My schedule is still out of whack because of the project I'm working on. My boss decided that I would be staying here for two more weeks before I can go back home. *sigh*
Anyway, enjoy chapter 20.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad. Give credit to where credit is due.
Chapter 20: Yule Plots
Harry was making his way to the Headmaster's office after Professor Flitwick informed him that the Headmaster wanted to see him about his accommodations for Christmas. When the notice went up about the coming break, Harry immediately told his Head of House that he would be going back to the muggle world. It would seem that Dumbledore got wind of his plans and decided to interfere.
Harry was tempted to tell the diminutive professor to inform Dumbledore to shove it where the sun doesn't shine but he didn't want to tip his cards in the game to early. He knew that the old coot was on to him regarding his Lordship but he didn't know anything else so Harry was still in the game.
When he reached the gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's office, he frowned when he realized that his Head of House didn't inform him of the password. Not seeing any other option, Harry placed a hand on the head of the statue and channeled a bit of his sorcery into the enchantment to get the password. Thanks to practice, he could now easily 'hack' into any enchantment and determine how they worked so getting the current password was relatively easy.
"Chocolate frogs." Harry drawled though he was inwardly irritated that such an 'esteemed' wizard would think of using something as common as wizarding sweets to protect the sanctity of his office. He knew that Dumbledore was getting senile but this just takes the cake.
Harry watched the gargoyle jumped to the side revealing the spiral staircase leading to the top of the tower. He traversed the steps until he came to a door. He knocked and immediately went in when the Headmaster beckoned for him to enter.
"You wanted to see me, Headmaster?" Harry asked politely, using every shred of control he possessed to keep the hate out of his voice.
"Yes, my boy. Please take a seat." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling merrily.
"Thank you, sir." said Harry before taking a seat in front of the aged wizard. "May I know what you wish to talk to me about?"
"Before that, Harry, may I offer you a Lemon Drop?" asked Dumbledore while indicating a tray of yellow candies on his desk. Harry look at it casually before shaking his head in negative though that didn't stop him from sending a probe at the harmless sweets. Harry almost frowned when he determined that the candy was laced with a mild calming draught and a truthfulness potion, the latter was just a step lower than Veritaserum in application. It would seem that the esteemed Headmaster was not without his little…push to get what he wanted.
"No thank you, sir. I already enjoyed some sweets I have in stock." Harry said with a fake smile.
"Ah, understood." said Dumbledore happily though Harry's passive probe revealed that the old coot was irritated. Harry couldn't help but grin inwardly for annoying the man.
"So, sir, what do you wish to talk to me about?" Harry urged. He didn't really want to prolong his stay in the office with the man around. He didn't know how long he would be able to stay in control of himself without lashing out.
"Two things actually." Dumbledore began. "First, how are you finding Hogwarts? As Headmaster, I make it a special point to interview the new students to determine if they have any problems with the new environment."
"Ha! I've been here for a year now and you only now found the time to talk to me? Try another one, you old coot." Harry grouched mentally before speaking out loud. "I love it here, sir. There are just so many things to learn and do."
"Ah, a Ravenclaw through and through. You fit well in your house." Dumbledore said with a nod though Harry detected a miniscule twitch of the man's eyebrow. "And your classes?"
"I have no problems, sir. The professors are knowledgeable in their respective fields and they have kept my interest up in both theories and practical spell work." Harry answered amiably.
"Good good. Now, I heard from your Head of House that you are planning to go home for the Yule break?" Dumbledore asked intently.
"Yes, sir. I have plans for the summer and I need to be in the muggle world for that." Harry answered with a smile. He knew what was coming next and a confrontation was inevitable.
"I see. So you will be staying with your aunt then?" the Headmaster asked curiously, eyes intent.
"Hm, I might drop by on her if I feel like it but I'll be spending my Yule alone." Harry replied, trying to be as vague as possible. From the questions, it would seem that the Headmaster was fishing for information concerning his aunt's whereabouts.
"Such is the case then I would advise you to stay in the castle. It is not safe to be alone in the muggle world and Hogwarts is the safest place in the world." Dumbledore informed him with a grandfatherly smile on his face.
