Scion of Sorcery: The Avenger of Hogwarts
Disclaimer/Plot/Author's Notes: SEE FIRST CHAPTER
Dedication: I'd like to dedicate this story to everyone who enjoyed the original version of this story: my recommended reads are Trickshot, Reborn, Raven, Widow's Vengeance and Wands and Claws by JustBored21, Man of Iron, Child of Magic and Child of Iron, Goblet of Fire by Zathara001, Master Potter of Kamar-Taj by Ryuko monogatari, Child of the Storm and Ghosts of the Past by Nimbus Llewelyn, Harry Potter: Wizard of Kamar-Taj by Trace Carter, The Rise of the Last Potter by HPfanfictioner66, Harry Potter and the Lightning Lord and Saviour of Magic by Colt01, Knight Errant and Harry Potter and the Shadow of the Demon by ArlyssTolero, Harry Potter The Protector of Magic by TigerSwarm9122, Two Sides to Every Galleon by GJWickham and Magical Origins by Dante 2K-25
Key Pairings: Harry/Daphne; Stephen/Christine;
Other Pairings: Tony/Pepper; Thor/Jane; Others TBD
Normal Speech
'Thoughts'
'Mental Speech'
/Parseltongue/
Review Answers:
HumorMe2: Interesting theory;
A-gods-flame: One certainly, but, for once, I'm thinking of the other as being someone helpful and a real friend/ally of the Junior Supreme, so I hope you like what I do and how I bring it in;
Sheploo: I neither agree nor disagree with that thought, friend: my portrayal choices are who I see as that particular role; if that's who you choose to see, that's fine;
Behind the glowing boy, Albus Dumbledore's eyes widened in genuine surprise, if not wonder, while, down the table, the goblin-blooded Professor Filius Flitwick crossed his arms over his chest and bowed his head, his goblin warrior's blood recognising the magic for what it was.
Raw power!
The kind that, time was, many different races, including, but not limited to the goblins, the centaurs and the elves had respected and shown due homage to in the name of Magic herself.
And now that power had come to Hogwarts; for what purpose, Filius didn't know, but, deep inside his spirit, he knew he couldn't wait to find out.
Chapter 3: Don't Rock the Boat, Harry
If he was being completely honest with himself, Harry thought the response to his sorting resulting in him becoming the newest hatchling in the snake pit seemed a little one-sided, mostly because of how a small group of people eyed him curiously while many others, primarily those with lions on their robes – save for Dean and Neville – looked at him as though he was a dead cert for the next Dark Lord.
'They have no idea who I am,' thought Harry, trying to ignore their looks of fear, disbelief, questioning doubt and shock, and how those looks made him feel sick to his stomach. Even though he knew that the Sorting was really a choice that had been made by Hogwarts' magic, based on the best possible option for the student in question – rather than traits, attributes or personal choice – he knew that the rest of them were thinking about just one thing.
'He's a Slytherin; he must be evil!'
Scion
Of course, being who he was, Harry wasn't evil and, as for the magic of Hogwarts making the choice, that was something he'd felt when the Sorting Hat had been put on his head, not too long before the raw, untapped magical energy of the ancient citadel had clashed with the immeasurable force of mystic might inside of the Strange Heir, resulting in a clash of the titans, the aftershock of which had surged through the room, each pulse of said energy seemingly emanating from Harry himself.
And, while everyone else had been shocked, scared, awed and curious by the cause of the overwhelming, not to mention unexplainable magical event, Harry himself had felt an unknown, but not malevolent ancient force wrapping itself around him like wings of pure, primal mystic energy.
Enshrouded in those wings, Harry had felt this force giving him strength, understanding and a feeling of personal determination that told him why he was here at Hogwarts in the first place. And then that same force had decided the best House to host him while he walked down the road towards his destiny.
Not because it was where he would be best suited, least of all as a so-called dark wizard or Dark-Lord-in-Training, as many of these wizards would choose to believe, but because it was the ideal place for Harry to be an agent of change in this biased, name-of-magic-disgracing environment that was supposed to be the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world.
And anyone who thought otherwise, let alone considered him something akin to Voldemort or worse, was just proving how this so-called great nation was being bastardised by prejudice and ignorance.
But, they would learn…
Oh, how Harry would ensure they would learn…
Scion
With the declaration made, and the school's occupants looking at him with a myriad of different emotions and thoughts running through their minds, Harry removed the Sorting Hat from his head and made his way towards the Slytherin Table.
