Chapter 16: The Game and The Stone
Finally the day for the first Quidditch match of the season had arrived, and with the game being played between Gryffindor and Slytherin, the entire school was buzzing with excitement. Even the teachers were getting into the school spirit, and many of them walked around proudly bearing the flags for the team they were cheering for.
Despite the fact that he played the game for three years and knew that he was an outstanding flyer, the entire day had been a nerve wracking one for Harry. Much like in his old world, Harry was still nervous about playing in front of large crowds, but this time his anxiety was worse because his family would be out there watching him.
By the time the game was ready to begin, Harry felt like a giant bundle of nerves that was ready to burst apart at the seams. He was standing with his teammates, waiting for his name to be announced, but all Harry could think about was being in the air.
In his old world his nervousness would disappear once he was actually flying, and he prayed it was the same in this one. He spent so many hours dreaming of playing a game in front of his dad, and now that he had his chance, he wanted to make the man proud of him.
Finally Harry heard Lee Jordan's voice come booming out over an over-charged Sonorus and he couldn't wait for the match to begin.
"WELCOME! Welcome Hogwarts to the first Quidditch game of the season! Today we have a clash of the Titans grudge match, as Team Slytherin faces off against the Mighty Gryffindors! My name is Lee Jordan and I will be your commentator for all of the games this season. That's right ladies, so if any of you want to have a chance to sit up..."
"JORDAN," McGonagall roared over the crowd.
"Sorry Professor," Jordan replied sheepishly. "Alright folks, without no more ado, allow me to announce the starting lineups for today's game. First up we have the tough as nails Team Slytherin. Playing Keeper for the Silver and Green is second year Miles Bletchley. At the Beater position for Slytherin we have seventh year Marcus Carrow and sixth year Justin Axley. The offensive power for the Snake's today will be provided by their Chasers, fourth year Adrian Pucey, seventh year Aaron Westlin, and fifth year Marcus Flint. Finally at Seeker for the Snakes, we have sixth year Terrence Higgs. Come one Hogwarts, give it up for Team Slytherin."
While 3/4 of the school politely clapped for the "slimy" snakes, the Slytherin section erupted with a booming cheer. Lee allowed the students to have a few moments to celebrate, and then began the introductions for the Gryffindors.
"Next up, Hogwarts, we have the MIGHTY MIGHTY GRYFFINDORS! Playing Keeper for today's match is fifth year Quidditch guru the wonderful Oliver Woods. At Beater for the Lions we have the tenacious third years, Fred and George WEAAAASLEY. The scoring for the Red and Gold today will be provided by the stunning third year Chasers, Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet. And let me tell you folks, these girls are hot, hot, hot."
"JORDAN, DON'T MAKE ME REMOVE YOU."
"Sorry Professor. And now Hogwarts, the final two players for the Lions today are also the youngest pairing of first years to play together in over two hundred years. Playfully dubbed as The Golden Lions of Gryffindor, we have at Chaser none other than the Boy-Who-Lived, NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM. And finally for the youngest Seeker in a century, the Lions are proud to announce the first year prodigy, HARRY POTTER. Come on Hogwarts, show your support to our MIGHTY GRYFFINDORS!"
When his name was finally called, Harry ran out of the tunnel he was waiting in and immediately made his way to the field. He could see the two team Captains Oliver and Flint staring at each other in front of Madam Hooch and as he got closer, he heard the flying instructor say, "You have your instructions gentleman. Now I want a clean game today, so shake hands and mount your brooms. Since Slytherin won the toss, when I blow the whistle they will start off with the Quaffle."
Harry jumped on the brand new Nimbus 2000 his dad sent him as a present for making the team, and as soon as he was in the air, he could feel the cold November wind rip through his hair. The moment he began to soar in the sky, all of his anxiety seemed to bleed away from his body. Harry no longer worried about the crowds and the cheering, because all of his focus was now on the Slytherin players he would soon be facing.
When he finally joined his teammates in front of their goal, Oliver began to give the gathered Gryffindors his standard last second inspirational speech. "All right team. We've practiced hard for this day, and I know we're going to win. All we have.."
