...I've finally found it. The reason why a serpent is born from the incubation of a chicken egg beneath a toad. The cycle of the chicken and egg is disrupted by the presence of a toad, and a Basilisk comes about as part of magic's endeavor to correct that disruption, as toads are the prey of snakes.
Well, that does explain things, I suppose. Harry thought as he read the translation of Slytherin's journal listing his experiments with his own Basilisk. This is actually made stronger by the strength of faith in this mystery. With more people believing in the chicken and egg cycle, the resultant destabilization is more powerful, which is why the Basilisk has so much magical power in it. I bet when Herpo the Foul first did it, a Basilisk wasn't that powerful.
He flipped to the next part.
Because of this chaotic mix, a Basilisk is highly magical. My belief was that this high level of magic is the cause behind its deadly gaze, and my first few tests prove me right. When a creature is exposed to the Basilisk's look through lenses charmed to filter magic, they do not die, but assume a Petrified state. The question then is why. Why does a magic that induces death at full strength results in petrification when reduced? The dead creatures do not get Petrified, even in death. So why?
Harry read on, intrigued by the path of knowledge Salazar Slytherin had pursued. Given the events of his second year, he was curious to find out just what Slytherin knew about that phenomenon.
When I increased the level of filtering, the result is astounding. The creatures are empowered by the Basilisk's stare instead! Even a simple rat becomes strong enough to bend the narrow bars of its iron cage, although it incurs injuries in doing so. I must find a way to harness this discovery!
This explains how you moved faster during the Quidditch match. Archer commented, also reading through Harry's eyes.
Only partially, it seems. It hasn't happened again either. Look at the next part. Nearly every creature he treated with it died later on. They couldn't control the influx of prana properly, I'm guessing. Harry replied, turning the page. And besides, mine only works when I'm stressed or experiencing adrenaline.
He continued to read, eventually reaching another interesting section.
Of course! How could I not have seen it! Snakes are the answer, because the Basilisk is a snake. The adder is thriving right now, and I am hard pressed to keep it under control. Unrelated creatures are unable to control this power, which is why they eventually die. This is Parselmagic, no doubt. The question is: Can my Parseltongue ability prove enough of a relation for me to survive?
Harry frowned, and flipped back to the earlier sections where Slytherin was busy researching his own Parseltongue abilities. Besides the typical ability to converse with serpents of any kind, Slytherin was able to utilize snakes as his wand, although overuse would cause the serpent damage, which could result in its death in some cases. When Harry first read about it, he thought the description was remarkably similar to magic circuits. It made him wonder if being a Parselmouth allowed one to utilize snakes as magic circuits, which led Archer to describe the magecraft of a family known as the Makiri, which had worms as a living Thaumaturgical Crest. Harry had a nightmare that night.
After confirming that part of Slytherin's notes, Harry returned back to where he was earlier and continued reading.
A setback! While my body and magic are empowered by the Basilisk, the enhancement is only temporary. Being human is too much of a gap to retain the Parselmagic, as the adder continues to stay as strong as ever.
The following entries that discussed the effects of implanting snakes within Slytherin's body sickened Harry. He was sure that the process was documented somewhere in the books and scrolls that still remained in the Chamber of Secrets, and started to dread coming across it in the future. Reading ahead, it appeared that the process had an effect on Slytherin's mind, as his writing grew increasingly wilder, culminating in his leaving the castle after a fight with Gryffindor.
Don't mess with the body you've got, got it. Harry thought, putting away the papers once he was done. I don't feel any different, do I?
You're still as childish as ever.
Harry made a face. I'm not going to fall for that obvious baiting. You've used that line enough times already.
Hn. Archer grunted. Anyway, you should get out a little. Staying indoors so much isn't good for you.
Harry stretched and nodded; his body was a bit stiff after all the research he had conducted. Changing into running clothes, he went out for a jog.
It was a week since he returned from his second year at Hogwarts, and Harry had been busy. He finished all his homework in the first three days, even the rather boring History essay about the pointlessness of the fourteenth century witch burnings (He still had no idea how a ghost as immaterial as Binns could mark essays), and threw his entire self into trying to understand the effects of the magical flames, suspending his studying of Alchemy and magecraft for the time being. He first went through several preparations such as modifying the monitoring wards and overlaying a bounded field over his house to prevent any outside influence before he began. Using all manner of items ranging from living plants to Traced swords, Harry tried to see what would happen upon exposure to the seven flames.
The red flame destroyed. That was simple enough. Anything Harry exposed to it was steadily eaten away until only dust remained, and in cases of Reinforced items, the prana was consumed first, before the vessel itself was affected. In the case of a Traced sword, the material was eaten away until the damage proved to be too much for the structure to be sustained. The only things that remained unaffected were the array he was using to pump prana into the ruby, and the ruby itself.
The yellow flame energized. When Harry applied the sparkling fire to a cut sprig from a plant, the buds on it began to grow, only stopping due to a lack of nutrients to sustain the growth. It also exhibited an effect like Reinforcement, but not to the full extent of the real thing. When he tested two Traced blades on each other with one augmented by the yellow fire, the augmented one cut better, although Harry was unclear as to just how it functioned. It was clearly meant for support unlike the red flame that was meant for offense.
The green flame that sparked like electricity enhanced the tested objects in a different manner compared to the yellow one; if the yellow flame improved the inner workings, the green one improved the outer. The differences were most easily observed in the block of wood, as the yellow fire apparently didn't have the same hardening effect as the green fire did. It was confusing for Harry, seeing the effects of Reinforcement divided among the two.
If the yellow flame strengthened, then the blue flame weakened in a sense. Harry was amazed to discover that the rippling blue energy could actually affect gravity, when the block of wood he dropped slowed down noticeably under its effects. When he took a risk and exposed his hand to the blue flame, the limb experienced weakness and difficulty in movement.
He still could not figure out the effects of the orange, indigo and purple flames, although he had a theory about the last one.
The other problem was that in order to achieve any of the seven, he needed a proper array to channel prana through the gem rather than simply filling it up the way conventional Jewel Magecraft was supposed to do.
