One Floo Under
being a collection of concepts dealing with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter originating from JK Rowling, written out for amusement but not a proper fic.
*break *
Accidental magic. Underage magic performed without a wand, erupting from a child under great emotional stress. They typically have no control over this magical eruption, which can sometimes perform effects that there are no actual spells to duplicate.
Anger, fright, confusion - these were all emotions that could fuel that burst of magic.
Harry Potter, age five and three-quarters, had reason at the moment to be frightened, angry, AND confused.
A dog that he'd thought cute for about twelve seconds had just been sicced on him, chasing him to a tree which he couldn't climb. He felt the teeth fasten upon one leg.
And abruptly, Harry Potter was simply not there.
*break*
Albus Dumbledore looked up from some paperwork dealing with a proposition to outlaw the use of muggle devices known as "ballpoint pens" from Hogwarts. Honestly, there was no reason not to go along with this - precision and control were needed with the use of quills and inkpots and teaching both qualities to the children attending his school was certainly reasonable. And if there were blots on the paper - there were spells for doing that and therefore more magic practice. All good in his book.
A little ceramic songbird was singing an old song he remembered from his youth. The tune was "I was seeing Nellie home." Which meant someone had just apparated from Harry Potter's home.
That was a little alarming but unless the other alarm...
A little figurine of a child moved slightly and then froze again.
Albus Dumbledore came from behind his desk so quickly that he nearly stumbled into the shelves in question. The figurine had taken a stance that indicated confusion and then frozen.
He hurried to the floo in his office, then flooed to the Leaky Cauldron, and from there apparated directly to 4 Privet Drive.
There he found a dog holding a chewed-on lower right leg of the right size to belong to a young boy. Which apparently all three adults present at the time had managed to ignore. According to the sole child, however, Harry had simply vanished. Along with a chunk of tree that he'd apparently been clinging to at the time.
Albus Dumbledore felt every one of his considerable years as he realized that Harry Potter had not only apparated but he'd splinched in the doing of it, trying to get away from what should have been his home. He had a considerable task in front of him as not only had he to find Harry, but the Boy-Who-Lived was going to be also a one-legged boy. After all, if magic could fix such a thing - Alastor Moody wouldn't be stumping around on a wooden one.
So he had to find Harry and that wouldn't be quick at all. Finding where Harry had gone would be difficult enough. Finding him quickly enough to stop the child from bleeding to death was not bloody likely. All he could hope for was that Harry had ended up somewhere that the bleeding could be stopped in time.
*break*
"As you told us last year, we have a missing Harry Potter who did a blind apparation at age five, leaving behind one leg. The wards around that house at Privet Drive have quite failed by this point." Minerva shook her head. "What exactly have you discovered in that year?"
"He's alive," said Albus Dumbledore. "Beyond that, I have nothing. Locating someone behind various wards is nearly impossible, so that seems the most likely cause."
Severus shook his head. "Gringotts, I take it?"
"Yes, the Potter account is still listed as active and contained, and the Head of House is still listed as Harry Potter," said Dumbledore. "Unfortunately the goblins are either unwilling or unable to provide further information, citing confidentiality even from his Magical Guardian."
"I suspect they are both unwilling AND unable," drily quipped Severus Snape. "Magical contracts and the like being what they are."
"I suspect that they do know rather more than that, as they were quite agitated after checking into the matter. It also seemed to take considerably longer than one would expect," said Dumbledore tiredly. "And even this much information was quite problematic to acquire."
There was silence in the room briefly, all three magicals considering the potential meanings of the events.
"If he apparated blind, from what he perceived as a dangerous situation," said Snape finally, "then his magic would have sought out a place that was deemed safe. A five-year old orphan - could he have ended up in the ancestral Potter home?"
"Checked that the second day," said Dumbledore. "The wards there have largely failed. The anti-muggle wards are about all that remain. I expect those to collapse shortly without anyone present in the home."
"See if you can send a squib housekeeper there then," advised Snape. "Even if they can't cast spells - they have enough of a magical core to see magic and put out a bit into their environment."
"That's... a good idea," said McGonagall, sounding astonished.
"So glad it comes as such a great surprise to you," drily stated Snape.
"It's just that I thought you HATED the Potters, and would like to see their home fall to ruin," said McGonagall.
"Oh, make no mistake, I do hate ONE particular Potter - who is beyond any vengeance I might manage," said Snape. "On the other hand, I have a certain sympathy for abused children. Even if it was the spawn of a certain James Potter."
"Ah," said McGonagall.
"Indeed," responded Snape.
* break *
Lawyers were universal to both the muggle and magical world. Law was a specialty with its own language and rituals, especially so in the magical world where magical contracts could be enforced with penalties that would make their mundane contemporaries wince. Or salivate. Depending on the lawyer in question of course.
Ted Tonks considered himself a fair lawyer, one who did "both sides of the fence" as sometimes muggleborn or muggle-raised had issues in that world or the magical side of things. Sometimes at the same time.
