Isabel pulled Cindy and Harry back outside the restaurant before Albus Dumbledore could spot them. "Why are we avoiding him," asked Cindy.
"In recent years, Dumbledore has been actively trying to prevent Technomancy from being named official magic by the ICW. I don't know why he's been doing this, but it's led me to not trust him."
"So he's an old man with views about magic stuck in the past," said Harry. "That's no reason to avoid him. Business is business."
"Harry, wait out here," said Isabel. "Cindy, come with me." Isabel pulled Cindy to the women's room of the restaurant, avoiding Dumbledore's attention. As he watched them walk away he heard his phone go off.
"It's Sakura, Harry," said Holly. Harry grinned and answered the call.
"Hey Sakura."
"Onii-San! How are you?"
"I'm doing well. Mom and Isabel are speaking about something they don't want me to listen to before a business meeting. And guess who is the person we're about to meet."
"Mr. Okumura from Ryuga academy about attending."
"Business meeting, Sakura. And no. Apparently, the person who wants to do business with us is Albus Fucking Dumbledore!"
"The Dumbledore? Headmaster of Hogwarts?!"
"He apparently wants to hire Izzy's company about incorporating a security system developed by her for the school."
"Why your company and not ours?!"
"Because we're better."
"You're a cheat, Onii-Chan."
"I do not cheat. I use what's a part of me. It's not my fault it makes me better than your uncle at inventing."
"You so cheat. So, what are your mom and Isabel talking about?"
"Probably the real reason Isabel doesn't trust Dumbledore. She thinks she can hide stuff like that from me, but she's deluding herself. Something Dumbledore did in the past makes her not trust him. But if we land this deal, we take a large step into modernizing the Magical World and prepare for whatever Kessler was afraid of."
"So what are you going to do?"
"Well, He's sitting in a No-Mag restaurant right behind me. No one is stopping me. And I know just as much about the company as Izzy does."
"You're going to try and talk with him yourself, aren't you?"
"At least until they stop their discussion and come out only to see me speaking with the man."
"You know you're going to get in trouble for this right?"
"By Izzy, not Mom. She didn't tell me to stay put."
"You're pushing you're luck, Onii-Chan. I'll see you in 18 years when you're ungrounded."
"Oh, ye of little faith."
"I have plenty of faith. And that faith is in your poor judgement skills about how much you can get away with."
"Name one…"
"My ninth birthday when you tried passing off the gift I gave you for your birthday as a present."
"Oh right. The naginata incident. Man I wish you never found your mother's journals about your ancestry."
"It'll make you think twice before messing with an Onna-bugeisha in training."
"I think I still have the scar on my shoulder from that." He could feel her cringe over the phone.
"Again, sorry. I only meant to scare you."
"Don't worry about it. I healed up fine. Plus the scar makes me look cool."
"You mean the one inch scar you can barely see?"
"Shut up. And wish me luck." Harry was met with silence. "Sakura?"
"You said to shut up."
"Very funny."
"I thought it was. Good luck, Onii-Chan. Talk with you later."
"Bye, Sakura. Oh, right. You're still coming next month, right?"
"Of course. Wouldn't miss your birthday. See ya!"
"Bye." Harry hung up and put his phone away as Holly turned to him.
"You know you're definitely going to be grounded for this, right?"
"Don't care. Kessler warned me about something dangerous coming. We need to be united before we confront whatever this 'Coming Darkness' is. Technomancers are the only thing that can effectively fight against it. We need as many learning about it as possible."
"So, we're doing what Kessler wants?"
"Yes. What other choice do we have? What if we don't have enough people to combat whatever's coming? We need to be prepared."
"If you're sure about this, then I won't mention anything about it to anyone without your permission."
"I know you'll do so when your worried about me. You're not a mindless machine. You have free will."
"Not sure what good that does when there's limited things I can actually choose for myself."
"You chose that form, didn't you?"
"True, but that's about the fullest extent of my choices."
"Sorry."
"It's not your fault, Harry. Come on, if you want to speak with him before they get out, now's your chance."
"Right." Harry adjusted his tie and went back inside and towards the man with the outdated suit. "Professor Dumbledore, I presume?" The old man turned to him and barely contained his surprise at the boy standing before him. He was the spitting image of his father with the eyes of his mother. "My name is Harry MacGrath and I'm here with my mother and her boss, Isabel Daniels. They're currently indisposed at the moment, so I felt I should start this meeting." He held out his hand to the aged Headmaster.
'Harry Potter. I've found you. After all these years.' Dumbledore stood up and shook Harry's hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. MacGrath. I am indeed Albus Dumbledore." He offered a seat across from him and Harry sat down.
"Now," said Harry, Holly blinking into existence on his shoulder. "How can we help you?"
In the women's restroom, Isabel checked the stalls before turning to her friend and assistant. "When Harry opened his mother's trunk, I found a journal she kept in there. In it, she spoke about how her and her husband, James, had been told by Dumbledore they'd been targeted personally by Voldemort and had chosen to hide using the Fidelius Charm. And there was apparently a traitor in Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix. I think they unknowingly chose the traitor as the Secret Keeper."