Harry's face grew thoughtful for a few seconds before turning into a cold mask.
"Hm, an interesting suggestion…but tell me Headmaster, is it a Headmaster's job to dictate what a student should be doing outside school?" Harry asked in a cold voice.
Dumbledore was taken aback by the sudden change in the boy in front of him. Gone was the happy-go-lucky intelligent Ravenclaw to be replaced by a cold mature teen. He needed to tread lightly if he wanted things to go his way without problems.
"No, it is not in a Headmaster's remit to be concerned with a student's well-being outside school. But considering your status, it is only normal for me to care for you, my boy." Dumbledore asked genially.
"I see. Let me ask you something, Headmaster, have you talked to Allan Wright regarding his return to the muggle world this coming Yule?" Harry asked suddenly. Allan Wright was a third year Ravenclaw who grew up in an orphanage. He didn't get adopted but he was able to attend school thanks to a scholarship reserved for orphans.
"Hm, Allan Wright, I believe that he is going home for the Yule. I see no problem with that." the Headmaster answered not knowing that he just walked in on a trap Harry set for him.
"Gotcha, you old coot." Harry thought with a mental smirk. "Then tell me, Headmaster, why are you concerning yourself with my visit to the muggle world for this Yule when you don't care that Allan will be going back to the orphanage? From the looks of it, Headmaster, you are not doing what you said earlier. Tell me, Headmaster, why are you so adamant to let me stay in a castle where the Heir of Slytherin is currently slithering around and petrifying people. If this is your idea of safe then I shudder to think what you think as dangerous."
"Be that as it may, I suggest that you talk to your Head of House to revoke your leaving for the Yule and stay here in the castle for the coming break." Dumbledore said with a bit of force in his voice. Gone was the kind Headmaster to be replaced by a powerful figure he was known to be. Harry finally decided that it was time to take the kid's glove off. If the Headmaster wants to fight using power then he was going to get the same treatment.
Harry face grew even colder before releasing a presence of power that made the Headmaster flinch.
"I suggest that you stop trying to control me, Headmaster." said Harry coldly before raising his right hand and willing his family ring to show itself. He saw Dumbledore stare at it in shock. "As you can see, Headmaster Dumbledore, you don't have a say in things I do outside school. You might be the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot but you have nothing against a Lord of a Most Ancient and Most Noble House. As you can see, I already know about my legacy that YOU so kindly forgot to tell me. I know about the money you have taken from my vault and I know of the illegal marriage contract that you tried to place me under. I didn't attack you because it is not a good idea. However, it doesn't mean that I wouldn't. I'm just…postponing the inevitable."
"You're being unreasonable, Harry..."
"I am not Harry, Headmaster, nor am I a Mr. Potter to you." Harry interrupted the man. "If we are going to discuss things outside school then I suggest that you address me as my title dictates. For you Headmaster, I am Lord Potter."
Dumbledore couldn't help but shudder at the intense feeling he was getting from the young wizard in front of him. He knew that the boy was powerful but the smothering feeling blanketing the entire room was a testament that he clearly underestimated the boy.
"F-Forgive me, Lord Potter. I merely want…"
"You are not forgiven, Headmaster." Harry interrupted the man again. "Your wants or concerns are no interest to me. While in school, you are the Headmaster, the person in charge of my well-being and oversee my education. Even then, you don't dictate what I do as long as I follow the rules. Outside the castle, you have no say in my actions. What I do is up to me and none of your concern."
"You are going too far, Mr. Potter. That is no way to speak to someone of my station." Dumbledore exclaimed in anger as he stood up from his chair, his magical aura was leaking out him causing the office to shudder.
Harry looked at the man calmly before deciding to take this one step further. He released a bit of his control over his magic and mixed a bit of his Will into it. The effect was quite noticeable. A bright blue aura erupted around Harry's body and the room was immediately blanketed with a pressure that made Dumbledore stumble a bit before regaining himself, but not without effort, his aura being snuffed out by the stronger presence in the room. Even the former Headmasters were afraid while in the safety of their portraits. The windows were rattling, filling the room with its noise.