Strange person wanting to see him? Not that unfamiliar a situation.4
Strange person causing his receptionist to turn three shades paler than usual and look as if she'd be hitting that bottle of firewhiskey she thought was hidden in the file cabinet? VERY unusual. She usually kept that for a celebratory toast after a particularly difficult victory and he turned a blind eye to it because good help was often hard to find.
"Show them in," said Ted, one hand holding his wand under the cover of his desk.
The receptionist held the door open, but was holding it at full arm and finger extension as if she wasn't wanting to come anywhere near the doorframe itself.
Death walked in. Perhaps glided would be a better term.
"Erk," said Ted Tonks. "Do you mind if I..."
"GO AHEAD," said Death, each word sounding as loud as a shout despite being clearly whispered. It was as if the world itself quieted around each syllable.
A quick set of spells determined that this was absolutely not an illusion or disguise. Oh bugger.
"S-so," began Ted Tonks, trying to gather his professionalism as his receptionist slid around the Being and fled the office.
"NO. IT IS NOT YOUR TIME FOR MY PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. RATHER, IT IS YOUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES I AM INTERESTED IN."
"I see," said a vastly relieved Ted Tonks. "A Last Will then?"
"NO. MY CLIENT IS AMONG THE LIVING. HE IS NAMED HARRY POTTER."
"Wha?" asked Ted Tonks. "The Boy-Who-Lived?"
"INDEED."
"So, uhm, what do you want a lawyer for?" asked Ted Tonks.
"STOPPAGE OF THESE 'HARRY POTTER' BOOKS, SINCE THERE WAS NO AGREEMENT FOR HIS LIKENESS OR NAME TO BE USED. FURTHER, A NEW AUTHOR MIGHT BE ACQUIRED TO PUBLISH RATHER MORE FACTUAL STORIES IF THERE IS SUFFICIENT REASON FOR SUCH TO CONTINUE."
"A factual account would require some actual facts," said Ted Tonks. "Nobody knows what happened with Harry Potter since that day. Well, with the exceptions of you and Harry Potter himself."
"EXCELLENT. I WAS TOLD YOU WOULD BE OF USE."
"So, uhm, Harry is with you but not dead," said Ted, wanting this point clarified.
"HE IS NOT WITH ME. I WAS CONTACTED BY A THIRD PARTY."
Ted blinked. "Someone has you on their rolodex?"
"NOT MANY DO," admitted Death. "YET THERE ARE THOSE WHO CAN ASK FOR MY ASSISTANCE, AND EVEN MORE RARELY - HAVE A HOPE OF RECEIVING SUCH."
"Uhm, okay, but why use Death as a messenger? Aren't you rather busy?" asked Ted.
"I AM OMNIPRESENT. WHERE THERE IS LIFE, THERE IS ALSO DEATH. AND I WAS AVAILABLE AND LESS FRIGHTENING THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS WHO COULD HAVE BEEN USED."
Ted tried to think of something more frightening than Death incarnate and decided not to pursue that particular tidbit of information. It might lead to him never sleeping again after all. "Well, I think we can do business. I'll have to start investigating things. Is it possible to have Harry come here to sign papers to that effect? No offense, but having him sign them elsewhere - even with Death testifying to their validity - gives a better chance that they'd be contested down the road."
Death's skeletal form considered the man briefly before nodding.
"Great. I'll make an appointment." Ted began checking his calendar. "How about next Tuesday at Eleven?"
"HE SHALL BE HERE." Death glanced towards the outer office. "YOU MIGHT SEE TO YOUR RECEPTIONIST. SHE WILL BE EARLY TO AN APPOINTMENT WITH ME IF SHE KEEPS THAT UP."
"I'll see to it right away," said Ted Tonks, wondering if he'd ever be able to tell anyone of this and be believed.
* break *
Albus Dumbledore had just popped a lemon drop into his mouth, enjoying the tart sweetness, when two of his quiescent alarms became considerably less quiescent. That very lemon drop was spat out with sufficient force that it slammed into the forehead of the now-entering Severus Snape.
"Somehow," said Severus, "I get the feeling this is a bad time."
The potions master removed the lemon drop which had been stuck to his forehead, sneering at it, then vanishing it with a flick of his wand while the headmaster consulted several instruments.
"Harry is back. He's in Diagon Alley, but I can't pinpoint where," said Dumbledore. "I've got to go."
Severus sighed as the headmaster vanished. "Fuss and bother. I'm sure that the boy is-"
"DEATH!" shrieked Sybil Trelawney, having rushed up the stairs and nearly bowling over Snape as she entered. "DEATH WALKS AMONG US! AND CONSULTS A LAWYER!"
Severus straightened his robes. "You know, just once, I'd like to hear a prophesy about a nice cup of tea. Or a particularly pleasant dinner. Perhaps, dare I even hope, some beer-battered cod on the menu."