"Relax, Oliver, Harry interrupted him. "We got this."
"Yeah oh fearless Captain," Fred began with a smirk. "With the Golden Lions of Gryffindor on our side..."
"The slimy snakes won't know what hit 'em," George finished.
Neville rolled his eyes at the stupid nickname his teammates liked to use for him and Harry and said, "We're ready, Oliver. Trust us...Slytherin doesn't stand a chance today."
As soon as Oliver saw the dangerous glint appear in the eyes of his two youngest players, he couldn't stop himself from grinning like a maniac. He'd seen what the baby Lions were capable of in practice, and at the moment the two first years looked ready to tear the Slytherin team apart by themselves. As he watched his teammates get into their opening formation, Oliver couldn't wait to see what the Golden Lions of Gryffindor were going to do.
"All right then boys and girls," he called out to his team. "Let's go beat some snakes."
When Madam Hooch finally blew the whistle, Harry shot out like a bullet towards the Slytherin Chasers. He knew the Snitch wouldn't make an appearance for awhile, and he saw no reason not to help his teammates until it did.
With his decision made, Harry plunged into the opposing defence and quickly intercepted a lackadaisical pass by Flint. In the corner of his eye he saw Neville racing towards the Slytherin goal, and much like he did during practice, he lobbed a perfect lead pass to his streaking god brother.
Harry saw Neville catch the Quaffle on his fingertips, then flip around the unsuspecting Slytherin keeper and launch it through the goal for Gryffindor's first points. The two god brothers shared a brief smile and a knowing look, before the watching crowd erupted in celebration.
"GRYFFINDOR SCORES. Merlin's beard, did you guys see that? Those firsties sure know how to play Quidditch. That's got to be the fastest score I've ever seen in a match."
Once the Slytherin team managed to get over their shock at the score, the two teams settled down and the game became more intense. The Slytherin beaters tried to target the Gryffindor Chasers, but Harry was always there to interfere. Sometimes he kicked the Bludgers out of the way and sometimes he used his broom to do the deed. Regardless of how he did it, Harry managed to give his teammates the time they needed to score again and again.
"After twenty-five minutes of play, the Lions lead the Snakes 260-30 and Gryffindor doesn't seem to be slowing down at all. Longbottom pokes the Quaffle out of Westlin's hands, and wow look at him go. He evades the Slytherin Beaters with ease and sends a no look pass to Angelina for another score. All you future Quidditch stars, make sure you're taking notes, because this is teamwork at it's finest folks."
With his team firmly in the lead, Harry decided it was time to start looking for the Snitch. He made his way to a spot high above pitch and began looking for the tiny ball of gold. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw the Slytherin Seeker watching him closely, and he immediately recognized the future Death Eater.
In his old world Higgs was a small time Death Eater that joined their ranks right after the D.o.M. disaster. The week before Harry started his sixth year, the idiot was caught trying to assassinate Amelia Bones inside of the Ministry. Thankfully the Aurors caught him before the new Minister could even notice his presence, but Harry still had him on his shit list for daring to attack one of the few people in the Ministry that he actually had respect for.
"Looks like one of the Lions is having some problems in the air folks. OOOH, Longbottom just manages to avoid being struck by a Bludger. I'm not sure what's happening here everyone, but it looks like the first year's broom is malfunctioning. The Weasley twins have now moved in to protect their young Chaser from the Bludgers the Slytherin Beaters are sending his way, but I'm not sure how long they can keep that up. Longbottom's going to have to gain control of his broom and he's going to have to do it soon."
As soon as he heard Lee's words, Harry looked down and noticed that Neville was having problems below him. His god brother's broom was bucking wildly, and Harry instantly knew the reason why. When he turned towards the Slytherin stands and saw the DADA teacher staring intensely at Neville and moving his lips, Harry cursed silently at himself for not remembering about Quirrelmort's attack on him during the first game of the season.
Just when he was about to rush over to Neville and help him with his broom, Harry noticed that Higgs was still marking him closely, and he grinned at the idea that suddenly popped into his head. Pretending as if he saw the Snitch, Harry dove towards the ground as fast as he could. He moved his broom through a series of flips and twists like a madman, until he had the Slytherin Seeker following him towards the stands.
