Second Chapter. In video games you often start off with a rather overpowered character who has all the spells and potions and abilities so you can get a chance to try out the system. This is that chapter.
Present day
30 June, 1997
Main Character: Harry Potter.
That had gone surprisingly well. The pair of them, Harry and Dumbledore, had gone to Voldemort's cave to retrieve his Horcrux, the dark magic that let him live past death. That had turned out to be a fake and then they went to Grimmauld Place after some quick thinking. The place had been freaky. He never wanted to see a plant with spiked tentacles again. That had worked well enough though thanks to some quick thinking with a lamp and an incendio and now they had Voldemort's locket Horcrux.
They flew through the dark night towards Hogwarts, the air whistling in their ears as they flew. As they approached the castle Harry saw something, a dark mark, a wicked grinning green skull with a serpent tongue and with floating arms that ended in sharp claws that glowed a bright rose red, hung above the astronomy tower.
'Look at that!' Harry said.
Dumbledore calmly nodded. 'I see it. Death Eaters in Hogwarts. I am shocked. No one could have predicted this turn of events. We should complain.' Harry waved his arms at the castle to try and make Dumbledore care.
'It's too late for that now. They could be killing people now! We have to stop them!' said Harry.
Dumbledore gestured at the astronomy tower with his wand.
'Let's ambush them from behind. Come with me.'
The pair of them flew over the rampart walls together, soon landing in the deserted tower next to the spinning planet model. Dumbledore stood there silently, not moving, his eyes flickering over nothingness, on occasion waving his hands through the air like he was pushing something aside. Harry waited. It looked... weird but maybe this was what magic users were supposed to do? One of the planets, Pluto he thought, caught his eye. It seemed to be broken, passing over the same point again and again. He glanced up again at the misshapen dark mark.
'What does it mean?' Harry asked Dumbledore 'Is it the real mark? Do you think someone has, really- Professor?'
Dumbledore had sprung to action. He shot sparking balls of light at each of the planet globes, making each of them glow for a moment and slow down.
'Magical traps, for the fight ahead. You were born into trials and troubles and you have made a great man of yourself, Harry.'
Harry nodded. 'Thanks? But we should be going.'
Dumbledore flicked his wand and from the end a massive torrent of dirt and stone erupted, forming into a huge ball. With a wave of his hand Dumbledore sent streams of the dirt into the floor where it seemed to vanish into it.
Dumbledore spoke again, in his ominous tone. 'Hidden golems of earth to defend us. You never sought power like I did but rose to the challenge and did what was necessary. Darker times lie ahead of us, of magic and blood and sorcery and you have grown strong but you will and should not face them alone. ' Harry tightened his grip on his wand.
'Are you luring them up here somehow? Is that why you're charming this place up?
Dumbledore drew out several vials from nowhere and downed them one after the other.
'You got it. I knew you were smart.'
In the dim green and red light from the dark mark Harry saw Dumbledore holding out his hand, and his long wand.
'I have a plan to save us all. Take my wand and give me yours then hide under the cloak, stand by that door' he gestured at the door to the lower parts of the castle with thick chains on it 'with my wand facing outwards. Stay silent. Trust me.'
Harry bit his lip and gripped his wand ever tighter. 'But it's my wand. I can't...' his voice trailed off. Dumbledore walked over him and drew him into a deep hug. He flinched for a moment, then hugged him back. He felt his heart stop racing and relaxed into the comforting smell.
Dumbledore drew back and held his hand out again. 'I need you to trust me Harry. Give me your wand.'
Harry nodded and limply handed over his wand, then took Dumbledore's. Harry pulled away and went under his invisibility cloak, standing by the thick wooden door, arms wrapped around his body defensively. Dumbledore muttered a few quiet words and Harry's wand extended and changed shape to look long and bulbous like Dumbledore's wand. Dumbledore then flicked his hand and Harry's broom rolled into a hidden corner, making a group of spiders flee into cracks in the castle.