"What?" said Sybil. "Did I say something?"
"Nothing of note," responded Severus. "Just my hopes that something pleasant would be prophesied instead of the usual sort of thing."
"I..." Sybil went stiff.
"Okay," said Severus, raising an eyebrow.
Sybil rose up off the ground, a pillar of light forming around her.
"Now THIS is different," noted Severus Snape, slightly impressed despite himself.
"SHE COMES! IN THE SAME CLASS AS THE PROPHESIED BANE OF THE DARK LORD! SHE WILL STAND ALONGSIDE HIM AND DEFEND THE DEFENSELESS! THE BRIGHTEST WITCH OF HER GENERATION! THE POTIONS PRODIGY AND CHARMS MISTRESS! ONE WHO IS NOT A DUNDERHEAD SHALL COME TO HOGWARTS!"
There was a thud as a fainted Sybil Trelawney hit the floor.
Severus was thoughtful as he levitated the Divinations teacher off the floor, then briefly turned his gaze towards the ceiling. "Thank you."
It appeared something was listening.
* break *
"Huh, a new Harry Potter series?" asked Molly. "What happened to the old one?"
"Put in fiction and discontinued," said the shop clerk. "These are new and authorized."
Molly turned the book towards her and read the cover. "'Harry Potter And The Inn Beyond Time'?"
The shop clerk smiled slightly, then turned the pages until the photograph section was revealed.
Molly Weasley's eyes widened at the sight of the first photograph, then quickly turned the page to the next two photographs.
"It's real," said the shop clerk. "And it is practically flying off the shelves. Just wait until the lunch crowd starts coming in."
* break *
Minerva McGonagall slapped the book down on the desk. "He's been found."
"'Harry Potter And The Inn Beyond Time'?" asked Albus Dumbledore. "Seriously, Minerva, what are you..."
The Deputy Headmistress flipped it open to the photograph section.
"What?" asked Albus Dumbledore, staring at the photo of an inn. The inn itself wasn't that unremarkable, of the sturdy sort of sprawling design that would look perfectly at home in medieval times or for that matter in Hogsmeade. The background of stars, shattered moons, constellations that did not fit anything he'd ever seen - a bit harder to accept.
And the picture of a five-and-change-old boy with messy hair, glasses, and lightning-bolt scar was smiling at the camera while sitting on the claw of a dragon that went beyond the descriptor of Large and well into a category beyond Huge.
"What?" asked Albus, who was quite familiar with various dragon breeds and was also quite unable to place a species on this one. That it was alive and seemed quite tolerant of the child in front of it was apparent.
"Fictional accounts usually have illustrations," said Minerva McGonagall. "Photographs this detailed with the usual animation? No. This is quite real."
"Excellent Minerva," said a beaming Albus. "I'll contact the publisher and we'll have Harry back at Privet Drive before the end of tomorrow."
* break *
"What do you mean 'no'?" asked Albus Dumbledore.
"What part of 'no' do you not understand?" said the receptionist. "No. Nein. Non. Not an option. Not going to happen. You'd need a subpeona for any information, and you're going to have a difficult time getting that. And there is NO. WAY. No chance I'm going to have the person who initially contacted our firm about Mister Potter come back here - especially if I expect That One to be vexed with me about it."
"But really, it's for the Greater Good," said Albus Dumbledore. "For the good of the child himself I must insist."
"You've a better chance of getting me to work in a theme park," said the receptionist. "Not. Going. To. Happen."
"I see," said Albus Dumbledore, throwing a quick legillimancy probe at the witch. It met no resistance, finding the memory quickly and...
He was suddenly facing An Eternal Truth. Which, despite being images in the witch's memory, turned and addressed him.
"THE WAND AND CLOAK YOU HAVE FOR NOW, BUT IN THE END ALL ARE MINE."
Albus shook his head as the memory ended.
"That was an illegal memory probe," said a nearby voice. "Seriously, Dumbledore? Do you WANT people aligning themselves with Lucius Malfoy just to be rid of you?"
"Ah, the barrister," said Albus, putting on his most grandfatherly manner. "Harry really must return to his previous address, there are blood wards and a home protection available there."
"Whereas he is now currently off adventuring in another universe entirely, alongside people who could squish You-Know-Who like a grape," countered Ted Tonks. "I'm not going to stick my head into THAT nest. I'm going to suggest you just wait for further books in the series."
"'Series'?" asked Albus, off-balance and not used to that at all.
"The book 'Harry Potter and the Inn Beyond Time' is just the first book in the series," stated Ted Tonks. "Dealing with his escape from Privet Drive, finding himself in an Inn at the Crossroads Of Realities, and his subsequent adventure involving dragons and celestials and exotic creatures that live in that very Beyond."
"So he's in danger?" asked Albus, ready to pounce on that lead.
"Almost as much as you're in," said Ted Tonks.
