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/
AN: So, this is an EDITED Chapter 10 that now includes an extension of the previously-posted chapter since I felt that the Sorting was something that needed to be dealt with and set the scene for the future;
So, if you've already reviewed Chapter 10 before, then apologies, but here is the new and improved version…
Chapter 10: A Strange Debut
When Harry, together with Neville and Mana, left the Hogwarts Express at the other end of the journey, the first thing that the young sorcerer thought about what he saw was, 'I was right; well, at least that's something.'
The thing that he was right about was the fact that it was getting dark by the time they'd reached the station, a cool, but mildly-discomforting chill blowing across the platform as Harry stepped down off the train. Next to him, Neville shivered slightly while Mana let out a low trill of discomfort as the eyes of many more students looked in the direction of her and her young friend.
'Ignore them,' Harry told her, petting her soft feathers while he also noticed many of the students eyeing Mana curiously, with awe and even looks of alarm and disbelief on their faces. 'No-one can or will take you from me, girl, I promise. You are my familiar and, no matter their thoughts on the subject, they can't keep us apart.'
'I know, little one,' agreed Mana, nuzzling Harry's touch as she explained, 'I just wish they wouldn't stare: it should be obvious to them that everyone is different at this place. More than that, however, I am uncomfortable because I sense many of them wanting to try and use me for their own ends.'
'Thunderbirds are magical creatures with unknown powers and many possibilities,' Harry reminded her, but before he could say anything else, he was cut off both verbally and mentally when a loud voice boomed in their direction, drawing the first years away from the rest of the group.
As Harry looked towards the source, his eyes widened as he saw a man who could have rivalled a certain not-so-jolly green giant he'd once met in New York with his size and stature: he was a broad figure whose face seemed to be hidden beneath a wild nest of dark hair that only allowed the man's dark eyes to be seen, but when Harry looked into those eyes, he felt a semblance of warmth run through him.
The man was dressed in a very large overcoat that seemed to be nothing but pockets while, in one hand, he carried a lantern that looked as though it had been lit magically.
As the students reached him, however, Harry gasped while he also felt slightly amused when the man let out a gasp as he asked, "Blimey, who does that little beauty belong to?"
'I think I like him,' commented Mana, earning a snigger from Harry as she proudly stepped forwards and, as the students watched in awe, they all saw the large man gently stroking Mana's feathers, his soft touch and his gentle movements betraying his giant size.
"She…she's mine," said Harry, earning a look from the large man before he added, "And I think she likes you, Mr…"
"The name's Hagrid," said the large man, earning a nod from Harry while Neville's eyes widened as he explained, "Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts: and I 'ope yeh don't mind me askin', but I'd like ter see 'er a little more; would tha' be a'right?"
"Of course," answered Harry, watching as Mana walked back to his side while Hagrid, wiping what looked like a stray tear from his eye, turned on his heel and led the students away from the station and along a narrow pathway.
As they followed the giant man, Harry looked down at Mana before he asked, 'Would you be okay visiting Mr Hagrid from time to time, Mana?'
'I'd have somewhere safe to stay if they don't let me stay with you in your room, Harry,' argued Mana, earning a nod of agreement from Harry before she added, 'But I like him: he's soft, gentle and reminds me of…'
'If you're going to say The Hulk, don't bother, because if he ever found out, he'd smash me into pâté,' drawled Harry, earning a laugh from Mana before he added, 'Mind you, when I first saw him, I thought about Dr Banner's not-so-jolly-green-giant other half, but like I said, don't tell him that.'
'My beak is sealed,' sniggered Mana before she, along with Harry, let out a gasp of awe as they, along with their future classmates, got a first glimpse of Hogwarts as they made their way towards a small fleet of boats at the edge of a lake.
