The Mystic Eyes of Harry Potter

Crimson Hogwarts

Later

"Ugh..."

"...arry..."

I think someone is calling me...

"Wake up 'arry!"

The voice was familiar...

"Fine, this'll wake yeh up!"

Freezing water chilled me, and I sat up, shivering.

"Hagrid, what did you do that for?" I sneezed once from the cold.

"Oh, no reason..." He fingered his strangely coloured umbrella guiltily, before pointing it at me again. I felt warmer all of a sudden and my clothes had dried.

"Thanks Hagrid..." I looked about and thought I recognised where I was, "Am I in hospital? How long have I been out for?"

"Not quite, St Mungo's isn't yer usual Muggle hospital..." I think he looked away from me, "Yeh were unconscious for an hour, no more."

"Hagrid... What happened?"

I felt my face and was glad to find my glasses there, before I remembered.

"Hagrid, my glasses fell off... And then..."

KILL!

I felt bile rise up as I held my mouth.

The last thing I knew was charging at the counter, aiming for the goblin with the spectacles.

"Now Harry..." Hagrid began, trying to calm me down, "There was no lasting damage."

"Wait, 'damage'?" I couldn't think of what happened, until I recalled what I wanted to do there, that and the fact my glasses weren't protecting me.

"We'd better get going, yeh need yer school stuff, I already got yeh owl, books and cauldron. We just need yeh robe and wand, but I need yeh to be there for that." His toothy smile put me at ease.

"Okay Hagrid, just give me a minute and well go back."

"You firs' years are so energetic..."

Hagrid laughed, shaking me a bit as it boomed so loudly in the room.

"Brings back memories, yeh remind me of yer mother..."

I didn't know what to make of that, so I just prepared myself to get my robes, and finally my own real wand.

That evening

"I'm home." I spoke normally, not wanting to make too much of a hassle.

I wasn't surprised to hear no one greet me as I dragged my crate under the stairs, pushing it further in, though I knew that Hedwig wouldn't like to be cooped up inside there.

"Harry." I stopped and looked around to see someone looking at me very strangely.

"Aunt Petunia?" I closed my door quickly, shutting the squawking Hedwig inside, "I'm going to hide her away so no one sees her, okay?"

"I don't care about the stupid bird." Petunia glared at me, "Come with me I need you to pull up some roots outside. The other two are at McDonald's for dinner."

Manual labour was the Dursleys way of punishing me, although to a casual look from the neighbours, it would seem to be that I just doing my chores. I went out the back and Petunia pointed behind the garden shed.

I like that bit, it was quiet and the hedge gave me some privacy. As I went there, I was confused.

"Why are you coming with me Aunt Petunia?"

"Quiet, or else I'll just leave you to it."

She stood there, watching me pull up some tough weeds with my bare hands, and soon I was sweating hard as they were really deep.

"I don't know why you're like her." Petunia spat on the ground, "Your mother was always a freak, bringing home weird potions from that Prince boy, and showing off her wand."

I was tugging at one long root, but I felt my face redden, and my blood began to boil.

"It was ironic really, our family was special, and she polluted us with her tricks, thinking that everything she knew before, and our parents' knowledge, wasn't important to her any more."

My hand twitched, and I suddenly noted the heavy feel of the knife in pocket of my grubby jeans.

"For some reason, my parents allowed her to marry that Potter, and then we really forgot who we were. Our past no longer mattered, just the future with magic in our lives."

The long grass cut into my palm, and I was bleeding, but I only focussed on my breathing and her words, trying to hold in my rage.

"I showed her though, what she really was, and I disowned them all, hiding myself away to not be infected with her disease, that inhuman woman and man. Then again, I'm left with you."

"SHUT UP!"

I found myself holding the knife, growling, though my glasses were still on. All I could see was her face, the sneer and disgust at who I was burning into my retina.

"Are you angry, Harry?" She smiled, somewhat rapturously, "Why don't you show me?"