"And he's off...Harry Potter sees the Snitch folks. Wow. Look at him go. Is everyone else seeing what I'm seeing? It seems our first year is not just a prodigy in the classroom, but also in the air. Right now Potter looks more like a Professional than a first year Quidditch player. Merlin, that's a beautiful barrel roll. He must have had some extensive training from his father, the Legendary Gryffindor Chaser James Potter. "
Once he was sure he had the angle that he wanted, Harry willed his broom to speed towards the Slytherin stands. He could feel Higgs inching closer behind him, and he purposely positioned himself to obstruct the Slytherin Seeker's view. The pair rapidly approached the spot where the unsuspecting Quirrell was busy hexing Neville's broom, and at the last possible second Harry pulled back on the front of his broom and smiled when he saw Higgs crash into stands.
"Did you guys just see that? That...that...that was beautiful! That was one of the greatest Wronski Feints I have ever seen in my life. If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it. And it was done by a first year! The youngest Seeker in a century is sure living up to all the hype folks. It looks like the Legend of James Potter will one day be replaced by his own son!"
As he made his way back to the Quidditch pitch, Harry looked over at his god brother and saw that he was once again in control of his broom. When the Snakes called a timeout to check on their injured Seeker, Harry took the opportunity to play to the crowds. He buzzed by the Gryffindor stands and when he saw his family he grinned and winked at them.
Soon the timeout came to an end, and the game started up again. Higgs and the Slytherins were furious by the stunt, and with the Gryffindor lead already more than two hundred points, the Snakes were no longer playing to win. After the timeout they came out looking for revenge and began to commit fouls in hopes of injuring the Lions.
"FOUL. Why wasn't that called? Pucey almost pulled the broom right out from under one of our Gryffindor Chasers. What a bunch of rotten, dirty, no good Snakes."
"JORDAN!"
"Sorry Professor."
When he realized what the Snakes were trying to do, Harry was more than willing to match fire with fire, and he quickly began targeting the Slytherins in return. When a stray Bludger came near Oliver, he jumped into it's path and lashed out with his Animagus enhanced muscles to kick it right into Marcus Flint. The Slytherin Captain wasn't prepared for an assault by the Seeker, and he was unable to avoid making contact with the Bludger. The strike hit directly over his right shoulder, and the fifth year screamed like a little girl as he fell off of his broom.
While the remaining Slytherins were stunned by the move, Harry continued his one man assault against them. He intercepted a pass between Pucey and Westlin, and raced towards the second year Slytherin Keeper. As soon as he approached the Snake's goal, Harry feinted like he was going to score and then threw the Quaffle directly at the Slytherin's broom.
Bletchley wasn't prepared for the attack, and when the Quaffle struck him, he lost his balance and fell off the broom. By the time his body collided into the ground with a sickening crunch, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that the second year would no longer be able to continue.
"MERLIN, that was intentional. Damn Potter...you play rough. Two Slytherins down in just as many minutes. Looks like the slimy snakes are regretting their dirty play now."
"JORDAN, THAT'S ENOUGH," McGonagall yelled. But anyone who really knew her, could tell that the stern teacher's rebuke was only half-hearted.
Gryffindor happily gave Slytherin the penalty shot for the loss of their keeper, because they knew the Snake's had no way to win now. Without a Keeper to at least slow down the Lion Chasers, they had no shot of even making it a respectable game. The members of the Silver and Green were quick to realize this fact, and soon panic began to set in amongst the remaining members of the team.
When the two sides broke to allow the Slytherin team another injury timeout, Harry flew over to his teammates and grinned at the stunned looks on their faces. "What? You think I'm going to let them target one of my teammates and not retaliate?"
Oliver grinned like a mad man and replied, "You're an absolute freaking demon in the air, Potter. I love it."
Harry rolled his eyes at his Captain's childlike enthusiasm and said, "Thanks Oliver, but the girls and Neville deserve more credit than I do. We're leading 310-50 because of them."