"I remember. It was Sirius Black."
"Except, Black was Harry's godfather. And even more damning, there is video footage I found of him with a redheaded woman the night the Potters were attacked at a hotel event miles away at the exact time the Potters were attacked."
"Meaning?"
"Dad used the charm to protect my mother when she was pregnant with me and explained to me how it worked after I finished school. The Secret Keeper needs to be at the location in order to let anyone in. Black wasn't anywhere near Godric's Hallow that night until probably after the attack. Then, a few days later he has a confrontation with another one of their friends, the supposedly late Peter Pettigrew that ends with Pettigrew and several No-Mag civilians dead. The only thing left of Pettigrew was a finger."
"No other remains? That's impossible."
"How have you not learned about this?"
"It didn't seem important most of the time. So, what? You think Pettigrew was the Secret Keeper?"
"And he somehow framed Black. Thing is, it's known that Dumbledore has a knack for Legilimency. He used it often in the war against Grindelwald to gain intelligence from the Magical SS. So why wouldn't he know about who the traitor was in his Order."
"Please don't say what I think you're going to say."
"Dumbledore knew who the traitor was and let the Potters die."
"Why would he do such a thing?"
"That part I thought of going through Lily Potter's journal. In it she spoke of a room within the British Ministry of Magic Unspeakable headquarters called the Hall of Prophecy."
"Let me guess, you think Dumbledore thinks there's a prophecy involving Harry and Voldemort."
"It's the only thing that makes sense! Men go mad when it comes to trying to decipher prophecies and fulfill them only for the prophecy to never be fulfilled because it wasn't about them. If Dumbledore happened to hear a prophecy and tried to decipher it in a desperate time. Voldemort was winning because of his passive 'Wait-and-See' approach in the war which led to most of his precious Order being killed because the Death Eaters weren't losing any numbers and the public was too scared to fight back against them. He needed a win, and a prophecy would inspire hope in both his people and the public."
"So you think he purposely let the Potters die to see if this prophecy would be true?"
"I think he's been trying to manipulate things to try and fulfill this prophecy, whatever it is. He's most likely the one who left Harry with Them." Cindy stayed quiet as she contemplated her bosses words. "And get this. I did some digging in the British Ministry records. Black never had a trial."
"You think he did that as well?"
"Maybe. Sirius Black is Harry's godfather, and would've been able to raise Harry if things hadn't gone the way they did."
"You think he orchestrated all of this?"
"I think he planned most of it and left the rest up to fate." Cindy growled but forced herself to calm down. Seeing she wasn't going to do anything, Isabel continued. "If he is fully responsible, we'll make sure he pays in the future. For now, let's get Harry and start the meeting, see what he wants."
"Fine. But if you see me starting to get angry with the man, do something before I do something I'll regret." When they got to the table they saw Harry sitting in front of Dumbledore with Holly on his shoulder.
"I told him to stay put."
"Since when does he listen to you outside of the lab?"
Dumbledore looked at Holly, curiously. "Who is your companion, Mr. MacGrath," he asked. "I've never seen a pixie like her before."
"That's because I'm not a pixie," said Holly. "I'm Harry's Artificial Intelligence assistant. My name is Holly. A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Dumbledore."
"Artificial Intelligence," asked Dumbledore.
"Basically lines of code making up a self-thinking computer with emotions," said Harry. "I designed her myself using my Technomancy."
"In a way," said Holly. "Harry is technically my father."
"You said your 'Technomancy', unless I'm mistaken. I've heard the phrase come up before in the ICW meetings but know little about it."
"I guess that explains why you've been against recognizing it as an official magic," said Harry. "Izzy likes to keep an eye on things in the political landscape, says it opens new opportunities for the company in certain areas if you know where to look." Isabel and Cindy watched the exchange between the two, silent.
"I'll admit I've had a hard time believing magic can manipulate technology as people have described."
"Then allow me to demonstrate for you." Harry pulled out his phone and activated his magic. Dumbledore watched intrigued as Harry's eyes showed the telltale signs of Technomancy, the circuit board lines. Harry mentally dismantled his phone, making the components float in front of him as the same lines enveloped them. "My magic works well with technology, and in the last four years, I've been mastering Schematic."
"Schematic?"
"That's the name that Harry gave the first ability he discovered about his magic," said Holly. His eyes allow him to see the blueprints of whatever machine he sees."
"Using this, I can replicate, modify, and upgrade machines with the right equipment. It's how I've created the technology our company has developed in the last four years, including the security system you called us to ask about." Harry restored his phone and looked the Hogwarts Headmaster.
"Straight to business, I see."
"We are here for a reason, after all."
"Ah, and it seems your companions have arrived as well. Harry turned around and smiled, seeing his mother. At Isabel's irate expression he held up his hands. "Technically, you gave me authority to conduct these kinds of meetings a year ago. So don't get mad, we were late enough as it is." Isabel said nothing as she moved behind Harry and pinched both his cheeks.
