONE
THE WHISPERING WAND
In his ten years as Head Auror, Harry Potter had never felt more strained. For the longest time, there was peace. Petty thievery, apparition without license and lack of common sense around Muggles had become the worst of his problems; so much so, that a lot of people joked that Harry had done his job so well, he'd run out of work.
So many free resources did the Auror Department have, that they felt they could use their skills in the Muggle world and help quell Muggle crime as best they could; especially with the trend of rising crime all over Britain in the past few months.
It seemed to all start with random outbreaks of riots among the Muggles. After three such riots in three weeks, over three different counties and with no apparent motive, Harry was beginning to suspect there was something odd about these events: in particular, the way that the Muggles were seemingly enraged over nothing and always confused and bewildered afterwards. Something magical, perhaps?
However, with no solid leads as of yet, Harry had resigned himself to simply reacting to these events, without being able to pre-empt them in any way. Regardless of the stresses of the office, Harry was in a particularly excited mood, because that morning he had sent James and Albus off to school – their third and first year, respectively. Harry was expecting news of Albus' sorting at any moment, as well as that of he and Ginny's niece, Rose.
Ginny was sitting near the fireplace on their deep red sofa, legs tucked up under her, reading Tales of Beedle the Bard to Lily. The girl was the image of her mother, with flaming, long red hair and freckles. Lily donned her Snitch-design pyjamas – hand-knitted by Molly Weasley – and giggled along to the story of Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump.
Of course, Ginny was certain that Albus and Rose would both be sorted into Gryffindor. Nearly everyone in her family had been, including: Bill and Fleur's children – Victoire, Dominique and Louis; George and Angelina's children – Fred, Roxanne and Percy; and Audrey's first daughter, Molly. The lone exception, however, had been Percy and Audrey's second daughter, Lucy: incredibly bright and viciously intelligent, she had been sorted into Ravenclaw.
The other Weasley children teased Lucy at times, Harry had noticed, because she was the odd one out; but Lucy had taken it all in stride, apparently. She seemed to be a very fulfilled, well-liked and high-scoring student, as far as Harry had heard.
Nevertheless, Ginny had put down Lucy's sorting as a fluke and was determined Albus would be a Gryffindor; as would Lily, upon being sorted in two years time. Harry was just wondering what Ginny's expression would be like if she was wrong and Albus wasn't sorted into Gryffindor, when at that moment, out of the window, he saw the silvery-white glow of an incoming Patronus.
"It's here," Harry said quietly to Ginny, without looking at her. He instead watched as the Patronus Lion burst through the window and pounded around the room excitedly. Lily jumped up to her feet, giggling and laughing as the lion circled her.
Harry chuckled to himself and exchanged a mirrored glance with Ginny when the recognisable voice of his old friend, Neville Longbottom, came from the Patronus.
"Hi, Harry, Ginny. Hope you're doing well. You'll be pleased to hear Gryffindor has gained another Potter! Albus seemed pleased. No surprise there, though, eh? You know what was a surprise, though? Scorpius Malfoy becoming one of our newest Gryffindors. I bet Draco'll be pleased. We should meet up at the first Hogsmeade weekend. It'll be nice to catch up. All the best."
The voice faded and with a small roar, the lion swirled into nothingness and vanished.
"I told you!" Ginny boasted, grinning knowingly at Harry. "Gryffindor til the end."
Harry smirked.
"All four of the houses are worthy of being sorted into, though," Harry added, with a meaningful glance at Lily.
"Of course," Ginny added, catching on.
Lily looked between the two of them and sighed.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to have a mental breakdown if I get sorted into a different house. I don't really mind which house I'm in, I just wanna go to Hogwarts!" she said, in a voice that sounded way too old for her age.
Harry smirked again.
"Well, I think it's time for bed anyway. Then you'll be one day closer to Hogwarts when you wake up."
Some time later, after Harry had tucked in Lily and headed back downstairs, Ginny had just brewed two cups of tea and sat down with Harry when there was a knock at the door.
"I'll get it, it's probably Ron and Hermione," Ginny said and headed out of the sitting room.
She returned a minute later, after Harry heard the mumbled greetings in the hallway, with the bushy-haired Hermione and the slightly-thinned red hair of Ron bobbing in cheerfully. Harry got up to his feet and hugged them both.
"So," Harry said, separating from Hermione. "Rose?"
Hermione almost shook with glee.
"Gryffindor!" she squealed. "And Albus?"
"Same." Harry beamed.
"Oh, wonderful!" Hermione exclaimed, smiling.
"As if there was any doubt," Ginny chimed in.
