Chapter 6: Look into the Soul
"Hey kid, rise 'n shine"
Whatever Harry was laying on it was hard and uncomfortable, so he decided to do what the familiar voice asked.
He opened his eyes to find himself looking into the red eyes of Yuri Volte Hyuga.
"Oh great am I in Kurando's body again?" Harry muttered
"No I'm over here" a younger, yet still familiar voice called from his left.
Harry slowly sat up and saw his twice removed Great Grandfather Kurando Inyugami standing with a faint smile on his face.
And standing next to him was the familiar face of Colonel Jinpachiro Hyuga.
"Where the hell am I?" Harry asked as he slowly stood up.
"You're inside your soul" a fourth man announced.
Harry looked up in time to see a man roughly six feet in height, with shoulder length black hair and brown eyes, wearing a crimson robe.
Harry recognised him from portraits at school as Godric Gryffindor, the Patriarch of his family.
"Inside my soul?" Harry asked as he looked towards Yuri "Don't tell me you guys are gonna drag my on a trip like the journey through the Mirror Castle to wake up Amon"
"To an extent" Jinpachiro said "When that monster slashed you tonight it caused injuries that would have been fatal to any other man…"
"…But to a Harmonixer" Kurando continued "Such an injury is the key to unlocking your powers…"
"…But you still have some work to do before you can reach the power" Yuri finished "There are problems inside your mind that if not resolved, you may end up following the same path I did"
Harry nodded silently; he knew all too well where the curse of the masks inside the graveyard of Yuri Hyuga's soul had led him.
"Is that why you three showed me your memories?" Harry asked "To keep me from making the same mistakes you did?"
"Yes" Kurando said "Jinpachiro's life was meant to teach you that not all battles can be won by the fist and that sacrificing yourself isn't always the road to take, Yuri's was to teach you that no matter the price, those we care about must come first. And my life, my life was to teach you the code of honour that I lived, and to teach you what Yuri also taught you, to love. But the primary objective was to teach you the secrets of our art. To teach you to respect the power we have harnessed"
"Kid" Yuri said "You've got the potential to become more powerful even than me. And they called me Godslayer. Tom Riddle was right that night in the Chamber of Secrets; the two of you are alike. The difference is that like me, you didn't let your past defeat you. You rose above the scorn and the pain and became a better man for it. Riddle wasn't able to do that and it has destroyed him"
"It is what drew me to you" a voice said.
Harry turned around and saw what looked to him like a phoenix, except this phoenix had feathers as white as snow, a black beak and talons, black spots dotting her plumage, wings and tail feathers and golden eyes.
It didn't take Harry very long to recognise the phoenix "Hedwig?"
The phoenix nodded as she spoke in his mind "It is me Harry. You and I are one. As it should be, I will watch over you and those that come after you for a long as your line exists"
Harry smiled as he stroked the phoenix's plumage; Hedwig had been his first friend aside from the spiders in his Cupboard under the stairs, his truest friend. After a moment Harry looked towards Yuri and said "When do we start?"
"Immediately" Godric said "If you remain inside your soul for too long it is dangerous"
Harry nodded as he called Hedwig to his right forearm and walked through the door behind Godric.
"AVEDA KEDAVERA"
Harry watched the last instances of his innocence fade away with those seven syllables and the flash of green light that issued from the thirteen inch length of Yew wood.
"Do you remember this night?" Godric asked from beside him as they watched a golden shield surround the infant in his crib and reflect the green curse back at Voldemort.
"Only too well" Harry said as Voldemort's body disintegrated, leaving behind a screaming shade "It took me ten years to put a face to the laugh and the scream that haunted my nights in the cupboard. And another three before I saw the true face. This night will haunt me for the rest of my life"
"Dumbledore was right you know" Kurando said "It was your mother's love that protected you that night. Just not in the way he believes. Even as an infant you were able to harness the emotions of your mothers departed spirit and unconsciously turn them against your family's destroyer"
"It is also a pinicale point in your life" Godric said "The night Voldemort gave you that scar he did more than just make you the Wizarding World's martyr. He started you down a path to becoming the man you are today, a man of morals, honour, courage and convictions" after a moment the scene began to shift and Godric said "Let's move on"
Harry nodded as a figure appeared in front of him.
It was him, at roughly four or five years old. Dressed in Dudley's elephant clothes, with several gardening tools around him, working on something that appeared invisible to Harry.
The boy looked up at Harry and smiled as he said "Hi"
Harry frowned as he responded with the same greeting "What…are you?"
"I'm you" the boy replied "Or a part of you that was taken away"
"I don't understand" Harry said
"Watch" the boy answered
The scene shifted to one that was familiar to Harry. He was on his knees in the front garden of number four, working at Petunia's precious plants, plants which year after year he tended to and cared for in preparation for Petunia's garden shows and then she stuffed him into his cupboard and passed the plants off as her work.