"On something like this, we need to act as a team, you snot nosed brat!"
"You were taking too long, and I got tired of waiting outside!"
"Isabel," said Cindy. "Let go of my son."
"He needs to learn a lesson about patience." Harry sent a bolt of electricity to her hands, shocking her and messing up her hair as she screamed.
"And he 'Pikachu-ed' you."
"Pika, Pika," said Harry with a grin as Isabel coughed out a puff of smoke. Dumbledore watched them, worried and a little amused.
"You'll have to excuse them," said Holly. "This is, unfortunately, a common occurrence for those two."
"How common?"
"Twice on a good week," said Harry.
"On a normal week it's every day," said Cindy, pinching the bridge between her eyes. Isabel pulled out a mirror and looked at herself as the restaurant was drawn to the commotion.
"Ah!" She hit Harry on the head. "You little…"
"Enough. Act your age."
"Shouldn't be too hard for a s…"
"Finish that sentence and see what happens, Kid…" threatened Isabel with a hollow voice, scaring him slightly. Cindy sat in the seat on Harry's right.
"Can we please start the meeting?" Isabel used magic to fix her appearance when no one was looking and took the seat on Harry's left, glaring at the boy. Harry cleared his throat and adjusted his cufflinks.
"I was about to tell Mr. Dumbledore about the security system he wanted to install at Hogwarts."
"Right. The Gibraltar system. It's a state of the art, complex computerized camera and defense system. 37 cameras all connected to a single monitoring system on a 12 terabyte memory drive."
"They can be set up all around the school in areas where you know people are likely to go through if they're sneaking around."
"All around the school won't be necessary," said Dumbledore. "I just need it in one corridor." Isabel looked at the aged man.
"Why only one corridor?"
"It's being closed off from the students for… renovations."
"You're slight hesitation suggests otherwise," said Holly. "When Harry was programming me, Cindy suggested I be able to tell when one is lying. She did this so that Harry would be reluctant to try and lie to her about something important. There's something you're hiding from us."
"I'm sorry then, Mr. Dumbledore," said Harry as he started getting up. Cindy and Isabel followed his example, knowing what Harry was thinking. "But unless you're willing to cooperate with us fully, we cannot do business with you as we do not negotiate when it comings to our clients hiding things from us. Good day." They started walking away and were almost out of earshot when Dumbledore spoke up.
"Wait. I'll tell you, but you must swear a…"
"We're not swearing an unbreakable vow," said Isabel. "Such a thing should not be present in a business meeting. You want us to provide our security system for a single corridor in a massive school means you want to protect an item, not the students as a whole. If you're not willing to tell us what exactly we're protecting, we can't effectively provide our system to you as it requires the items specific weight, appearance, and composition so that we can safely guard it from all attempts at theft."
"And while we're on the subject," said Cindy. "Why are you protecting a valuable item at Hogwarts? Why not Gringotts where they have their own magical security?"
"The answers obvious, Mom," said Harry. "This is more than just protecting an item. It's a trap."
"A trap," asked Isabel.
"What else could it be? No one in their right mind would do something as idiotic as hide a valuable item in a school unless they wanted to lure someone out of hiding. More than likely, he's trying to get proof to show to the right people so they can properly prepare. Only one person would come to mind."
"Voldemort," said Isabel. "Guess our theory was right after all. He survived that night. But what could be so valuable that he'd risk getting caught coming out of hiding?"
"Was there a body found that night," asked Holly.
"No," said Cindy. "Which always struck me as odd. All that was found was some dust, his cloak and wand. Most wanted to believe he had been disintegrated but… if his body was, how did he survive."
"He could've found a way to anchor himself to this plane," said Isabel. "Eli once told me there were several vile ways one could preserve their soul to avoid death. Almost all of them involve doing something evil enough to split your soul nine ways from Sunday. He could've used one of those to somehow survive."
"Then if that's the case, and he has no body," said Harry, realization suddenly hitting him. He turned to Dumbledore. "Is he after the Philosophers Stone?" Dumbledore sat there, surprised they came to the conclusion, let alone how quickly they did so. 'His intelligence is remarkable for one so young. To have figured this out as quickly as he has.' He glanced at Holly and knew lying was not an option at this time. With a sigh, Dumbledore seemed several years older to the three before him.
"Indeed it is. Good deductive skills, my boy. But how on earth do you know what that is?"
"It's something that has been used as a plot device in a show a few of our employees watch," said Isabel. "They've told Harry pretty much everything about it."
"But I have to ask," said Harry. "Can it really do everything it can in the show? Turn base metals into gold, create Homunculi, grant immortality?"
"I'm afraid so, Harry. And not just gold. Nicolas Flamel, my mentor and friend, found it could not only turn metals into gold, but also silver as well." Harry and Holly exchanged a look before turning to Isabel and glancing outside.
"If you'll excuse us, Mr. Dumbledore," she said. "We need to discuss what to do next in private. If you'll please wait here." Dumbledore nodded and sat patiently in his seat. They went outside the restaurant and she turned to her protégé. "Alright kid, what's up."
