Okay guys author's note time. I've been reading your reviews and I thank all of you who find errors that I completely overlook. I have gone back and corrected them (hopefully). Now with the Error type 2 that fanfiction has and my internet being down all day I'm barely able to post Thursday morning ... like waaaay morning it's quarter to one. first and foremost, questions and statements that you guys have. I will answer them to the best of non-spoiler abilities. Most of these come from Mariann's, Harry was told quite a bit about the Wizarding world, especially Hogwarts, including its founders. The conversation lasted around 4 hours, plenty of time to get in a little detail. Also with Harry's upbringing it has caused him to mature quicker than normal in order to protect himself. Secondly the whole duke thing. I did find that odd but never looked it up, thanks for bringing that to my attention. Now as towards the "Harry being the only person friendly to Goblins" thing. Yes it is a bit unrealistic but if you think about it a couple of ways then not so much. The Goblins that Harry talked to might not have been treated with kindness themselves but have not heard of kind people from the other goblins. They might not say everything about their entire day to everyone that works there. Unless you are the type of person that tells everyone at your place of work about your entire day then I assume some things slip past you. Now for the issues concerning the vaults. Yes they are fully decked out with riches. Some were taken out and some were put in there by other people other than the original owners. As with Slytherin, well this is an AU as in Alternate Universe, not everything is going to remain the same. Being ... well what he is Voldemort also never knew about the slytherin vault. Now for something brought up by Ngbeken Lovette, no this is not a harem fic. I don't like harem fics too much myself, therefore I don't write them. Harry and Hermione are going to be a couple. It might border on feelings for the others whether it be Harry or Hermione or anyone of the group. But it won't go much past that. Now that all those things have been addressed you don't have to listen to me rant anymore. Enjoy Chapter 4. One last thing
Somewhere in an undisclosed location of Scotland sits a mysterious and majestic castle. This castle is known to many witch and wizard as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Surrounding this castle is an immense forest. This forest is filled with thick, luscious trees, and creatures that man has never seen before. The forest is filled with creatures large and small, weak and powerful, harmless and dangerous. One would risk life and limb to venture into the forest ill prepared.
Within the confines of the forest, lay the grounds of Hogwarts. The grounds play home to many of the outdoor classes for the school. Aside from the routine of schoolwork, the grounds also allow one to partake in a moment of rest. Whether you like to sit under the shade of a tree with an open book in hand, or perhaps you like to lay at the edge of the lake with friends. The grounds hold no discrimination towards those who use it.
Aside from the grounds surrounding Hogwarts, the castle also partakes in an excellent view of a vast lake. The castle sits atop a cliff that hangs out over the majestic lake. Its denizens and depths are known to very few people. The mysteries that surround the leagues are unfathomable. Many students who come and go through the halls of Hogwarts only know of the surface and perhaps the occasional sighting of a friendly giant squid.
Hogwarts grounds and its surroundings are a remarkable sight, but they pale in comparison to the castle itself. Dozens of towers and battlements jut from the castle walls to touch the sky. The vast castle is home to the students for the seven years that they learn to become great witches and wizards. The interior is filled with paintings of once living people, their essence forever bound to the castle. Many of its decorations are similar to the paintings. There are suits of armor that move by themselves. There are also doors that only pretend to be doors. Even the stairs themselves have a mind of their own, forever changing the layout of the grand tower.
At the very center of the castle lies the office of the very renowned Headmaster of the school. His office is flanked by two gargoyle statues. The flanking gargoyles are two sides of the same coin. One is serious while the other is comical. The gargoyles guard a winding staircase that leads towards the office of the Headmaster. The Headmaster's office is home to various mysterious objects. Many of which sit idly by on a table collecting dust. However, the most extraordinary occupant of the office is the Headmaster himself.
The Headmaster of Hogwarts is known the world over as one of the greatest wizards to walk the earth. Though many people revere his presence, most would not see him for who he truly is. The Headmaster is a simple man, getting on in his years. He has long silver hair and a long silver beard to match. He wears half-moon spectacles that sit on the bridge of his long crooked nose. Behind the spectacles are two aging blue eyes, the likes of which have seen many things in life.
The Headmaster was wearing a rather peculiar set of clothing. However, the only peculiar aspect that you would see is if you were a muggle. He was wearing a long robe that was clasped around his middle. The robe was a deep shade of magenta. The robe was designed with an animated set of shooting stars. The stars shot all across his robes occasionally bumping into his beard. His beard was tucked into a maroon colored sash that tied the robe closed. Atop the wizard's head sat a lopsided, pointed, magenta Phrygian cap.