Even without activating the Eyes of Horus – and shuddering at the thought of what might happen when he did – Harry felt like he could actually feel the air of magic that the dark castle with its lit towers and ominous, but awe-inspiring scenery let off. Everything about the school screamed magic and, even as Harry reached the edge of the lake with the rest of the students, he couldn't help but shiver as the same feeling brushed over him.
'This place is old,' commented Mana, earning a nod of agreement from Harry as, together with Neville, he made his way to one of the boats while Mana explained, 'Filled with mystery…and wonder…the very air sings with magic; do you feel it, little one?'
'Some sort of protective warding,' agreed Harry, his eyes narrowed as he added, 'Much like the concealment wards that keep Kamar-Taj away from the eyes of the No-Maj and the mundane who work in the city. But there's also something else: an ancient power lies in the warding, but also within the school. Even without the Eyes activated, I…I can sense them; their power…it makes me think of…'
'The Sorcerer Supreme,' added Mana, earning a nod from Harry before she asked, 'Could this place have some sort of connection to him or someone else, perhaps the Ancient One who came before him?'
'If it does, then it's my duty as his son and heir to find it and either contain it, master whatever mystery it presents or return it to him at Kamar-Taj or the Sanctum to be dealt with there,' said Harry, earning a trill of agreement from Mana before he shushed her as he sat down in the boat.
At the same time, Neville looked to Harry as he asked, "Hey, are you all right there, Harry? You still look a bit dazed."
"Sorry," replied Harry, running a hand through his dark hair as he admitted, "Because of my advantages, I can feel the magic of the school and, although I've been raised around magic, even my Dad's strength doesn't compare to the awe I feel because of the school."
"Sirius told me that there's a rumour that says the school is sentient," agreed Neville, then watching as two more students joined them in the boat.
One was a blonde-haired young woman who had an air of danger about her that reminded Harry of another on-again-off-again companion of his Father's named Natasha Romanov, also known as the Black Widow.
Her skin was smooth in appearance while her eyes were a cold, piercing shade of blue that made Harry think of ice: despite this, the girl looked pretty attractive in a certain light while, like them, she was already dressed in her school robes, though she wore hers with an air of pride and nobility that made Harry curious about her and wary at the same time.
The other companion was a dark-skinned boy with short, dark hair and a slightly-rounded face; he seemed to be in awe of Mana as he climbed into the boat while, at the same time, he gave a courteous nod of greeting to Harry and Neville, both of whom returned the gesture in kind before Harry, deciding to be the one to break the proverbial ice, extended a friendly hand to the boy.
"My name's Harrison Strange, but my friends call me Harry," explained the son of the Sorcerer Supreme, his name earning a curious look from the boy while the girl eyed him with mystery and a look that almost seemed to try and read Harry's language or his presentation.
At the same time, the boy returned the hand with his own as he replied, "Nice to meet you, Harrison, I'm Dean Thomas…and you are?"
"Neville Longbottom," answered Neville, shaking hands with Dean before he explained to Harry, "And this, Harry, is Heiress Daphne Greengrass: I've met her at a few parties over the years, but never had the pleasure of talking to her."
"An honour to make your acquaintance, Heiress Greengrass," said Harry before, to Dean's surprise and Neville's amusement, he didn't just take Daphne's hand; he also kissed the back of it like a gentleman before he added, "As far as Heirs and Heiresses go, I guess you could call me Heir Strange, but it makes it sound like estranged, so, if you want, just call me Harrison…or Harry, since that's my less-formal name."
"Or just strange," remarked Daphne, earning a laugh from Neville while Harry inclined his head at the play on words, a part of him then agreeing with his earlier statement that the girl was someone to be wary of: her voice was as smooth as her looks, but she had this cold air about her that was indifferent and on alert almost every minute of every day.
Like he'd thought, just like Miss Romanov when she was either on assignment for her boss or her allies or whenever she entered a new situation around people she didn't know or didn't trust.
"If you like, Greengrass," drawled Harry, earning a raised eyebrow from the girl before he added, "I was just trying to respect your ways of addressing those from old families, but if you'd rather be informal and on a last-name basis, then that's fine; how about you, Thomas?"