No sooner had the last charm been done than the chains on the door started to glow a bright blue and untwist. A moment later the door flew open. Someone rushed through and shouted: 'Expelliarmus' Harry felt a warm happy feeling spread through his body, and felt completely contented. He felt pretty chill under the cloak.
It was Draco Malfoy. That was pretty rad. So he was a death eater? Woah, big shock, another Slytherin death eater. He suppressed an urge to giggle. Expelliarmus didn't make you this happy. He resolved to think about it later when he felt a bit less buzzed. He saw his wand flying over the wall and realized what had happened: Dumbledore had cast a cheering charm on him and in that split second lost his wand. Dumbledore was such a great guy. Pity about his wand. You win some, you lose some.
Dumbledore looked calm and showed no fear as he stood firm on the ramparts. He stared Draco in the face and said. 'Good evening, Draco.'
Malfoy looked around to check they were alone and then started walking towards Dumbledore. 'I heard voices. Who else is here?'
'Are we ever really alone when we are in the heart of another? Though from the sounds of it, you're alone this time.'
'No.' Malfoy said. 'I'm not alone. I got my people in here. Right under your nose. You play at being so wise but really you are an easy to fool old man. And I have a job to do. They believe in me.'
'Very well, then do it, dear Malfoy. You should take your wand and slay me, prove yourself a good death eater' said Dumbledore.
There was silence. Harry stood still, as did Malfoy.
Dumbledore stared at Draco intently and spat to the side, then spoke, his voice filled with disgust.
'Draco, Draco, you are not a killer. They want you because you're their bus driver. You're like Stan Shunpike, a glorified courier with a bit of magic. You failed at killing a Weasley, you don't have the killing intent to slay me. You repaired the vanishing cabinet, true, after months of botched charms and failures, and your people are downstairs.' A muffled scream came from below 'Doing the actual work. You have the magic of a squib and are too much of a coward to slay me. You are a useless betrayal of your family's name, Draco, a squib in a fancy robe.' Malfoy was getting progressively more angry and agitated at each word. Harry wondered why Dumbledore seemed to hate Draco so much, why he was letting loose. Loose. Loose. Harry liked that word, and contemplated how it sounded as he stood still, awaiting some command.
'You are a useless coward, and I am getting really tired of your whining and stupidity you disgusting squib and-' Draco shouted at him. 'I'm not a squib! I'm not a coward. I can do this.' He drew a potion vial from his robe and chugged it down. Draco's body begin to shift, his muscles growing thicker, scales forming over his skin. His eyes went yellow and slitted like a snake. 'Snape gave me this.' Dumbledore frowned sharply at this' 'He said I could be strong. I-'
'No' Said Dumbledore, as he flicked his hand and Harry saw the a tentacle of earth form from the floor behind Draco and then lance out like a snake, smashing Draco from behind. Draco was flung down to the ground, his head smashing against the floor with a mighty thud. Blood started to leak out of his skull across the floor from the injury and the transformation stopped. So that was what the earth trap was for. Harry was a little surprised but not really offended, and leaned back against the wall.
Dumbledore stretched out and smiled at Harry. 'Draco is fine, don't worry. Just a minute or two more. They'll be here soon. You're doing great.
They stood there waiting as Draco's blood spread across the astronomy department's floor. Harry thought he heard a light moaning from Draco but didn't check. Dumbledore had made him so happy with the cheering charm and he wanted to obey him and he trusted him completely. Dumbledore was great. If he said Draco was fine he was, and that was that. And if he died, well, the world wouldn't be that much worse off with one less snake.
A little while later Harry heard a bang and shout from down below. It sounded like someone was rushing up the spiral staircase. Dumbledore then winked at Harry and leaned over, as if he was trying to grab Malfoy's wand. A short while later footsteps smashed loudly on the stairs and four individuals in black robes came in. With a flash of magic one knocked the wand away from Dumbledore's hand. Dumbledore backed away, hands up.