The Headmaster was currently sitting at a rather large, ornate desk. Sitting atop the desk were various papers and letters of significant importance as well as a small plaque with his name on it. The plaque read 'Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore'. Letters to important members of the magical government, or letters to future Hogwarts students littered the surface. He was often bothered multiple times a day by the Minister of Magic. The Minister was always asking questions on how things should be done or how he should vote for certain rulings. The Headmaster always chuckled whenever he received post from the Minister.
Professor Dumbledore was in the middle of a rather amusing letter from the minister when he felt something in his office was amiss. He looked over the papers and scanned the front of his office. Try as he might, he could not find anything out of the ordinary. He turned back to his later only to once again feel as if something was out of place. He looked up once more this time glancing over towards a table that held a select few silver objects. The objects were usually lifeless while they lay on the table. However, tonight would prove different.
One of the silver objects, a small top with a black ring around the middle, was emitting a low humming noise. Upon closer inspection, the object was also vibrating slightly. Dumbledore was about to walk over to the table when the object suddenly sprang up and began to spin across the tabletop. The silver top spun across the table whilst the humming noise was steadily increasing in volume. Eventually the top reached a deafening volume, as well as a rapid spin.
The top then began to glow slightly until it was completely covered in a white light. The light grew brighter until the object detonated causing a chunk of wood to break away from the table. The resulting fragmentation launched itself throughout the room. Dumbledore quickly ducked slightly to avoid the shrapnel. The slight movement saved Dumbledore the probable buzz cut that would have occurred had he not moved. The aforementioned shrapnel merely took his hat clean off his head. The piece then pinned the Phrygian cap to the wall behind him.
Dumbledore was about to examine the shattered device when other devices began to reciprocate the first's odd behavior. As with the first, Dumbledore erected a small shield charm to protect himself from the eventual shrapnel. His foresight saved himself possible scratches or injury from the resulting detonations. After the dust cleared and the charm vanished all that was left of the table and devices was a pile of shards and splinters.
Dumbledore walked around his desk over towards the broken table. He glanced over the devices before pulling out his wand. He muttered a few incantations above the devices but nothing happened. He attempted a repairing charm, which also proved useless. Dumbledore's brow furrowed in thought. How could all of these devices suddenly shatter without warning? Thoughts began to race through the aged man's head. Eventually the Dumbledore gave up his thoughts with a sigh and at least fixed his table. He then gathered the shards and placed them on top. With another heavy sigh he placed his wand back into the depths of his robe.
"Is something amiss Headmaster?" A voice behind Dumbledore caused him to turn slowly towards a wall of paintings behind him.
"So it would seem." The voice that Dumbledore had heard had originated from a painting hanging above the door to his office.
"Anything you care to share?"
"I might consider it if you promise not to tell anyone else Phineas."
"Who else would I tell?" A small smile spread across the vision of a young man with a balding head.
"It seems that the devices I tied to various aspects of young Harry Potter have been mysteriously destroyed."
"What were these devices for?"
"Some were tied into his location. While others allowed me to keep track of his power and abilities. One let me know if he was alive or not. Now all of them lay in pieces all over my office." Dumbledore finished with a chuckle.
"You seem pleased."
"On the contrary, I am most disturbed." Dumbledore took a small scarf off a shelf nearby and headed towards the door. "I think I must make a trip. If anyone comes looking for me, tell them that I'll be back shortly."
"I await your return with bated breath, Headmaster." The painting of Phineas darkened over as Dumbledore walked through the door.
Dumbledore disappeared with a crack. When he reappeared, he was standing at the end of a long road in a small suburb. The streets were lit via halogen lamps that dotted the road. Dumbledore frowned as he took out a small object from within his robes. The object looked like an elongated Zippo lighter. However, when he flipped open the cap no flames were produced. Instead, the light from the nearest street lamp left its home and darted towards the tip of the lighter. He repeated this until the street was completely bathed in darkness. Once finished he pocketed the Put-Outer.
Once finished an icy wind blew across his face. He wrapped the scarf around himself one more time to keep the wind at bay. The road looked almost sinister in the complete darkness of night. The glare of the moon on car headlights gave the image of prowling beasts in the night. The writing on the street sign could barely be made out in the pale moonlit street. Private Drive never looked so bleak than it did now. Dumbledore then slowly made his way down the street careful of prying eyes.
Some families turned away from their evening news or late night cartoons to look out their windows. Many of the families were curious as to how their houses were still with power when all of the streetlights had gone out. Dumbledore once more withdrew his wand and waved them towards the houses. With eyes glazed over as if in a drunken stupor, the families returned to their couches to watch their television sets.