"Dean's just fine," laughed the boy, earning a smile and a nod from Harry before he asked, "And what about her? Your friend made quite the impression on Mr Hagrid back there."
"I'll say," laughed Harry, stroking Mana's feathers while he explained, "Her name is Mana and, to answer the question that you probably want to ask, she's my familiar, which is why she's here and I feel confident in having her."
"That might not last very long," argued Daphne, earning a shrug from Harry just as they reached the other side of the lake; while Neville and Dean clambered off the boat, Harry kept to the role of a gentleman as he offered a hand to Daphne, helping her off the boat.
As he did so, however, Daphne tripped slightly and fell against Harry's chest, earning a few looks from others who saw them; however, as the girl pulled herself up, clearing her throat as though trying to rid herself of the awkward feeling, she looked into Harry's eyes before, to his amusement, she smiled and, giving him a sly wink, she asked, "Harrison Strange, are you? Not with those eyes."
"That's my name and that's who I've been for the past several years," replied Harry, indicating the area around them before he added, "But by all means, Miss Greengrass, tell them who I really am: I'm not ashamed of it and I'm not afraid to start a collection for every time I have to correct them because, despite that being my other name, I choose to be Harrison Harry Strange as well as You-Know-Who."
Daphne's eyes widened; admittedly, her tripping had been intentional since she'd needed a closer look at Harry's face after seeing the green fire in his eyes that was infamous amongst many of the witches and wizards. But when she'd begun to ask about his true name, part of her wondering if he feared it or chose to loathe it for some reason, it had been the Slytherin in her sensing an opportunity.
And yet Harry had thrown it back at her with the logic of a Ravenclaw, the bravery of a Gryffindor, the personal loyalty of a Hufflepuff and the sly sense of cunning and covering all bases necessary for him that a Slytherin would possess.
Even though she knew this was Heir Harry James Potter, Daphne was stunned because this wasn't the boy of legend she'd heard so much about.
This was someone that knew how to play the game very well indeed.
Clearing her throat again, Daphne gave Harry a thin smile as she told him, "Well whoever you are, it's nice to meet you and I can't wait to see where you get sorted in a few minutes' time, Mr Strange."
"Likewise, Miss Greengrass," answered Harry, gesturing for Daphne to take the lead as they followed the rest of the first-years up to the top of the stairs where most of the group had vanished through a set of large oak doors.
Following the group inside the building, Harry and Daphne found themselves standing on another stairway with the rest of the stragglers while, at the front of the group, a stern-looking witch with her hair done up in a bun and dark robes that seemed to cover every inch of her body eyed them curiously as she addressed the group as a whole.
The speech that she gave, Harry thought, seemed to be pretty well-rehearsed, but he paid attention nonetheless, which meant he noticed the air of personal emotion that the witch showed when she mentioned Slytherin House and the sense of pride and warning that she gave off when she talked about the point system and the House Cup.
Then, once she was done, the witch, who Harry learned was named Professor McGonagall, left the students to tidy themselves up a bit, which, for Harry, meant checking on himself, making sure that Mana was ready and comfortable – the presence of whom he was also surprised to notice that McGonagall hadn't said anything – and keeping an eye on the group as a whole.
As the group fidgeted nervously and whispers started to rise, Harry smiled as he saw Neville make his way back over to them, his eyes filled with curiosity as he asked, "What kept you? We were already through the door before I noticed you were gone."
"Miss Greengrass and I just had an interesting chat about identity," said Harry, nodding once as he then added in a lower voice, "She knows who I really am, Neville: apparently, my eyes make me pretty recognisable to some people."
"Given they're similar to your Mum's, can you blame them?" asked Neville, earning a shrug from Harry.
Before he could say anything else, however, Harry saw Neville's expression turn sour when a drawling voice cut through the peace shared between the two friends, "Well, well, well; look what the Kneazle dragged in."