Throwing my glasses down, I lunged at her.

What I didn't expect was for her to duck suddenly and punch me in my stomach, disarming me at the same time.

As I fell, I saw her body snap back to normal and her cradling her head. She looked like she just burned herself with the iron, just the plain old normal Petunia.

"Looks like you haven't fallen as far as Lily." Petunia dusted her hands off with her apron, as she winced and grew angrier, "But you need more training, I haven't moved like that in years, I'm too old now..."

"You..."

I couldn't breathe, she punched me hard, and she was so strong, I couldn't imagine it.

"You hid this from me..." I had to speak, and I felt the world grow darker as my breathing slowed, "Who are you?"

"Forget about it, Harry. I've moved on from the past, accepting it as part of me, whilst Lily removed it from her life. What will you do I wonder?"

I distinctly remember her laughing as my head hit the grass, the smell of earth wafting up into my head, making me sleepy.

The last thing I saw was the beautiful moon, just shining down on me.

The silver light reflecting off the grass made it seem like the ground was snowy...

September 1st
Kings Cross

Platform 9¾.

Now, I'm pretty sure that doesn't exist, but that comment by the railway guard confirmed it.

I looked at the Dursleys, and saw Petunia narrow her glare at me further.

I can't look at her the same way again... I barely said to two words to her this last month as I waited to go to Hogwarts.

What was she keeping from me?

She must have noticed my gaze, as she moved towards me. I braced myself, feeling the knife against my thigh as she stared at the wall behind me.

"That's the barrier to the platform." She moved her attention to my leg, "Can I see that knife again?"

Slowly, I pulled it out, not wanting to upset her.

"So, Lily had it in the end... That is strange..." Petunia turned around and walked back to the other two, who then left with her.

Glad that they were gone, I went through the wall, pushing my trolley slowly to avoid breaking something.

Hogwarts Express
An hour later

"Well, you can't expect him to stay all day, can't you?"

I've never seen moving pictures before, it wasn't even like those holograms I saw at school a few years ago.

"My brother taught me a spell." Ron went on.

"Oh, what does it do?"

"It turns my rat yellow, I think...." Ron turned around and rummaged inside his bag to bring out a brown mucky rodent.

I saw it and felt that familiar feeling, the excitement building up as the black eyes of the rat bored into my own.

"Ron..." I could control it better now, but I didn't want to risk prolonged exposure to this feeling, "Put him away..."

A bushy-haired girl came in, seeing Ron hold the wand and became interested, "Oh, are you going to do some magic?" She sat next to me, "Let's see it then..."

A squeak from the rat made me jump, and my heart thumped once also, "Ron, please, put it away... I hate rats."

"Fine... It probably didn't work anyway..."

I watched as he stuffed his pet into the bag again, but I knew it wasn't a normal rat.

Much later
Hogwarts

I'm having real problems now with my head.

Hagrid took us by some empty carriages, but I knew that something was there because my senses were screaming at me.

And then the ghosts scared us before we went in the Great Hall, I struggled to contain myself, Ron holding on to me partly because of his own fear, but Hermione was acting strange too, but I think she was reacting to my own fear.

Now I'm in the seat, being Sorted.

"Where to put you, where to put you..." The Hat sang to itself in my head, "Well now, a rarity, dual personalities? Haven't seen something like that since 20 years ago..."

"Dual what?" Harry whispered, ever conscious that the whole school was looking at him.

"Such violence, a need to murder within your very blood. No subtlety here, just a pure honest killer. And you're holding it back with all your might. You can only go into GRYFFINDOR!"

As the school cheered and booed at the declaration by the Sorting Hat, Harry looked back at it and began to worry.

Later that week
September 6th

I can't deal with this... I have to speak to someone...

Is there something like a nurse at Hogwarts? Maybe I can talk to Hagrid or the Headmaster?

I can barely stand most days...

