Jeez.
I didn't think that this story would be so popular. This is my first attempt on the Harry Potter scene after all. Yes I admit that the dragon part was based on Smaug, but not because I think Smaug or Lord of the Rings is awesome, but because its a game changer. Something that can crucially effect all of the story. Since this is fanfiction, and fiction is considered a very large topic, I've decided to explore this as a plot point.
Secondly, and most importantly, would you like longer chapters with longer post times? Or shorter chapters, with faster post times? I'm trying to work at a 5k-6k word average for my chapters, but if you need content faster, I can do a chapter of 1-2k and get it done in half the time.
Thanks to all who have reviewed and told me to keep this story going.
It was honestly meant to end with McGonagall fainting, but you all wanted more, so here is more!
-Freedom
This was the son of James and Lily.
His black hair was as dark as the scales of the beast he could become. It flowed down his back, having been uncut and untrimmed for a very long time. He was covered in strange grey furs, with the occasional piece of armor that must have been scavenged from the Goblin forces. A shoulder piece for only the right side, a gauntlet for his left hand, a silver belt slung awkwardly around his waist in order to keep up the matted grey fur. His feet had a pair of mismatched boots with the right one being larger than the left.
Hagrid was expecting a scared and small boy, not some kind of behemoth from a time long forgotten.
Harry Potter looked positively feral.
While also being a stunning image of his father, he held a uniqueness to him. He was also big. Much bigger than any other child his age would be. Aspects of his dragon form were reflected in the boy. His piercing green eyes were slitted just like his gigantic form. He was lithe still, a skinny, but everything about him just bled the sense of a predator.
"What was this about a first age dragon?" McGonagall stepped up alongside Hagrid and the others, being a good 20 feet away from where Dumbledore and the boy were talking.
"So ya want the lesson now Professor?" Hagrid smiled at her, also noting that the others were paying attention, especially Snape.
"My ancestors, the giants, the ones who had a brain in their heads at least, used to do battle with these great beasts. Dragon's of the first age are exactly what we have just seen. Great beast's with an unquenchable thirst for gold. Monsters from an era long passed. The tales and stories said that most Wizards lived in fear of these great beasts, and only until the second era did any Wizard or Witch actually find a way to combat them."
"Yes, but what are they?" Snape asked loudly, "what is the relation to modern day dragons, and how come we've never heard of them?"
Hagrid brought a hand to his face and wiped away some sweat. The air was boiling after all.
"They are...well, a true dragon so to speak; what every dragon species should really be like. During the second age, dragons of the first age were hunted down to almost extinction. Wizards had become more powerful, and dragonhide was very useful. Not even a killing curse can affect ancient hide. A dragon youngling of the first age took too long to mature, and therefore the species had to adapt or die out. The dragons which we see nowadays are the survivors, the species that were not deemed as valuable for wizards to hunt down. The magic involved with killing a first age dragon is no small task. I would assume even professor Dumbledore would have difficulty using such magic. Eventually the old ways and methods died out, as no one needed them. The great flying beasts which could take a hundred wizards to slay no longer roamed the skies and were forgotten" Hagrid was rattling off all this information so quickly, that no one really knew what to say.
"How do you know all this?" Moody was still frowning.
"I like to read up on creatures. There was a great book on the first age of dragons, and it's still within the hogwarts library"
"Hmm" Snape hummed in thought, focusing back on the headmaster and the 'boy'.
Snape had felt that pang of hatred for James Potter. For everything that the self righteous git had done. But the green eyes…
He could see her. The slice of Lily that was still present in the living realm.
Even as he face morphed into a frown, Severus Snape could not lie to himself that after all these years he was glad that the boy was alive.
He had already failed Lily once. He would not do so again.
Severus would take care of the boy.
...Even if her son was also a monstrous 70 meter tall Ancient Dragon from a time before wizard kind was even in its infancy.
Indeed. A vulnerable child.
Snape coughed absently, covering the smirk on his face with a hand.
Albus was astounded by the conversation with the boy.
"So your ability is instinctual, and not trained?"
Harry nodded.