However, as he did so, he stopped suddenly, seemingly at the centremost point of the Hall, so that all points around him were equidistant, almost like he was standing at the heart of Hogwarts herself. Stood in this spot, Harry turned and looked back to the High Table, taking a long moment to let his eyes wander along the table as he met the eyes of many of his future mentors.
Finally, at long last, the Sorcerer-Supreme-in-Training met Headmaster Dumbledore's curious, if not slightly-anxious gaze; the man himself also seemed to look somewhere between shocked and terrified at what had just happened.
Seeing the look, and imagining what sort of things might be running through the man's mind, Harry gave the old man a kind smile before he shrugged in a what can you do sort of manner before, without saying another word, he made his way to the Slytherin Table, taking a seat next to Daphne, who seemed to be amused by what had just happened.
Mana, meanwhile, seemed content to place herself at Harry's feet, having moved under said table until she reached the spot where her human friend and companion was sitting with possibly the only Slytherin he could call a friend…for now.
As the Sorting continued, with a few more students, including Harry's other 'friend' Dean Thomas going to Gryffindor, Harry felt Daphne nudge him before she asked in a hushed whisper, "I suppose it's a good thing you chose to take your real name rather than your adoptive one. Imagine the barbs heading your way if they knew who else you were, don't you think, Strange?"
"I don't need to imagine it, Miss Greengrass," argued Harry, watching with the rest of the students as a red-haired boy named Ronald Weasley was sent to Gryffindor, though not before the boy's eyes met Harry's.
In those eyes, Harry saw suspicion as well as a modicum of dislike, but Harry didn't let that bother him.
Instead, he kept his attention on Daphne as he explained, "Given who helped train and prepare me for this place, I know all about the ostracising reputation of Slytherin House amongst my peers well enough. I also know that it's only gotten worse lately because of its former students and the monster that most of them chose to serve. But, no matter what the past may hold for Slytherin or its members, it is the present and the future that matters most to me."
'Hear, hear,' said Mana, resting her head on her friend's lap, earning a small smile from Harry as he tickled her feathers gently.
Daphne, meanwhile, looked stunned by Harry's response, even as the Sorting ended with a dark-skinned boy named Blaise Zabini joining the Slytherins; as he sat down at the table, said boy also sat on Harry's other side, giving the Strange Heir a curt nod of his head, which Harry returned in kindness, as he, along with the rest of the students, watched and waited for the next event to take place.
Up on the High Table, Headmaster Dumbledore rose from his seat, his eyes scanning the room intently before, taking a breath, the old man raised his hands as he announced, "Let the feast begin."
"And, on that bombshell," muttered Harry, earning a titter from Mana – as though she not only caught the reference, but had predicted what her dear friend was going to do – before, to the shock of the other Slytherins, he rose from his seat next to a curious, but also-surprised Daphne.
Without any explanation to his companion, let alone a hint of an apology to his peers, Harry walked over to the Gryffindor Table, with Mana now at his heels while the rest of the students and the staff watched in stunned and – in a few cases, mostly where a certain grease-stain with alliterative initials in his name was concerned – even rage and disbelief as both of them took a seat between Neville and a stunned-looking brown-haired girl with unfortunately-large-sized front teeth and brown eyes that looked at Harry in horror as she saw him join them.
"Harry?" asked Neville, looking back in disbelief while he stuttered over himself, earning a knowing, but also-reassuring smile from his friend as the Longbottom Heir asked, "What…what do you…what are you doing?"
"What do you mean, Neville?" asked Harry, showing an air of apparent innocence as he explained to his speechless-looking friend, "It doesn't say anywhere in the Hogwarts rulebook that we can't share meals with other Houses."
Although he didn't say it out loud, Neville knew Harry was right.
After all, his guardian, Sirius Black, had said many times over that there were occasions where certain students spent time with those from other Houses and, although it had never been done before at an actual feast – let alone a Welcoming Feast – it was still something that wasn't against the rules.
However, while Harry seemed willing, if not perfectly-content, to take advantage of that very loophole, it seemed that there were others who didn't agree with his choices, as Harry himself noticed when the sharp voice of Professor McGonagall cut through the Hall.
"Mr Strange, return to your rightful House Table right now! And five points from Slytherin for disrupting the feast."