Dumbledore resumed his trek down the street. With his presence now completely masked by spell and darkness he was free to end his thieving movements. He counted the houses down the road until his eyes fell on one in particular. This house looked identical to all of the other houses on the street. However, Dumbledore seemed to be able to spot a major difference between this house and the rest. The fourth house on Private Drive seemed normal enough, but normal is in the eye of the beholder.
Dumbledore walked up the short walkway towards the house. He remarked on the similarities of its appearance even after ten years of being apart. Upon reaching the front door, Dumbledore pocketed his wand and knocked on it a few times. Shortly after, he heard heavy footfalls on the other side of the door. He expected the father to be the source on the other side of the door but what he actually saw was quite different. The source of the footsteps happened to originate from a small boy. Small was giving him too much credit than he deserved. The boy had to weigh as much as a newborn calf or mare. He was also almost completely spherical, which seemed an impressive feat all in itself. Dumbledore was so lost in thought that the boy had to repeat himself a few times before he heard him.
"Who are you?"
"Albus Dumbledore and I'd like to speak with your mother. Can you go get her for me?"
The boy stood for a second before turning around and yelling towards the living room. "Mom some weird old man is here to see you!"
"Duddykins it's rude to say things like…" Her last word fell to deaf ears as she turned the corner and saw the man standing in the doorway. Vernon wasn't too far behind her.
"What ever you're selling, we're not buying it."
"Vernon, take Dudley and go to his room."
"But I want to watch the rest of my show." The boy whined as he kicked his mother in the shin.
"I said go!" She shrieked as she pointed towards the stairs.
Vernon and Dudley hurried upstairs and, as soon as they were out of eyesight and earshot, Petunia waved Dumbledore inside.
"Thank you Petunia." Dumbledore walked inside of Number Four Private Drive and shut the door behind him.
"To what do I owe the surprise of your visit?"
"I'm looking for Harry. Have you seen him?"
Petunia's face paled at the mention of Harry. Albus saw this but made no mention of it. He chose to let Petunia answer his question.
"He's not here right now."
"Surely you didn't send him outside in this cold weather."
"I can honestly say that I didn't send him out."
"Petunia, is there something you aren't telling me?"
"We did not send Harry Potter outside into this cold weather." Petunia recited this as if it had been rehearsed.
"Petunia, you do know I have ways of obtaining information that is not willingly given to me."
Petunia shuddered at the thought. "Please don't, I'll tell you what happened." Dumbledore nodded, allowing Petunia to collect her thoughts. "It was near the middle of the night a couple of nights ago. We heard him scream something about a fire downstairs. When we went to see what the fuss was about, we saw him standing over the ruined remains of a table and rug. Vernon was furious and attacked him. He ran, destroying our door in the process, into the night. Vernon shouted, 'Never come back'. Frankly I agree with him."
"Petunia, you know why he must stay here."
"I don't care anymore. He's nothing but a nuisance. If that man comes to kill him, he'll not find him and leave."
"He will also be leaving behind a destroyed house with the three of you lying dead underneath it."
"I don't … I don't care anymore. That freak has no home to come back to."
Petunia knew she had gone too far with this. She stared into Dumbledore's eyes as he stood from the chair he previously occupied. A small sigh of disappointment escaped Dumbledore before he took out his wand. Petunia looked positively horrified at the sight in front of her.
"Now, my dear Petunia, Harry never really left the house. In fact he's just been going unnoticed."
"What are you doing?"
"Something that will insure that Harry Potter follows the destiny laid out before him." Professor Dumbledore pointed his wand at Petunia and muttered a single word under his breath, "Obliviate." He looked to his right and saw Vernon and Dudley spying on their conversation. Vernon made two steps towards Dumbledore before falling to the same fate as his wife. Dudley, on the other hand, tried to run up the stair and hide. He was quickly taken care of as Dumbledore walked out of the house.
"Now I do believe that I have a missing boy to find."
Professor Dumbledore exited the small house and walked to the end of the sidewalk. With a wave of his wand, a small golden trail started to glimmer on the ground. Dumbledore followed the trail all the way to the end of the street before it sprang off into four different directions. Professor Dumbledore frowned. How could Harry magically mask his trail at such a young age? He shook his head and followed the trail farthest to the left. Before he left the street, he pulled out the small deluminator and gave it a final click. In a flash, the street lamps and house lights lit back up. Dumbledore's patience was starting to wear thin when he found that each path would diverge into more and more paths. He waved his wand once more and the infinitely spreading paths vanished. It would be a few weeks before Professor Dumbledore would catch any word of Harry Potter, one month to be exact.
