Scion of Sorcery
Disclaimer: SEE FIRST CHAPTER
Plot: Strange Things Response: When Lily was pregnant with Harry, she knew that he would grow up to be someone special in the world of the mystic ones. But then again, why wouldn't he? After all, his Father is the Sorcerer Supreme!
Author's Note: So, admittedly, I'm 'dusting off' a former idea and altering it in places to work with the challenge with this one, but what can I say? I couldn't resist the chance to have some fun with the challenge and use someone that is, without a shadow of a doubt, my ALL-TIME FAVOURITE Marvel character be it comic, animation or the FANTASTIC movie, so let's see what sort of fun we can have.
And, as always, if you don't like it, then don't read it.
Dedication: I'd like to dedicate this story to everyone that continues to support and encourage my ideas; my recommended reads are Harry Potter and the Lightning Lord and Harry Potter and the Power of Two by Colt01, Master Potter of Kamar-Taj by Ryuko monogatari, Agamotto's Eyes by Otsutsuki no Yami, Harry Strange: Sorcerer Supreme by VexingFate, More Than Equal by Ordinarily Prudent and Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin by The Sinister Man;
Key Pairing: Stephen/Christine;
Normal Speech
'Thoughts'
'Telepathy'
/Parseltongue/
Review Responses:
Bkerrmom1: All that I'll say in response to your questions is what I always say: keep reading to find out;
Sparrownightmare: You do notice the part in the summary where it says what the pairing is, right?
After all, this was the agreement made by his Father with the ICW: that Harry's magic be trained, watched and even observed through training and living with the Sorcerer Supreme, his Father, until he turned eleven years of age.
There was just one small problem with that.
Harry didn't want to go…
Chapter 7: At the Eleventh Hour
"Happy birthday, Harry!"
A smile of warmth and gratitude spread across the face of the boy known as Harrison Harry James Strange-Potter, now eleven years old, as he looked around the main chamber of the Sorcerer Supreme, his eyes shining as he saw his Father, his adopted Mother, Wong and Master Hamir gathered around him, all four of them showing looks of delight and compassion, even the usually-stoic Wong.
"Thank you Masters, Dad, Mum," said Harry, bowing respectfully to his mentors before he also repeated the motion to his Father while Christine placed a soft, caring kiss on Harry's cheek. "I feel like this day's been taking forever to get here."
"Why's that, Harry?" asked Stephen, watching as Christine handed Harry a couple of gifts as well as cards from Harry's friends and fellow students of the craft, not to mention those Harry knew from Xavier's home; the young mutants who he'd befriended when he studied there.
"Because I know what's coming," said Harry, his hand gently pressed against his eye-patch as he explained, "The Eye's magic has shown me it every time I think about it: today's the day that I'm going to have to go back to Britain, isn't it?"
"You don't have to do that," argued Christine, watching as Harry smiled before, looking to her husband, the good doctor then asked, "Why does he, Stephen? Harry's free to decide what path his education takes, the same as any other young man."
"It's not that simple, Chrissy," replied Stephen, watching as Harry opened the first of his gifts, which was from Wong: inside was a tome on the power of true sorcery, the kind of text that would only be available in the library; for Harry to have a copy of his own showed that he was getting more and more worthy of the gifts inside him.
Looking from his son to his wife, the Sorcerer Supreme then explained, "Not only did I make a promise to Lily that I would let Harry choose his own path, but when the pact with the International Confederacy of Wizards was made, I agreed that Harry would go back, if only for one year, so he could see for himself the differences between our mystic ways and the magic that he was born to inherit from Lily."
"But once he's back," Wong remarked, noticing Harry's good eye was looking to his Father in curiosity while the Asian man explained, "It is highly unlikely that the British Magical Community will accept Harry's sorcery as magic: they have a hard enough time working with electronics, much less the advances made in the world of the mundane."
"I bet they'd even call someone like Thor a Dark Wizard," drawled Harry, earning a snigger from his Father before, moving to the next gift, he saw that it was from his Dad.
Peeling off the wrappers, Harry's eyes widened as he found himself looking at a long coat that seemed to mirror the Sorcerer Supreme's Cloak of Levitation, but unlike that magical relic, this one looked like a red duster with black highlights, the mystic symbol that usually marked the location and magic of one of the three sanctuaries in the world stitched onto the left side like a crested lapel.
"Both Christine and I worked on that with a little help from Master Hamir," explained Stephen, watching as Harry swept the coat around, slipping his arms into the relevant parts, allowing the coat to fit him comfortably while giving him a proud appearance while Stephen continued, "Master Hamir and I worked on some protective enchantments that should protect you from most attacks, be they energy-based or mystical in origin. It's also been enchanted against all forms of environment, making you comfortable wearing it no matter what weather you find yourself in."