Calling out greetings to his neighbors as he passed by, Harry mused over that issue. Step by step, Harry, step by step...
You've gotten a little weaker from the lack of exercise. Archer observed.
Harry pushed himself to go a little faster. Then I'll just have to correct that, won't I?
He cleared his mind of any thought regarding Jewel Magecraft for the moment, and focused on getting his body back into its former shape.
Much later, as he was working on preparing dinner, the relaxation the task afforded him gave Harry the insight he needed. He rushed through the rest of the work, and bolted down the meal as fast as he could before rushing back to his room to start drafting out a plan on paper.
Harry's final plan involved the harnessing of the energies to empower himself in some way, but first he had to work on producing them in an effective manner. So far, based on his experiments with gemstones of various types, the cut of the gem affected the quality of the flame; those produced by a rough gemstone were almost always weaker compared to those from a polished jewel, in both quality and quantity. It also determined the level of stress a stone could withstand, and Harry was dreading the costs of his research in the future.
I need to invent some more things to sell... Harry paused in his writing to scribble 'Invent more stuff' in his book of things to do. Maybe if I copy some of the mundane stuff that wizards ignore...
Returning to his research, Harry saw that he could break down the flame creation process into the gem itself and array, which he now had to develop into the form of a ring. However, that was harder than it looked; the traditional charging array he used involved pumping prana into a central circle design, which funneled the energy into the object placed within while preventing any from escaping. In contrast, a ring would have to draw energy outwards from the object in the center, which would be his finger, and channel it into the gemstone that was perpendicular to the loop. Besides going from two-dimensional to three-dimensional, the formulas required in the array would be totally different.
Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his left eye. He had finally discovered the ability of his Mystic Eye just two days ago. When he had reviewed the memory of meeting the Basilisk's gaze, he realized that the prana influx had followed the path of his magic circuit, the one he had created through Alchemy, before forging the new one in his eye. The result was that he could now work Alchemy through a single look, provided he had the proper array in mind. However, it had its weaknesses; in addition to the typical overloading of the magic circuit, which actually pained him much more than the usual type, the eye took time to activate, and he couldn't use it repeatedly within a short time frame, making it unsuitable for combat.
Opening his left eye, Harry channeled prana through the magic circuit and stared at the small stone he had picked up off the ground. It shifted apart with the flare of blue lightning that accompanied any Alchemical process, and a tiny hoop formed in the center of that gap. Shutting off the flow, Harry picked up the ring and began examining it. There was a bit of flaking on the surface, typical of Alchemy, but on the whole it was perfectly usable as a model.
Then he sat back. In order to continue, he needed knowledge on the right runes and symbols to use. Maybe I should go to Diagon Alley to see if they've got anything useful...
Putting aside his Jewel Magecraft notes for the time being, Harry returned to Slytherin's journal. He didn't have any way of proving it, but something told him that there were two things required to contain the boost from the Basilisk. One was obviously a relation to Parselmagic, the other was most likely a magic circuit, which Slytherin apparently lacked and tried to make up for by implanting snakes within himself.
Harry shuddered and put it away again. The thought of mutilating yourself just for more power was disgusting to him.
"Harry." He turned to see his foster mother standing at the door.
"Yes, Aunt Diana?"
"I kept forgetting to inform you about this, but we were planning to go on vacation overseas during the summer. We thought you'd want to stay here, but the airline informed us that someone else cancelled, so would you like to come or stay with Hermione and her family?"
Harry blinked. The idea of going on vacation was alien to him, since the Dursleys never brought him with them when they did, leaving him instead with Mrs Figg and her cats. "Vacation where?"
"Japan. John has a friend there who's willing to put us up."
Archer perked up at the name of his home country.
"You know how to speak Japanese?" Harry asked her.
"Only a few phrases. John's the one who knows. Why, are you interested?"
"You bet I am." Harry grinned. "When do we leave?"
Diana smiled at him. "In a week's time. I'll get more details from John for you later."
After she left, Archer asked, Not that I'm not glad to have a chance to visit Japan, but what's gotten you so excited, Harry?
This might be a chance to learn magic from a different country. Harry was already planning his own itinerary. Need to see if Diagon Alley has any information... ask around... maybe Madam Bones knows...
While Harry got to writing down his ideas, Archer had noticed that there was something suspicious about how Harry's foster parents conveniently forgotten about informing their son about their travel ideas, and was pondering it. However, seeing the boy's mood, he decided to keep silent for the time being while he observed further.
Harry looked around the room as he walked in behind his foster parents. He knew the Finch-Fletchleys were rich, but he didn't know just how much until now. Just this dining room was already furnished extravagantly, and he couldn't resist analyzing the furniture to see how well they were made. There were valuable paintings on the walls, and Harry was sure that the vase on the table was worth more than his foster parents' car.
This was a gathering of all the families of the mundane-born parents, organized by Harry and Justin working together. Looking around, he could see five other families apart from his, the hosts, and the Grangers.
Harry took a seat next to Hermione. "Hi." He murmured.
"Hi, yourself." She smiled at him. "I'm surprised at how many turned up."
They send their only children off to a boarding school for nine months out of a year. Of course they'll be concerned to know about what happens. Archer snarked.
Well, aren't you sensitive today... Harry replied, but relayed the words to Hermione.
"Very true." Mrs Granger said firmly, having overheard. "Just because you have magic doesn't mean you're not my daughter."
"Mom!" An embarrassed Hermione cried, even as those who overheard hid smiles or chuckled out loud.
After the grandfather clock in the corner hit two, the man in a business suit at the head of the table stood up and cleared his throat. "Hello to all of you, I'm Thomas Finch-Fletchley, and I would like to welcome all of you here today."
He looked around at all the people present, parents and children alike. "The one thing we all have in common is that a member of our family is attending a magical school known as Hogwarts. However, as it is a boarding school, us parents will be missing out on a large part of our child's life as he or she grows up. By inviting all of you here, I hope to establish a group where we can help one another in order to help our children succeed, no matter what obstacles they face. Thank you."