"Damn right," Angelina and Alicia said in unison, as they mock glared at the fifth year.
"And don't you forget it, Potter," Neville replied, as he tried his best to imitate the famous Malfoy arrogant drawl.
Before the Weasley twins could throw in a joke of their own, Oliver threw up his hands in defeat, and said, "Yes, yes, everyone has done an amazing job today. But the game isn't over yet. You need to get the Snitch quick, Potter. If the Snakes forfeit before you do, we won't get the points for it."
"Don't worry about anything else, Harry," George told him in a surprisingly serious voice.
"We'll protect the rest of our teammates," Fred finished in the same tone.
Harry was slightly unnerved by the suddenly stoic demeanor of the habitual pranksters, but he nodded his head and said, "You got it guys. I won't let you down."
When the injury timeout finally ended, Harry flew up high above the pitch, his eyes only searching for one thing. It took another ten minutes of play for him to find the tiny gold ball with wings, but the moment he did he raced towards it and caught the Snitch in his hand.
"WOHOOO. Harry Potter catches the Snitch and Gryffindor wins by a landslide. In a completely one sided victory, the Lions defeated the Snakes 490-50. The Golden Lion duo definitely lived up to their nickname, as the two first years were instrumental in crushing Team Slytherin. Here's hoping this is just the beginning for our wunderkind firsties, and that they're able to maintain this pace for the rest of the year. Thank you everyone for coming here today. I'm Lee Jordan and I'll see you all here next time for Ravenclaw vs Hufflepuff."
As soon as the team touched down on the ground, Harry and Neville were smothered in a group hug.
"Great job guys," Angelina exclaimed proudly to the pair. "You two were amazing out there today."
"Hell yeah," Alicia agreed with her best friend. "That was a wicked game you two played. If you guys play like that all the time, they might as well just give us the cup now."
"IN HONOR OF OUR OUTSTANDING FIRSTIES," George yelled out.
"TONIGHT WE WILL FEAST AND PARTY LIKE THE CHAMPIONS THAT WE ARE," Fred finished for his brother.
Harry and Neville both blushed under the praise they received from their teammates, and then they simultaneously grinned at the thought of the celebration the Weasleys just promised everyone. Harry already lived through several of their parties, and he was well aware of how fun they could be. In his last life he remained glued to Ron and Hermione for most of the night, but this time around he thought it was a perfect way to make more friends.
After a few more minutes the team began to make their way to the locker rooms, but Harry stayed back to meet with his family. He was about to go and search for them, when he was suddenly struck by a redheaded bullet and knocked to the ground. Harry grunted from the impact with his assailant, and when he looked down to see who it was, he was surprised to find his little sister grinning back at him.
"That was amazing, Harry," Rose shouted excitedly to her brother. "I never knew you could play like that. You have to give me lessons. Please. Please. Please. Promise me you will teach me how to play like that."
"Fine, Rose," Harry replied with a smirk. "But it's gonna cost you."
"Y...y..you would charge me?," Rose asked with a fake pout. "Your favorite little sister. I'm hurt right now, Harry. Really hurt."
"You might as well give in to her, pup. I doubt she'll let you up until you do."
When he looked up, Harry saw his dad, Sirius, Daniel and Violet all staring down at him. By the amused expressions on all of their faces, he could clearly see they were all enjoying his current plight.
Harry rolled his eyes at Rose and replied, "Fine. I won't charge you little brat, but you have to promise not to tackle me to the ground anymore."
"Deal."
As soon as his sister jumped off of him, Harry pushed himself to his feet and ran right into a hug from Violet and Daniel. When he left for Hogwarts Harry worried about what that would do to the tentative relationship he'd built with his siblings, but thankfully through weekly letters and weekend calls through his communication mirrors, they were closer than he ever could have hoped for.
"Can you teach me too, Harry?," Daniel asked his brother. "I want to be good enough to play on your team when I come to Hogwarts."
"I'm not sure mum will let me teach you right now, Daniel. But if we can get some time over Christmas and the summer to sneak out when she's not home, I promise to take you flying."
"Thanks, Harry. You're the best."