"Now now," said Dumbledore. "There's no cause for such an over-reaction. I'm merely concerned about young Harry and want him to be safe when you yourself admit that he's in harm's way."
"He's in an entirely different world," pointed out Tonks. "By the way, if that damage to my receptionist is permanent - you're also going to be billed for her rehabilitation."
"Eh?" asked Albus, before turning and realizing the receptionist was drooling on herself. He withdrew the mental probe. "Not my fault. I would have been right out if..."
"AURORS! PUT YOUR WANDS DOWN!"
"You called the Aurors?" asked Dumbledore.
"You expected a lawyer to match wands with the Supreme Mugwump? I know when I'm in over my head," said Tonks. "If my Hogwarts education hasn't hurt me none, I can read the writing on the wall."
"Eh?" asked Albus, still facing the Aurors.
"It's a quote. Kodachrome," responded Ted Tonks.
"Gezundheit. Gentleman, this is all a mistake," said Albus Dumbledore.
"Grkle," managed the receptionist.
"Well, at least she's not drooling so much anymore," said Tonks.
* break *
"This one's got something different," said Molly, putting the book down in front of her youngest.
"'Harry Potter & The Cursed Book'?" asked Ginny, opening it up and find a sliver of crystal in the photo section.
"Apparently they've got a supply of these duplicated by the people who send the textbooks," said Molly. "People are trying to figure out how to duplicate them."
"What is it?" asked Ginny, noting that the crystal was paper-thin and had tiny coppery wires imbedded in it. It was also on a stiffened page in the center.
"The clerk demonstrated," said Molly. "Run your finger down the center and provide a bit of magic."
On the third try, Ginny managed it and a picture appeared in mid-air above the book. Except that this was three-dimensional and the view changed as if one was actually looking through a window into a scene. Except it was a scene from Hell apparently.
It was a city much like muggle London, but it was being invaded.
There was Harry Potter, standing on a rooftop, still looking nine years of age but a bit less emaciated. Also wearing black and blue armored clothing that fit him.
"What's the sitrep?" asked a woman in some odd clothing that had metal plates affixed to various points.
"Army of the Dead attacking the city. We're outnumbered, trying to protect the civilians who didn't evacuate, and facing a necromancer who put his soul into a book and then used that to do a curse that switched his soul with that of the reader," said a red-headed woman with a spear.
"Is it Tuesday already?" asked the first woman.
"Reports are seventy percent evacuation, ten percent have hardened shelters after the last attack," said an old man with a scruffy mustache and very little other hair, looking into some sort of glowing orb he held in one hand. "Artha is unavailable for back-up. We're going to have to make do with on-site resources."
"What are we facing?" asked the first woman, clearly the commander of this group.
The bald guy made a pass with his free hand over the orb then adjusted his glasses as he studied whatever he saw there. "Seventy zombies of E-Rank. Nine are C-Rank. Two are of B-Rank and have Devices, Belkan manufacture. The Book Of Caged Souls is definitely a Lost Logia, and a Cursed Artifact. Type III, I think - I'd need to be able to scan it at closer range to be sure. Based on energy output so far - I'm guessing the necromancer is currently high B or low A in Rank."
"So, not as bad as that one Takamichi and her crew faced but still has the potential to get very bad," said the commander. "All right. Danae, Hiroko, Grace - flight and take on the ground troops. When the C-Ranks and above start getting involved you need to pair up at that time. Harry, you and Sybin stay here. Sybin, you remain in contact with us and call out for strays and trouble spots. If you see anyone in trouble, communicate that to nearest allies. Harry - you use the wards and maintain them. You know that if Sybin is doing his Clairvoyance work that he's not paying attention to where his body is. You need to be his eyes and ears here."
"Problem," said Sybin, his eyes not leaving the orb. "They know we're here. Wave of zombie cannon fodder approaching."
The commander nodded. "If they are 'cannon fodder' then it's best we unleash some cannon. Ed, make an opening in the ranks and you three make the most of it. I'll be fielding anti-army attacks. Go."
The four women took off at high speed, flying without broomsticks or other flight mechanisms that Ginny Weasley was familiar with.
The large man, apparently Ed, mumbled something and was then holding what looked like a large muggle device called a 'gonne' or something. He began firing bolts of azure fire that exploded through what looked like an approaching mob.
Except you could see as the remainder approached. These were inferi, undead troops who hungered for the blood of the living.
The redheaded woman swooped up and a two-handed scythe seemed to just appear in her hands. "Gather the forces of the storm gale winds. Let my enemies be swept to Hel's embrace. Rage and Ruin!"
Molly reached over and touched the crystal, ending the playback. "Enough of that for now. You'll have time later and I'm not too sure this is good reading material for someone as young as yourself."
Ginny turned pleading eyes upon her mother. "But Mooooooom!"
"That puppy-dog look may work on your father, but it isn't working on me," said Molly.