"Well, Lucy –" Ron started, but Ginny cut across him playfully.
"Fluke!"
"Did you hear about Malfoy's kid?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione, as Ginny used her wand to duplicate her and Harry's mugs of tea to give one each to Ron and Hermione.
"Did he get expelled already by any chance?" Ron asked hopefully, taking the tea from Ginny and sipping it.
"No. He was sorted into Gryffindor," Harry said.
Predictably, Ron coughed on the tea and put the mug down on the table, spilling it slightly.
"You what?" he asked, incredulously.
"I know. Funny, isn't it?" Harry said.
"Funny? Not sure how I feel about the spawn of Draco Malfoy being housemates with my kids," Ron said.
Hermione scowled.
"Ron, you know better than that. Don't judge him on the family's reputation," she scolded.
"Oh, come off it, Hermione. He's bound to be just as dodgy as his dad and grandad before him."
Hermione shook her head.
"Draco hasn't been dodgy since the war. I think Harry would know if he was."
"I'm just saying, the apple doesn't usually fall far from the tree. Maybe I'll send Rose a letter telling her to be caref–"
"You'll do no such thing!" Hermione interrupted. "Let her decide for herself who her friends are."
Harry couldn't help but smile. For as long as he had known Ron and Hermione, they had argued as much as they had gotten along. Not seeing them as much – or on a daily basis, like in their school days – it didn't annoy him half as much as it used to. Today had been a welcome distraction from work and he was glad he had the weekend ahead of him before he returned to the stress on Monday. Almost as if he had read Harry's mind, Ron turned to him with an inquisitive look.
"How's the enquiry going? Any news on what's caused the Muggles to get so crazy?"
"Nothing new," Harry replied. "All we know is that after we subdue them, they have no idea how they got there or what they've done. Almost like they were possessed – but of course, I don't know any magic that allows for such a huge number of possessions at the same time. Anyway, how's George and the family?"
"You know George. Working on more products for the Express Delivery Service to Hogwarts students."
They laughed about George's latest inventions, including: a Hair-Growing Wolfdrop, which caused sudden and uncontrollable hair growth head to toe; and the Foreign Fudge, which allowed the user to temporarily speak any one of six languages, including Gobbledegook. Harry and Ron then had a short game of Wizard's Chess before Hermione informed them they'd been there an hour. She then politely reminded them that they'd told Molly, who was babysitting Hugo, they'd be back within that time.
"I'll see you tomorrow, I expect, if you're not busy," Ron commented to Harry after bidding Ginny goodbye and heading for the door with Hermione.
"Sure, no prob–"
"Harry!" Ginny called from the other room, interrupting him.
Harry, Ron and Hermione ran back into the sitting room to see a silver-white lynx burst through the wall. It prowled around while the unmistakable voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt echoed around the room.
"More Muggle trouble. I'll be there momentarily. Be prepared."
Harry exchanged glances with the other three.
"He sounds concerned," Ginny commented.
"It's always a hassle with Muggle trouble; memory charms on top of making sure no-one gets hurt," Harry muttered as he picked up his wand from the polished pine dining table.
Harry rushed into the hallway and lifted his cloak from the rack, fastening it as he re-entered the sitting room.
The faintest pop turned the attention of the four in the room to the sudden appearance of Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt. Bald, black and broad-shouldered, with teeth for earrings and a discreet grey-and-blue robe.
"Kingsley." Harry acknowledged him with a short nod.
"Hello everyone. We can't stay. Are you ready?" Kingsley asked Harry.
"As I'll ever be," Harry replied.
Harry started to grab Kingsley's arm for apparition, when Ron spoke up.
"Let me come with!" he said hastily.
Kingsley gave him a sympathetic look.
"Strictly Auror business I'm afraid, Ron," Kingsley replied. And with a motion to Harry, they apparated together into the darkness.
A moment of breathlessness later – an experience Harry was still not used to after twenty years – they arrived in a dark London street.
Up ahead, Harry could hear a commotion and saw smoke rising from behind a block of flats. As they walked briskly towards the chaos, Kingsley updated Harry.
"Reports of violence, fires, riots in the East End. No apparent cause. I've called in the other Aurors, because we've sensed magic being used here too."
"Magic? So there's wizards attacking people too?" Harry asked, now quickening his pace.
"Seems like it. Be on guard," Kingsley warned.
"Right," Harry said and broke into a jog. He took cover behind a parked Jeep as he turned into the street.