"The Stone. I think, once we get evidence Voldemort is alive, we try to contact Nicolas Flamel and ask him if we can keep it. With it, we can further our projects and have a readily available supply of conductive materials."
"You forgot one thing about the Stone, Harry," said Isabel.
"What?"
"In the anime, to make one, you need at least one human soul. If everything else has been accurate about it, why not that part?" Harry contemplated using a captive soul to further their inventions and the morality behind it. Then thoughts of what Kessler showed him came to mind and he gripped his head in frustration. What lines would he have to cross in the future to battle Kessler's 'Coming Darkness'? Cindy grabbed his hand.
"Kessler's words are influencing this decision, aren't they?"
"Yes. Something is coming, something potentially more dangerous than Voldemort himself, and we need everything we can get at our hands on to fight the 'Coming Darkness'." Having seen what Harry was shown by the leader of the First Sons, Cindy sighed and turned to Isabel.
"I say at the very least, we try Harry's idea. He showed me what Kessler showed him four years ago and… it was like the vision Kessler had, the one he showed Harry, was trying to control me. I can't explain it but… whatever it is, I felt like it could control my mind, despite my Occlumency training. We need every advantage we can get, and we can't let anything get in the way of us stopping this threat." Isabel looked at Cindy, the usual voice of reason and morality and to see her so afraid and determined, Isabel knew she should be worried.
Sighing, she looked at both of them. "Alright, when we've gotten enough evidence that Voldemort is alive and is somehow keeping himself from dying, we'll try and see if Nicolas Flamel will allow us to keep the stone."
"Simple," said Holly. "We show him Harry's memory of Kessler's warning. There's only one problem I see with doing this installation. Someone qualified has to monitor the system at Hogwarts on site at all times. And only two people are familiar with it and won't seem out of place in the magical world."
"Me and Izzy," said Harry. He groaned and looked at Holly. "I'm going to have to go to Hogwarts, aren't I?"
"And Isabel will have to go with you as well. Three pairs of eyes are better than two, if you include me."
"We'll need to set up more than just a computer system then," said Cindy. "The last time Harry was in a Dark Zone, it had some… nasty effects with his magic." Harry shuddered, remembering the one time him and his mother went camping and he was affected from the lack of energy in the area. Cole expressed the same level of discomfort, if not more, on his own outings during his ongoing mission at New Marais and the swamplands surrounding the city.
"Never again, please."
"Don't worry, Kid. We got you covered. We'll need to start setting up immediately. Might as well get you accepted now , since the Headmaster is right inside."
"Great, subpar education, in the middle of bumfuck nowhere, and only, possibly, a satellite phone to contact the outside world. What could go wrong?"
"Stop being a smartass," said Isabel as she smacked him upside the head. "And don't jinx it. You know damn well things can definitely go wrong. Now come on." They resumed their seats and Isabel turned to Dumbledore. "We'll do this, but we need to make a few things clear. Because of the design of the system in question, and the fact that it'll be in a magic heavy area, it needs to be kept track of at all times. We'll go ahead and install the Gibraltar System all around the school, so it looks like we're just adding security to the whole building, rather than just one corridor, in case Voldemort has one of your staff doing things for him."
"We'll also need two people on site to monitor it," said Harry. "And there are only two people in our company who could properly fit in in the magical world and operate the system. Me and Izzy."
"Anyone else who could operate it are No-Mag," said Cindy. "Anyone from my company from the magical world is not familiar with the ins and outs of the security system as a whole as they work in other departments."
"I wrote the code for the system while Cindy memorized everything about it and how to operate it."
"We'll need to centralize the security system to a single room so that I can easily access it along with whichever member of your staff you feel is best suited for helping us with it. I'll be focused on monitoring from the room whenever possible, while Harry does periodic checks using Holly between classes."
"Does that mean, Harry is going to be attending Hogwarts?"
"Much to my chagrin," said Harry. "Yes. Isabel is good with tech, but my ability allows me to see what exactly is wrong with the hardware while Holly checks software. All three of us are needed to make sure everything runs smoothly, and there's no time to train others to operate the system fully without trouble. But before we start setting up the equipment, and other electrical devices to help make sure my magic doesn't kill me, I have a few demands I want met."
"And here we go," sighed Isabel as Cindy grinned.
"One, I want free reign to move about the school, this can be covered by me having to run periodical maintenance checks on the cameras and lights."
"Mr. Filch, our caretaker, won't like a student wandering the halls, but I'll see what I can do."
"Two, I want to be exempt from wearing robes. I want the dress code changed to accommodate No-Mag attire such as business attire like what myself and my mother are wearing. It's formal and can qualify as a uniform if altered specifically to add the crest in the same area as the Hogwarts school robes."
"Easily done. Anything else?"
"I wish to speak with Nicolas Flamel. You've been forward with us, so I feel I should do the same for you. It is imperative that once we collect enough evidence about Voldemort's existence, that we obtain the Philosophers Stone."