- break -
While he was as prone as anyone to come to a conclusion and then resist changing it, Albus Dumbledore was capable of changing his mind about something. Particularly when several people he worked with were quite ready to bludgeon him repeatedly with the book in question.
That book being "Harry Potter and the Inn Beyond Time" with wizarding-style photographs to back up some of the otherwise outrageous claims within its pages.
Fact: Harry Potter had left the Dursley home through a particularly powerful burst of accidental magic.
Fact: As it WAS accidental magic and apparation was difficult enough to achieve - it was not surprising that he'd splinched and left behind a limb.
That was what he'd known and what the book had confirmed. What the book covered was almost beyond belief despite having evidence.
Chapters 1-3 had covered a rather unhappy life with the Dursley family that Albus had confirmed by visit. Harry Potter had indeed been shoved into a cupboard under the stairs, had indeed been locked into place overnight, had indeed been treated like a rather unruly house elf.
Chapter 4 had begun with his vanishing from that place and ending up landing in a sort-of stables just outside an inn that was in some sort of pocket dimension outside what would normally be considered the world. That this was even possible - Albus had no doubt there were Unspeakables in the Department of Mysteries researching at that very moment.
There was a photo titled "The Usual Unusual Crowd" that purported to show the sort of clientele typically found at that very Inn. There were humans there, some whose humanity was somewhat less certain, and others who would not be mistaken for human except by an exceptionally drunk person on a particularly foggy day and even then it wasn't freaking likely.
Also apparently, that Harry had magic and came from Earth and Great Britain was soon determined by several of the inhabitants of said Inn. The revelation that there were not only more than one Earth but quite a few Great Britains was detailed near the end of that chapter. That it was apparently not so much a matter of finding a "needle in a haystack" so much as finding a "needle in a mountain of other needles" to return him home was the problem with returning Harry to his home. Only that one of those involved was apparently named Anubis who had a working relationship with Death itself allowed this crowd any chance of even relaying a message back.
That Death would not ferry anyone back and forth between its realm and any other realm was understandable. As Death itself put it - Death's realm was a final destination and not a transfer hub. As Harry DID have a Destiny though - the idea (with apparently a number of strong drinks being involved) was hit upon to assure everyone who cared about him of his health and apprise them of his progress towards returning him to the proper world. Hence the book series being sent by Death who apparently found it amusing and thought that someone who had temporarily cheated on his appointed time might end up pissing his robes on reading of Harry's adventures to be a plus.
Harry ended up with one trip back to his proper Earth but it was temporary and through Death's methods. Methods of tracking such movement were somewhat unreliable, but according to an individual named "Sabin" - they were able to eliminate over two and a half billion potential Earths as being Harry's home reality at that point.
Death didn't care much for cheaters, unless you could manage to win his respect by the method apparently.
So, the individual he had originally planned to browbeat was apparently an Incarnation of Death itself. Albus Dumbledore wasn't sure if he believed that part, but allowed that perhaps his original plan to find and browbeat the individual might not have worked out in his favor.
Now if he could just manuever Lucius Malfoy into trying the same tactic. THAT would be a meeting he'd bring popcorn and watch with great interest.
Chapter 5 dealt with the process whereby Harry could find his way into a world and then back out again. Until he'd learned enough or was old enough to travel himself, Harry would be accompanied by at least one capable adult. Albus found himself both concerned by the individual chosen and reassured that Harry had at least something looking out for him.
Because what they'd chosen was a dragon. Not a simple beast such as the local dragons, this was of a breed called a Greater Horned Dragon. Which was intelligent, able to cast spells, able to change its shape in order to blend into a populace, and older than Magical Britain itself by nearly an order of ten.
There was a picture of the dragon with Harry in the book. It looked fairly formidable. Certainly even he at his age and with his accomplishments - he would be somewhat apprehensive at having any sort of dispute with such a thing that was capable of spellcasting on its own. Which made this another meeting he'd like to arrange for Lucius Malfoy, depending on how vexed he was with the individual at any given moment.
Albus Dumbledore briefly indulged himself in the idea of certain blood supremicist types being crunchy and good with ketchup.
Chapter 6 through the end of the book dealt with Harry's adventure in that other Great Britain. A Great Britain with no Statute Of Secrecy, in which the Napoleonic Wars had been fought with dragons. Napoleon with air support, now that was a scary thought. Apparently the dragons of that particular realm were also intelligent, though not spellcasters. In fact, after considerable searching on the parts of dragon and Harry, there appeared to be NO spellcasting society at all.
Dragons had been integrated into that society, as intelligent beings that bonded with humans but were quite capable of looking out for themselves. Many were adopted into human families where they remained The Dragon Of The Family for multiple human generations. In peace, the dragons were couriers and guardians and repositories of knowledge. They were even integrated into various sports throughout Great Britain. Harry's Guardian, who went by the name of Ruth while in human form, found that world to be somewhat enlightened despite the lack of spellcasters.