Still feeling no urge to move, Harry gazed in mild curiosity at the backs of the four individuals, the buzzing happiness in his head growing stronger. He hoped none of his friends had been injured when the death eaters won the fight, but he generally didn't care about much. It wasn't his responsibility to babysit them. Though a small part of him seemed to be yelling at him to do something. Best to wait though.
A lumpy and disgusting looking man with a lopsided leer gave a wheezy half laugh.
'Dumbledore wandless, all alone. I'm going to enjoy feeling you die under my wand. All at the cost of one silly boy. I guess you could say Draco...' The man looked at Draco, smashed into the ground. 'fell' from grace' The woman by his side, whose lumpy face bore a resemblance to the man gave an angry titter at this joke.
Another man, a huge one with mattered grey hair and whiskers who smelt of blood and dirt and sweat, with long yellowed nails, spoke. 'I can smell your wandless magic. We're charmed against that. Accidental magic can make playing with kids so... difficult.' He gave a grin, showing off pointed teeth that dripped with blood. 'And I do love playing with kids. ' Harry felt that voice screaming in his head again. Was Hermione OK? Ron? Luna?
Dumbledore spoke. 'Fenrir, Fenrir, you are such a player. And now the whole gang is here...'
Harry heard Dumbledore speak in his mind. Yield to me, Harry. Don't resist. Let your magic fuel this and my will and dominance guide our wand. Harry, trusting the voice, let Dumbledore take control of his body.
'Imperio, Imperio, Imperio, Imperio.' In less than a second he sent the four spells out through the cloak, the absolute need to control from Dumbledore filling his mind. The first three flew true and took control of three of the death eaters but Fenrir swung round and threw up a spell which deflected the curse, sending another curse a moment later at Harry which he hurriedly blocked.
There was a flash of light around Fenrir. The earth reared up from the floor slowly. Fenrir lept over it and moved away, laughing?
'You think I can't see a wandless trap? I told you, I'm used to these childish tricks.' He flicked a purple line of light at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore deflected the charm with his hand sending the charm smashing into the wall and charged forward, lightning fast. Fenrir slashed his claws at him, leaving a bloody gash across Dumbledore's chest as he grabbed Fenrir by the shoulders. Dumbledore leaned forward and opened his mouth, a gush of fire rushing out. Fenrir screamed as his flesh sizzled, soon falling limp in Dumbledore's hands, his head black and cooked like an overdone stake. Dumbledore dropped the limp body to the ground and turned to Harry.
'Transfiguration. So many uses. Be free.' He waved his hand at Harry.
Harry felt the control leave his mind and realized he had been under the Imperius curse. He hadn't even been close to being able to resist it, it was so strong. He got out from under the invisibility cloak.
'Why... did... you? How could you? Force my will, like Voldemort?' He shook the wand at Dumbledore's face. 'You raped my mind'
Dumbledore smiled at him, his eyes glinting brightly and walked over to him. 'We can talk about that, but first, high five?' Dumbledore held his hand up. Harry looked shocked. 'You agreed to obey me, Harry. High five me. You cannot disobey me now.' said Dumbledore, his eyes dark and cold, his voice allowing no disobedience. Harry listlessly held his hand up, staring into Dumbledore's eyes with hate, and Dumbledore high fived him. This strange task done, Harry spoke in a calmer but still agitated tone.
'Ok, done. Look, I get why you did it, to win but you broke my will. You gotta promise not to do it again. I'll cast whatever you say. I'll cast Imperio for you. But don't use that on me.' Dumbledore smiled at him. 'High five again?' Harry stared at him confused. Dumbledore spoke again, his tone cold. 'You promised to obey, Harry. Are you going to break your promises?' Harry high fived him reluctantly.
He felt his pulse cool. These were really fun high fives. 'I guess I get it. You're a great wizard and you needed someone to fight for you. But couldn't you have asked?' Dumbledore nodded. 'I could have. High five, my champion?' Harry shrugged and high fived Dumbledore again, a slight frown on his face.