"Fascinating"
So according to the child, he rarely turned back to his human form, as he deemed it weaker than just being 'himself'. Furthermore, he was under the impression that he had always been a dragon, and that his human form was the spectacular ability he could utilise.
Albus had chuckled when the boy had told him, "to become something so small was… interesting"
Size proportions were off for him.
"How are you able to understand the english language?"
The boy tilted his head thoughtfully, eyes misting over in thought. Dumbledore took this as a bad sign. Harry had been able to answer every question simply so far, but at the topic of his education, and more importantly who taught him, the boy freezes up? No, something was not right.
"Well Harry?"
A pause.
"Can I answer?" the boy looked down timidly, not focusing on Dumbledore anymore.
"Of course-"
"He wasn't talking to you" Harry's eyes snapped back up to gaze into Dumbledore's, the iris's practically glowing a venomous green. His voice had dropped, and the inhuman tone to it startled Albus.
Instinctively, Dumbledore had his wand in hand, ready to cast.
"Who are you?"
"No one. My name has been lost to time"
"What are you doing with Harry?"
"Do not be mistaken Headmaster, we are one in the same. We are what happens when death, blood and a long forgotten history all collide on one unfortunate night. I felt my possession carry from generation to generation. Lord Voldemort freed me into the boy when he attempted to murder us. Now, we are one"
Dumbledore processed the information slowly, keeping his attention on the boy.
Finally feeling that he could do nothing about this possession at the current time, Dumbledore accepted it as fact, returning to his line of questioning immediately.
"Is there any distinction between you two?"
"Not anymore. As the years pass, we grow closer. I can still feel the shade of my past life, but we find it harder to remember every day. It is even difficult for us to speak with you now without disappearing" Harry whispered at the end. He had returned to normal.
"What was that Harry?" Dumbledore watched the child carefully.
"The dragon" Harry replied softly.
"An alter ego?" Dumbledore probed, hoping the boy would know.
Harry just shook his head in a resigned sweep of black hair.
"We taut ourselves everything from the ground up. From our memories of the time before, and of the world experienced through the eyes of others. I have many memories which I know don't belong to us"
"Is this some kind of malicious spirit possessing you?" Dumbledore was more than ready to perform a hasty exorcism.
Yet once again, Harry shook his head in the negative.
"No. It's me. We've always been like this, but now we don't share a space anymore. Soon it's just going to be me"
"This seems to be a form of magic I have never encountered before. Not even old blood magic is as powerful as a full astral possession" Dumbledore had leaned forward slightly, examining Harry over his half moon spectacles, "while not unheard of, under these circumstances it is a unique case"
"The circumstances being?" Harry bit back, wondering how much the older wizard knew or could guess at.
"You have not been subjected to an ancient artifact that carries any curses, which over time would have developed a sort of sentience from the magic of the creator" Flitwick said, having stepped up to the boy, "in the rune classes this would be referred to as, personification, where the curse takes physical if not mental aspects of the creator, and begins influencing the one which it is in contact with"
"I don't think I've ever been in contact with something like that, Mr…" Harry grasped for a name at the smaller man. He seemed to be part Goblin, something that made his blood boil unintentionally.
"Filius Flitwick, Hogwarts Charms Professor, and the proud teacher of your mother Mr. Potter" Flitwick smiled and bowed slightly, easing up on the amount of tension Harry was feeling.
Harry smiled at the smaller man, "there is the odd relic and ancient charm floating around in my mountain Professor Flitwick, but nothing that could cause any harm to myself"
"How long has it been since you took up, 'residence', here in the mountain?" Snape interjected himself with an acidic tone, his eyes fixed firmly on Potter. He had moved up to Dumbledore's left in order to examine the boy.
"Harry told me he has been down here for as long as he could remember" Dumbledore told Severus, and the potions master nodded.
"Gold is a very…. Calming thing" Harry muttered, his eyes glossing over at the very word.
"This fortune is as much as fault as I am. I've never been able to resist its call"
"It's call?" Dumbledore's question was to allow for Harry to elaborate further, and that is what the Potter heir did.