History of Magic, I mean, a ghost teaches that lesson! I couldn't even hear him because my heart was pounding so much, the blood rushing in my ears, and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from jumping over there to...

I shook my head, trying to forget what I just thought of.

KILL!

What's wrong with me? What did the Sorting Hat mean? What is Aunt Petunia hiding?

McGonagall, she's something called an Animagus, but I knew from the moment I saw that cat that it wasn't normal, until she turned into herself, then I felt better. Maybe she'll know someone who can help.

Charms, I'm sure that Flitwick isn't human, maybe a hybrid like Hagrid, but I didn't want to ask him, as it'd probably considered rude.

The worst was with Quirrell, I was shivering when I looked at him, because the need to slice him up was too much for me, I had to close my eyes for the majority of the lesson.

I tend to do that when I become afraid of what I might do, because of the time before I got my glasses, somehow I knew that the lines were dangerous.

But, I have to do this lesson now, and not get distracted.

"Five points from Gryffindor. Potter, you're not paying attention to my instructions, I thought I told you the need to stir twice to the left and then clockwise for five minutes?"

"Sorry, sir."

Then again, cutting Draco's cauldron open would be good right now to let off some steam.

I saw he was two tables away, but I couldn't give a likely excuse for going over there and doing that without Snape seeing me there.

I'll just leave it for today and speak to Hagrid for tea today.

Hagrid's Hut
3:20pm

"So, these headaches, can anyone help with them?"

"Is that why you've been a bit tense, Harry?" Hermione began, "You could have told us."

"Yeah mate," Ron put down his rock cake, gasping as it cracked the plate he dropped it on accidentally, "We could've helped you somehow."

"You don't have yer Muggle aspirin here, not that they'd help yeh." Hagrid looked about and scratched his chin, "Tell yeh what, I'll have a word with Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey, I'm sure they can do something for yeh."

"Thanks Hagrid..." I saw a newspaper on his table, and I picked it up noticing a familiar word, then I nearly jumped in my chair as I read it.

GRINGOTTS REOPENS TODAY

Wizards and witches can breathe safely now that their
friendly bank has reopened in Diagon Alley. After the
sudden closure on July 31st due to "massive internal
damage to the structure and near fatal attacks on
employees" according to the spokesgoblin, the
security measures have increased tenfold.

So far, no culprit has been caught for what is considered
an attempted robbery, nor have the tellers on duty that day
spoken of the identity of the person in question, stating only
that "if you want to find him, go ahead, but don't expect
to live long if you get on the wrong side of him in a dark
alley or in the middle of broad daylight even".

Reports of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were quashed
by the spokesgoblin, who stated that this person "might
just be worse" than You-Know-Who. This reporter thinks
she will no longer bank at Gringotts, staying to safer places.

So... Whatever happened that day must have been bad enough to close the bank?

"Hagrid..." I pointed to the newspaper to get his attention, "Tell me about this."

He saw what I was holding and I saw his face grow more wrinkles as it whitened, "It's not important." He turned his head to the window and glanced back at the castle, "Maybe I should speak to Professor Dumbledore sooner to help yeh out, Harry."

Fine, whatever he can do to help, I'm all ears...

September 12th

"Give it back here, Malfoy."

Draco tossed the Remembrall in the air, catching it with the other hand, "Or what, Potter? What can you do exactly?"

I smiled, having learned how to control the urges I felt everywhere, and removed my glasses, if it was for a short time it wouldn't be bad. I stared at Draco, seeing the lines that criss-crossed his body, the ball and his two bodyguards Crabbe and Goyle.

I patted the knife in my chest pocket beneath the robes and strode up to them, confident but calm, as it slid into my hand through the sleeve.

"The things I can do... You don't want to know..."

The blade came out, though only Draco saw it glinting in the shadow of the robe sleeve, he began to sweat, staring into my eyes.

"Do you want to see?"

I could feel that anger bubbling up again, and squashed it down into my heart, far from the surface.