"Oh great," scowled Neville, turning to face the owner of the voice while Harry's eyes flicked upwards as he saw a blonde-haired boy moving through the crowd, flanked by two people who looked more like mini-Hulks than human beings. The boy seemed to be as proud-looking and noble as Daphne, but as Harry looked at him, he didn't get the feeling of possible friendship from this one.
Instead, alarm bells started ringing as the boy addressed them, or rather, as he addressed Neville, "If it isn't my blood traitor cousin's little charity case: so, Longbottom, has he decided to poison our blood further by making you his heir?"
"That right is saved for…someone else, Malfoy," scowled Neville, trying not to look in Harry's direction as he added, "Anyway, even if he did, it'd be because Sirius thought I deserved it, not because some Death Eater forced him to make his decision: how is your Dad, by the way? Still kissing Fudge's boots and lining his pockets to stay out of Azkaban like your demented Aunt?"
"Watch your mouth!" snapped Malfoy, earning a snigger from Harry that had him looking at the emerald-eyed scion in curiosity.
"Ah," said the Malfoy boy, earning a roll of the eyes from Harry as he said, "You're the one the Thunderbird belongs to: this makes you someone with real strength; of course, if you don't learn to realise some families are better than others, you'll wind up making friends with the wrong sort."
"Good thing we're not friends then, isn't it, Malfoy?" asked Harry before, to Neville's amusement and Malfoy's alarm, the young sorcerer tapped into his magic, which caused him to levitate a few inches off the ground much like his Father would do with his Cloak.
This brought him eye-to-eye with the blonde while Harry then explained, "Also, for the record, even if I wanted to make friends with you, it'd be because, like this title you say Neville should have, you've earned it, not because of some weirdo belief that you're someone just because Daddy is friends with the Minister."
"Choose your enemies carefully, you filthy little Mudblood," snarled Malfoy, earning a hardened look from both Harry and Neville while, at the same time, Mana let out a cry of warning, her body crackling with lightning at the insinuation towards her little one.
Malfoy, however, just scoffed before he added, "You think I'm scared of you because of that weakling? Wait until my Father hears about this."
"Then he'll have to contend with my very good friend of the family, Archmage Rameses Wulfgarden," drawled Harry, earning a shocked gasp from Neville, an awed look from Daphne and a horrified look from Malfoy as Harry, dropping to the ground once again, smiled smugly as he added, "First law of nature, Malfoy: there's always a bigger fish and, as big as your Father is because he's friends with the Minister, I'd like to see him stand up to the one, true power in the magical world."
As Harry had partially expected, Malfoy closed his mouth as quickly as he'd opened it before, clearing his throat, he nodded curtly, almost like he'd expected some sort of forgiveness, as he said, "I…it seems I spoke out of turn, friend: on behalf of the House of Malfoy, I apologise."
"And on behalf of my Father, my bloodline and my legacy, I accept your apology…this time," said Harry, smiling before, deciding to stick the wound in deeper, he extended a hand as he added, "I never got your first name."
"Draco," said the Malfoy boy, accepting the hand before he asked, "And you?"
"Harrison Strange," answered Harry, giving a sly wink to the blonde before he added, "But in another lifetime, I would be called another name."
Lowering his hand, Harry stroked Mana's feathers while he also noticed McGonagall returning; as Draco went to ask his question, the young sorcerer cut him off as he said, "Patience, Heir Malfoy: something tells me you're about to learn what that name is."
Then, without another word, Harry, Neville, Mana and a stunned Daphne walked into the Great Hall with the rest of their classmates, though not before Harry's eyes hardened and the smile dropped from his face as he looked back to Malfoy.
'If only you hadn't called me that name, I might consider you a friend,' he thought to himself, shaking his head as he looked to the front once again.
'But I know what it means and I know how my Mum got the name when she was here because of people like you, so sorry, Malfoy, but you wasted that second chance before you even had a chance to get it.'