"I'm afraid I can't let…"
"It'll take too long to tell you, so I'll do this." Harry stood up, walked around to Dumbledore's side of the table and pressed two fingers to his temple before 'Uploading' Kessler's Warning to Dumbledore's mind. Dumbledore watched the memory with wide eyes and turned pale as he felt the presence of Kessler's vision try to control him, pushing passed his many mental barriers with ease. Harry adjusted his cufflinks as Dumbledore broke out into a cold sweat. "Robert Kessler was a mad man, but I think part of that was having to do unspeakable things for the greater good." At the mention of those words, Dumbledore turned to Harry. "Great men have fallen from grace when protecting others as they need to make difficult decisions along the way. I'm sure you know from experience, Mr. Dumbledore."
'I've never seen him like this,' thought Cindy. 'He's been confidant at business meetings before, but this is different. He's not acting like a businessman, he's acting like a commander at war.'
Harry looked at Dumbledore. "Do we have an agreement, Mr. Dumbledore?" He held out his hand.
Dumbledore stared at the boy in front of him, afraid. 'If what he's shown me is truly from a Seer, then I can't turn him away. If there is truly a Darkness greater than Tom on the horizon, and Harry and the other Technomancers are truly the only thing that can defeat it, then we need to cooperate fully with each other. For the Greater Good!' Dumbledore shook Harry's hand. "We have an agreement, Mr. Potter. Forgive me. Mr. MacGrath."
"So, you knew who I was born as?"
"You have your mother's intelligence, my boy. And your father's courage. I doubt anyone would have the resolve to face this Darkness, especially not someone your age."
"Well, being abused as a child can have two effects on one's psyche. Either they break and stay broken, or they fix themselves. I've had four years to fix myself from a decision I can only assume you thought wise at the time." Dumbledore, Isabel and Cindy looked at him in surprise. "I'm not a fool. I've read my mother's notes. You were a large part of my parent's lives in their last few years. But no one came to help them when they were betrayed. I don't know who my parent's Secret Keeper was, but I'm sure it wasn't Sirius Black."
"How are you sure?"
"Because there was video footage of him with a red haired woman at a No-Mag hotel event at the same time my parents were killed. Timeline doesn't match up. That, and my mother mentioned that he was my godfather, and loved me as he would his own son, showing how much he loved my family as well. I tried looking for the results of his trial, but there are no records of one."
"He never had one," said Isabel. "I've been doing research about it, when I was trying to find out what happened to your family that night. No trial, then or since. He's just been locked up in Azkaban because of lazy politics not wanting to deal with what they think is a clear cut case."
Harry turned to Dumbledore who looked angry and ashamed all at once. "You didn't have anything to do with this?"
"No. My focus, at the time, was to make sure you were somewhere I could ensure your safety. I was sure Petunia would protect you."
"Except she didn't. You underestimated how much she hated my mother, just for being something she couldn't compare to. Something broke in her when my cousin died when I was about 6. She grew distant to everything, not just me anymore. It was like she didn't care about anything. And her husband, Vernon, may he burn in Hell, blamed the whole world for his own mistake, taking it out on me and her." Dumbledore, now aware of the hell he put Harry through turned to him.
"I'm sorry, Harry my boy. I truly thought that…"
"You thought that because my mother was one way, her sister would be, at least a sliver like her. Compassionate, considerate. You forgot about the mental toll it would take on someone who can't compare themselves to a sister they were once close to only for them to be part of another world, so alien, she felt alone. This is the mentality a lot of Mundane people have at a young age. And you find yourselves wondering why so many people hated you in the past? Jealousy, resentment, basic human psychology. Idiots, all of you. No offense."
"Some taken," said Isabel, slightly grinning. Harry turned to the Headmaster.
"We will arrive at Hogwarts tomorrow to start setting things up with our team. Who can we expect to be in the castle?"
"Just myself, Professor McGonagall, and Mr. Filch." Harry nodded and turned to Isabel who started negotiating a price for the system and installation with Dumbledore. Cindy turned Harry towards her.
"Harry, you shouldn't be worrying about this right now. You're a month shy of eleven, you should be enjoying your life, not stressing about a future threat that may not even come during our time."
"But if Kessler worked so hard to warn me, me specifically, wouldn't that mean that it is coming in our time? And that we do need to prepare and advance humanity as quickly as possible?"
"I suppose, but that shouldn't mean you should throw away your childhood."
"Mom, I'm almost 11, my childhood was taken from me thanks to Vernon and Petunia. Besides, I'll be able to act like a kid at school. I'd rather go to Ilvermorny, but I need to get the Stone. I have an idea on how to keep it safe, but I need to run it by Holly before I even try it. Don't worry." Harry smiled at her and she smiled back and hugged him. Isabel walked over and grinned at Harry. "Nice going, Kid!" Harry grinned and started talking with her as they exited the restaurant, not even bothering to stay to eat. Cindy turned back to Dumbledore who was finally getting a waitress' attention. She waited for her to leave before going over to him.