"Get away from me!"

Draco was laughable, but he threw the ball high up into the air, straight at a wall.

I moved fast, lunging to one side to a broom, and zoomed up to grab it, kicking off the ground at a high speed, before saving it from shattering against the old stone wall.

"HARRY POTTER!"

Oh great, McGonagall was here, and Draco was grinning.

I'm going to get expelled now, all because of a stupid trick by Draco...

Later that day

"So, ready to leave Hogwarts, Potter?" Draco scoffed at me outside the Great Hall as we went in for dinner, "Must be good to be able to catch something when you know you're being expelled."

"At least it's better than catching a cold, which is probably the only thing you'll get, Malfoy." I grinned at him, happy to still be at school, though I wasn't going to tell him that.

I saw him grind his teeth, but with other students and teachers nearby, he couldn't fight me. Ron stood taller, ready if need be.

"I challenge you to a wizard's duel, midnight in the trophy room..." He looked to my hand, "No contact, wands only."

I just laughed at him, drawing more idle stares and murmurs, "What so funny, Potter?!" The red-faced Draco was fuming.

"Oh nothing, Malfoy, have you heard yourself?" I removed my glasses, in the false show of cleaning them against my robes due to some scuff marks on them, "I thought you understood earlier..."

I looked at him and let out some of my previous anger towards him, and I feel that somehow my eyes reflected this somewhat, as he flinched backwards.

"You're no match for me, you lost that battle today, maybe even this stupid little war against me."

I think the effect I wanted worked better than expected, as he was shirking away from me.

"Now, I'm hungry, so thanks for the duel, but I already won."

I left Draco standing there, Ron whistling at what I said.

"Wow, that was brilliant!" He began to pile food onto his plate, "What did you do to Malfoy?"

I felt my face again and winced, perhaps I've been taking the glasses off too often here. Miss did say that I should take them off only when needed...

"Nothing, I just looked at his lines..."

Ron frowned at me, but of course, he had no idea what I was talking about.

October 31st

Hagrid promised that Dumbledore would be speaking to me soon, but it's been over a month, I'm beginning to believe that I'll never get to see him in private about my eyes.

Quidditch practice is helping me though, jogging around the pitch and trying to grab golf balls in mid-air as the Snitch isn't supposed to be used outside of a real game. Wood said that my reactions are faster than he expected, and even I'm seeing some improvement in my stamina.

This all reminded me of what I've learned about myself

By now everyone knew I was the Seeker of the Gryffindor team. Draco has been steering clear of me, not even trying to provoke me when I got my broom.

He may have finally got the message that he shouldn't start a fight with me.

Despite everything Miss said to me in the past, I can't forget the need to see those lines, to cut them...

I see death everywhere, I know that I can kill anything that I want to just by tracing those lines.

But, I never feel a temptation to actually cut something, apart from that time I don't remember in Gringotts.

To cut something, to cut someone, means total and complete death for most things. That's why I never try to attack anyone using their lines.

Then again, Aunt Petunia drove me to getting near to them on her body, but she stopped me in time.

All these insults, all the threats, they mean nothing to me, because I know now the meaning of what it's like to live.

Life is too fragile, and that's why I want to live it to the fullest.

I practise my spells every day, even do my homework before it's due, and think of ways to learn faster. I'm nowhere near as good as Hermione, who keeps bugging me and Ron to do more work, but I do my best. At least I have that new Wingardium Leviosa one we learned today down pat.

Draco may annoy me with his petty attacks behind my back, and even the other Slytherins who took over when he grew scared of me. Yet, I no longer cared about them, and nothing they could do would worry me as much as what I could do if I placed the smallest amount of pressure into their lines.

One thing I wanted most of all was friends I could trust, and so far, it hadn't been going well.

"Ron, you should apologise to her, you know..."

His freckled face was flushed as he realised his mistake, "Yeah, well Parvati said she was in the girl's toilet, I'll speak to her when she comes out."