Scion of Sorcery
As soon as Harry got his first look at the Hogwarts Great Hall, he felt a surge of awe and wonder rise up in his heart that he'd only felt one other time that day: when he and Mana had gotten a look at the school from the outside.
Now, however, in a place that felt like they were standing in the heart of the school, lights burning from enchanted candles while the air above, around and even the ground below them seemed to ripple with magic, Harry felt like he could understand what it was that made Hogwarts so revered as a school, even though her teachings were somewhat outdated.
Four House Tables filled the room, each one running vertically from the head of the room to the doors where the new group of first-years walked in, each of them occupied by two rows of students spread out randomly down the tables, each of the students dressed in robes that were highlighted by one of four colours: red, blue, yellow and green.
'This is disgusting,' commented Mana, her place at Harry's side earning a few points and whispers from some of the students, not that Harry noticed this nor did Mana as they made their way forwards with the rest of the students.
As he walked with her, Harry shushed his friend before he asked, 'What's disgusting, girl?'
'The format,' answered Mana, putting emphasis on the last word before she explained, 'They segregate themselves between these so-called Houses and don't even seem to respect or appreciate each other. The ones in green even feel malefic towards the others while the blues don't hold any respect for the old ways of knowledge as Master Wulfgarden told us. How they can call themselves wizards, much less children of my Mistress, is beyond me!'
'Well then, I guess we'll have to introduce a little disorder into their lives, won't we?' asked Harry, sniggering under his breath as he reached the front with the rest of the group.
As he looked up at the head of the room, Harry saw a fifth table that was occupied by a number of adults, each of whom watched the group with interest and curiosity in their eyes. However, as soon as Harry looked up, his eyes were drawn to the centre of the fifth table where an elderly gentleman dressed in red robes with a white beard that trailed down his chest was seated in a throne-like chair that looked as though it had been forged from solid gold.
As soon as their eyes met, Harry felt a modicum of familiarity pass from him to the old man and back again before, to his bemusement, the man inclined his head to Harry, who politely returned the gesture as he mentally whispered, 'Mana…that's him…the one Mum said I had to see…'
'He feels as powerful as you and your Father, little one,' replied Mana, dipping her own head to the old man before she explained, 'Remember you were supposed to claim something that rightfully belongs to you from this one. But be wary as you should also remember how this disgrace of a magical community sees your powers and the name of your Father.'
'Don't worry, I won't forget that in a hurry,' muttered Harry, tearing his eyes away from the old man where he saw Professor McGonagall holding a roll of parchment, her eyes scanning the crowd as she called out from a list of what Harry assumed were names of the new students.
Out of Harry's group, the mysterious enigma that was Miss Daphne Greengrass was the first called up and, when she sat beneath an old, raggedy hat that looked like it had survived the test of time, a moment seemed to pass before the hat declared her a Slytherin, which surprised Harry.
Given what Mana had told him about the students dressed in the green – which was the table that Daphne walked towards – they weren't exactly the sort who preferred the company of neutral elements, much less those who didn't give off the air of malice or immorality that Harry's Thunderbird familiar had sensed.
Pulling himself off his train of thought for the time being, Harry saw Neville make his way forwards and, like Daphne, he too sat beneath the hat, though it was only for a moment before the hat declared him a new member of Gryffindor House, which had a smile forming on Neville's face and, as he walked past Harry, he gave him a curt nod as if to say see you soon.
Malfoy was next, but this time, it was Harry who was amused as the hat had barely touched his head before it sent him to Slytherin, which was a decision that Harry thought suited the guy given everything he'd seen and heard since being introduced to the blonde.
After Malfoy, there were a few more students whom were called up before, to Harry's chagrin, Professor McGonagall called, "Harry Potter?"
As soon as the name left the woman's lips, whispers, pointing gestures, questions and looks of surprise, disbelief and wonder filled the Great Hall.