There was a brief round of applause, and Mr Finch-Fletchley sat down to let other parents speak their piece. Harry was only half-listening, instead chatting away with Archer about how he should keep up his training while he was in Japan. He did a convincing job of pretending that not even Hermione noticed, appearing so engrossed that he nearly missed his cue.
...and it looks like it's your turn to speak. Archer suddenly said.
What? Harry looked around to see everyone's attention on him. "Oh. Sorry." He stood up and quickly tried to recall what was the current topic.
Your intention to continue normal schooling while at Hogwarts. Archer supplied.
Thanks. "Hello, my name is Harry Potter. I first learned I had magic when I received my Hogwarts letter. Imagine my surprise when I found out that I was famous in the magical world for surviving what everyone else could not. Sometimes, I feel like one of those unknown princes in fairytales that were raised in obscurity."
Don't go off topic. Archer reminded him.
"But I would like to say that while magic is fascinating, it isn't enough to make me want to give up the non-magical aspect of my life. I started an unofficial Science Club in Hogwarts, and we learned quite a number of things, physics, chemistry, biology... those are just as interesting as magic in their own way. In fact, I would like to continue learning them, and maybe one day, go to a university. Thank you." Harry sat down as they clapped for him, the adults with considerably more enthusiasm than their children.
Hermione was beaming at him. Out of all the children there, she was the one that identified with his words the most, because of her love for learning. Harry was confident she would jump at the chance to learn whatever she could, and when she stood up to speak later, it only served to confirm his impression of her.
She's still a bit abrasive in character though... Harry thought as he watched his friend.
After everyone had their turn at speaking, they were led to a hall where a buffet was prepared. Harry loaded up a plate and sat at a table with Justin and the rest of the children.
"This was a spiffing good idea of yours, Harry!" Justin spoke as they ate. "This way, Mother won't be so disappointed about me not going to Eton."
"I'm not really keen on this. It's so much work." Kevin Entwhistle complained.
"Aren't you a Ravenclaw?" Hermione asked him.
"Aren't you a Gryffindor?" Kevin shot back.
"Enough, you two." Harry interrupted. "And Colin, ask permission before you take photos."
"Sorry Harry!" The excitable kid piped up, pushing his camera beneath the table. "May I take photos of your house, Justin?"
"Sure, go ahead." Justin said grandly.
"Great!" Colin dashed away, heading for one of the paintings in the room.
"By the way, how are you feeling after... you know." Hermione asked the Hufflepuff.
"Pretty good, actually. I've got quite a bit to catch up on, but Flitwick or McGonagall comes by once in a while to tutor me."
"Does that mean you're allowed to use magic?"
"Yes," He said brightly, "My parents were so amazed, let me tell you! They really liked seeing me perform spells in front of them, even if I wasn't always successful."
Hermione looked jealous of Justin being allowed to use magic over the summer holidays, and she wasn't the only one. Harry, having gotten around the restriction through the use of his bounded fields, didn't show any change in expression and continued eating instead.
"Wow, you're lucky." Dean Thomas said, munching on a sausage. "You know, I never really understood why the Statute of Secrecy doesn't allow us to use magic at home."
"It's-" Hermione started, but stopped when Harry kicked her under the table, shaking his head slightly when she looked at him.
"I mean, it's our home, right? What about privacy and all that? As long as no one's around to be seen, it's okay, isn't it?" Dean continued.
There was a surprising amount of agreement from the other mundane-borns, prompting Hermione to give Harry a look of understanding and thanks.
It's not her bookworm side that's keeping her from making friends, it's her bossy personality. Harry thought as he continued to listen to the others talk.
They began discussing the electives they were going to take in their third year, and the reasons they had for taking what each of them did was rather interesting to hear. It ranged from just to see what the subject was like to actually intending to pursue a career involving it.
"You know, I wouldn't mind going into the security business." Harry said thoughtfully as the others watched him. "Warding sounds like an interesting career, and imagine if we combine that with non-magical tools."
"But electronic locks won't work with magic." objected Hermione.
"I think that's only at Hogwarts. You don't see any problem around Diagon Alley, do you?" Harry countered, causing the others to nod.
Kevin picked that moment to interrupt. "Actually, anyone here thinks that the wizards are a bit... backward?"
Harry raised his hand slightly. Seeing that, a few others did as well. Hermione appeared torn as to whether to agree or not.
However, before they could discuss it further, Mr Finch-Fletchley called the adults back to the dining room, leaving the children to do what they wanted. Justin took on the role of the host, and began showing them around his mansion. It was clear that the Finch-Fletchleys had a long ancestry, and each generation just added to the wealth they already had.
It is an issue, isn't it, Archer? Harry thought as he followed the group.
What is?
Wizarding society being backwards. Remember the information control by the Ministry? I wonder just how much they've covered up. Harry hummed thoughtfully as he looked at a particularly impressive art piece of people by a lake.
I'm sure you could ask Madam Bones, but I'm quite sure sexism is one of them.
Huh. Harry wasn't really that familiar with the term, but he at least knew what it meant. I'll ask her about it the next time I see her.
By the way, you noticed it, didn't you? The bounded field.
Harry blinked, then glanced out the window. Yeah, it covers quite a large area. The same magic detection field that's around my neighborhood too. Except mine has all the fancy protection stuff that's probably Dumbledore's work.
Which reminds me, maybe you should get Madam Bones to look at that. He's only your school Headmaster, he shouldn't have any jurisdiction over you outside of it.
Good idea. Harry continued to follow the other children.
"Isn't this amazing, Harry? Just look at all these pieces of art! I never knew Justin's family owned all of this!" Hermione was gushing as she looked around.
"I didn't figure you one for the arts, Hermione." Harry said absently, then dodged as she tried to slap him on the arm. "Hey!"
"Stop teasing me." She scolded, attempting to hit him again.
"Here now. No roughhousing, please!" Justin interrupted, a frown on his face.
Hermione squeaked. "Sorry!"
She made sure to step on Harry's foot later.