Harry felt pretty good about Dumbledore. He was his champion. It was weird how just a few seconds ago he had hated Dumbledore but now he trusted him again. 'You defeated them for me, fought to save me. With some crazy moves. Thanks for that. I guess the Imperius is ok.' Dumbledore nodded. 'One more for luck?'
Harry grinned and high fived Dumbledore. 'Dumby, my friend, thank you for Imperiusing me, any time, you are a fine guy.' He leaned over and pulled Dumbledore into another hug. 'Thank you. By the way, why did you do it?' Dumbledore opened his hands out wide.
'Love is the greatest and most glorious force in the world. Our greatest strength, and greatest weakness. I can now, with those death eater's aid, capture all of Toms forces, using their love and trust against them.'
Harry nodded. 'That seems like a really smart plan, like the reverse of what they want to do with the ministry, only a great wizard of great goodness would say that.' Dumbledore smiled and spoke again. 'Thank you. When his armies' He gestured to the three death eaters who stood still and stared listlessly into the distance 'are on our side Tom will-'
As Dumbledore spoke excitedly, Harry saw a figure rise up on a broom behind Dumbledore, past the ramparts, one with long flowing hair. He opened his mouth to speak but before he could do anything they attacked.
A massive pulse of water shot through the room, slamming into Dumbledore like a waterfall. Dumbledore was smashed to the floor and driven to the wall by the pulse, unable to resist it's force. The water then swept across the three captured death eaters, knocking them down to the floor. Harry felt his body freeze up at the same time, his muscles stiff, completely unable to move. A spell?
The person landed, riding Harry's broom. A woman in a skimpy black outfit with long black curly hair, an insane look in her eyes, fingers dripping red with blood and glowing with magic. Bellatrix. That torturing bitch. Harry tried to move but was unable to force himself to even flex his finger.
She walked over to him, and ran her fingers across his cheek, then again with her nail slicing a bloody gorge across his face. She then drew her red blood soaked finger up to her lips. 'Tastes like... Harry Potter. My words are breath, simply that, but immortal nonetheless. You are mine now, forever. I will bind you utterly and make you care for nothing but my words. But first I have your professor to talk to.'
She turned to Dumbledore. He lay against the wall his limbs twisted at awkward angles, nothing but his eyes and lips moving.
'I loaded the water with a paralytic and I used a non verbal tempus fugit on you after. You won't be escaping, Dumbledore. But don't worry, soon you won't want to.' Harry struggled against the magic that held him but couldn't escape. Harry couldn't believe this was happening.
She drew a potion out of her top and a black collar. She started fastening the collar around Dumbledore's neck as he lay there, unable to move.
'I heard you're gay, Dumbledore. You like the boys. You like a bit of man on man love.'
'Hello to you too, Sappho. You are as direct as ever.' said Dumbledore
'Hey, I like what I like. And what I hate is repression. I want you to let your gayness out.' said Bellatrix.
'You're one to talk. You follow Tom like a sick puppy but don't say a word.' She pulled Dumbledore's head to her and fastened the black collar around the back of his neck.
'He'll work out soon enough that my bite is more fun than my bark.' She bit at the air. 'There, the collar is done. Just so you don't try anything stupid I'll tell you how it works. It will bind to your soul beyond death and help us track down your waystation. We broke the encryption on the defences- Lucretia managed to bind a fragment of her soul to yours last time and got it into the system. We know what you're doing. We know about the way station.' said Bellatrix.
'That's really good spellwork. I'm really impressed. How did you manage to solve the contamination issue?' said Dumbledore. Bellatrix beamed at him and started speaking with great enthusiasm.