That it was NOT the correct Earth or Britain had been apparent nearly instantly to the reader but somewhat less to Harry, who found the whole experience rather novel and exciting, or to his guardian. Eventually, after an adventure dealing with some group repeatedly trying to capture a shape-shifting dragon after an ill-timed transformation to check out the territory from the air, the two returned to the Inn.
The end of the book had Harry return to the Inn with the plan to try another Great Britain, and a conversation with someone who was apparently used to travelling through time and space but had apparently been aiming for somewhere else entirely.
Albus approved of the decision not to entrust Harry's well being to someone who apparently regularly ended up somewhere other than intended. Also apparently frequently the wrong TIME. No, it was far better that Harry avoided that sort of complication.
As to Harry's skills, being trained in various muggle fighting methods wasn't likely to be of any use altogether though perhaps training up his reflex speed and ability to dodge could be adapted to proper wizarding combat.
After he'd finished, taking a little over seven months to do so, the problem with so many duties that came with his many titles was the time involved, he prepared to tell Minerva McGonagall that he'd finished catching up with Harry's adventures only to find a second book in her possession.
Something about the title seemed quite ominous to him.
- break -
Ginny Weasley had taken four months to read through each book the first time. At which point she realized something quite astonishing. Each book detailed a year's experience and they'd come out less than a year apart.
Book two, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Book", dealt with a book of ancient spells called the "Book Of Caged Souls" which was apparently an example of Exactly What It Says On The Tin. A dark wizard who thought everyone was out to get his secrets created a book to trap the souls of those foolish enough to read it and lay out all of THEIR secrets. Then the wizard had put his own soul into there in order to possess the body of the person who had gotten themselves trapped.
It was a Great Britain that had no Statute of Secrecy and indeed had wizards accounted valuable citizens within their society. There were magicals in positions of power and others in positions of poverty. Yet everyone had their chance - some wealthy lords lost their wealth and ingenious use of magic and cleverness could see the pauper become a baron of industry.
Oh, to be sure, there were some muggles (referred to as non-magicals or mundanes depending on the situation and the speaker) who were consumed by envy of their magical brethren. There was even a version of Harry's Aunt and Uncle in this world who were exactly such people. When Harry met native-Harry though - he was not with those relatives at all. Instead he was staying with a friend of the family, a "private detective" named Remus Lupin. As with her Harry, native-Harry's parents had died fighting someone named Voldemort who had been in favor of taking control of the government and making all magicals a new nobility and revoking the rights of anyone not-magical. A major departure however had been that whenever this Voldemort attacked non-magicals those same non-magicals had fought back as they knew exactly what they were facing.
Also apparently, not being magically inclined did not mean one was completely helpless. She actually cheered when a set of costumed terrorists attacking Buckingham Palace were hit with tear gas and some form of lightning generation called a "taser" repeatedly.
For some reason, when she mentioned the idea of researching a spell to do the same thing at dinner - the twins grew very quiet for a time. How curious.
So Harry teamed up with Harry on the case Remus Lupin (P.I.) was involved in which involved the book mentioned on that very cover and ended up meeting a group of dimensional travelers much like himself. Some form of world-crossing aurors who were hunting down things like that book and putting an end to them.
Fortunately, there was no such thing as the Book of Caged Souls in HER world.
- break -
Albus glanced up from his perusal during breakfast to note that Minerva was standing before him and holding ANOTHER book in the series. "Oh bother."
The picture on this cover was of Harry wearing an unusual set of hooded robes, white with a red design at the trim, holding a staff above his head. Instead of the contrived false-leg he'd had in the other two covers - this one appeared to be natural.
"'Harry Potter & the Golden Chocobo'?" asked Albus Dumbledore. "What the Merlin is a chocobo?"
Minerva flipped the book to the photograph section, brought her wand to tap on another of those thin crystal things, and they both listened to the gasps from the students at the tables as an image formed.
One could call it a chicken, in that it had two legs and was clearly a bird that spent nearly all of its time on the ground. Except that this was a lean creature that was much taller than he was, had very intelligent looking eyes, and looked at least somewhat capable of defending itself a bit more than the average chicken. It was also cleaner than the chickens he was used to seeing in various farmyards. The average chicken also did not wear a SADDLE.
"Oh my, an example of Gastornis Gigantea Magicus," said Professor Kettleburn with obvious delight. "They're extinct, but were raised by Slavic wizards until the mid-1700s. How delightful!"
"I'm not familiar with them," admitted Dumbledore.
"I think it was Baba Yaga who hunted them to extinction, she'd wear out a pair of legs on her magical hut and then go off to hunt a new pair," said Kettleburn, the Care of Magical Creatures professor sounding quite put out by the idea.
"Ah," said Dumbledore. He'd never really researched creatures that had gone extinct, as there hadn't ever seemed a point to it. Everyone had their passions however, and more power to them within limits of course.