At that very moment, Harry Potter was being nursed back to consciousness. Annette had been very worried when Tom suddenly rushed into the bar whilst carrying Harry in his arms. Harry was tossing and turning in his sleep so violently that Annette had a hard time keeping the blankets on Harry. She could only pray that Harry would wake up soon. The sun started to creep through the window before Harry stirred from his restless sleep.
"Did anyone get the number of that bus that hit me?"
"No, but then again busses don't normally hit children in Diagon Alley." Annette chuckled in relief to Harry's joke.
"How long was I out?"
"Just for the night, you gave us quite a scare."
"Am I in trouble?"
"Goodness no, what would make you think you were?"
Harry slowly moved into a sitting position. "Well, whenever I did anything strange, my relatives would always…" Harry trailed off, lost in thought.
"Would always do what sweetie?"
Harry shook his head slowly, "It doesn't matter now. I'm never going back there."
Annette's brow furrowed as she thought of the possible reasons to why a child would not want to go back to their house. "Harry, can I ask you a question?"
"You already have, but I'll let you ask another." Harry managed a weak smile.
"Thank you. You don't have to answer this if you don't want to." She waited for Harry to nod before continuing. "Why did you end up in our bar half frozen to death with barely any clothes on?"
"I … I'd done something bad."
"Harry, is there something that you're not telling us?"
"Whenever I'd do something bad my aunt and uncle would… they would beat me."
"That's terrible. Why would they do such a thing?" Annette said as she placed her hand on Harry's hand.
"Most of the time it was because they were bored."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"They knew everyone. They would just tell them that I was making up stories."
"Someone had to of believed you though."
"Well, that's all in the past now. Can I ask you a question?"
"Ask me anything sweetie."
"While we were out in Diagon Alley I saw this pet store."
"Did you want me to take you there?"
"Yes, I was hoping to buy an owl there."
"You just rest for a little bit then I'll take you there straight away."
"Thank you." Harry slid back down into a comfortable position. Seconds later, he was fast asleep. Annette slid her hand through Harry's hair and quietly exited the room.
Harry dreamt once more of flying through the skies. He looked back at the girls flying with him. He was almost close enough to touch them, yet their faces eluded him. He looked up and saw the familiar bird flying high above. This time though he could make out more details. The bird was white and had a blue tint at the edge of its feathers. The song that the bird sang sounded clearer, sharper, and closer. Harry was at peace once more.
Annette walked back into the room a few hours later. She would have woken Harry up to go to the pet store before it closed but just couldn't bring herself to do it. She saw the happy look on Harry's face and dared not disturb his slumber. She smiled and edged the door closed. She would let him rest for the remainder of the night. After all, Diagon Alley wasn't going anywhere. She walked back downstairs to the bar and started to prepare for the night guests. She would allow Harry as much peace as he could obtain.
In the now closed store of Eeylops Owl Emporium, sat many sleeping owls waiting for new owners. There was a wide variety of owls to choose. All owls were perched on their stands ready for the next day. However, one owl was different from the others. This owl refused to sit at her perch. She would bite customers that wished to buy her. She always had a mean look and stared at customers. She was a beautiful snowy owl with gray specks at the tip of her feathers. She was sleeping in the rafters with her head tucked under her wing. In addition, she dreamed a special dream. A dream, that she was proud to call her own.
In this dream, she was flying through the clouds. In the morning light, she started to sing a song. The sun's dawning rays pierced the clouds and cast beautiful shadows on the ground below. She looked down and saw something that she never noticed before. Five humans were riding on brooms below her. She saw that four of them were female and were looking at the male in front. She couldn't make out any other details besides their gender. She was about to look back towards the sun when she noticed something. The male, she could see his features. He had soft green eyes, jet-black hair, and a scar above his right eye in the shape of a lightning bolt. Above all else, he had a kind smile. The smile of the one she had been looking for all her life.
The owl awoke with a start. She fluffed her chest and preened her feathers until they were free of dirt and dust before falling back asleep. She seemed unnaturally happy. She hooted softly in her sleep as her chest rose and fell with each breath. She could not wait for dawn to arrive. Her true master had finally shown his image in a dream. She would wait for his eventual arrival. She had a very good feeling that this boy was close by. So close in fact, that she almost felt his presence.
(A/N) Dumbledore keeping tabs on Harry. Using Obliviate on his relatives. What could he be planning about his 'Destiny'. We also get a glimpse of our favorite feathered friend. What's in store for Harry Potter? Find out next time on Drag... umm I mean Harry Potter and the Heir of Sword and Staff. Ciao