"You are mistaken, Dumbledore. You should watch who you're talking to. Yes, you may be the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and the Supreme Mugwump of the ICW but these are mere titles of your 'profession'. You are nothing but a minor lord playing pretending to be a part of a founding house of Magical Britain. You don't know what I'm capable of, old man, and I suggest that you don't test me." Harry said coldly before standing up from his chair. To add to the intimidation, he increased the amount of magic and Will in the air causing the glass on the windows to crack. "I wonder what people would think if they found out that the Leader of the Light they hold in high regard is nothing more than a conniving old man who allowed muggles to abuse a child for the sake of turning him into a pawn for his own games?"
Dumbledore stiffened when he heard this. He knew what the boy was talking about. Harry saw the Headmaster's reaction and couldn't help but give the pale wizard a vengeful smirk.
"I see that you realized what I'm talking about. Trust me, old man, I know what you did and some of your…plans have come to light. One word from me and all of your dirty laundry would be on the Daily Prophet being circulated throughout Wizarding Britain in a blink of an eye. I warn you Dumbledore, one wrong move from you then I'll destroy everything that you worked for. When I'm done, the Dumbledores would be on the same rank as Voldemort. You are warned and I suggest that you keep that in mind."
With that, Harry reined in his magic causing the pressure in the room to disappear. Harry left the office but not before giving the shuddering Headmaster a nod.
Albus slumped down in his seat when the Harry left his office, taking the extreme magical pressure with him. He couldn't believe the immense power the boy had in his arsenal. He knew that Harry Potter was a prodigy in magic with power to back it up, but he didn't know that it was to this extent already. The power the boy released was tightly controlled and there was more where it came from. He shuddered to think what would happen to his office if the boy released his full magical presence in such a confined space.
He was stumped. He didn't know what to do. The information Potter had over him would destroy everything he worked for – his name, his fortune, the respect, and finally, the prestige. Not only was the boy a powerhouse when it came to magic, the last Potter was also a force to be reckoned with in the economic and political arena. He knew that the threats were genuine and the boy would certainly deliver if he was pushed too far.
Albus sighed. All of his carefully laid plans were starting to fall apart; actually, they were already ruined beyond repair. He needed to come up with something new to control the Potter boy. His Greater Good demands nothing less.
Lucius Malfoy took a sip of his favorite wine as he pondered the latest news his son, Draco, sent him through the mail. It would seem that his plot to cause chaos was bearing fruit though he had to make a face when the first victim was that damnable cat of the Hogwarts caretaker instead of anyone of note.
His current plot was to discredit Arthur Weasley since the man had upped the raid on his manor in search of his stash of dark artifacts. To make things work, Lucius decided to unleash the Dark Magic of the Dark Lord's diary at Hogwarts to implicate Arthur Weasley. The man had to be brought down a peg or two, not that he needed to be anywhere lower considering the state his family was in, because of the various raids the man did on Malfoy Manor to try to find traces of dark artifacts – not that he would find his horde, of course.
However, he had an ulterior motive in using the Dark Lord's artifact for this plot and that was Harry James Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, the cause of his Lord's downfall during the First Wizarding War.
He tasked his son to spy on Potter considering that he was one of his closest friends and his son definitely came through.
According to Draco's letters, as well as the rumors spreading through the grapevine, the young Potter heir was a force to be reckoned with. Not only was the boy a prodigy in magic, Harry Potter was also powerful if the stellar description of the Hogwarts professors was anything to go by.
Heck, even Snape who hated anything involving a Potter, praised the boy.
Lucius knew that Potter was going to be a threat when his master returns so that cemented his decision to push through with the plan with hope that Potter was going to be one of the casualties.
After all, it was only fitting that an artifact belonging to the Dark Lord destroys his nemesis.
A grin made its way to his face as he fantasized receiving the news of the young Potter's death in the hands of the creature that Salazar Slytherin bred to cleanse the taint of mudbloods in prestigious Hogwarts.
Lucius took another sip before giving out a mad cackle of delight, not aware of the large beady eyes watching him from the darkness of his study.
The spirit of a teenage Tom Riddle was silently fuming inside his vessel. The essence of young Lord Voldemort was swearing up a storm that his entrance as the Heir of Slytherin in the school resulted in getting a cat petrified.