When his siblings finally pulled away from him, Harry gently massaged his left shoulder. He was grazed by a Bludger earlier in the game, and the jarring tackle from his sister didn't do him any favors.
"You know, pup," Sirius smirked at his injured godson. "There's an unspoken rule in sports...don't do anything great if you can't handle the congratulations later."
As soon as his dad and godfather began to laugh at him, Harry glared at the pair and said, "Haha. Very funny. It's a good thing the two of you were pranksters and not jokesters."
James couldn't help but smile at his son's annoyed expression, and he reached out his hand to gently tousle his hair. "You were great out there, kiddo. I want you to know that I'm really proud of you. The way you played today, I can see you going Pro straight out of Hogwarts."
Harry beamed at his father's praise. In his old world he heard so many stories about how great his dad was at Quidditch, and that he must have inherited his flying skills from his father. It was always a dream of his to play a game where his dad was watching and would be proud of his skills. Now that the dream had become a reality, Harry couldn't be happier with the moment.
"Do you think I'll ever be as good as you, dad?"
James Potter smiled at his eldest son and said, "Once you get some more meat on your bones, Harry, you'll be much better than I ever was. I think the announcer today had it right, kiddo. By the time you leave Hogwarts, I have no doubt that you will replace me as Gryffindor's Legendary Potter."
While he still blushed at the praise, Harry couldn't help but enjoy every moment of it. "Thanks dad," he replied shyly.
As he watched his best friend and godson bond over Quidditch, Sirius knew the rest of the family would soon be making their appearance. "Ah, Harry. If you want to escape your mother's wrath, I suggest you head to the locker rooms until we can calm her down a little."
"What? Why would mum be angry with me?"
"Yeah," Daniel exclaimed in outrage. "Why would mum be angry with Harry?"
James winced at the question and thought about how furious his wife had been with Harry's play. It was the same when he played Quidditch, but he wasn't sure how to explain that to his son. It's part of the reason he and Sirius set out to find Harry on their own. After the fantastic game his son just played, he deserved to enjoy his victory in peace.
"Well...your mum really doesn't understand the finer points of Quidditch, son. She might be upset because she was worried that you would get hurt with the stunts you were pulling during the game. Then she might have gotten angry with you intentionally hurting members of the other team."
"But they started it, dad," Harry defended his actions. "I was more than ready to play a clean game, until Pucey tried to pull Angelina's broom away from her. The Slytherins were deliberately trying to hurt my teammates and I couldn't just sit back and do nothing. Besides, I didn't hurt anyone too badly. Madam Pomfrey should release Flint and Bletchley from the infirmary by tomorrow."
"We agree with you, pup," Sirius tried to console his godson. "But the ladies don't really understand how these things work. While they are all brilliant, their knowledge is severely lacking when it comes to sports. It would be best to give them some time to cool down while you get changed."
"Ladies?," Harry asked in fear. "You said only mum was angry with me, Padfoot."
"No," Sirius replied with a smirk. "She's just the angriest. Apparently Alex, Daphne and my wife are also upset with you. Oh and you can add your other friend, I think her name is Hermione, to the list too."
"Do you think I should talk to them?"
"Yeah, but I would wait awhile if I were you," James answered his son.
Daniel wasn't sure what his dad and uncle were talking about, but he knew an angry Lily wasn't good for anybody. If his mum was upset with his brother, there was a good chance she would ground Harry when he got home, and Daniel could see his time flying with his older brother suddenly disappearing.
"But Harry's not going to be in trouble, right dad? He's a genius. He'll be able to calm mom down."
Before Harry could think to console his little brother, he heard Sirius say, "Looks like it's too late for you to leave, pup. The ladies have arrived and they do not seem to be happy right now.
When Harry turned around, he saw the throng of Hogwarts students that were around them, part in front of the five women that were walking his way. With his enhanced vision, he could literally see all of them all glaring at him, and suddenly he felt more afraid than he did under Voldemort's piercing gaze.
"What are you going to do now, Harry?," Daniel asked his brother hesitantly.
"Like you said baby brother...I am a genius. And I'm going to do what any genius would do when faced with this situation."