"There's something about gold; its presence. On it's own I can resist the temptation, but something in my mind stings when a fortune such as this" Harry gestured to the millions, if not billions of gold items in the room as all the others slowly moved into a semi-circle around the boy, "is left under attention other than mine"
"This might prove to be a problem for the future Mr. Potter" Minerva McGonagall.
"And why exactly is that, Miss...?" the change in voice unnerved everyone in the room. The dragon boy felt his gold was being threatened, so he had gotten defensive… but that doesn't mean it was scary as hell to see his eyes begin to glow, and his teeth sharpen.
McGonagall however just snorted, much to the wide eyed surprise of everyone else.
"Don't try and tones with me young boy. You can't be expected to attend school if you have a great big mountain of treasure to look after" McGonagall had been teaching children for much longer than most of the other professors. She knew how to deal with a hissy teenager. Once you got over the whole gigantic beast part.
"Either move the treasure or you have to leave it behind"
Since Harry had already expressed his interest and his want to join the magical community, as well as attend the same school as his parents, a fact which all the professors had listened in on, the frown of annoyance that crossed his face was understandable.
"I've got no where to move it to..." Harry muttered, staring at his collection.
Moments of silence continued to pass.
"Ahem"
Everyone turned to look at Hagrid, who had quite loudly cleared his throat.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir"
"Yes Hagrid?"
"Well sir, what if we did what you suggested to me last year? When you were looking at the book on geological magic, and wondered about adding more habitats to not only the Forbidden Forest, but for the rest of the Hogwarts territory sir"
Now everyone was looking at Dumbledore, a sheepish smile on the man's face, "I'm afraid to say this Rubeus, but I cannot recall the book. But what exactly would your idea entail?"
"Well sir" Hagrid fidgeted on the spot, "I always considered adding dragons to the Hogwarts grounds, and most species like to nest in high up locations, so perhaps the addition of a mountain wouldn't be such a bad idea?"
"I suppose that wouldn't be such a bad idea" Dumbledore hummed.
"Would provide a refreshing change of view from some classrooms and towers!" Flitwick hummed.
"The magic takes a few weeks for most, but I think out of all of you, Dumbledore could do it in a few days. Tops" Moody mumbled.
"Sounds like an interesting idea. Maybe add some more habitats as well while you're at it!" Remus smiled.
"I have no problem with this" Minerva muttered.
Snape just grunted.
"When can we go?" Harry asked, the smile across his face showing off his shark like grin.
It turned out that it would be awhile before Harry could go to his new mountain. Firstly, Dumbledore had vanished all the gold using some very powerful magical artefacts. He still had to do multiple trips.
Harry had heavily insisted that not a single gold coin go missing.
He had said he would know if a single one was gone.
As the countryside whipped by onboard the Hogwarts Express, Harry thought about the few outstanding moments of not just his trip to Diagon Alley, but his interactions with the teachers that would be attempting to govern his life.
To be honest, Potter liked Snape. The man had a backbone made of thicker stuff then the others around him. The only other person who held a candle to him would be Alastor Moody, the crazy wizard cop.
Severus Snape had been very blunt on Harry's activities which involved claiming and protecting his treasure.
"The boy has killed! Are we not going to discuss this?!"
Harry smiled at the memory of Dumbledore telling Snape that they would indeed speak about it, but outside Ollivanders was not the place.
That topic of conversation had persisted until even after Madam Malkin's store.
Snape was vehement on getting an answer.
Dumbledore said would speak with him later at the school, and if not, Harry planned to have a word with him.
Tearing his eyes from the scenery, Harry looked down to his new wand, thinking of just what exactly had occurred at Ollivanders and the choosing of the wand.
The pitch black wood had a glowing red and white streak seemingly coiled around it.
Ollivander had reacted calmly to this, even as the once holly wood had charred itself black.
It was a wand of Ash.
Ollivander had said this was a sign of death. Harry had felt when the Phoenix core had been usurped by his own magic, the core being corrupted into something else.
At that point the elder man had begun to ask questions, a anger in his tone as well as confusion across his features.
"What are you?" he had said.