The doors to the Great Hall burst open as Quirrell staggered in, and I shut my eyes, not wanting to look at him, and was thankful when the queasiness left me.

"TROLL, IN THE DUNGEONS!"

Of course, that only lasted for half a second before the Great Hall turned into an uproar.

One minute later

"Hermione doesn't know about the troll!"

"Fine, but Percy better not see us..."

We ducked out of sight and slipped off to the side passing near the Hufflepuff group to reach the girl's toilets, before I began to retch.

"That smell..."

Go straight ahead.

Find it before it finds you first.

A large shadow blocked the light out from the end of the corridor, and I smiled, "We're going in the right direction, Ron."

Target turning to the left.

He gawked at me, "Are you mad? That's the troll!" He saw it disappear into a room and locked it in, "There, it's gone now."

Proximity to target hindered.

Likely hostage or victim present.

I growled, not wanting my fun to be over so soon, "You should be aware of which room you locked the troll in."

Gauge the strength needed in your legs.

His lines may be high up.

The high pitched scream echoed out of the room, and Ron rightfully paled.

Get in there, now.

Leaving no time to waste, I removed my glasses and tucked them into my pocket, slicing open the lock to the door and kicking it in.

Analysing target and abilities.

The troll was massive, that ridiculous leather and cloth covering the lower part of his body. The vacant eyes indicating that he was not entirely there, but there was enough intent and strength inside them to locate his target, a small girl crying in the corner stall.

The club was easily as big as a grown adult, and while it may seem heavy, he swung it about like it was a feather, wrecking the toilets in an instant.

Predict likely course of actions and movements.

Ron was weak, his small spells bounced off the thick hide of the troll, or were so useless they made no effect.

So it was my turn.

Nearest fatal line two metres above me.

Use second sink to rebound off the wall.

Ceiling possible for further leverage.

I had no need of my wand, since that already proved its inferiority. Showing the knife fully, I extended my reach and stared at the troll.

"You should pick on somebody your own size." I grinned, and I think he too opened his maw in amusement, "Or, failing that, someone who can fight back."

It as a long reach

Duck and attack his legs.

Crouching and missing his horizontal swing to knock my head off, I ran for his knees and cut the sole line beneath it, severing his ankle completely from his leg.

Troll blood began to pump out onto the floor as Ron and Hermione gasped and held their mouths.

Despite this, he was still going.

Target still active, aim for central lines.

Erratic movements, maelstrom of club attacks.

The troll had gone ballistic and was waving the club about without a care of what of how he attacked. I had no choice, I jumped onto the sink, then hopped onto the wall, powering my way across the room in the air to land on the windowsill opposite.

Obtain advantageous viewpoint.

Weaken defences and attack offences.

On the way by, I had sliced his club at the handle, so he no longer had his weapon of choice. Surveying him briefly, he turned his face towards me, and that when I went in...

All variables eliminated.

I gathered the strength to my feet and stared straight into his lines.

KILL!

Then I launched myself at him.

Five minutes later

I stood there, staring down at the broken body of the troll, cut into seven pieces.

I couldn't think straight, did I really just leap from one wall to another, did I drop down from the ceiling?

Did I really need to cut all his lines?

Be that as it may, the toilets were drenched in troll blood, Ron and Hermione screaming so loud that I tuned them out, myself coloured red and black with only a smile on my wet face.

But it was only then I realised one more thing.

I was crying as I killed him. I couldn't stop myself in time.

I remember looking at Ron and Hermione, and thinking that their lines were a lot easier to cut, but I had to close my eyes to remind myself that they were not my enemy.

The door to the toilets fell open, and Dumbledore, McGonagall and the other teachers came in.

Relieved at the sight, and the sudden realisation of what I had done came back to me.

I collapsed onto my knees and held my head and released my anguish.

---

Author's Notes

Nicely diverging from canon here, never seen a Petunia like this before.

That troll never really had a chance...

- J