"Mr. Dumbledore, I was wondering if I could speak to you about something."
"What can I help you with, Ms. MacGrath."
"I was wondering if there were any teaching positions available."
Outside, Harry and Isabel were discussing what Harry had shown Dumbledore. "So something's really coming later down the line?"
"Kessler thought so. And he managed to predict everything in Empire City accept who would survive, him or Cole."
"You sure we should trust him?"
"Who? Kessler or Dumbledore?"
"Either."
"Kessler was mad, but he was a Seer. They're seldom wrong. As for Dumbledore. He's a better ally than an enemy. Showing him exactly what Kessler showed me seemed like the right call. Everything about him screams manipulative, but at the same time, he does care about the wizarding world. He's just stuck in tradition." Finally realizing something he turned to her. "How is it that no one came to us to take our order?"
"Dumbledore must've put a Notice-Me-Not up when we arrived."
"And what, they just happened to notice us when I 'Pikachu-ed' you?"
"Oh right, that." Isabel grabbed his head and pulled him into her chest, laughing like mad. "This'll teach you for ruining my hair."
"Let go of my son," said Cindy as she walked out of the restaurant, carrying a to go box.
"What's that," Isabel asked as Harry managed to pull himself away from her, gasping for air.
"Crazy woman," he said, glaring at her.
"I know this place. Food is subpar but the tiramisu is divine!" Isabel eyed the box.
"Did you happen to…"
"Yes. I got some for you as well."
"Yes!" Harry was about to comment about their addiction to desserts when his phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Is this Harry MacGrath?"
"Who's asking?"
"Someone who's taken a special interest in you." Harry listened to the girl on the other end of the line.
"Good interest or bad? Because I have enough enemies."
"Oh, I'm aware. I must say, your A.I. has a nice design." Harry looked around, sure they were being watched. "Oh, you won't be able to find me, dear boy." Harry looked at Holly and signaled for her to trace the call. "I'll see you soon, Harry." Harry looked at the phone as the girl hung up.
"Everything ok, Kid," asked Isabel.
"Not sure. Think I've got a stalker."
"How are you sure?"
"Well, she saw Holly's hologram form and knew I was looking around for someone watching me. She also knew I had a lot of enemies." Holly scanned the immediate area.
"I don't see anything Harry."
"Could it be another Technomancer," asked Cindy.
"If it is, we need to find her," said Isabel.
"Why?"
"To train her."
"You want to train the girl who is potentially stalking me," asked Harry. "Did I fry your brain this time?"
"Hey, it's better to keep an eye on her than let her stay in the wind and potentially do something… harmful."
"As if I wasn't paranoid enough with the First Sons. Now I've got a stalker to deal with? I'm too young for this sh…"
"Don't even think about it," said Cindy. "Let's just head back to the company and prepare for tomorrow."
"Actually," said Harry. "I was wondering if we could go to Diagon Alley. I wanted to see if the wandmaker, Garrick Ollivander, could lend me a book on wand lore."
"Why," asked Isabel.
"This." Harry held up Sparky's orb. "I want to see if I can incorporate it into a wand."
"Why couldn't you go to someone in the States," asked Cindy.
"Thought about it, then I remembered there aren't too many that make unique wands. That's when I remembered Sasha said she went to Diagon Alley to ask Ollivander for her wand."
"And since he is a wand crazy man," said Isabel. "He'd be more than happy to make you a unique wand."
"Exactly my thinking."
"Alright," said Cindy. "We'll go to Diagon Alley." Harry smiled and hugged his mother before they headed back to the Leaky Cauldron.
"We need to get to the Alley, Tom," said Harry. Tom happily agreed and tapped on the bricks to open the entrance to the Alley. Harry looked around as they walked. "And immediately regretting coming here." He gripped his head as the lack of electrical equipment was affecting his magic. "Can't wait until they modernize."
"At least your phone and Holly are keeping you stable," said Isabel. "If it weren't for those devices, you'd almost have a seizure."
"Help! My daughter's collapsed!"
"I didn't do that, did I," she asked herself.
"Just come on," said Harry as he rushed over to where the shouting was. He found a couple of Indian descent trying to figure out what was going on with their daughter. "Step aside, please. I can help." The father looked at him skeptically but the mother, feeling scared and desperate, turned to him.
"Help her, please!" A crowd started hovering over the scene as Harry knelt next to the girl.
"Everyone, step back!" The crowd backed away as Harry checked the girl and felt a spark pass between them when he pressed his hand to her face. "Technomancy…" Harry rubbed his hands together, generating a static buildup and used a trick he saw Cole use plenty of times in Empire City: Pulse Heal. Harry placed both hands on her chest and sent the charged up electricity to her, healing any wounds while also giving her a charge. The girl sat up, gasping and clutched her chest before her eyes settled on Harry. Harry activated his eyes, surprising her. "Hi."
"H-hello." He held out his hand and helped her up.
"Let me guess, you've lived in an area with a lot of No-Mag… sorry, Muggles, and technology." She nodded, too focused on his eyes than anything else. He turned to her parents. "Is there a place we can talk privately? There's a lot of ground to cover for everyone.