Out of all things for Slytherin's monster to attack, why does it have to be a cat? The caretaker was fair game and there were plenty of students around, so why in the world did it target the cat. At most, he was hoping for a student or maybe a house elf or two; but no, the stupid thing targeted a feline instead.
What's worst, instead of the creature's gaze killing the target, it only left them petrified. It was infuriating.
Another source of young Riddle's annoyance was the girl using his diary. Why couldn't he be given to a powerful wizard with redeeming qualities or a magical talent or two? No, he was instead given to a crush-driven girl whose sole ambition was to get her prince charming – Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived. The girl was barely passing her classes, spending most of her time daydreaming and writing to him.
Ah, yes, Harry Potter, another sore point to add to his growing list.
After a careful conversation with the girl, he was able to determine what happened to his older self. It was unbelievable for a 15-month old baby to block the Killing Curse and offing the Dark Lord in the process. Tom Riddle surmised that there was more involved in the story than the miraculous survival of the child. It was quite possible that Potter's parents did some esoteric, yet powerful defensive magic that protected their firstborn from the un-blockable death curse, which was a feat in itself.
Not only that, his scheme to give Potter a death-by-bludger was thwarted when the boy showed mastery over his magic - conjuring a mobile shield charm unknown to him, as well as pulling out enough power to vaporize the enhanced bludger with a single spell.
It would seem that the boy had power, a power that he himself didn't have then he was of the same age. Such was the case, he needed to get rid of Potter and soon before finding his larger self.
The essence of Tom Riddle reached out of the diary and tried to find his…friend. He cursed since the girl was asleep, dreaming who knows what though he could guess WHO she was dreaming of. He withdrew his probe for later.
Oh well, there's always tomorrow. He needed to make sure that his hold on the girl was absolute since he needed to get rid of the roosters the half-giant was raising behind his hut in the grounds. After all, what was the use of unleashing a deadly monster if a crow of a rooster could kill it in its tracks?
Amelia Bones, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, was rubbing her temple as she started to get a headache after reading the letter again for the fifth time.
She received a letter from Harry Potter and she was surprised that the Boy-Who-Lived wrote to her. However, when he read the content of the letter, she couldn't help but feel a migraine forming.
Harry Potter wrote in his letter about the illegal incarceration of Sirius Black. She was quite surprised to learn that Black was Potter's godfather. If that was the case then there was no way Black would betray the Potters since his oaths would kill him on the spot.
She couldn't help but give credit to the boy since the letter was filled with various evidences, theories, and cited laws as to why Sirius Black should be brought out of Azkaban to be given a trial. After reading the letter, she immediately left her office and made a beeline towards the records room to get to the bottom of things.
After searching for two hours, Amelia Bones returned to her office, her face red with anger. She didn't find any of the trial transcripts related to Black's case. In fact, there was no record of any legal proceedings concerning Sirius Black. From what she could gather, it seemed like Sirius Black was picked up from the crime scene and tossed immediately into a cell in Azkaban without so much as a by-your-leave.
She was about to storm out of her office towards Azkaban to get black out when she remembered a part of the letter.
"Madam, it is imperative that you keep this a secret. Considering how my godfather was tossed into Azkaban, we can be sure that there are certain people in the higher-ups working against him. If we are going to be open about this then you can be assured that they will do everything in their power to stop you. I think we both know how…ugly politics could be."
Amelia couldn't help but give the boy some credit. What he wrote was the truth. After the fall of Voldemort, Death Eaters were given a trial. Those who resided and passed judgment were now in the higher echelons of society, namely Cornelius Fudge, Albus Dumbledore, Bartemius Crouch, and more. If she made a move in public then they would do everything in their power to silence her.
She pulled out a bottle of Firewhiskey she kept around in case she suffered from frayed nerves. She took a sip, not bothering with a glass, before taking out a piece of paper and started writing on it.
If she wanted to get Black out then she needed to be discreet and the plans Harry Potter detailed in his letter was as good as any to follow, even if it came from a 12 year old boy.
