Agape Tale
A.N This is an A.U tale it has sort of a mixed setting kind of like fairy tale, old English, middle earth (LOTR) kind of feel to it. I really hope you enjoy this story. If my grammar sucks please by all means tell me. If you want to volunteer as a beta reader then please do so I will love you forever. This is also a slash (meaning male/male relationship) if that offends you then please stop reading. While I accept criticism I do not tolerate bigots who can't seem to respect people.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Congrats to J.K Rowling who has finished the series. Also a big portion of the plot is taken from various sources like the Lord of the Rings, fairy tales like um fairy tales. I don't really know which ones right now I probably will add more references as the story progresses.
Molly Weasley sighed softly as she woke that morning, her thoughts turned towards her youngest son Ronald actually to be more precise her thoughts were on his best friend, Harry Potter. Today marked the date of his mysterious appearance almost fifteen years ago on the Dursley's doorsteps. Naturally since no one inquired about his birth date they assumed that this date was it.
Molly stirred the embers of the fire quietly not wanting to wake the other occupants of the Burrow. Her mind wandered to the cruel injustice that Harry was subjected to. Vernon Dursley was convinced that he would have nothing to do with the infant when he found it on his doorsteps. But Petunia, his wife, had manipulated Vernon to accept the infant to raise it like a slave to do their bidding. The Dursley's were poor folk they had no extra money to afford a bought slave, so given their desperate situation Vernon agreed to keep the babe as their servant. Molly harshly stirred the ladle as she thought upon the treatment Harry received from the Dursely's and especially their son who was the same age. Dudly would use Harry as a punching bag instead of stopping the vicious cruelty; Vernon actually encouraged the beatings Dudly gave Harry.
Molly had been horrified at the cuts and bruises the boy harbored. He looked up and squinted, his eyesight was very poor, which gave Vernon the incentive to abuse the poor boy even more this attributed to his inability to do certain tasks well and Petunia would always scold him for it. But this little defect wasn't the worst of it all, when normal children began to talk or make noises Harry had made none. Vernon had suspected that Harry was a late bloomer and would speak eventually but he was convinced when Harry turned seven that he was mute. This did not bode well for the Dursleys like most people they distained themselves from the handicapped. Even the townsmen attributed these abnormalities to be the punishment of God on the child for their parents' mistakes. This had made the other boys in the town to mark Harry as their target.
Molly grimaced at the 'harmless' fun these boys invoked at the expense of Harry. But her mood lifted as she reflected how Ron had become Harry's friend. She had the decency to raise Ron the right way, to have compassion to those less fortunate. But Ron had delighted in Harry's company whenever Harry's chores for the day were done they would go to all sorts of places to either escape Harry's tormentors or just to experience the joys of adolescence.
The tiny sound echoed around her as she carefully laid down the teacup. Molly wrapped her arms around her gazing out the window to calm her mind and enjoy the brisk morning air. She caught a movement on the road she squinted her eyes to get a better look. The sun was just rising so the streets were still covered in shadows. As soon as she identified the person she gasped and rushed out of the door grabbing her shawl placed on one of the chairs.
"Harry!" She yelled as she drew closer, the boy she identified as Harry raised his head in bewilderment, "What are you doing out here? It's not nearly half past six!" Molly exclaimed and caught sight of the heavy bucket Harry had been trying to carry and balance so the water did not slosh around. "Oh Harry," she exclaimed softly as her worry abated as pity took its place. She drew him into a hug mindful of the bucket he was carrying. After a few moments of silence Molly felt his light struggle against her embrace. She knew that he was uncomfortable with physical interactions so she drew back and lightly touched his shoulder, the grimace he made did not get past her keen senses.
"Harry, did Dudly beat you again?" Molly asked softly but sternly, Harry had lowered his face and stared at the ground, finding the pebbles to be of a great interest, "Harry. Please look at me sweetheart." Molly chided as she tried to find his eyes, "Alright if you refuse to answer me we'll have to patch you up like always." At this statement Harry started to violently shake his head to show his dissent. He pointed at the water bucket as if to say he had obligations to fill. Molly grimly nodded as she fully let him go, "Harry dear please come by with Ron and I'll help you heal those bruises." Harry looked as if he wanted to shake his head again but slowly nodded trying to appease Molly.
"Alright then you best be going on your way." Molly said softly as if it pained her to say something like that. Harry nodded and gave her a light smile to show his appreciation for her concern. He then started to carefully make his way down the street mindful of the water in the bucket.
Molly blinked back the tears in her eyes as she watched Harry's figure shrink as he drew further and further away. She and her husband Arthur had tried to adopt Harry as their own but they had seven children to take care of and they were barely managing, an eighth child would be the death of them. Sighing softly she made her way back to the house to start cooking breakfast; she knew that her husband would be awake in a couple of minutes getting ready for work.