By the end of the meeting, the parents exchanged contact information, and agreed to make arrangements to help their children keep up their mundane learning. Harry could tell that some of the students were thinking of careers in the wizarding world, but privately he didn't see much chance of that happening. It was one of the reasons why he worked hard at making this meeting work.
A few days ago, he had visited the Greengrasses again, and had a very enlightening conversation with Daphne's parents regarding the Pureblood discrimination. Any non-Pureblood who worked in the Ministry was unlikely to rise higher than a department secretary, and while they might make more money if they started up their own business, they usually paid more in fees and taxes, and usually lost out against a Pureblood-ran competitor. It was not very likeable, but it was enlightening.
Among other things, they also spoke about Harry's revealing of Voldemort's ancestry. Cyrus Greengrass had started investigating it discreetly, and had yet to find anything to disprove it, especially given the fact that Tom Riddle had seemingly vanished a few years after working at Borgin & Burke's, a store in Knockturn Alley. Daphne had warned Harry before, but her parents repeated it just to be safe; Harry stood a chance of being targeted for a perceived insult against the Death Eaters' Dark Lord. That night, he sent Ilya off with a letter to Madam Bones, and later found another observation ward around his house.
"-ry. Harry!" Harry jerked around and looked up at his foster mother. "It's time to go."
"Oh, okay. Bye, Hermione. Bye, Justin."
"Bye, Harry." The two of them said at the same time.
The trip back home was uneventful, with Harry asking about what the adults had talked about and his foster parents answering him. He spent the night reviewing the magecraft book on bounded fields, intending to head to Diagon Alley tomorrow.
The next morning, Uncle John dropped him off at the Leaky Cauldron on his way to work, and Harry headed right in. Thankfully, there was only two other people present that early in the morning, so Harry wasn't swarmed like he had been in his first year. Out of curiosity, he tried the bacon and eggs Tom the owner cooked, and found them pretty good, although he felt he could do better if he tried. Afterwards, he went through the archway at the back of the pub into Diagon Alley.
His money pouch was a little light, so he headed for Gringotts first. Harry walked in through the doors confidently even as the goblins behind the counters eyed him unpleasantly. Approaching the nearest one, he presented his family key and asked to visit his vault. Like before, another goblin was summoned to lead him to the carts, and Harry followed the new goblin.
"Griphook, right?" Harry asked as he settled into the seat. "You were the one who led me down here in my first time here."
"Yes." The goblin replied gruffly. "It's rare to see a wizard remember one of us, even by name."
"Even those born from non-magical families?" Harry asked in surprise as he held on tightly while the cart shot off.
He received a grin that displayed several pointed teeth. "We make them... uncomfortable."
"I see." There was a pause. "Then how do most wizards treat you?"
"They ignore us, of course. Hardly any of your Purebloods deign to speak to us more than they have to." Griphook's tone was derisive. "We're here."
The cart pulled to a stop, and Harry handed his key over for Griphook to open the door with. He stood back and analyzed the locking mechanism, fascinated to see the combination of mechanics and magic.
Interested in making your own? Archer said, sensing Harry's thoughts.
A bit. Harry admitted as he went in to gather money for his shopping trip.
On the trip back to the surface, he asked Griphook about other services provided by the goblins, and was told that he could approach the tellers for warding, curse breaking, and item renting.
"Item renting?"
"All goblin-made objects are the property of their creators. Wizards," Harry did his best not to bristle at the implied insult in Griphook's sneer. "May only rent them, not outright buy like so many of your kind thinks they can."
I didn't learn this in History. Harry thought in annoyance. "Well, thank you for telling me about that."
"No thanks is needed. It is something you should have known if not for the arrogance of those before you." Griphook stopped the cart and gestured for him to get off without a word.
That goblin really grates on my nerves... Harry thought as he left the bank, nodding to the goblins who looked at him.
He headed for Flourish & Blott's first.
"Harry Potter, what brings you to my store?" The manager greeted him with a bit of friendly awe. "The Hogwarts booklists shouldn't be out yet, so you must be here for a bit of self-reading?"
"Yes, actually I put my name down for Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Do you have anything for those?"
"Ancient Runes and Arithmancy..." The man nodded. "Well, they haven't changed teachers for the last five years, so the textbooks should be the same. Here, follow me."
Harry picked up a basket and trailed after the manager. He was given Ancient Runes Made Easy, Rune Dictionary, and Spellman's Syllabary for Ancient Runes, and Numerology and Grammatica for Arithmancy.
"Ancient Runes is actually simpler to use than Arithmancy, let me tell you. Anyone can copy runes to get the basic effect, but you need a special insight in order to truly use Arithmancy in magic." The manager explained to Harry. "Is there anything else I can get you?"
"Got any travel guides? I'm going to Japan for a holiday, and I'd like to know what places are there for magical tourists."
"I'm sorry to say that we don't have anything of that sort. But Wayfarer's Delights should have what you want." He gave Harry directions to the shop.
Harry nodded. "I'm also interested in warding. What books do you have on that?"
"Warding? That's far above your level, Mr Potter. It needs NEWTs in Charms, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy. In fact, most wizards your age would be asking for books that show how to cast powerful spells and curses."
"Most wizards my age haven't lost their parents because they weren't behind proper protections." Harry replied coldly.
The man quickly changed his tack. "I'm sorry, Mr Potter, that was insensitive of me. Of course you have a personal interest in that field. The books on warding are right this way."
No shame in playing up your tragic life story, Harry? Archer said dryly later, as Harry was leaving the store with his purchases in a bag.
None. Harry replied cheerfully.
He turned down a side alley and saw the store sign showing the image of a sextant overlaid over a ship. Entering it, he heard a bell ring, and a pleasant-looking young man came out from the back of the store. As Harry expected, he was instantly recognized.
"Harry Potter?"
"That's me. This is the store for those interested in visiting other magical countries, right?"
"That's right." The young man confirmed. "My father traveled quite a lot when he was younger, and wanted to share it with others, which was why he opened this shop. We don't really get that much business, actually."
I'm interested to see what sort of magic is used in Japan. Archer commented, which was rare for the spirit.