James was amused by his son's response and asked, "And what exactly would that be, kiddo?"
When Harry saw that the group of angry women were about to reach their position, he quickly bent down and picked up his fallen Nimbus off the ground.
Turning to face his father, he flashed him the Potter smile that he inherited from the man and said, "It's simple dad..I'm going to run away as fast as I can."
With that, Harry raced towards the locker room as fast as his legs could carry him. Behind him he could hear his family laughing loudly at his actions, but he didn't care. He was a genius after all. Why would he stand there and get yelled at, when the Weasley twins had a perfectly good party for him to celebrate today's victory. Yup...he did exactly what any self respecting genius would do.
With the first Quidditch game of the year out of the way, time at Hogwarts began to fly by for the fab five. Their Study Center started off slow, but after a few weeks the handful of students they were tutoring spread the word, and soon PAL became known throughout the school.
On any given day the Center would be packed with students from all Houses, and Harry was thrilled that there hadn't been too many fights between rivals. For the most part everyone accepted that the Center was neutral territory, and those who came stuck to getting their work done.
In between helping the students learn magic and working on his DADA book, Harry began to make plans for the Philosopher's Stone. In his old world he learned that the stone Albus placed within Hogwarts had not been given freely, but was stolen from the Flamels.
At first Dumbledore asked to borrow the stone from its creator, but when the man refused to give it to him, the headbastard tried to take it by force. The ensuing battle cost Nicholas and his wife Perenelle their lives, and Dumbledore covered up his actions by stealing their personal library and burning their house to ashes.
After reading through his journal, Harry knew Dumbledore was pissed when the stone was destroyed in his fight with Quirrellmort. Even though the bastard bound Fawkes to him using dark magic, and was leaching life energy and magic away from the Phoenix, he planned to use the stone to make himself young again. The headbastard had a dream to forge Magical Britain as he saw fit, and then rule over it for eternity.
Thankfully this particular vision was ruined by Harry, and he had no reason to let this world's Dumbledore try the same thing now. For the past month Harry had been working on a way to replace the stone with a fake, but it was slow going, because Dumbledore would be able to spot most replicas.
Luckily Harry had an ace up his sleeve. Thanks to the inheritance he received when Dumbledore illegally adopted him in his old world, Harry had all of Nicholas' notes on the stone. While the old man's journal wasn't complete and he couldn't create a working stone of his own, it was enough for Harry to make one that would be able to fool the headbastard.
Unfortunately the process was incredibly time consuming, and Harry would Shadow Walk every day to his Manor on the Island. After nearly six weeks of working through most nights, Harry finally had something to show for all of his hard work. The replica stone he created was physically identical to the original one in every way, and the only method one could tell that it was a fake, would be to try to use it.
With only two days to spare before the end of term, Harry was finally ready to steal the stone for himself. He waited until he was sure everyone in the Castle was sleeping soundly, and then he Shadow Walked directly to the Chamber on the third floor that held the stone.
As soon as he arrived, Harry was stunned to see the Mirror of Erised in the room. The ancient object was an ornate mirror, with clawed feet and a sparkling gold frame inscribed with the phrase "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi."
In his old world the Mirror had been kept in an abandoned classroom near the Library, where he found it after receiving his dad's invisibility cloak during Christmas. The Mirror wasn't moved until some time during the second term, when Dumbledore decided to use it to store the stone. Apparently his god brother was too emotionally sound for Dumbledore to use the Mirror to manipulate him, and the old man must have moved it to this Chamber earlier in this world.
Harry cautiously made his way to the Mirror and cast several detection Charms on and around the object. He was surprised when he only found two Charms present. The first was a simple alert Charm that would inform Dumbledore that someone was standing in front of the Mirror and the second was a Freezing Charm that would make the person in front of the Mirror immobile until Dumbledore arrived. Overall Harry was disgusted that the Headmaster would use such pitiful spells to protect an object as valuable as the Philosophers Stone. Especially since he knew the Dark Lord was after it.