..:::&:::..
"Harry! What took you so long you wretch?" Petunia scolded the child as he tried to manage opening the door and getting the water through at the same time. She had her hands on her hips her displeasure showing clearly on her face. "Do you know what time it is? I have to start breakfast soon and you insist on taking time to bring the water." Harry bowed his head shamefaced, "No meals for you today or tomorrow you scum. Next time you have the urge to dawdle and waste time, use the memories of hunger to keep you from indulging yourself in your whims." Petunia spat as she turned to tend to the furnace. "Come on you get the firewood, don't stand there like an invalid!"
Harry scampered about and rushed outside using the back door. He momentarily realized that today was when he mysteriously appeared in this town. He pushed that thought aside to fetch the firewood from the back. Staggering under the weight of the wood he tried to balance his grip on the logs of wood.
.:::&:::..
Two days had passed and his punishment was over Harry was glad for the meager portions Petunia heaped onto his plate and began eating at a rapid pace. He learned by now whatever wasn't gone in five minutes was eaten by Dudly. He finished and wiped his mouth using the nearest cloth available. He hopped out of his chair and ran out the front door. Today Petunia had given him a free day to himself because tonight was the Lantern Festival where people paid homage to the dead by casting out candles of all sorts into the river. Supposedly it was to guide the dead towards their final resting place. Harry thought it was a load of bollocks but he didn't complain because at least every year he got this day free.
Knock Knock… Harry paused as he waited for Ron to open the door; he always enjoyed the special sound the Weasley's door held when knocked upon. It was almost like a comforting, soothing, welcoming noise or at least to Harry it seemed that way. Mrs. Weasley opened the door and drew him in immediately on the spot.
"Wait here Ron woke up late this morning so he'll be down in a minute." Mrs. Weasley chattered on and fretted over Harry, "Are you hungry or thirsty? Do you want some bread with cheese? Fruits? Tea? Biscuits?" Harry smiled and shook his head politely refusing the food she was offering. "Fine but I just baked some pastry at least have a bit of that. You are looking way to thin." Molly chastised, Harry gave in not wanting the attention focused on him and lightly nodded. "Alright dear just wait here in this chair." Harry indulged her and drew out the chair to sit on.
"Oh look Fred."
"Why George, isn't that…"
"Ronnikin's…"
"Friend?" George and Fred finished together Cheshire grins overtaking their face.
Harry felt his lips twitch hoping to conceal his grin but he couldn't help it. His spirits lifted whenever he was around the two most notorious pranksters in town Fred and George Weasley.
"So ready for –"
"the fireworks tonight?"
"I heard they –"
"Were going to be"
"Smashing!"
The twins gave each other knowing smiles and then began crackling evilly. Harry decided to back away slowly from the pair of them. He suddenly bumped into something very large.
"Harry! How are you tonight?" Arthur Weasley beamed. "Have you seen what the gypsies brought into town this year?!" Harry shook his head to affirm the negative, "Well if you get the chance you should go see them. The things they have are amazing! Absolutely brilliant, there's this one contraption that seems to channel the sun's heat to a single point on the ground. Their science is fascinating, and I can never get how exactly they work." Harry nodded obligingly Mr. Weasley had always been known for his weird knack for strange and obscure inventions the gypsies brought to town with them every year.
"Harry you came early!" Ron exclaimed as he came into the living room. Ron, like the rest of his siblings, had flaming red hair and freckles. This past summer he experienced yet another growth spurt and stood a good 6 inches taller then Harry, whose malnutrition did nothing to accelerate his growth periods. Ron patted down on Harry's hair knowing that no matter what they tried his hair would not stay put. Harry on the other hand pushed away, glaring at the offending hand.
"Oh mum we're heading out to the river I'll take the pastries with me. Harry and I will share them once we get there!" Ron called out as he grabbed Harry's hand with his left hand and with his right took the package Mrs. Weasley prepared for them. "We'll be back before ten," called out Ron, speeding out the door, once out in the street he slowed his pace to a slow trot alongside Harry. For a few moments they traveled in silence to their destination. They made their way to the special spot they had ventured to every year and made themselves comfortable by the water.
Ron grabbed a pastry out of the bag, broke half and handed the right half to Harry. Harry politely took it and started to chew slowly to savor the rich taste of raspberry jam explode in his mouth. Few moments went by in silence the two friends stared at the calm river and the insects darting across the river top.