'Is that meant to be some sort of punishment? For something that I'm allowed to do?' thought Harry, scoffing to himself at the sickening nature of this so-called teacher and Mistress of her craft as he looked up to the aforementioned Head of Gryffindor before he asked her, "And just how, exactly, do I disrupt the feast by choosing to spend it with my friends, Deputy Headmistress McGonagall? I mean, I know I'm just a first-year on his first day here, but are you saying there's a rule that says friends can't spend feasts and lessons, not to mention study time with friends from other Houses? I don't think there is and, if there is, then, personally-speaking, I think it's a rule that goes against everything that the late and honoured Lords Gryffindor and Slytherin, as well as Ladies Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, wanted out of the school when they founded it."
To his amusement, Harry saw McGonagall close her mouth, a look of surprise as well as agreement – personal-agreement that, unlike Neville, she couldn't help but show – crossing her face, earning a faint smile from Harry.
As he smiled, however, Harry's gaze flicked along the table as Headmaster Dumbledore himself cleared his throat as he said, "A fine argument, Mr Strange: the points are returned, and take another five for showing a strong sense of inter-house cooperation. However, in future, I think your Head of House, as well as the other staff, students and I, would appreciate a little forewarning about your decision to spend the feast with friends."
"So, what you're saying is that I need permission to be with those friends, do I, Headmaster?" asked Harry, earning a shocked gasp from the girl next to him as well as many others, while Harry, channelling one of his favourite Uncles, frowned in mock curiosity, if not disappointment, as he said, "That's funny. I don't recall that rule being in the book either…"
"The rules of Hogwarts are not yours to dictate!" argued the brunette, earning a curious look from Harry as she proceeded to go on, as though her opinion was actually supposed to matter to him. "And you shouldn't be so cheeky, not unless you want to be given a detention, or worse, expelled."
"O-kay…so…um…even if I did, I don't see what business that is of yours, Miss," argued Harry, rolling his eyes as he scratched Mana's feathers, while the girl fumed, as though she'd actually expected Harry to back down after her argument.
Harry, meanwhile, shook his head as he looked down at Mana before he asked, "Honestly, is there any sense of personal space, let alone privacy or respect for the aforementioned personal space in this ass-backwards world?"
"Language!"
"English, hint of American," drawled Harry, earning a snigger from a pair of identical-looking boys, while Harry scoffed as he looked back to Mana, as well as Neville, as he added, "You know, I knew I should have just accepted that place at Ilvermorny: at least there, the only difference between students and their achievements is because of personal ability. And not because of some outdated prejudicial, not to mention interfering nonsense based on blood-purist, biased beliefs that stems from the thoughts and ideals of a snake-faced prat of a monster who couldn't even die right!"
As Harry had expected, his slander towards Voldemort earned him several cries of outrage from the Slytherins, some of whom gave him looks that made Harry wonder how long it would be before he had to rely on his own magical advantages to look after himself.
Probably before he'd even walked back into the hall the next morning, if he had to guess.
Meanwhile, a certain greasy-haired professor seated at the High Table snapped, "Detention, Mr Strange: tomorrow night, my office!"
"As you wish, Professor Severus Tobias Snape," replied Harry, looking right at the man before he smiled as he said, "What time, sir? Oh, and while we're on the topic, would you also mind telling me why you're giving me a detention?"
"Because…"
However, as Severus went to answer, his voice suddenly failed him while, down the table, Dumbledore's expression turned pitiful and even pained as he, along with the rest of the staff who watched him, saw Harry's eyes glowing like emerald fire, the colour in them so clear and so vibrant that it showed the full extent of the boy's magic for what it was.
However, to everyone that saw it, they also knew those eyes for the colour in question while one or two – namely Dumbledore as well as a stout Professor whom Harry later learned to be Filius Flitwick – knew it for the power behind those eyes.
Even so, the recognition was clear on Severus' face and, as everyone waited for a response, several of them gasped when Snape asked, "Potter?"
"No, my name's Strange, Professor, and don't you, or anyone else, forget that," said Harry, smiling thinly as he knew his mind game would work.
Scion
Given what he'd heard about his birth Mother and the time she'd had at Hogwarts – thanks to information shared with his Father – Harry knew he would have to deal with Professor Snape sooner rather than later, given the rocky history that the man shared with Lily Potter, even back when she had been known as Lily Evans.