The boy in front of the rose bush brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes as he clipped a thorn away and moved towards the next.
When a brown owl landed on the grass next to him with a letter in its beak addressed to him.
"What the hell?" the older Harry asked "I don't remember this"
"Watch" Godric said "Go around behind him and read the letter"
Harry frowned as he complied.
He crouched down behind the boy and read the letter
Dear Harry,
If you are reading this now, you've just turned five and we are dead. We fear it may have been at the hands of Lord Voldemort. This letter will only be sent to you if you have been placed with your Aunt Petunia, ignoring our last wishes. This letter is tell you the truth, that Peter Pettigrew was our secret keeper not Sirius Black. Harry we love you, stay with Padfoot and Moony. No matter what may happen we are always proud of you.
Love Forever and Always,
Mum and Dad.
In that instant he remembered that day. He had long since given up on Uncle Padfoot or Uncle Moony coming for him, now he knew why.
For years he had wondered why they never came for him. But now he knew that Uncle Padfoot was in prison, all because dirty, smelly Wormtail was a traitor.
He began to run inside to tell Aunt Petunia that he found a way for her to get what she wanted when he heard a small pop behind him.
The older Harry leapt to his feet at the pop in time to see Dumbledore snatch the letter from the younger Harry's hand and say "I'm sorry Harry, but you need to stay here. Obliviate" when the spell took effect Dumbledore said "Perhaps you should go back to your work my boy, your uncle would be angry if you weren't finished"
Harry watched as the dazed boy stumbled back to the rose bushes and returned to his work before he slumped to his knees.
Why? Why did he do it? Was the idea of Harry being raised by Sirius so hard for him to accept? Or was it the fact that being raised by Sirius would make him happy that Dumbledore couldn't stand.
Yuri put a hand on Harry's shoulder and said "I'm sorry to sound cold kid, but we need to move on. And I'm sorry to say it gets worse"
Scene was once again black and Harry found him self face to face with his eleven year old self.
"What's going on?" he asked
"We're trying to show you" the younger boy said "You need to see the full truth before you can move on. You need to understand"
Then the blackness was replaced by Diagon Alley in front of Madame Malkin's
Harry watched his eleven year old self walk into Robe the shop.
In the back of the shop, a boy that Harry recognised as Draco Malfoy, but why were they showing him this, he remembered meeting Malfoy in the robe shop that day, why repeat it?
"You'll get an answer soon" Kurando assured as Madam Malkin stood the younger Harry on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over his head and began to pin it to the right length.
"Hullo" Draco said "Hogwarts too?"
"Yes" Harry replied, slightly nervous.
"Do you know what House you'll be in? I think I'll be in Slytherin, Ravenclaw might not be that bad though, my names Draco by the way, Draco Malfoy"
"My name's Harry Potter" Harry replied "And no I don't know what house I'll be in"
"Really? Wow, it's nice to meet you. Father says you live with Muggles is that true?"
"Yeah" Harry replied quietly "They're not really the best of people though, they think wizards are freaks or something like that. I had to come here with Hagrid"
"Oh I've heard of him, bit of an oaf isn't he? I heard he gets drunk every so often and sets fire to his hut"
"He probably does" Harry agreed "After we left Gringotts he went to the Leaky Cauldron for a 'pick me up'"
"Not surprising" Draco muttered "Have you gotten your wand yet? My mother is down the road speaking to Olivander about her own"
"No, no I haven't, I think I'll get that last today" Harry said as Draco's robes were finished.
"All done Master Malfoy, your father asked me to send you along to Olivander's when we were done here, run along now"
"Oh" Draco nodded as the robes were packed up "I'll see you on the express then Harry"
"Bye Draco" Harry replied as his robes were finished and he went outside to meet Hagrid.
When Harry met Hagrid outside the bookshop he recounted his conversation with Draco Malfoy. Hagrid started to look around and pulled Harry into a small alley.
"Look, I'm sorry 'bout this, but its Dumbledore's orders, cant have ye mix'n with the wrong sorts" then Hagrid pointed his umbrella at Harry and said "Obliviate"
Another haze covered Harry's eyes as he stumbled towards Olivander's wands. Completely unaware of the new betrayal.
Hagrid. His first ever friend in the Wizarding world, Hagrid had betrayed him. He had made friends with Draco Malfoy and Hagrid had oblivated him for it.
The next image was one of Harry again, wearing his muddy robes, with Gryffindor's sword, Riddle's diary and the sorting hat tucked into his belt.
"Do you remember this night?" the boy asked
"Yeah" Harry said, thinking about the battle in the Chamber of Secrets.
"Do you remember what Dumbledore said?" the boy asked "About the sword?"
"Only a true Gryffindor could pull that one out of the hat" Harry replied
"And we are true Gryffindor's, not just because of our house but because our blood" the boy said.