"So, what can I interest you in?" The shopkeeper asked, leaning on his counter. "I've got some jewelry from the Middle East, a genuine tomahawk from America, some good luck charms from Japan-"
"I'm going to Japan." Harry interrupted.
The young man paused, surprised. "Oh, you are? Muggle or magical?"
Harry was confused at first, until Archer explained what the other person was asking.
"If you're asking about the method of travel, it's the former."
"One moment." The man ducked under the counter, then came up with a small book. "A travel guide written by my father. It's a bit outdated though."
"How outdated?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"By about six, seven years ago. Shouldn't be too bad. In fact, most of the magical sites are hidden alongside the shrines. If you're visiting those, then you shouldn't have any problems."
"How much for the guide?"
"One Galleon, ten Sickles."
Harry paid up, and tucked the small tome in with the rest of the books. Just as he turned to leave, he asked the man, "What's your name?"
"Stanley. Stanley Eriksson. Have a nice day, Mr Potter."
Harry nodded back. "Same to you."
As Harry was heading back to the Leaky Cauldron so he could take a taxi back home (He didn't want to risk its location being known with Voldemort's Death Eaters possibly gunning for him), he noticed several pieces of Harry Potter merchandise being sold.
You know, I've completely forgot about those. Harry remarked, pausing to glare at the fiction books and tiny dolls of him. Surely there's got to be some law against the use of my name to sell stuff like that, right?
I wouldn't know. Archer replied blandly. Perhaps you should read up on the laws.
Or I could go one better and just ask Madam Bones directly.
Or you could do that. Archer agreed.
From the outside, Bones Manor was rather forbidding, with its grey walls and black tiled roof. Harry repressed a shiver as he walked down the path leading to the front door; the atmosphere and the strength of the bounded fields he was passing through both worked together to intimidate him. He could feel the defenses locking on to him, ready to activate at the owner's signal should he prove to be an enemy.
He knocked on the large oak doors, and it opened on the third knock to reveal Susan, wearing a plain cream dress with her hair let down around her face and a slight blush on her cheeks.
"Hi, Susan. Thanks for having me over."
"Oh, it was no trouble. Come on in." The girl stepped aside so he could enter.
The inside was decorated in a much warmer fashion compared to the outside, and Harry felt a bit of tension he didn't know he had leaving him, as he saw the moving paintings of what must be Bones family members trying to get a look at him. Some of them appeared to be speculating about the relationship between him and Susan, which would explain why the girl had trouble meeting his eyes.
Harry could also feel some of the targeting vanishing with the invitation to enter the place, but others still remained. I wonder if...
Better not. Archer interrupted the thought. You might end up triggering it if you attempt to probe.
Yeah, Harry admitted as he followed Susan to a sitting room where Madam Bones was. I suppose you're right.
"Good morning, Madam Bones." He greeted the woman, who put down the parchment she was reading.
"Good morning, Mr Potter. Have a seat. Whippy." A house elf appeared at her call. "Bring some tea and snacks for Mr Potter."
"Right away, ma'am!" The house elf squeaked, popping away and returning in a second with the requested items before vanishing again.
"Thank you." Harry said politely, subconsciously analyzing his tea as he picked up the cup before he took a sip.
"Susan, could I ask you to go to your room?" Despite Madam Bones' phrasing, it was obviously not a request.
"Okay, Auntie." The girl sounded slightly disappointed, but she left nonetheless.
"What progress has there been so far?" Harry asked once his ears couldn't pick up Susan's breathing anymore.
"You were right. My Aurors have found no record of Sirius Black having a trial." Madam Bones had a fierce look of disapproval on her features. "Crouch threw him into Azkaban illegally."
"Crouch?" Harry recalled seeing the name before while he was looking up Sirius Black in the past newspapers, but he didn't know anything else.
"Bartemius Crouch. He was the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement before I was, and personally, an effective head during the war with You-Know-Who." Seeing Harry's questioning look, she explained, "He matched the Death Eaters in ruthlessness, authorizing the use of Unforgivables against them, and that turned the tide of the war."
"So what happened to him afterwards?"
"His son was caught with several other Death Eaters. And he threw them all into Azkaban for life. Instead of becoming Minister of Magic, Crouch was pushed aside into the Department of International Magical Cooperation instead, where he still is now."
"His son gets a trial while Black doesn't? Which one came first?"
"Black's capture. His son's capture was after the news got out of You-Know-Who's dea- I mean, disappearance." Madam Bones corrected herself, giving Harry a look that said she remembered what he told her.
"So what now? How can we push for a trial for Black? From what I know, Fudge won't go for it."
"If you were to ask for one, they shouldn't deny you."
"It's that easy?"
You're the hero of the wizarding world. If you were to ask for justice regarding yourself, they would give it to you. Archer explained.
"Only because it's you." Madam Bones stated. "Especially since you have a connection to Black."
Harry nodded, showing his understanding. Then he frowned. "But if he really is innocent... would they really accept that?"
Madam Bones' face was impassive. "I cannot say for sure. It would be best if we had concrete evidence proving his innocence, but..." She picked up a folder from the stacks of documents on the table and held it out to him. "This is everything I've gathered regarding Sirius Black's case. Take a look at it and tell me what you think."
Harry took the folder and began looking through it. Sirius Black was found laughing maniacally at the site of a huge explosion in a city street by several Aurors and wizards, including one Cornelius Fudge, and he was saying that he had killed the Potters, which must have been taken as a confession. He noticed that there wasn't much information on the dead mundanes apart from the number of them, which was twelve, but Harry read between the lines that described their deaths; most of them died from the force of the explosion, which ripped a huge crater in the ground and blew off several limbs from some of them. It was believed that only a single curse was responsible for all the destruction, one that only someone from the infamous Black family would know, according to the person writing up the report.
Unknown spell... There's no information regarding the distance each of the victims were from the site of the explosion... Archer was thinking hard as well. There's still quite a lot missing...
Harry flipped over to the eyewitness accounts. According to them, Pettigrew had shouted out that Black had betrayed the Potters before the explosion occurred. He frowned when he noticed that the information he was expecting in the earlier report was present here. It was a busy city street, so there was quite a number of people about when the incident occurred.