"There's Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream," said the girls twin sister.
"Sure," said Harry, already knowing his mother and Isabel.
"Harry," asked someone behind him. He turned around and saw Hermione standing there, worried.
"Hello, Hermione. If you want a further explanation now, you're welcome to join us at the ice cream parlor." Both families walked with him and his family to the ice cream parlor, the girl blushing heavily as Harry kept hold of her hand the entire way. When they got there, they found a booth big enough for the kids with the parents sitting nearby. "Sorry for holding your hand the entire time," said Harry to the girl. "But it was necessary. See, you're what's known as a Technomancer."
"Technomancer," asked her father. "What is that?"
"A new branch of magic, Mr.…"
"Patil."
"Mr. Patil. Basically, a Technomancer is someone who's magic is heavily compatible with No-Mag technology. Right now, there are two types of Technomancers. Alpha and Beta. Alpha Technomancers are more energy based and are considered Second Generation. While Beta Technomancers, Technomancers who have magic more compatible with machines and building, are considered Third Generation."
"What about the First Generation," asked the girl.
"Well, miss…"
"Padma."
"Padma, the First Generation Technomancers you could say were more of a data based one. They could understand how to incorporate magic into technology without the need of runes or quartz based batteries, like my mentor, Isabel, does. She's the dhampir with white hair and a missing contact over there." Isabel looked up at the mention of a missing contact and pulled out a mirror.
"Ah! Why didn't you say anything sooner?!"
"You tried to smother me earlier. This was payback." Isabel glared.
"So," asked Mrs. Patil. "What happened to my daughter?"
"Well, a couple of years ago, when myself and my mother went camping, we discovered that when we enter Dark Zones, areas without technology or a lightning storm happening nearby, our magic reacts… dangerously. With electrical devices on hand, we can last for a long while before we start having the equivalent of a seizure. How long were you in Diagon Alley before you started seizing?"
"We were in the Alley for about an hour. I think what helped me was this." Padma held out her other hand and showed a digital watch. "Dad gave me this last year after a business trip."
"That'd do it," said Isabel. "Look at it right now. You'll see it's dimmer than it should be. That's because your body was slowly draining it to sustain itself. Do you know where you were going to be attending school?"
"Hogwarts, ma'am."
"Then it's a good thing we decided to go there after all, huh Kid?"
"Very good thing. If Technomancers are going to be attending school in a Dark Zone, they need as much electrical equipment around them as possible."
"What exactly can Technomancers do," asked Hermione.
"Depends on the type. If you're an Alpha, you can manipulate energy to a large degree. My uncle, Cole, learned several ways to manipulate energy and information in the form of computer code since we both discovered our powers four years ago. He can use it as offensive and defensive techniques as well as healing, conjuring and maneuverability. There's also a few other things he refuses to share with me, selfish dick."
"Language," said Hermione and Cindy at once. Hermione blushed as Cindy smiled at her parents.
"So," said Padma. "I take it that means you're the other type? The Beta?"
"Yes. For me, I have a minimal control over energy and have a more mechanical use for my magic. I've demonstrated it to Hermione earlier today, I'll show you right now." Harry pulled out his phone and activated Schematic, dismantling his phone and had the pieces hover in front of himself. The girls watched fascinated as Mr. Patil looked at Cindy.
"That is quite a remarkable talent. Is it a family magic?"
"Harry's my adopted son. It's pure coincidence that my brother had the same magic. Until four years ago, I thought I was the only First Generation mage in my family. That's Muggleborn to you, I believe."
"What happened to his parents," asked Mrs. Patil.
"Voldemort," said Isabel. "Say hello to Harry Potter." Harry glared at Isabel.
"Not everyone needs to know!"
"They asked." She grinned at him. Harry glared before smirking evilly. "Pika…"
"Don't you d…"
"Chu!" Harry sent a bolt of lightning between Padma and struck Isabel, making her scream. Hermione held back a laugh for a few seconds before Harry started laughing and joined him. Padma and Parvati looked at them confused.
"It's a reference to a popular anime," said Hermione. "A Japanese cartoon."
"What's a cartoon," asked Padma's sister.
"We'll show you if you decide to come over to the company," said Harry. "And if your parents allow it."
"What else can you do," asked Padma.
"Well, I can download information." Harry tapped two fingers to Padma's temple, making her eyes show the same blue circuit lines as his. "You had whole wheat toast with strawberry jam and a glass of orange juice for breakfast this morning." Harry noticed her eyes. "And I think I know which type of Technomancer you are."
"Which?"
"Well, my eyes show blue circuit lines, and Cole's show slightly green lines. Sasha, one of our employees at Daniels Magical Technologies, theorized that the color was an indication of what type of Technomancer we were."
"Well," said Isabel, smoothing her hair back to normal as she walked over. "Let's see." She reached into her purse and pulled out a blueprint.
"Why do you have that in your purse," asked Hermione.