"I love it," gasped Harry, adjusting the collar of his coat before he asked, "How do I look?"
"If it wasn't for the Eye of Horus under your patch, I'd say you looked just like Stephen," remarked Wong, a thin smile on his face as he said, "Of course we all know that the Eye's magic is permanently fused to you now; this is only the first step in your maturity, young Harry."
Nodding once, Harry looked back to his Father as Stephen reached into the pocket of his own suit and, to Harry's bewilderment, he retrieved what looked like a faded envelope, which he handed to Harry as he explained, "This is for you too, Harry: I was instructed to give it to you on this day."
Taking the envelope, Harry's eyes softened as he picked up a faint magical signature through the Eye's magic; at the same time, a warm, familiar scent of plants clung to the paper that made up the envelope while, on one side, a stylish, curvy form of handwriting spelled out his name.
"Would you like to open it alone?" asked Wong, earning a look from Stephen while Harry looked to his Father.
"Is…is this…Mum's handwriting?"
"Yes," replied Stephen, looking now to Christine as he explained, "Lily gave me that when I last saw her before…before that dark night; she made sure I promised to give it to Harry today, on his eleventh birthday, because she said it would help him understand what he was about to face."
Looking back to his son, Stephen then added, "Like Wong said, Harry; if you want to open it alone, you can…what's in there is for you and your eyes only…and if anyone makes a James Bond joke or a Mission Impossible reference, I'll have them cleaning toilets for a month."
Wong scoffed while Harry smirked before, to the shock of the Sorcerer Supreme, he opened the letter there and then, removing two things from inside the envelope: one was the letter that Stephen had told him was there while the other was what looked like a small blue stone that was no bigger than a duck egg.
Holding both items in his hands, Harry looked to the stone, his eyes narrowing before he whispered, "There's hidden magic in this thing: I can sense it…but it's not like the magic of my Eye or the powers of Sorcery you've all been teaching me."
"Check the letter," suggested Christine, watching as Stephen summoned a chair for Harry to sit in, his good eye scanning the words on the parchment while, to their awe, the four adults then heard Harry recite the words on the letter;
My beautiful boy,
If your Father has done as I have asked him to, then this letter will have been given to you on the day that you officially become a man: maybe not physically, but inside, where it matters, you are now a man. For this is the day where your life begins and, despite what your Dad's told me about this agreement with Archmage Wulfgarden, I hope you choose the path you wish to take, no matter what.
For you, my baby, are a very powerful sorcerer and not just because your Father is the Sorcerer Supreme: neither James nor I could explain it, but when I was pregnant with you, there were magical events happening that could be traced to you, performing feats while you were still waiting to be brought into the world.
You had a strong magical core that seemed to be able to harness the power of magic at its core and make it do whatever you wish: such acts and such powers have not been seen in our world for centuries, not since the days of the Founders, Merlin and before then. Even your Dad's surprised by what you can do, but this is why I know you will be safe with him.
I suspect that, as you read this letter, I'm no longer there with you, but please don't be sad, Harry: for I will always be with you in a place where no magic, not even the powers of the Sorcerer Supreme, can take me from you: in your heart and in your dreams.
After this day, if you're reading this letter on your birthday, your life will change and, while I too would like it very much for you to go and make new friends, reunite with old family friends and find yourself at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I know in my heart that even I cannot make you do something you do not wish to do.
No-one can; so, instead, I leave you with the one thing that is yours: enclosed with this letter is a blue stone, infused with the ancient family magic from your adopted Father, James, and a special enchantment from your Dad, Doctor Stephen Strange. Once activated, the magic will grant you the power that you have inside you, including the strength and abilities you showed to us when you were just a baby growing inside me.
I know, or rather, I suspect that by the time you read this letter, you will have already shown true power in the art of sorcery, but, as I'm sure your Dad knows, there's a big difference between our world and theirs.
To that end, I leave you with some advice: first, never let anyone dictate the terms of magic to you, Harry. There is no good or evil with magic's grace: there is only the will and intent of the one who wields it.
Second: if you choose to return to Britain and attend Hogwarts, know that you'll have friends and allies waiting for you, such as your godfather, Sirius Black, your 'magical' brother, Neville Longbottom – born on the same day as you – and, unless he's decided, for some reason, to disgrace himself and turn on the vow he made James, you'll also have the support and protection of Albus Dumbledore, a man who has something that rightfully belongs to you.
If he does not return it, use your power and claim it: trust me, Harry, it will serve you and you alone.