Finally Ron broke the silence by asking, "Harry do you ever wonder if there's more to life then just living in a small town like this?" Harry took another bite out of the pastry piece and chewed softly as if to slowly process the thought. He then turned to look at Ron and nodded firmly. "I guess you're right there's a whole new world out there and I haven't even ventured past Farmer Tindel's fields. What I want to do is go out and explore all the new places. Sure mum and dad's life isn't all to boring but I want adventure." Harry nodded as if to signal Ron to continue, "You know those stories you hear from the gypsies and travelers. About the tall trees, giants, and elves! Those myths about sirens and ships as bigger then the biggest house in town, I just wish that these stories could be true." Ron sighed as he picked up a pebble and started skipping them. "I'm sure I'm not being a good Catholic when I wonder in magic is real. But sometimes I wish it was real!"
Harry sat in silence for a moment and grinned up at Ron with a grin that said he wished that all these things were real also. He got up and dusted his pants then without warning he pushed Ron over then started running into the forest.
"Harry! That's not fair you got a head start!" Ron called out after him; Harry turned around and stuck out his tongue. "Alright that's it! I'm going to catch you this time!" Harry beamed giving a sly messagethat said 'you can try'.
..:::&:::..
"Albus! Albus! Where are you?" A tall, stately, woman called out into the room full of scrolls. "Albus? I really need to talk to you." One of the mounds of scrolls started to shuffle and then from behind the pile burst out a man with a long beard and spectacles. His blue eyes turned to the woman who addressed him as Albus. The eyes that usually twinkled with mirth now contained a new sort of grey that seemed to signal grave foreboding.
"Minerva, how may I be of assistance?"
"Albus is something wrong?" the woman who he addressed as Minerva asked forgetting her urgent task.
"It has come to my attention that the dark lord Voldemort has begun his sinister plans to regain his lost power." Albus said gravely, "The prophecy made almost fifteen years past has recently captured my attention."
"Oh my! What did the prophecy say?"
"The Dark Lord seeks secrets;
He will attempt immortality,
To achieve such deity;
Pentagon is his symbol,
Join Slytherin and Gryffindor.
His regime will end on the passing month of July
But his rebirth will bring about more pain and suffering.
One boy born on the day of his defeat will determine it all.
For the Dark Lord cannot live without the power he knows not." Albus stopped his recitation. Minerva looked shell shocked.
"Fifteen years ago makes that the year of 167. The Potter Massacre?" Minerva choked out. Albus nodded shuffling random scrolls in around with his fingers.
"Their little boy was born at the end of the month. They were the only surviving descendants of Gryffindor. Lord Voldemort took that line as if it meant that the two families should be joined in matrimony." Albus sighed deeply, "Lily and James Potter refused to hand their son over. He was just born and they wouldn't have it. The magic within this earth and what keeps our world revolving cannot recognize a joining of a minor unless they have the parents consent."
"So that means?" Minerva asked puzzled.
"Obviously Lily and James' refusal angered Voldemort and he decided to take a more sinister route by killing everyone except their son. Because Voldemort only heard the prophecy until the Join Slytherin and Gryffindor he had no idea about his regime ending. He felt his powers slipping about him. He innately knew he'd eventually return to power but to prevent the joining of Harry and another he cursed the baby. But something strange happened I think it was Harry's magic acting to protect him and he just vanished from the scene." Albus recounted softly, "I apparated as soon as I could to Godric Hollows but the damage was done. Everyone was dead but the infant was nowhere to be found."
Minerva breathed out slowly, "But I thought everyone had died and by some accident the magic retaliated against Voldemort because had killed off the last descendants of Gryffindor."
"That was the fabricated version of the story. I could not release the contents of the Prophecy to the general public and it was a way to ensure that peace would just follow after Voldemort's reign of terror." Albus sighed wearily looking older than his age. "But this whole time I've been searching for their infant I can find no trace of him. No where, I've looked in all the magical communities. The dwellings of elves, giants, centaurs, everyplace I could think of in the magical world. I don't know where else to look." Albus said dejectedly.
"Have you looked at through the Muggle dwellings?" Minerva asked him softly.
"I have but whenever I ask about a strange child appearing in their town they give me a funny look and refuse to give information." Albus explained, "I can't just tell them what actually happened they don't understand magic and I have no way of asking them without rousing any suspicion."
"That would be a problem."
"I know but we must find this child. The fate of Middle Earth rests upon his shoulders."
Tbc…
Next time:
"Hello youngin's don't be afraid come into the tent. Don't you want to see the great and wise Muriel who has the gift of foresight? Come inside and he will tell you you're fate." A man beckoned towards Harry and Ron who had just been passing by looking at all the wonderful festivities of the night.
"Harry I don't think this is such a good idea." Ron cautioned, but Harry paid no mind his curiosity had been roused. He took a couple of steps forward bringing him into the tent.