That's probably due to the lack of proper forensics. But with the way you can erase the evidence with magic, it's not surprising. Archer pointed out.
This is problematic... Harry frowned, looking over the photo of the scene. But it's suspicious, any explosion wouldn't cause full vaporization. I recall reading about it in those science books. And given the size of the crater, it's just not possible for something as light as a finger to be left so close.
He flipped to the next photo, a close-up of the finger itself. Both boy and spirit noticed it right away.
That is...
Most definitely NOT something that was blown off. Archer completed, as they looked at the clean edge that the digit had.
Harry closed the file as there wasn't anything left to see, and thought. From what those he asked at Hogwarts told him, James Potter and Sirius Black were as thick as thieves in their troublemaking. One betraying the other was very unlikely. He didn't know much about Peter Pettigrew apart from the fact that he was in a group with the two and one other, but the way the man declared it was Sirius's fault just seemed suspicious, especially given the finger they found. If only one curse was used like it was believed, then there should have been more of Pettigrew to find...
If he was truly dead. Harry realized. That means... he's not dead. Pettigrew is alive!
Archer didn't say anything, but he was pleased that his host managed to reason it out without his prompting.
Armed with that conclusion, Harry continued thinking. If Pettigrew really was alive, then why hadn't he come forward before? He had received a posthumous Order of Merlin for his actions in exposing the traitor Sirius Black. The only answer was that he was hiding, but from what? Twelve years was too long a time to stay hidden, and it only created more questions. Questions that could be found only through one way.
Harry looked at Madam Bones. "So, where should we start looking for Peter Pettigrew?"
"You think he's alive?" Her tone showed she wasn't surprised by the conclusion he arrived at.
Harry nodded. "This whole scene reeks of a setup."
Madam Bones took a drink of her cooling tea. "That was my thought as well. Unfortunately, most of the evidence will be gone by now, which is why reopening this case will be very difficult."
"What about Sirius Black? I heard that Azkaban usually drives its inmates insane, because of the Dementors."
"That is correct. Surprisingly, Black shows a large degree of lucidity, which is unheard of for someone who has been in there as long as he has." She passed him another folder.
Reading it, Harry saw that it was a recent report written by one Nymphadora Tonks on the condition of the prisoner Sirius Black. It stated that the man's mental state was surprisingly well, able to banter with the Auror a little. He noticed that this Tonks was the daughter of the cousin of Sirius Black, one of the things the man teased her about.
"Is that possible?" Harry asked. "I don't really know much about Dementors, but seeing as he's a unique case, there's got to be a reason for that, isn't there?"
"You have a point. I'm currently taking measures to have Black moved out of his cell to a place where he can be questioned on what he knows. Perhaps he might have some useful information."
Harry was silent, and Archer picked that moment to speak. There's nothing else you can do, Harry. Just let her do her job for the time being.
The boy finally nodded. "Okay. Is there anything else I should know?"
"No. Why?"
Harry reached into the bag he brought with him and pulled out a Harry Potter book, which had a scrap of parchment stuck in one of the pages. He opened it up to that page and passed it to Madam Bones, who took it with raised brows. She read what he wrote on the parchment, and looked up at him.
"I thought you never minded this."
"I didn't know I was famous until I first entered Diagon Alley. I had other things on my mind then."
"There's not much I can help you in with regards to this. You need a barrister."
Guessed as much. "Do you have anyone you would recommend?"
The woman nodded. "I have a few. Would I be correct in assuming you don't want anyone connected to either Dumbledore or certain members of our society who were found innocent of their deeds?"
She must be very used to her job if she refers to those people like that. Archer observed. But she's right, if Dumbledore was the one who encouraged the stories, it would be better not to use any lawyer connected to him.
Yeah... Harry agreed. "That would be good." He replied.
"Then I believe I have the perfect person for you. Andromeda Tonks nee Black." (1)
"Tonks?" Harry frowned. "Isn't that-"
"Yes, Nymphadora Tonks is her daughter. The woman herself is good at her job, I can assure you." Madam Bones turned the parchment over and tapped it with her wand, which she produced from a sleeve. "Here," She handed it back, with an address printed on it. "This is the address of her office. She handles law on the magical side while her husband takes care of those on the Muggle side, so be careful of what you say."
What's she trying to say? Harry wondered.
She means, don't blab about magic to those who aren't in the know. Archer translated.
Oh. "Understood. One more thing..." Harry waited until Madam Bones gave him a look to continue. "I'll be going to Japan for vacation tomorrow, and won't be back for about two weeks."
Since there wasn't anything else to discuss, Harry went to spend some time with Susan. Her room was rather girlish, but that was what he expected, from the pink bed and fluffy animals to the Hollyhead Harpies Quidditch poster. He did frown when he saw some of the Harry Potter books on her bookshelf, but hid it quickly when she turned to look at him.
Harry also spotted a picture on her bed stand, one that showed two adults he didn't recognize waving up at him. "Is that...?"
Susan smiled sadly. "My dad and mom."
"I'm sorry." Harry apologized. "Did you get to know them?"
She shook her head, not saying anything.
Just like me... Harry thought morosely. But at least she had a good upbringing... He repressed the surge of anger he felt at the thought of the Dursleys.
He could also sense Archer's slight disappointment, and knew why the spirit was feeling that way; no matter how much he tried, his treatment at the Dursleys' hands was always a sore issue for him.
"Auntie was the one who raised me, you know? Even though she was so busy with her job, she never said I was a burden on her." Susan remarked, turning to look at him. "What about you?"
"Me? Uhh... Actually, I went to my aunt on my mother's side first, but... it wasn't really good for me." Harry's face darkened for a moment before he soldiered on. "I was placed with a foster family, and I didn't know about magic until I received my Hogwarts letter." I knew about magecraft, though.
Susan stared at him. "Wow. I didn't know that. I mean, I knew you were Muggle-raised, but I didn't realize it was like that."
Harry frowned. "Like what?"
"Like you were so... Muggle. Didn't you have any cases of accidental magic?"