'She called your name, little one,' said Mana, but Harry didn't move, not even when the eyes of the old man looked right at him while others looked around, as though scanning the sea of faces for the familiar signs of the hero of the magical world.
'That's not my name anymore,' argued Harry, standing his ground as he told her, 'I've told everyone who's met me so far that my name is Harry Strange, not Harry Potter. Potter was my adoptive Father and, while he died protecting me and my birth Mother, the fact remains that my blood, my magic and my strength is that of Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme, so that is who I call Father and whose name I have taken since the day he confirmed for me that he is my Dad.'
Here, Harry's eyes shone with an air of power usually reserved for the triggering of the powers of the Eyes as he added, 'And no-one, not this medieval world, not Master Rameses, not even Merlin himself will make me take that back!'
"Harry Potter!" exclaimed McGonagall, almost as though she'd asked for Harry to come forwards several times.
In retort, more whispers followed her words, but Harry still didn't move; instead, he looked right into the eyes of the old man, the headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, and, slowly but surely, he shook his head as he mouthed, "That's not my name anymore."
To his surprise, the old man gave a temporary look of shock before he nodded once, almost as though he accepted this.
Then, as Harry watched, Dumbledore leaned forwards before he whispered something unintelligible in McGonagall's ear; once he was done, the old woman seemed to look saddened, but she too nodded in understanding before, turning back to the crowd, she asked, "Harry Strange?"
'That's more like it,' thought Harry, moving forwards, the sound of the name earning a few more curious and even alarmed looks from several of the students as he sat underneath the Sorting Hat before, at long last, the old item was lowered over Harry's eyes, concealing the faces of the school's occupants from his view.
As soon as he did so, however, Harry gasped aloud when a feeling of incredible, overwhelming magic surged through him, causing his whole body to tense up while, at the same time, unseen by him, the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall suddenly lit up with the equivalent of a thousand thunderstorms going off at once.
In the corner of the Great Hall, the House Point counters lit up like red, blue, yellow and green stars, each of their emblems shining just as brightly as the storm hit its crescendo while the torches grew large and wild in their brackets, alarming many of the students.
At the same time, Harry's entire body seemed to glow with this ethereal golden light that enveloped all four Houses in its glow, each of the students trembling, shuddering and even whimpering as what could only be described as pure magic rushed through them, almost as though some deity or divine force had entered the school.
Behind the glowing boy, Albus Dumbledore's eyes widened while, down the table, the goblin-blooded Professor Filius Flitwick crossed his arms over his chest and bowed his head, his goblin warrior's blood recognising the magic for what it was.
Raw power: the kind that, time was, the goblins, the centaurs, the pegasi, the unicorns, the elves and many others had respected and shown due homage to in the name of Magic herself.
And now that power had returned to Hogwarts.
Even when the storm passed, the glow around the new student faded away and the remaining students were calmed by assurances from Professor McGonagall and the headmaster, there wasn't a single member of Hogwarts, staff or student, who would forget the event too quickly.
At the same time, the Sorting Hat opened its rim before it let out a cry that set the stage for the future of Hogwarts and, indeed, magic itself;
Not that any of them knew it at the time as, instead, they all watched with awe, wonder and shock as the hat made its decision:
"SLYTHERIN!"
An EDITED Chapter 10 and, uh oh, talk about a good news, bad news situation: Harry's sorting under his true name has unleashed something that might just be the beginning, but what was it?
Also, why did the Powers That Be send Harry Strange, alias Harry Potter, to SLYTHERIN House? Wouldn't a warrior's child like the son of the Sorcerer Supreme be better suited in Gryffindor or even Ravenclaw?
Keep Reading to Find Out
Next Chapters: With the Sorting over, Harry shows how he is different from the rest of the nest as he begins to show the rest of Hogwarts that he is a true scion of magic and not just someone who follows the herd, which, as you'd expect, goes well with some people, but not so well with others…
Please Read and Review…