Utter mayhem lay before him. Harry saw a car on fire, burning out, with big black billowing smoke. He saw Muggles – like he had the last few occasions he'd been in a situation like this – with hazy, vacant looks on their faces as they smashed windows, tore poles down and threw rocks. Looking further back, he saw red streams of light erupting from the smoke and hitting people; along with an inexplicable, carrying whisper echoing over the chaos. Harry strained but couldn't decipher any words.
So there are wizards, he thought, and headed further forward into the street.
As the attackers advanced from the smoke of the fire, Harry was surprised to see them dressed like Muggles. Whoever they were, they had clearly made the effort to disguise themselves. Harry wordlessly deflected a few red streams that headed in his direction with ease.
These attackers were not very powerful.
Harry deflected a few more red streams, before pointing his wand at the first attacker that came clearly into view.
"Stupefy!" he shouted.
The Stunning Spell hit the attacker, and the man toppled back over the bonnet of a parked car with smashed windows.
That whisper carried still over the noise. It distracted Harry more than he cared to admit to himself.
A Stunning Spell missed Harry's head by inches as he spun on the spot, and shouted "Expelliarmus!"
The attacker's wand flew out of his hand and bounced towards Harry. Harry stared at the unarmed man; chubby, balding and wearing a West Ham United football jersey. The man gazed back, looking confused and frowning. The wand on the ground resonated the same unintelligible whisper. It almost hummed through the air and towards Harry.
The chubby man looked around at the chaos, then at Harry and his wand, with a puzzled expression. Harry picked up the wand and pocketed it.
Another stream came flying towards Harry and he cast a Shield Charm to deflect it. The quick motion with his wand made the man recoil, suddenly terrified. Harry frowned, confused by the wizard's sudden repulsion to magic after losing his wand.
Harry saw Kingsley and Dawlish run past him, both sending Stunning Spells in the direction of more attackers.
Then a realisation hit Harry so hard he almost thought one of the Muggles had launched a rock at him.
"Kingsley!" Harry shouted.
Kingsley deflected a couple of red beams and turned to Harry.
"Don't attack them, they're Muggles!" Harry called.
"What? They have wands!" Kingsley argued back, sidestepping a Disarming Spell.
"Trust me! I don't know how they are doing it, but they aren't wizards!" Harry called back.
He wasn't sure how he knew with such certainty, but he did. He settled on it just being instinct and instead moved around, disarming Muggles, who usually stumbled around confused immediately after being disarmed – though one or two did try and attack Harry physically, to which Harry tied them up with conjured ropes.
Kingsley, Dawlish and a handful of other Aurors eventually copied Harry's tactics.
"Aguamenti!" Harry called, and a stream of water jetted out of his wand and began to douse the burning car into a smouldering pile of metal and charred smoke.
Some of the Muggles – those without wands – were still causing havoc. Two rocks narrowly missed Harry and he heard another car window smash someway up the road. With a sudden idea, Harry turned the jet of water from the car to the surrounding Muggles. The water seemed to stop them in their tracks, like they had woken from a trance, and soon, the streets were filled with confused and panicking Muggles.
"Looks like the worst is over," said the dark-haired and bearded Wilkins.
"Get everyone else to start with memory charms and get these people home," Harry told him, and Wilkins nodded and headed off.
Kingsley approached Harry with a sigh.
"I don't know what just happened, but I've never seen or heard anything like it before. Muggles using magic. It just doesn't make sense," Kingsley said.
"They were in a trance-like state, too; just like all the other Muggle riots lately. But now they have wands. Whoever is behind this is getting stronger. We need to find them. I'm going to patrol the area, see if I can find anyone hanging around."
Harry set off into the adjoining streets and alleys. Deep down, he knew that whoever was behind this would have apparated long ago amid the chaos, but Harry had to search anyway, just to put his mind at ease. He lit up dark alleys, running through, looking for any signs of wizards or magic where they shouldn't be. In one particular alley, he bumped into a young gang, who approached him, hollering aggressively. But a quick round of Confundus Charms and Harry telling them their shoes were untied was enough to distract them all as he hurried through.
Twenty minutes later, though, Harry was resigned to accept that the perpetrator was long gone, and apparated back to Kingsley.
"Nothing," Harry answered to Kingsley's unasked question as he approached. "Here's one of their wands I picked up."
"I have one. Take it, see what you can find out about it," Kingsley said.
Harry nodded and pocketed it again.
"Wilkins, Dawlish, King and Ahmed have it under control," Kingsley told him, motioning to the Aurors behind him who had rounded up most of the Muggles and Obliviated them. "You may as well head home. But I'll need you in the office first thing. We have a lot of work to do."
"Right. Take care, Kingsley."
With a concoction of disappointment, frustration and apprehension in the pit of his stomach, Harry spun on the spot and apparated with a pop.