As for the stone, use your blood to trigger the release spells and give you what is rightfully yours: I cannot keep you from your true destiny any longer than I already have.
And neither can nor should anyone else; all I can say is the same thing I said to you every night as you sleep.
Be safe, be strong and know that you are loved.
And now, in the words of old magic, I wish you well, my baby;
Blessed be.
Love, Mum
As he reached the end of the letter, Harry sniffed sadly, wiping a tear that fell from his good eye while his hands trembled as he looked from the parchment to Stephen, who seemed to be consoling Christine while Wong seemed to have something in his eye and Master Hamir had his head bowed, a prayer of homage, spoken in Mandarin, leaving his lips.
"She…she did this for me," said Harry, clutching the stone in his hand before he asked, "Did…did you know she'd done it, Dad?"
"Lily said that she had found a way to help you control your power and understand the throes of magical strength that would one day be yours, so I guess this is that way," answered Stephen, although Harry smirked when he noticed that Stephen's cloak wiped the tear from the man's eyes for him as he added, "And I daresay you're ready to know your true power too, Harry, but be warned: once you do, you'll be in command of powers and magical traits that even I cannot invoke; it may even affect your bond with the Eye of Horus."
Once again, Harry looked to the stone in his hand before, swallowing hard, he looked back to his Father as he asked, "If…if I go back…can I still come home…back to Kamar-Taj and…and our home in New York?"
"Of course you can," insisted Christine, her eyes damp with tears as she told him, "I know you probably want to honour her wish for you, sweetie, but…but whatever you decide, you will always have a home with us."
"And I will always be a Sling away…or, in your case, a Flash," added Stephen, earning a curious look from Harry that had him smiling as he said to the boy, "You'll see."
With confusion in his eyes, Harry gulped before, setting the letter aside, he lifted his thumb to his mouth and, biting hard on his skin, he watched as a single drop of blood formed from the wound.
Before he could drip it onto the stone, however, a laugh then escaped Harry as he noticed the world shifting and contorting around them, showing that his Father had transported them into the Mirror Dimension, which Stephen then confirmed as he said, "This won't be a simple release, Harry; you'll be regaining the power you had as an infant and, from what Lily told me about it as well as the fact that you're now ten years older, I think it'd be safer for us to be here in this realm for the procedure."
"Good point," laughed Harry, holding his bleeding thumb over the stone and, with a single drop that fell from his wound, Harry's eyes widened as he saw the stone glowing, a beam of bright…very bright blue light flying from the stone and hitting Harry's head.
As it did so, Harry gasped as his mind was flooded with strength, giving him access to memories he had thought lost;
Flashback Start
"Oh…Merlin…forgive me, Lils," gasped James, lifting his head to meet her eyes as he asked, "What have I…"
Before he could finish his question, however, both him and Lily gasped when what could only be described as a flash of fire, similar to phoenix fire, lit up the space between James' legs and, when it died down, Harry was there, his eyes wide with terror as he held his tiny hands out to James.
"Papa!" cried Harry, earning a gasp from Lily and James as the Potter Lord scooped his son and heir into his arms, his tears now joyful as he turned to his wife, who was smiling despite the fear she felt.
"I'm his first word!" cried James, placing kisses against his son's cheek as he laughed, "Suck on that, Padfoot!"
Memory Break
"Lils?" asked James, earning a shocked look from his wife as he poked his head out of the door, earning laughs from Lily as she saw the soapy bubbles that covered his head, the water stains all over his face, neck and hairline.
Seeing her husband, the King of the Potter Pride, drenched to high heaven and covered in suds made Lily laugh before James asked, "Can you come in here? This little terror's just sprayed me because he thinks I won't let him dress up again. I swear that Padfoot's been giving him pranking lessons when we weren't looking."
Memory Break
"Get away from my son, you monster!" snarled Lily, firing off a spell from her wand, which was easily deflected by the figure in the doorway, a figure that was known to many as the darkest, most-terrifying force in the world.
The Dark Lord Voldemort sneered as he asked, "What chance do you hope to have against me, you pathetic little Mudblood? None: now, step aside and I will spare your miserable stain of an existence: Lord Voldemort does not forget those whom…"
"No!" screamed Lily, firing off another spell, but, once again, it was deflected by Voldemort as she snapped, "I will never give up my child, especially not to you! I'd sooner give my life before I let him die because I am a coward."
Red eyes widened while Lily felt the magic going to work around her.
Hiding a smile as she knew that this was her last hope, Lily then added, "Do it: take me instead, just leave my son alone…"
"As you wish, stupid child," drawled the Dark Lord, aiming his wand at her as he commanded, "Avada Kedavra!"