Harry nodded as he remembered the Genealogy book. He was Gryffindor's only remaining direct Heir.
Next Harry found himself meeting his thirteen year old self.
"Of the five years you've been at Hogwarts" the teen said "Mine was the closest to being quiet. We met Remus, learned a spell that would let us see something of dad. And we got to see Padfoot again"
"It wasn't that bad a year" Harry agreed "But if Dumbledore had done something to make Snape talk it would have been better, or if he had gotten us questioned Sirius would be free and he might still be alive"
"Maybe" the younger Harry agreed as he faded away and was replaced by a slightly taller Harry wearing pyjamas
"This is the worse one" Harry's fourteen year old self said.
"How?" Harry asked "I know for a fact that I was older than you by a few months when the shit hit the fan"
"That you remember" the younger teen said "This is one that you don't remember"
Then he watched his fourteen year old self creep down the stairs of the Burrow in the dead of night, listening to Molly Weasley say.
"I don't care Albus, that boy is dangerous, either you find a way to control him or my Ronnie won't put up with being his friend any longer, I don't care how much you pay us"
"Molly" Dumbledore's voice pleaded "See reason I need you to-"
"I don't care" Ron snapped from beside her "I don't even want to be in the same room as Potter, let alone sleep in the same one as him, it's disgusting how he acts"
"Fine, I'll do what I can, try to keep up appearances, I'll be in contact"
"You'd better" Molly snapped "And you better keep your end of the deal old man"
Dumbledore's head disappeared from the flames as Mrs Weasley hugged the scowling Ron. Harry walked out into the open; trying to understand what was going on.
"Mrs Weasley what's goin on?…"
Molly turned to Harry and glared at him as she drew her wand "Oh for heaven's sake you stupid child, Obliviate"
Now Harry was seething. Three times. Three fucking times he had been obliviated because of that old fossil. Dumbledore seemed intent on ruining his life.
"We're almost done" Yuri said
Next Harry saw himself, standing bruised and bleeding wearing the same robes he had worn during the third task.
"Do you remember how this night ended?" the teen asked
"All too well" Harry said "It's not something I've been keen to relive"
"Yeah" the younger Harry agreed "But it was one of the defining points in your life. You stood your ground and fought, knowing that your chances of survival were slim"
"I didn't really have much choice" Harry countered "I knew that if I tried to run the Deatheaters would cut me down. So I swallowed the fear and I stood my ground"
"Like a Gryffindor" the younger Harry said "Now it's time for your final face" then he was gone.
And in his place stood a version of Harry wearing school robes that were as bloody and dirty as the person in them.
"You remember me?" his uniform wearing clone asked
"Only too well" Harry nodded "But I wish I didn't"
"Sometimes we have to move past our pain" the teen said "Or it will consume us"
"How can I?" Harry asked "I can't do this. I can't fight him. I don't have the power"
"Yes you do" Hedwig said "You have a power Voldemort will never understand, a power that will shave the very pillars of the earth. But you must harness it"
"You must choose" another voice announced
Harry turned around to find himself looking at a figure, wearing a long flowing black cloak.
"Chose?" Harry asked
"Light or dark" the figure responded "Day or night, you must choose the power you will wield"
After a moment the shadows surrounding the figure faded away and Harry found himself standing on one of four sections of a crossroads, with the figure standing at the shadow.
Down the left road Harry saw a dark night illuminated by the full moon, down the right road he saw a shining day without a cloud in the sky.
"You must choose one road" the figure said from his place at the centre "Or be trapped here forever"
Harry nodded as he moved towards the figure, aware of the comforting weight of Hedwig on his shoulder.
After looking down the two roads for a moment Harry looked past the figure and down the path behind him, down a road that was both light and dark, neither holding dominance over the other, an eternal balance.
"I choose neither" Harry said as he moved past the figure and down the centre path "By choosing one over the other I deny the others existence. I cannot do that"
"Then what is your choice?" the figure asked as he spun to face Harry
"I choose the third path" Harry said "The road of both day and night. The path of twilight"
"To nightfall?" the figure asked
"No" Harry said as he looked towards the merging colours of twilight "To dawn" then Harry started down the road.
When the figure behind him began to laugh.
"Dawn?" the figure asked "There is no dawn" then the figure threw off his cloak to reveal the sixteen year old face of Tom Riddle "There is only darkness Potter"
"And that will be your undoing Tom" Harry said "You deny the lights existence and it will be your destruction"
"It will be yours first Potter" Tom roared as a green light began to surround him and his body began to shift and chance until in place of Tom Riddle, was a hundred foot long Basilisk, then the beast reared back its head and screamed "YOU WILL NOT LEAVE THIS PLACE ALIVE POTTER"
Harry simply narrowed his eyes and said "We will see"
Done. Next time Harry's true Harmonixer powers appear.