The moving three-dimensional picture of the chocobo seemed to regard everyone present briefly before turning its attention to a large bushel of some sort of plant material and grabbing up a mouthful of it.
"I WANT one," said a girl in Ravenclaw.
"Broom would be faster, and not require as much upkeep," pointed out a more practical Ravenclaw.
"Don't like flying, and that looks like it would be fast enough," said the first Ravenclaw. "Not to mention smart enough to avoid obstacles on its own, leaving me more time to read!"
"Imagine the drumsticks!" called out a Gryffindor.
"Kweh!" said the image before disappearing.
* break *
"Look, Daddy, it's a no-horned snorkack!" Luna looked over the image of the "chocobo" (obviously mislabeled) that had appeared from the book and estimated the speed of such a thing.
"My goodness, I thought they were extinct!"
"I wonder if I can get Harry Potter to send us a specimen. After all, if he's able to send books our way - then why can't we try to send messages back the same way?"
"Genius, Poppet! Let me quill out a quick request and send it to the publisher!"
* break *
There was a figure in several of the backgrounds of the photographs, flickering in and out of visibility.
One of the Ravenclaws finally had a name to go with the mysterious figure. "Chapter 11. Gentiana."
"Like the flower?" asked one of the other Ravenclaws, who was more of a Herbology focus than the first.
A raven-haired Asian who wore a simple outfit of mostly black, who seemed to smirk slightly at the camera whenever she was in the background of a scene.
A cold breeze seemed to flit past the Ravenclaw table.
* break *
"Okay, another point of information, now I can triangulate a bit," said Sabin. "Two more points and I'll be able to pinpoint it exactly."
"Good work," said one of the officers. "If they're right and he's got a Destiny - we need to get him back as soon as we can."
* break *
"Minister, you need to block these new 'Harry Potter' books! Why, the shamefulness of them!"
Cornelius Fudge blinked and looked up from the crossword puzzle he was working on. "Delores? What on Earth are you going on about now?"
Delores Umbridge plopped a book down on his desk and stabbed down with a finger. "THIS!"
"Eh? What?" asked Fudge, before looking at the picture in question. The things. The people. The things that might also be people. "What exactly am I looking at?"
"A copy of the latest trash to come out," said Umbridge, her jowls quivering in agitation. "Wizards consorting with, with, clearly inferior species! Oh, I can barely even speak of it!"
"I wish," mumbled Fudge.
"Pardon?" asked Umbridge, thinking she clearly must have misheard.
"Oh, nothing nothing," said Fudge, examining the photograph a bit more. He blinked and stared at one figure in the background, who seemed to jiggle in a manner that was entirely interesting to certain instincts that predated the split between wizard and muggle. "I must say that I don't recognize any of these. And the title - 'the usual unusual crowd' doesn't make much sense."
"These inferior species need to be brought under control," said Umbridge. "These fabricated claims and those falsified photos! It is entirely unacceptable that our youth should be exposed to this nonsense."
"I'm not familiar with..." Fudge flipped the book closed to look at the cover. "'Harry Potter and the Inn Beyond Time' eh? 'Third Printing'?"
"Yes," said Umbridge, still quivering with outrage.
Fudge examined the photograph in more detail, purely for purposes of understanding what had triggered Umbridge this time. Honestly, he just wanted to make a dishonest living and cause as few ripples as possible that might lead to him becoming a FORMER Minister Of Magic. If this was in the third printing, there was a lot of voters or potential voters who had gotten copies of this already. What good did it do him to ban a book? "What exactly is this?"
"Some form of house elf, I believe," said Delores Umbridge.
"If house elves looked like THAT," declared Cornelius Fudge, "get me one for the front office." He silently appended that he wanted said house elf to be wearing exactly the sort of tight outfit as in the photograph.
"Minister," said Umbridge.
"Have you read this book then?" asked Fudge.
"Well, no," admitted Umbridge.
"I see," said Fudge. "Well, if it is in the third printing then there's nothing to be done at this point, is there?"
"Minister," complained Umbridge.
"Look, you want me to ban a book you haven't read which has apparently been out for some time," said Fudge. "At least get a better reason that I can take to the Wizengamot and not look like a fool."
"Too late," mumbled Umbridge.
"Pardon?" asked Fudge.
"Nothing, sir, just a bit of after-lunch gas," said Umbridge. "I'll get right on it."
Fudge sighed after the woman left. "She didn't take the book. Hmmm. I wonder if it says where I can get a 'house elf' that looks that close to human, and looks like she'd give a few veela envy."
* break *
The first book had been "Harry Potter & The Inn Beyond Time" which was followed by "Harry Potter & The Cursed Book" which in turn was followed by "Harry Potter & The Golden Chocobo" which was followed by "Harry Potter & The Iron Baron" - by the time of which everyone had noticed that while a year passed for Harry within the books - the books themselves were released more haphazardly.