But that was just another reason he'd chosen to take the Strange name rather than answer to the name of Potter.
Yes, he was Harry James Strange-Potter, but, personally-speaking, Harry thought the idea of hyphenating the name was so olden days that it was pathetic to have to answer to it so often.
Also, there was the point that Harry Potter was famous for something he never asked to be famous for.
However, he was only Potter's adopted son while he was the blood-born son and heir of Doctor Stephen Strange, who, as far as these pureblood, biased bigots were concerned, was nobody.
Well…nobody, but a criminal in their world, whom they thought they could frighten off their perfect purist homestead, but, even so, as his son, Harry Strange, son of Stephen Strange, was someone with a clean slate who could follow any path he chose, even if that path went against the plans and ideas for his other namesake.
And that was why Harry had really let himself come back to Magical Britain after all these years.
To be exactly what he was born to be.
Himself.
And if the wizards didn't like it?
Tough turkeys!
Scion
Despite the curiosities that had come from the Sorting, as well as Harry's choice to break up the status quo and break bread with the Lions, there seemed to be an air of uneasy calm that settled over the Great Hall as, at long last, the Welcoming Feast was finally allowed to begin.
Sat on the Gryffindor Table with his first real friend as well as his familiar, Harry felt a smile touch his face as he looked to Neville while, helping himself to some meat, he asked in a genuinely-curious voice, "So, Neville, in all the excitement, I almost forgot to ask: what's your story? I mean, what was Malfoy talking about out there when he said that you and Sirius were poisoning the bloodline?"
"Well," replied Neville, noticing a few others watching them warily, mostly because a Gryffindor was, apparently, friends with a Slytherin, but also because of the suspicion that lingered thanks to Snape's outburst.
Doing his best to ignore them, Neville kept his attention on Harry, as well as his own meal, as he went on, "Like I said before, Sirius has raised me ever since the night Mum was tortured to death and Dad was put under the curse that claimed his life four years ago. In all that time, he's taught me a lot about magic and been a second Dad to me, but, because he has no children himself, there are a lot of people out there who think he's going to make me the heir of his bloodline."
"That's totally barbaric!" exclaimed the brunette, earning a scoff from Harry.
"Excuse me," said Harry, turning to said brunette – Granger, if he remembered rightly – before he asked, "What did I say about sticking that rat's nest in business not yours? Now, if you can't help, but be a prissy little beyotch with delusions and ideals worthy of J Jonah Jameson crossed with old Thunderpants Ross, I suggest you make like a banana and split, Brownie."
To Harry's curiosity, his mocking term for Ross' nickname was received with a furious glare, before the brunette harrumphed as she turned her nose up at him before, finally, she left Harry and Neville to their conversation.
"Ooh, turning your nose up. Very mature, Brownie; now, Neville, you were saying?"
"Err…right, well," said Neville, indicating the Slytherin Table as he tried to get back to the point. "As I was saying, there are some, like Malfoy, whose Mother, Lady Narcissa, is also of Black blood, who sees the potential future of me as Sirius' heir as a threat because, as the sole male child of the Blacks, if Sirius were to die, everything would likely pass to him or, worse, to his Father, Lucius Malfoy, until Draco turned seventeen."
"But?" asked Harry, taking a drink from his goblet.
"But," said Neville, tugging at his collar for a brief moment before he explained, "Well, ever since I first knew him as my guardian and not just as Uncle Sirius, which is what I always call him, I've always known…or rather I suspected that he was saving that honour for someone else…"
Here, he lowered his voice to a whisper as he added, "You."
"Because I'm his godson," said Harry, keeping his voice as low as Neville, earning a nod from Neville before Harry sniggered, "Neville, you know my real identity, the one that was given to me when I was adopted by the man that risked his life to save my Mother and me from Voldemort."
As Neville nodded in response, wincing slightly at the use of the name, Harry continued, "Now, don't get me wrong, even though I'm a Slytherin, I plan on doing all that I can do to honour that man, as well as the woman who also risked her life for my own, but I'll do it as the boy I was born to be: Harrison Harry James Strange."
"And what if people try to use your…other name to call out to you or address you as that?" asked Neville, earning a scoff from Harry.