Harry had just smiled before leaving with Dumbledore and Snape, the two who had accompanied him to Diagon Alley.
Albus had promised Ollivander that he would speak with him later.
Harry could feel the wand. No matter where it was, he could feel it on his person, or if it was a hundred feet away. There was a bond between the wand and himself. When Harry had tested this feeling by throwing his wand directly up into the air, and a stinging pain began to seep into his skin, he had frowned before catching the wand quickly.
This could be dangerous.
He had tested this without Dumbledore seeing, but he knew Snape had noticed based off the curiously raised eyebrow.
Harry had just shrugged at the potions master.
This news could be potentially dangerous, and he didn't want to share it with the two at first. Perhaps later he would bring it up.
Gringotts had been interesting. The first few steps up to the bank doors were chaotic.
The goblins had all freaked out. Guards had stood alert, while even a few bank tellers had approached the group of three.
More guards were appearing by the doors in groups of three.
Somehow they knew.
They knew that something very deadly had walked up the steps to the bank and was just outside its door.
None of them knew of course that it was Harry Potter, but the group of three had apparently triggered some kind of ward which was meant to be an early warning defense mechanism.
After almost an hour of bickering and explaining, the goblins had finally let the three into the bank, and the ward maker had received a demotion for a faulty creation.
Albus had lied through his teeth to the goblins, and Harry could barely hear the hushed conversation between the Headmaster and the head of the armed guard.
The words, "Potter… safe… old magic… killing curse… and you know who" were used, but Harry couldn't catch anything else.
Once inside, a grumpy old goblin called Hookfang took them to the Potter vault.
Harry twitched slightly as he looked upon the huge pile of gold. Compared to his mountain, it was nothing, but nonetheless the familiar itch began to crawl all over his body.
A firm hand rested on his shoulder, and Harry turned to look at Albus Dumbledore. The twinkle in his eyes as well as the calming smile let him know that he should not act out down here.
The goblins would suspect something if the Potter boy began to rub his body on the gold within the vault.
Forcing the feeling down, Harry flashed a toothy grin at Snape before turning to look at the goblin which had accompanied them.
"This is all?"
"Yes" the goblin sniffed, as if Harry had just suggested something foul.
"Hm" Harry just hummed, setting the goblin on edge as he bared his teeth briefly, before stepping away with Dumbledore. He had a train to catch after all.
And so Harry pondered the future. All he had ever known was the cave and the mountain. To be resting under all that beautiful gold, with the annual raid from the goblins to stir him from slumber.
Glancing down at his clawless hands, Harry wondered how different life was, as an 'insect'.
The world already seemed much more rich and entertaining as one of the smaller folk. Life as a human didn't seem to be much of a problem for him.
It was indeed very strange being so small… but he would work with it. For the sake of his parents. Dumbledore was also looking into his condition, and how it had affected him.
Having spent a majority of his younger life as a dragon, Harry wasn't exactly sure how to be human.
Some corner of the black haired boy's brain told him that life as a human would never supersede that of a dragon.
...yet Harry did not want to be alone.
There were no others like him, and what point would life and the gold be if he had no others to share it with.
Harry craved a connection, something that bound him with another.
Hogwarts could potentially solve this feeling.
"Oh, I'm sorry" a polite voice said, as Harry's green eyes snapped to the door, "I didn't know this compartment was occupied"
Turning to face the blonde girl, Harry took a few seconds to come to a conclusion.
Partially on the tall side- for a human.
Sky blue eyes, and a charming frown.
Harry made up his mind.
"There's plenty of space for two" he didn't smile or grin. He didn't want to set her off with his sharper than normal teeth.
She seemed to hesitate for a second.
Harry smiled internally, as he realised she was judging him and his looks.
"Are you a first year?"
Harry nodded.
"Oh" she mumbled, looking him over again as she stepped into the compartment with her trunk.
"What?" Harry allowed an eyebrow to spike in question.
"You don't…" she coughed slightly, "you look older than your age"
Harry smiled now, but kept his teeth hidden, "I'm aware of that"
Silence melted between them.
She broke it.