It was in the tale of the Iron Baron that the reason came out during a conversation between Harry and the giantess who had the unfortunate name of "Gridr" or "Greed" but was actually quite nice about things provided one called her something else. Harry called her "Griddle" and explained waffles to her - and the two immediately got on famously as she considered the possibility of ridding herself entirely of that name. And if she made lots of waffles with which to bribe people with - it was certainly no skin off Harry's back.
Griddle explained that different worlds had different rates of time, usually the difference was small and hardly with noting. The Inn Beyond Time on the other hand, was a sort of "pocket time" where one could spend hours and come back to find only a few seconds had passed. So, she noted a danger to young Harry - that he could spend years finding his home only to find centuries had passed. Or hours.
Then Ginny turned to the last page and saw that Gentiana from the "Golden Chocobo" was back, and the last line of the book of "Iron Baron" shocked her.
"Young Prince, I have found your home."
* break *
Gentiana followed three steps behind and to the right, her eyes closed but apparently quite aware of her surroundings.
"Why are you doing this?" asked Harry.
"The young Prince returns to his homeland," softly replied Gentiana. "Some would say it is like a fairy-tale."
"What about following along behind me?" asked Harry.
"Oh look - an owl," said Gentiana.
"Yeah. Convenient that one shows up when you want to change the subject. And I am not a prince." Harry watched the owl approach and land on a railing.
"I'm really not sure about owls carrying letters though," said Gentiana. "Doesn't it interfere with flight? Not get tied correctly and then ends up lost?"
The owl hooted disdainfully in response.
"Oh, well, that's certainly telling me," said Gentiana.
"Hang on, uhm, what do you give an owl for a fee for service?" asked Harry as he untied the letter.
"A mouse? A cricket? Bacon?" tried Gentiana.
The owl hooted at that last suggestion.
"Uhm, hang on," said Harry, darting into a store and returning a moment later with a beef jerky stick.
The owl gave a long suffering sigh, but took the jerky stick.
"Huh. Mister Harry Potter, King's Cross Station, and so on. How'd they know I'd be here? I didn't know I'd be here," said Harry.
"If you must know, this world has yuki-onna, and I will be departing from you to go visit my little cousins," said Gentiana. "Well, sort of cousins."
Harry looked up from his letter. "You told them."
"Well, just the owl," said Gentiana.
"This does not bode well," said Harry Potter.
"I don't know, I think it might be entertaining," said Gentiana.
"That REALLY does not bode well," corrected Harry.
* break *
"Ah, Harry, good to see you back," said Albus Dumbledore. "We'll discuss you returning to your home shortly."
"No," said a woman, seeming to appear in swirl of cold air and snow.
"I beg your pardon," said Albus Dumbledore, who could tell two things immediately because he WAS a fairly old and accomplished wizard. One, this woman might look like a woman of Asian descent who dressed quite properly if a bit darkly - was not human. Veela, or some similar species was a possibility but not a sort that he could immediately place. Two, powerful. Quite powerful.
"I will give pardon, for now," said the woman, inclining her head. "Harry will not return to his previous home. He is staying with me for a time, until I find a proper place for him to stay."
"The blood wards and protections that can be re-erected at the Dursley home will keep him safer than anything you can possibly imagine," tried Albus Dumbledore.
"No," said the woman.
"I'd really rather not return to living in a cupboard under the stairs," said Harry. "Even if I could use magic to expand the space and make it more livable."
"Well, there are laws against underage magic, so I'm afraid that wouldn't be possible. On the other hand, I can certainly speak with the Dursleys about the accomodations," said Dumbledore.
"Harry," said the woman, holding out a hand. "I've found a place. Come."
Albus Dumbledore was very quick when he wanted to be. He threw out a tracking charm because he wasn't quite sure WHAT would happen if he'd tried a paralyzation spell.
The air rippled as Harry and the woman disappeared.
Albus Dumbledore smiled, checked, and then abruptly lost his smile. As apparently the two were now in Japan.
He distinctly hoped that Harry was not going to be enrolled in Mahoutokoro School Of Magic. Getting him back to England would be quite difficult if that was the case.
* break *
Author Notes - i'm not sure if the "Harry Potter" fictional books is canon or fanon at this point. But the thought did occur to me - what if there was a similar series but Harry had actually gone through those sorts of adventures?
as to what kind of magic Harry could learn, this idea was all about the above concept. Harry Potter adventure books that actually dealt with some great Grand Adventure he'd been on prior to ever arriving at Hogwarts. This could leave him not going to Hogwarts at all in fact.
oh, and the reason for the books was to look for the ripples in the timestream where Death delivered them. Each book in the series narrowed the search a bit further. When Gentiana (Shiva) got involved, she was mainly curious. If you go over to youtube and put her name in, there's video of her if someone wants to use the concept. Got to love her way of shutting off the snark.
As to Death - paying off a favor and finding out that Voldie was cheating death annoyed him. That's his motive.