Harry spun to his left to dodge a stunner before spinning his staff to block another one coming from his right. He channeled a bit of magic into his muscles and started dancing around the barrage of spells he sensed coming his way. Left, right, jump, crouch, swerve, block – all the spells were dodged and he was about to slam the butt of his staff on the floor to create a shield when a gong announced the end of the simulation.
"You have improved, sir. You have dodged 63 spells and blocked 37."
"What's was my previous record?" asked Harry as he conjured a towel and let go of his staff to float beside him, wiping the sweat on his face and neck as he exited the training room in his flat in Diagon Alley.
"52 and 48, sir."
"Nice, definitely an improvement then." said Harry happily.
It has been two weeks into the Christmas vacation that he was able to integrate the magic-based battery Nick created for him into ART's server. It was a resounding success and further testing showed that giving ART access to a steady supply of manipulable magical energy gave the AI certain capabilities that he could not have expected.
For starters, ART could now manipulate the magical energy available to him through the scanners to cast a limited number of spells. However, it would seem that the scanners weren't capable of handling mid-to-high energy output so ART was limited to simple spells, like the levitation charm, stunners, a very weak Reducto, and the likes.
However, it was quite fortunate that this new addition to the AI gave it a much-needed boost in its scanning capabilities, giving the AI the ability to use the scanners in the workshop to scan outside the walls and a few meters away from it.
In connection to this, Harry made it a point to install a few scanners in the magical alley, specifically placed according to the range of each device, giving the young sorcerer great intel if he ever needed one.
ART was practically giddy at the thought of having a bigger area to play with and gather information and forced his creator to add a few more servers for more processing power and storage space.
When it was done, ART took advantage of his scanner's range to scan the books available to him, which includes HALF of Flourish and Blotts, and other shops that within the confines of the scanner's reach. Harry had to force himself to think that he wasn't stealing since the items were still there.
Also, the enchantment on the magical battery gave ART a sort of free will similar to magical portraits, giving the AI a more human-like countenance that baffled Harry to no end. The young sorcerer theorized that the magic interacted with the AI's coding in a way, thus turning him into a real-life magical portrait with all the usual provisos and then some.
Because of this, Harry, with the help of Floppy, created a room in the workshop for dodge practice since ART could now cast spells. Harry installed quite a few scanners in the room connected to ART so the AI could fire spells at him in any direction.
In which case, Harry would stand in the middle of the room, in the middle of a large circle painted on the floor, where he would attempt to dodge or block spells fired at random.
At first, ART was able to floor him after a few dozen spells but as Harry grew proficient in detecting magic, he could now somewhat sense magic, as well as relying on his physical senses to either dodge the spells or block them with his staff. Harry aimed to increase his reflexes and speed that would greatly compliment his dueling since he was lacking in the practical side of using magic against an opponent.
"So ART, any new info regarding our research on the monster in the Chamber of Secrets?" asked Harry as he seated himself in front of the main terminal of ART's core. A HUD immediately appeared floating in front of him with the information.
"As you can see, sir, there are only a few magical creatures that can induce petrification. However, none of these can be found in England or so rare that it is quite impossible for them to be found at Hogwarts." ART reported.
Harry shrugged as he used his finger to pick out a particular creature on the list to view an image and its respective information.
"Gorgon? Nope, only found in an island in Greece and they never venture out this far." Harry said as he shuddered at the picture of the ugly Gorgon in front of him. "Cockatrice is a good possibility but according here, Cockatrice doesn't have big of a magical presence similar to what I felt when Mrs. Norris was petrified."
"Indeed, sir, petrification of that magnitude without actually turning the target to stone is quite rare though there is a theory that I was able to dig up from one of the rare magical creature books in your collection."
"What is it?" Harry asked curiously. A new entry was highlighted on the HUD which Harry immediately tapped with his finger to bring out the information. What Harry saw scared him. "A basilisk? But they don't petrify. Looking at one in the eye means instant death, similar to the Killing Curse."
"It does, sir, but according to the book, it is said that indirectly looking into the eye of a basilisk may cause other effects and it is quite possible that petrification is one of them."