Harry thought back. "Only five or six times." The rest of it was pretty deliberate, I have to say.
He caught her giving her Harry Potter books a quick glance, and realized that she just went through a sudden disillusionment. It was rather interesting to see her expression go through several different emotions, ranging from disappointment to longing, then finally to determination. When Susan finally looked at him again, her smile seemed a little forced, but there was some genuine emotion in it as well.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to stop being your friend. I'm not like those Purebloods who have something against Muggleborn and Squibs."
Wait a minute... "I never mentioned anything like that." Harry said mildly.
She does remember that you're one of the best in learning new spells, doesn't she?
Apparently, Susan just realized that as well, because she covered her mouth with her hands. "You know what," She mumbled, "Could we just forget about this?"
Harry couldn't help grinning; it reminded him of the times he teased Hermione. "Sure, if that's what you want."
They talked about lighter issues after that, such as their interests and what they were hoping to do in the future after leaving Hogwarts; Susan was planning on becoming a Healer, which was said to be as difficult to achieve as an Auror, while Harry still hadn't decided. Harry promised to help her study to achieve her dream, making Susan give him a kiss on the cheek impulsively as thanks.
Archer was snickering all the way home, putting Harry in a bad mood when the spirit wouldn't stop.
His mood was much improved when he woke up the next day even though it was early enough that the sun had yet to rise, and Harry couldn't help feeling excited as the luggage was loaded into the car and the three of them set off for the airport. Shortly after that, they were seated on the plane, and Harry finally had his first experience of mundane flying.
How are you feeling? Archer asked.
A bit queasy, but other than that, I'm fine. I'll get used to this soon enough. Harry looked out the window, watching the sight of London shrink beneath him. I think it's just the lack of control that's the problem.
By the way, do you think your school's Headmaster would have tried to stop you from leaving?
If he knew, maybe. Harry admitted. But then again, who knew that one of the books I took from the Room had information on how to disable alarm wards? His innocent tone did not fool Archer, who snorted.
The book in question was The Magical Thief by Ivan M. Steelin (2), and while it might have appeared to be a fiction novel at first, it actually contained all manner of knowledge required to illegally enter a magically defended home, such as how to overcome locks charmed against the usual anti-unlocking spells or how to detect and disable traps meant for intruders. The spells written within ranged from the simple to the complicated, and the part on ward modification was of the latter group. Luckily, one of the warding books Harry had bought provided the knowledge he needed to bridge the gap, and he performed the spell under one of his bounded fields.
Currently, that book and the rest of its kind were hidden in the ceiling of his room through Alchemy, surrounded by three layers of bounded fields. It was a step up from his usual security, but Harry had his reasons.
Still, that makes another thing to inform Madam Bones of. He could be illegally restricting your freedom.
I know, Archer. That old man's clearly got some plan in mind for me, and I'm betting the main gist is about having me take down Voldemort. You didn't think I wasn't suspicious how Aunt Diana had some kind of preconceived notion regarding my summer plans?
I was wondering if you'd noticed. Archer replied.
Another test for me? Anyway, that was the reason why I waited until the last minute to inform everyone else.
Harry gave Ilya instructions to wait until he left before going off to deliver the last minute notice to each of his friends informing them of his sudden vacation plans, conveniently omitting the exact country he was traveling to. He didn't want to suspect that any of them was spying on him, but the memory of Uncle John's description of the spy novel the man was reading at that time had stuck in Harry's head, and he adopted the idea, deciding it was better to be safe than sorry.
They're going to be mad at you, you know. The spirit informed him. Particularly the girls.
...I'm sure I'll survive. Harry tried not to imagine what their reactions would be like when he saw them again. He quickly struck up a conversation with his foster parents to avoid speaking with Archer any further.
The plane ride was quite long, with a short transit over in Singapore. Harry spent most of the time reading the travel guide he had bought, using a book cover he made from rough paper to hide the titles. He found the food on the flight rather bland, something that Archer told him was typical of aircraft meals. When he was bored, he started talking to other passengers, asking them where they were going and what sights were there to see in those places. Eventually, Harry grew tired, and napped for the rest of the way.
He was woken up by the stewardess, who informed him that the plane was landing and to belt himself in. After the plane landed, he got off with his foster parents and headed for a restaurant, noting that the climate was much warmer and more humid than he was used to, even at night. Harry tried some chicken rice and found that he quite liked the taste, and decided he would try to cook it himself the next chance he got. As he passed by the bookstore, his eye was caught by a book with a cartoon picture on it.
Sun Zi's Art of War... from Asiapac Books. Harry was reminded of Voldemort's existence, and bought the book on an impulse. Flipping through it, he saw it was in the form of a comic book.
Really preparing, aren't we? Archer's tone was amused.
Like I said before, I'm not going to let myself die so easily.
You're reading about war, which is usually fought between two armies. Archer pointed out.
Maybe I'll figure out where they went wrong in the last war. Harry countered.
Suit yourself.
The flight to Japan was on a different plane, one with more cramped seats, but Harry was so engrossed in his book he hardly noticed. It described several important theories that he felt he could apply to his conflict against Voldemort, and he decided to research a little into the previous war to see how he could have applied them to it as well.
The sun was up by the time the plane touched down in Osaka International Airport, and Harry was starting to feel a little jet-lagged. Archer appeared to be taking sadistic pleasure in telling him he should have slept on the flight instead of reading the book, reminding him of the times he did tell Harry to do so during that time.
Because of that, he nearly snapped at the uniformed officer who tapped him on the shoulder as he was walking out through customs.
"Wh-!" Harry caught himself. "Yes?" He spoke with what little bit of Japanese he had managed to pick up.
"You're a magic user, aren't you?" The man asked.
Archer translated for Harry, and he nodded, tilting his head back to look at the man up from beneath his cap.
"Your father and mother," The officer indicated his foster parents, who had stopped as well. "They aren't magic users. Am I right?"
Harry nodded again.
"Could I trouble you and your family to come over here for a while?"