"I'm Daphne. Daphne Greengrass"
Harry nodded at her politely, "pleasure to meet you"
Snape and his crash course on human manners was a god send.
"It's a little rude not to tell me your name"
Harry became stiff as a board. This was when people got weird. Really weird. The topic of his name was always a double edged sword.
"Henry" he tested out somewhat quietly. He scrambled briefly for a last name and felt the familiar pulse of his wand.
"Henry Ashwood"
"It's nice to meet you as well"
Her smile was beautiful.
Harry turned away to watch the land drift by.
"First years! First years over here!" Hagrid boomed out to everyone standing around the train.
Harry walked forward to the small dock which they were directed to.
What an interesting way to enter a school for the first time.
Stepping onto one of the small boats, Harry smiled at Daphne as she got into the same boat as him.
Another blonde, this one a boy, also stepped into the boat as well. He was accompanied by another girl who seemed to by vying for his attention.
He had eyes for Daphne only though. She in turn was staring at Harry, who had looked out onto the water, eyeing the castle in the distance.
"It's gorgeous" Harry said to no one in particular, swiping his hair back so it fell down the back of his head.
He felt that the comment needed to be said, just for the sake of the towering turrets, stone walls, glowing glass windows, and ancient magical feel.
The old magic which comprised most of the structure could be felt from this far away, even by Harry.
"Indeed" the blonde boy said, but what Harry didn't note was that his gaze was focused on Daphne still, who looked back at the other boy, giving him an unreadable expression.
The other girl snorted, before she shuffled closer to the blonde.
"Henry?"
"Hmm?" Harry hummed, turning to look at the blonde who had shared the compartment on the Hogwarts express with him.
"What house do you think you'll be in?"
Harry pondered for a second, thinking about what Snape had told him. His choices were the snobs in Slytherin, the gits in Gryffindor, the peculiar Puff's, or the studious Ravenclaw.
"Not a clue" Harry smiled.
A snort drew his attention to the other boy in the boat.
"The only house worthwhile is Slytherin. Only the greatest go there" he sounded so sure of himself. The blonde boy was practically oozing confidence.
"Really? Well Let's see if I'm lucky enough to be sorted there?"
The docks finally appeared, and the children were finally ready for their first year at Hogwarts.
Harry felt bored.
The Hogwarts rumour mill was one of the fastest working flows of information known to wizardkind. Who's dating who and what happened where, was the game, and everyone seemed to play it. Things like Snape exploding on a particular student could fully circulate the school from morning, and everyone would know about it by lunch.
So naturally, two weeks after the sorting when Dumbledore begins to make a series of visits into the Forbidden Forest with the friendly groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid… AND THEN a great big mountain appears on the Horizon of the forbidden forest, people start talking. They start talking very fast, and the story goes everywhere.
Snape of course, is noted to be more acidic than usual, and with any talk about the mountain earning anyone within his earshot a detention, this would only fuel the rumour mill.
After a week of the mountain appearing the Weasley twins, Fred and George, take notice that a very red glow can be seen from the peak of the mountain at night.
The school comes to the conclusion of dragons, regardless of the protests from Ron Weasley, whose brother Charlie being a dragon expert had imparted onto him some minor knowledge.
Said knowledge simply stated that no dragon could produce enough fire to light up a mountain at night.
As Harry sat around in the common room, his mind kept drifting to the mountain now outside of the school.
Dumbledore had come through with his promise, and soon he would be able to give his wings a stretch. His gold would be deposited to the site soon, and then he'd finally be able to get rid of the itching feeling.
The sound of footsteps caused Harry's head to turn.
"Why're you awake now?"
Harry smiled.
"I've always been an early riser"
The person just frowned and Harry only gave them a shrug in response.
Hogwarts was going to be great.
Especially so if the sorting was any indication to how the school functioned.
AN: So I've left the sorting part till next chapter, simply because I would like all of your takes upon which house Harry should be in. For me, it isn't really crucial to the plot, or how things plan out for now, so I wanted to know what you guys wanted. As always, thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!
Do review, tell me what you like and what you don't. I'll be sure to include it.