However, at the same time that he did so, Lily and Voldemort both gasped when a voice, so young and yet so powerful that it made the walls of the entire house tremble with magical backlash, screamed, "MAMA NO!"
Before Lily had a chance to look back, her eyes widened as what could only be described as a field of magical energy suddenly rose up around her, the full fury of the magic laced with mystical symbols and runes the likes of which even she had never seen before, although she did recognise a shielding charm when she saw it.
To her sorrow, however, the shield was only strong enough to surround Harry, which he seemed to notice too as he screamed in fear and pain, his eyes filled with horror and fear as he saw his Mother fall to the curse.
"NO!" Screamed Harry.
"Stupid girl," hissed Voldemort, turning his wand on Harry as he asked, "Does she think I would let you live to grow stronger? Only I can live forever and you, despite your…impressive skill, you are still just a pawn in that game: goodbye, Harry Potter…Avada Kedavra!"
As the Killing Curse – the flash of green light – flew from the tip of the man's wand, a sense of delight and victory suddenly transformed into what could only be described as disbelief and horror as what could only be described as a primal howl echoed through the nursery; the shield itself seemed to buckle and ripple with magical strain, but, beyond the shield, the Dark Lord's eyes widened as he saw lightning being redirected from the flash of green, striking everything in sight, including Lord Voldemort himself.
Even the Dark Lord couldn't resist the dark powers of death for long, as was made obvious when his body was swallowed up by his own magic, leaving nothing but robes and a broken wand in place.
At the same time, what could have only been described as a veil of pure light shone from within the body of the young sorcerer and, had anyone been around to see it, they would have stared in abject disbelief at the vision that loomed before them: an aurora of pure golden energy appeared to surround Harry's small body, parts of the gold tinged with emerald-green sparks and volts that made up part of the aurora's body.
To anyone in the know, the aurora, the form that it was taking, seemed to resemble a great and powerful Phoenix-like energy, the wings and body of the great creature making up the majority of the aurora as it shielded Harry and enacted his will.
As the phoenix let out a cry of pure magic, Harry's body vanished from his crib, leaving nothing but burned and charred remains in its wake along with the unfortunately-deceased bodies of the Potter elders as well as the remains of the Dark Lord Voldemort.
But there was no sign of Harry Potter.
Flashback End
As Harry was enveloped by the memories of the strength of his magic and the knowledge he'd tapped into as a baby, Stephen's eyes widened as he saw his son's body glowing so brightly and so purely in energy levels that it made him look like an angel, especially when said magic caused Harry to sprout wings of pure gold – similar to the ones that had been there before he'd vanished from Godric's Hollow – bathing him in their radiance and flooding the Mirror Dimension with a feeling of magic that was so powerful, it reminded Stephen of the power of certain items he'd heard about from Wong and the Avengers.
The mystical, dangerous items known as the Infinity Stones: yes, Harry's magic felt that powerful when unleashed.
As the wings receded back into Harry's body, Stephen then watched as the eye-patch covering the Eye of Horus flew off before, to his shock, the magic from his son's will and true strength actually caused the Eye to vanish, almost like its magic and the true strength of its form had vanished behind Harry's bright green eyes.
Finally, with the last of the white aura fading away, Harry returned to the ground before, letting out a gasp of awe, he looked to his Father as he whispered, "I…I've never felt so much power, Dad! I…I think I get why Mum sealed it within the stone like she did…"
"I would have to agree," Stephen told him, a look of awe in his eyes as he then asked, "So, not to try and force the issue, Harry, but…regarding the up-and-coming school year…"
"I'll be going to Hogwarts," said Harry, earning a stunned look from Stephen before he added, "I want to find out why this Dark Lord I remember attacked my parents and, like Wong said, I think I need to give them a taste of real magic…and honour Mum's sacrifice at the same time."
"Sacrifice?" asked Stephen, earning a nod from Harry as he swallowed hard, his hand now clenched against his chest while his voice seemed to be a mix of raw power and emotion as he responded to his Father;
"She gave her life…willingly…to protect me from the Dark Lord: she died…so I could live!"
Chapter 7 and Harry has learned the dark truth of that night and got a taste of his true power, but now, with his desire to find out the truth and try to be the magical world's Sorcerer Supreme, you have to wonder: what will his first move be?
Also, can Stephen, Christine and their allies help Harry achieve this destiny or will there be barriers standing in their way?
Keep Reading to Find Out
Next Chapters: September First and, after ten years, Harry Potter returns to the magical world where he 'reunites' with an old friend, makes a few potentially-new ones and learns first-hand just how difficult his task ahead is going to be…
Please Read and Review…