After scrutinizing the man to have Archer check for any unfriendly intentions, Harry agreed. It turned out that Harry had set off their magic sensors because he was carrying his wand, which was rare since magic users often used other ways of traveling. When they found out just who he was and why he was there, the airport staff directed him to a tourism booth catering to magicals with less fanfare than he thought they would show (Harry was slightly grateful for that lack). Although Harry declined purchasing a tour package, the woman there graciously gave him a travel guide that was up to date.
As they boarded a bus, Harry asked his foster father, "Uncle John, where does your friend stay?"
"He lives near the Nara university because he's a professor there. In fact, he's meeting us at the train station." Uncle John replied.
The man that was greeted them when they got off at the place, Kenji Shikado, was rather slender, but he had a welcoming atmosphere about him. After exchanging greetings, they loaded their luggage into the rented van, and he drove them to a normal looking house. Kenji introduced them to his family, which consisted of his wife Yoshino and his son Kousuke. Yoshino was a short, thin woman who tied her hair up into a tight bun, and alternated between strict and pleasant with a startling ease, while Kousuke was a tall, well-built teenager of seventeen, with short hair that was combed back and dyed brown.
After settling them into a guest room, Harry experienced a Japan-style meal for the first time. He found it quite an improvement over the airline food, and Archer was nearly weeping from the taste when Harry allowed their senses to connect beyond sight and hearing. He even went as far as to ask to learn their style of cooking.
Harry's opinion of Japan was that it was much cleaner compared to London, and most of the people here had black hair and different facial structures from what he was used to. As their host showed them around, Archer was translating the language on the signs they saw for him in his mind, and Harry was doing his best to absorb the language.
Kousuke did ask him why he never dyed his hair, and after Harry told him the shortened version of his story, they got on well enough, and Harry was introduced to a game console. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was something new to both Harry and Archer, but while Harry was fascinated by it, Archer realized it was an older generation console, with graphics that were a great deal simpler compared to what he recalled. It made the spirit realize just how far back he technically went in time. Harry didn't know about any of that, since he was busy playing the games Kousuke had.
They started going around the next day, visiting several areas of interest. Harry was more interested in the things he saw along the way, such as children playing baseball in a field or school teams training for some tournament, but even he felt a bit of awe when he saw the temples of Nara.
Wow... there's a great amount of natural magic here... Harry noticed as he stepped into Todai-ji. Is this place on a leyline or something?
I have no idea. Archer said honestly. I never really came here myself.
Harry followed his foster parents into the shrine, and he noticed that some people were looking at him. However, seeing as they didn't make any move to stop him, he guessed that they were probably magic users who worked here. They nodded back when he nodded to them, but no further exchange occurred between them. Harry also noticed quite a bit of prana originating from the octagonal lantern outside the main hall, but he couldn't figure out just what it did.
"Look at this, Harry." Aunt Diana called out to him when she noticed his diverted attention.
"At wha- Woah." Harry gaped, tilting his head back as he approached the gigantic statue of Buddha. "That's huge."
After they took enough photos, Kenji led them towards the back of the temple, where several other tourists were. He pointed out the pillars there and the holes near their base.
"It's said that if you're able to crawl through those, you'll be sure to go to Heaven after you die." He explained.
Uncle John nudged Harry. "Why don't you give it a try? At your size, you'll be able to make it."
He only did so after a bit of persuasion, and he had a picture of him taken as he emerged out the other end. After that, he petted a few deers, and posed for a few more photos before he left the temple.
After a quick lunch, Harry went around several other temples, and things began to blur in his perception. It was late afternoon when he sensed something, and wandered off after the odd feeling, ignoring Archer's warning about doing something so foolish. Coming across a bounded field concealing a narrow path in a wall, Harry walked straight through it and followed the path all the way to a small shrine.
What is this feeling? Harry wondered as he circled around the building. I hear something... sounds like an animal...
He followed a dirt track winding through several trees, and emerged into a large clearing. There was a high stone wall enclosing an area within the place, with a single door right in front of him. When no one answered his knocking, Harry opened the unlocked door and peeked in.
"What the..."
The enclosure contained a field, but it was the animals there that caught his attention; they looked like oxen, except they were twice the size of a normal one, and golden in color. Harry didn't need his sense of smell to tell that these were magical beasts.
"Who are you!?" A female voice yelled from behind him.
Sensing danger, Harry quickly jumped aside, narrowly avoiding pieces of paper that embedded themselves into the wood of the door. He caught sight of the odd design on each of them and realized they were paper talismans, but before he could analyze them, more came his way and he was forced to dodge again.
The person who had attacked him was a teenage girl dressed in a traditional Japanese priestess outfit, with a large-sleeved white top and a long red skirt. Her black hair was flying as she raised a hand filled with more paper talismans, ready to throw again.
"You won't get away, criminal!" She declared before flinging them right at him.
(1) I think this portrayal has come up many times before, where Andromeda Tonks is a lawyer. I recall one fanfic where she works with her husband, with her handling the magic users while her husband handles the mundanes. Can't really remember what was the title, though, but that Harry went to see her for the same purpose I'm writing for mine.
(2) This was inspired by The Thief's Spell Book from Thanks to a Snake by lucky14now. Honestly though, while I can see there actually being such a book title in HP world due to the lack of common sense in that society, I still think it's a bit too obvious...
And so I leave the chapter off here. I'm still having trouble with my muse, and it's getting harder to put chapters out, especially since I'm losing motivation to write as well, which is the other half of what it takes me to put out more chapters. Even without exams to take time away from this, it appears that my writing is still impeded.
Of course, I'm still letting most of my writing get dictated by my random whims, so yeah. Maybe I should start a new fanfic, but the problem is that I might end up getting too focused on it, and then I'll probably end up abandoning this fic. I'm just ranting because of all the research I had to do for the last part of this chapter.
Anyway, that clears up the issue of what sort of Mystic Eye ability Harry received, and I also started Harry on the slow path of discovering just what the seven flames can do and how he will eventually be able to harness it. Just one question though, does Harry seem to be too lucky in a sense?
Okay, that's all. Just read and review, please. Suggestions on plot welcome too.