While he had no doubt that Dumbledore had even more alert Spells set around the traps he placed leading up to this Chamber, Harry knew those traps were meant for a first year to get through, and they wouldn't be able to stop even the shade of Voldemort. The Headmaster's entire plan hinged on a foolish notion that Quirrell wouldn't be able to remove the stone from the Mirror.
It took several minutes for Harry to contain his anger over the headbastard's arrogance, but when he was finally able to reign in his temper, he realized the old man's pride was actually a benefit to him this time.
Once he was ready Harry conjured another mirror and carefully transferred the Charms Dumbledore placed on the Mirror of Erised to it. He then cast another round of detection Spells just to be sure, and when they came up negative, Harry took a deep breath and stood in front of the Mirror.
Erised was backwards for desire, and that was exactly what the Mirror showed, the deepest most desperate desire of one's heart. In his old world that had been his parents for Harry, but when he stood in front of it now, he was surprised to see only an image of himself staring back at him. The Mirror version of him winked once, and then patted the pocket on his right side. When the real Harry did the same thing, he could feel the solid bulge of the stone there, and grinned happily back at his counterpart.
Harry quickly removed the stone from his pocket and once again cast his detection Charms on it. This time he found a tracking Charm that was perfectly blended with a dark curse that was layered all around the stone. The curse would activate if anyone but Dumbledore tried to use the stone or move the Charm.
Normally Harry wouldn't have been able to bypass this particular security feature, but thanks to the Goblins he became friends with in the time Chamber in his old world, he learned several of the methods they used to move curses from dark objects they found in tombs. While a part of Harry was thrilled that the old man wasn't as stupid as he first assumed, he still winced at the time it would take for him to transfer the curse to his replica.
It took Harry an hour and a half of painstaking work, but he was finally able to transfer the tracking Charm and the dark curse, safely to his fake stone. Once he replaced the fake inside the Mirror of Erised, Harry grabbed the original and Shadow Walked directly to the vault room of the Manor on his Island.
As soon as he arrived, Harry saw Hedwig appear in a flash of blue fire, and smiled when the majestic creature landed on his shoulder. Before he could greet his familiar, Harry heard her voice echo inside his mind.
"~This is a dark object, hatchling.~"
"~What? But this is the Philosopher's Stone, Hedwig. It's supposed to be able to create the Elixir of Life. How could that be evil?~"
"~Humans were not meant to live forever, hatchling. Immortality always has a price. I can sense the life energy of hundreds of souls in the stone you carry.~"
When he heard his familiar's reply, Harry almost dropped the stone in disgust. He always thought that the Flamels made this through the power of Alchemy, but he should have known better than to believe that it was all that was involved in making something as powerful as the stone.
"~Should I destroy it, Hedwig?~"
"~That is up to you, hatchling. But the price for it's creation has already been paid. Just because it was made through dark actions, does not mean it can't be used for good. I can sense that the healing properties of the stone are almost enough to rival my tears.~"
"~D...d..does it still need sacrifices to work?~"
"~No, young one. The stone is complete. It's creator has already paid the price required to make the stone.~"
As held the crimson stone in his hand, Harry was trying to decide what to do. A part of him was disgusted at the lives used to make the stone work, but a larger part realized that his familiar was right. While he would never try to make a stone for himself, now that he was in possession of one, it didn't mean he couldn't put it to good use. Voldemort would be returning to a new body soon, and when that happened, Harry knew he would need every advantage he could get to keep the people he loved safe.
"~You're right, Hedwig. I think we should hold on to the stone for now. With Voldemort coming back soon, you never know when we might need it.~"
"~Too bad we didn't share this type of bond in our old world, hatchling. You do well when I'm there to guide all of your actions.~"
Harry stared into Hedwig's piercing blue eyes and mock glared at his familiar.
"~ . Hedwig. Very funny. I never knew you were a comedian.~"
Hedwig gently whacked Harry across the back of the head with her wing.
"~Of course I am, young one. I have a great sense of humor. Everyone says so.~"
Harry shook his head gently at the strangeness he now called his life, and then he found himself staring out the window that was in front of him. Outside he could see the beautiful white beach and behind it the ocean glistened under the pale moonlight. The entire sight was so serene and peaceful, Harry could feel the calming influence it was having on him.