"Then I'll just have to remind them, just like Dad used to when he first met people who wouldn't understand that he was, and still is, more than just Mr Strange," answered Harry, putting a hand on his heart while he sighed softly as he clenched said hand into a fist before he continued. "I'm not afraid of my other name, but it's just that, Neville: my other name! One given to me through adoption and then stolen from me when that monster took my adoptive Father from me. If he'd survived, and if I'd been raised as the heir he wanted me to be, then maybe I'd answer to my other name, but I wasn't, so I won't."
"In reality, you're Harry Strange, but inside, where no-one can take it from you, you're…You-Know-Who," whispered Neville, earning a nod from Harry as he asked, "So are you saying you choose to be Strange because it helps you remember what you still have rather than what you lost?"
"Exactly," agreed Harry, before he smiled as he added, "I'm still here, I'm still standing and still breathing: I can honour them, but that doesn't mean I have to be a shadow of them: as the boy with my adoptive Father's name, people have expectations and, if they were to learn it, they probably still would be like that, but I don't care."
"Because no-one expects anything from Harry Strange other than the enigma that he is," said Neville, earning another nod from Harry before the young boy asked, "So what about Sirius? Can…can I tell him that I've met you or…"
"Tell him," answered Harry, taking a deep breath as he explained, "And then tell him this from me: I don't want his title, but I would welcome the chance to know him again. So, if he wants to do something for me, then tell him I said to give you the title as everyone thinks he will."
Neville's eyes widened in disbelief while Harry smiled as he explained, "Then, when he does, let's both show the world what happens to those who people think they can just give idle titles to and disgrace the memories of in their own way…if you're in?"
Smiling in response, Neville let out a laugh as he told Harry, "I never admitted it until now, but I think it's going to be fun getting to know you, Harry."
"Likewise, brother-mine," chuckled Harry, patting Neville's shoulder before he asked, "So…what lessons are you looking forwards to most of all?"
Talk soon turned to the sort of thing that normal students would look forwards to.
Scion
Down the table, Hermione Granger fumed as she watched Harry Strange making conversation with someone who, obviously, was nowhere as good a wizard as she was a witch.
It was obvious, at least, to her – while these wizards were so far behind the times, they didn't even know who Strange's Father was – that this boy was related to that mocking timewaster, Tony Stark, in some way. His attitude was just as derogatory, juvenile and insulting to his betters as Stark and then some.
But then, add in the surname: Strange…and he had magic…and was so smug and self-confident…and then there was how he showed off his gift and that thing at his feet.
It couldn't be a coincidence: he had to be that mongrel's child, which meant he had access to the power of the so-called Sorcerer Supreme!
That wasn't fair!
Only someone as great as Hermione deserved that power; then, she could give its secrets to her godfather and, together, they would put a stop to freaks like Banner and the monsters he helped create.
Who knows?
Maybe she could even be her godfather's representative as the new Sorceress Supreme one day.
But she'd never do that with Strange ruining everything.
She had to make him eat his words and the best way to do that was to make him beg her to help him.
Then she would help him.
After all, the Raft, the Vault, the Cube and the Big House had such lovely cells lately and, thanks to her godfather, she'd have him set up there, never to bother her or normal peace-loving people ever again.
And if he really refused to learn his lesson?
Well, then there was always Ravencroft…
Chapter 3 and, wow, talk about delusions of grandeur, but what makes that insufferable know-it-all so confident that she actually thinks she can best the Son of the Sorcerer Supreme?
Also, how else will Harry continue to rock the boat as he shows the wizards what a real student of the game looks like?
Keep Reading to Find Out
Next Chapter: Slytherins' aren't happy with Harry's 'betrayal' in favour of the Lions, but the Junior Supreme isn't concerned: he's got much bigger fish to fry, starting with some staff who really need to take their heads out of their rear entrances and see the truth for what it really is…
Please Read and Review
AN: Hermione
So, just like the original, in this version, Hermione is Harry's rival-slash-enemy and, well, as for her little side-arc, I imagine you might be able to figure out what's going on. The truth is, it's something I've had in mind ever since I first tried to rewrite and/or carry on the adventure; what can I say?
Delusional, power-mad despot who thinks the world needs to obey them? Hmm, who in the Marvel/Avengers Universe do we know who is so deranged-obsessed with power and victory that nothing else matters, especially concerning a certain not-so-jolly-green-giant?
Figured it out? Good for you.
Now, keep reading to find out how Harry Strange handles one other delusional megalomaniac's idea of 'warfare' in the magical world…