"Uh huh, that is definitely a good theory to start with and it fits perfectly with Salazar Slytherin's profile. After all, it is only normal for a parseltongue to use a snake as a pet." Harry mused.
"Well, you are a parseltongue and you have an owl as a pet." ART pointed out.
"I may be a parseltongue, ART, but that doesn't mean I am partial to snakes. Sure, I like them but not to the point of taking one in as a pet. They are a good conversationalist that's all." Harry said with a shrug. "Anyway, continue with the research and how is the other one coming along?"
"The Bracelet Scanner is indeed a feasible idea, sir. However, there are no known spells that would allow you to connect it to me to access."
"Oh, about that, I was thinking of re-creating the Protean Charm."
"It is plausible, but not advisable. The Protean Charm is not active unless magic is used to turn on the spell, but more on the idea of an alert-based enchantment. If you do intend to use that charm on the bracelet then it might be necessary to devise a way to translate the information from the charmed object into the server for assimilation." ART informed him. Harry rolled his eyes.
"I think you need to have your microphones checked, ART. I didn't say that I was going to use the Protean Charm. I said that I plan on recreating the Protean Charm."
"My microphones are working perfectly, sir, so no check is necessary." ART said with an annoyed undertone. "However, recreating the Protean Charm might take a while considering that you require a thorough grounding in both Ancient Runes and Arithmancy to pull it off." said ART as a new HUD appeared displaying the complex formula of the Protean Charm.
"I know that." said Harry with a huff. "I didn't say that I want to finish the Bracelet Scanner immediately. If I want it to work right then I need to prepare for it. Anyway, list down any Arithmancy books we have on stock."
"Very good, sir." ART said, opening a new HUD above the first one displaying the list of Arithmancy books in his expanded library. "There are a total of 69 Arithmancy books in stock though most of them are basic and theoretical concepts. I also took the liberty of including a list of Ancient Runes books for your perusal."
"Thanks, ART." said Harry before standing up. "I'm going to go buy some owl treats for Hedwig since I'm running low. Tell Floppy to prepare the first five books in the list on both subjects. I'll read them when I get back. Also, prepare a list of supplies I need for the study of those two subjects. I want to have everything on hand when I do get started on those two."
"As you wish, sir. Happy shopping."
"Yeah yeah." said Harry as he walked towards the hidden door but paused when a thought occurred to him. "Make a note for me to brew a batch of Restoration Draughts a few days before I go back to school."
"And why would you do that? As far as my inventory is concerned, you still have five of them in stock." ART queried. Harry's face grew grim.
"Considering that the basilisk is still on the loose, it is quite possible that more petrification will occur. I want to be ready if it does happen to my friends."
"I see. I will have Floppy prepare the necessary ingredients and have her prep the potions compartment in your trunk for this task, sir."
"Thanks, ART. Well, I'm off." said Harry before exiting his workshop.
Harry was carefully adding the diced mandrake roots into the potion he was brewing when ART's spoke through the speakers.
"Sir, there is a letter delivered by an unknown owl. It is currently on your work table."
"Who's it from?" Harry asked immediately while giving the potion the required stir.
"Scanning…scanning complete. It is from Amelia Bones, sir."
Harry paused in mid-stir upon mention of the Head of the DMLE's name. He immediately cast a stasis charm on the cauldron so he wouldn't have to do it all over again.
"Bring up a HUD of it would you please." Harry asked as he made his way to his work table. A HUD appeared in front of him containing the scanned letter. "Hm, she wants to meet with me tomorrow. Interesting, ART, is there any place in Diagon Alley where I can meet with her without an audience."
"None, though I would suggest that you book a private parlor in the Leaky Cauldron for it. You can give Amelia Bones the time and place of the meeting so she could come without arousing suspicions."
"Thanks for the suggestion." Harry said with a nod before noticing the lack of white in his workshop. "Any idea where Hedwig is?"
"She left roughly 3 hours 10 minutes and 42 seconds ago, sir. Whereabouts unknown, I don't speak owl after all."
"Har har. You're a laugh." said Harry sarcastically before changing course back to his brewing potion. "Inform me when she's back, would you please."
"Will do, sir."
End of chapter 20.
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