"~This Island really is a beautiful place, girl. One day when I'm older, I can see myself living here with Alex and Daphne.~"
"~It would make a good home, hatchling. Perhaps you should name this place, instead of just calling it the Island.~"
Harry silently contemplated his familiar's suggestion, and after a moment he thought of the perfect name for the Island he called home for two years.
"~How about Serenity?~"
"~A very fitting name, my young one. Very fitting indeed.~"
The day after Harry's theft of the stone, also happened to be the last day of school before the Yule break. Since the students were all too excited to think about anything else, the teachers decided to cancel classes for the day.
After the long night he spent stealing the stone, Harry was just thankful for the chance to sleep for a little longer. He even left Neville a note, begging off of their normal morning workout. By the time Harry actually made it down for breakfast the Great Hall was still packed with students, and it was obvious to him that the others had also taken the chance to sleep in.
When his stomach rumbled loudly in hunger, Harry was quickly reminded of his need for food, and he made his way straight to the Gryffindor table. No sooner did he sit down and grab a plate full food, was his meal interrupted by the arrival of a large brown Ministry owl.
Harry glared hatefully at the animal for a moment, and then retrieved the two letters with his name on it. Despite his obvious hunger, Harry immediately recognized one the letters as his examination results. His curiosity over how he did, trumped his need for food and he quickly tore open the thin envelope bearing the Ministry seal.
Hadrian James Orion Potter-Peverell-Daniels:
O.W.L. Grades:
O=Outstanding
EE=Exceeds Expectations
A=Acceptable
P=Poor
D=Dreadful
T=Troll
Single Test Examination:
Dueling=O(Highest score on record)
Flying=O
Healing and First Aid=EE
Human Languages(French)=EE
Human Language(Italian)=EE
Non-Human Language(Gobbledegook)=EE
Physical Education=O
Politics and Law=O
Wizarding Etiquette=O
Multiple Test Examination(Combined Score):
Ancient Runes(OWL and NEWT)=O(Highest score on record)
Muggle Studies(OWL and NEWT)=EE
Potions(OWL and NEWT)=O(Highest score on record)
Defense Against the Dark Arts(OWL and NEWT)=O(Highest score on record)
Congratulations Mr. Potter-Peverell-Daniels. You have achieved a total of 13 OWLs and 4 NEWTs.
Sincerely,
Madam Professor Griselda Marchbanks
Head of the Wizarding Examination Authority
Harry allowed himself a brief moment to bask in his achievement, and then opened the second letter that came from the Ministry.
Dear Lord Peverell-Daniels,
I apologize for the delay in your examination results, my Lord, but I had them re-tested just to make sure. When you first petitioned to take these exams as a first year, I admit I believed this to be a terribly played hoax. I even went so far as to make sure you were given the hardest test we could arrange for you in each subject, and you passed all of them with flying colors.
In all my years of testing students for their OWLs and NEWTs, the one name that always outshined the others in my mind was Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. After seeing the scores you achieved at the age you are at, I can safely say your name will one day surpass the Legend of the Chief Warlock.
I have been fortunate enough to live through Headmaster's rise to greatness, and I pray that I will live long enough to see yours. You are truly a brilliant young man and I wish you nothing but the best for your future. I would also like to take this time to humbly beg your forgiveness for doubting your ability, my Lord.
Sincerely,
Madam Professor Griselda Marchbanks
Head of the Wizarding Examination Authority
After he slipped both letters into the pocket of his robe, Harry returned his attention back to his breakfast. As he took a bite of the eggs off of his plate, Harry thought of what the letter meant for his future.
Madam Marchbank's reaction to his scores was exactly what he was hoping for, and now it was time to spread the results to the masses. In order to achieve the notoriety that he wanted to have, Harry realized he would need the best PR that money could buy. Of all the people who could help him with that process, only one name kept rising to the top of the pile...Rita Skeeter. Thankfully Harry had an offer she couldn't refuse, and Christmas break was the perfect time to hire the reporter that everyone loved to read and lived to hate.