'I saw what you did with the arrow- very impressive work by the way, mixing wizard magic with light. I worked out a similar way to do it with divine magic. If you align the spell matrix with the divine matrix along a fourth and fifth dimensional axis you can get substantial crossover between them and a certain person' She pushed a finger into Dumbledore's chest 'who has a habit of teleporting away is easy to track. That doesn't stop the contamination as you said, for that you-' Dumbledore reached towards a pocket in his robes and grabbed a potion from there, moving it straight to his lips. Faster, Bellatrix smashed it aside, the red liquid smashing on the stone floor.
'Oh you smart boy, you got me monologuing. Don't worry, I didn't get any glass shards in my hand. I'm surprised you can still move as I loaded that water up with enough paralytic to stop an elephant. Hold on a second. I'll do what I came here to do. I made a love potion for you and Voldemort. You can be gay again. And this one is eternal. It's got some spiritual power in it too.'
Bellatrix leaned down to him and grabbed his face, forcing her potion liquid into Dumbledore's mouth. She pressed her hand to his nose and mouth and held her hand as Dumbledore shock and spasmed, trying to escape her. Eventually he drew in a desperate breathe and the fluid went into him.
She spoke again, her voice deeply seductive 'Come to me, Dumbledore, loosen me from my agony of loneliness. Fill his body with your fiendfyre. Stand up, be by my side, and be my ally. I can feel you resist, occumency hiding the magic's glory. Love will end that. Give in to love. Let love loosen your limbs. Your fate will not be too bad. Accept the bittersweet end and love him with me.'
Dumbledore stretched out an arm, weakly trying to push her back, coughing up fluid that Harry suspected had gone into his lungs. Bellatrix grasped Dumbledore's hand and held it to her chest. 'Talk to me, my fellow lover. Your mind is divided against itself. Given into the change, tell me you need Voldemort.'
Dumbledore tried to say something but failed, coughing up potion. 'What was that dearie?' Bellatrix asked, running her hand across Dumbledore's old wrinkled face. Dumbledore spoke again. 'Sun.'
The large star at the center of the astronomy model yanked itself out, along with all the planets. The mercury model zoomed through the air like a bludger at Bellatrix, forcing her to dive to the side to dodge it. The sun model smashed at Harry's feet sending out a bright blue light that freed him from whatever had paralyzed him.
With a smash Bellatrix blasted the Mercury model away with a red curse. She laughed madly, sending blasts of light out from her wand at incredible speed to explode the zooming planet globes. 'This trickery won't stop me. I can sense the love potion twisting your soul ever further, even if you flee your love for Voldemort will come to dominate you. We're this close to finding where you flee too as well. We won.' Dumbledore stood up quickly, and drew the ring, the other horcrux of Voldemort off his finger. 'Catch.'
He tossed it to Harry, who caught it readily. Bellatrix roared with rage, charging at Harry, smashing aside a Jupiter model that was wreathed with flames. Harry felt his body lurch and he was tossed out of the way of Bellatrix, riding a wave of earth. He struggled to his feet again as Bellatrix turned to charge at him. Dumbledore gestured and earth erupted from the floor, trying to smother Bellatrix and crush her. 'Harry' Shouted Dumbledore. 'Trust me, jump out of the window.' Harry nodded, willing to do anything for that amazing man, and ran to the window and jumped. Behind him he saw a flash of light and a booming explosion but he ignored it, leaping to the ground.
For a few moments as he rushed through the air Harry questioned how his life choices had lead to him committing suicide, then he hit the ground and died.
Moments later Harry woke up. He was in the Hogwarts entry hall on the staircase with four large glowing letters in front of him.
'NEUES SPIEL'
'SPIEL LADEN'
'OPTIONEN'
'MITWIRKENDE'
He blinked. He blinked again. 'What?'
I often question my life choices when I am playing video games. It would feel really weird to make a lot of the choices I make them make.
Sappho was a Greek woman who lived thousands of years ago and helped raise lots of very cute ladies to be good little wives.
The text is in German. New game, Load Game, Options, Cast. Albus had his text in German for yet to be revealed reasons but could mentally translate it. Harry can't.
Again, reviews are appreciated.