"Because… shut up." She placed the blueprint in front of Padma and stood back. Padma looked at the blueprints and gasped as the same blueprints appeared in her vision, floating in the air in the same color as Harry's eyes and her own.
"Amazing."
"I know," said Harry with a grin. "With time, you won't need the blueprints or the actual device in front of you for this to appear. You could even be as good as me when it comes to inventing."
"Modest as hell," coughed Isabel. Harry glared at her before turning back to the girls and seeing Hermione trying to see if she had Technomancy as well. Harry chuckled softly and held his hands up in defense when she glared at him.
"Sorry. You just remind me of my friend, Sakura. She did the same thing when she learned Cole had the same abilities as me. Not everyone can be a Technomancer, well, unless they use whatever methods the First Sons have been using."
"First Sons," asked Parvati.
"Terrorists," said Hermione. "They've been attacking places all over the world using strange armor and powers."
"They're using artificial Technomancy," said Holly as she blinked into existence, scaring the twins. She turned to them. "Hello. My name is Holly. I am Harry's A.I. assistant."
"A.I.?"
"Artificial Intelligence," said Harry. "She's basically a computer with emotions and a terrible sense of humor."
"I resent that," said Holly.
"Oh really, Ms. 'Take-over-the-world'?"
"Not my fault there's been a number of movies about deranged and horribly made A.I. I blame Hollywood for your lack of appreciation."
"I'm sure your jokes are hilarious, Holly," said Hermione.
"Thank you, Ms. Granger."
"Back on topic," said Padma's twin. "What other cool things can you do?!" Harry held out his hand and drained data from his phone to conjure three roses, one red, one white, and one blue and handed each girl a rose. White for Hermione, blue for Padma and red for her sister. All three blushed darkly and the fathers glared slightly at him as Cindy smiled.
"I've taught him well."
"You taught your son to be a womanizer," asked Mr. Granger.
"I taught him to be respectable, fair, and a romantic. Not my fault fathers can't handle someone potentially taking their princesses," she said, casually taking a bite of vanilla ice cream as Mrs. Granger and Mrs. Patil calmed their husbands down.
"Oh, I almost forgot," said Hermione. "Earlier, when we first met, you said you were planning on attending Ilvermorny in America. What made you change your mind?"
"The person we were doing business with turned out to be Albus Dumbledore himself. He said he was implementing a modern security system to lessen the physical toll on their one and only caretaker, Mr. Filch. He's apparently getting old and can't keep running around the halls only to miss students by a hair or to have them be on the other side of the castle. Have you heard how massive Hogwarts is? It's too much for one person to monitor by themselves."
"You know you've ruined the fun of a lot of innocent wizards and witches, right," asked Padma's sister.
"I'm sure Ms.…"
"Parvati."
"Parvati, that if they truly were innocent, they wouldn't need to hide."
"Oh, you're going to be a spoilsport, aren't you?"
"More like… an opportunist. If they want a place to… have fun… they need to pay a fee."
"Oh, and since you're most likely setting this up…"
"I can, discreetly, be paid to tell about a few blind spots in the system or be 'persuaded' to have a few places be put under maintenance."
"That's," said Hermione. "That's…"
"Devious," said Padma. "You'd have a monopoly on student's private time outside of dorms."
"And he makes more than a pretty Knut on it," said Parvati with a grin.
"Knut," asked Harry. "Oh, right. You use different currency than us. I forgot. We've been using digital currency back in the States."
"What was that device you dismantled," asked Padma.
"My phone." Harry reassembled it and dialed Hermione's number. Hermione pulled out her own phone as it started ringing, the Tardis sound effect playing on it. Harry grinned and turned to the twins. "These devices allow us to communicate with each other over a long distance. Think like a Floo call without a fireplace and the soot covering your body."
"Phone please," exclaimed Parvati, holding out her hand eagerly.
"Two hundred US dollars," said Isabel. They turned to the dhampir, both eyes now red as she took out the one remaining contact. "Sorry, no handouts. Upgrades are one thing. But free things are not… ow!" She rubbed her head from where Cindy smacked her. She looked at Harry and nodded. He grinned, ended his call to Hermione and called Sasha instead.
"Hello?"
"Are you in R&D right now?"
"Where else would I be? Zed doesn't take me anywhere."
"One Charging through!"
"Clearing a zone." Harry handed his phone to Hermione and stood up.
"Watch this." Harry Charged through the phone and traveled on the phone signal to Sasha's in R&D. He landed and grinned. "We have a couple of extra Phoenix II's in here, right?"
"Why?"
"Well…"
"Let me guess. You're trying to impress a couple of girls, aren't you?"
"Am I that predictable?"
"Yes. They're on my desk. Made to match yours and already Charge compatible so you can visit."
"You knew I'd be doing this, didn't you?"
"I thought it'd be when your started school, not a couple months before it. Zed and Zeke are testing something in the garage. Would you kindly check on them and make sure they're not developing another hoverboard prototype."
"Stop 'Atlas-ing' me."
"A man chooses, a slave obeys. You could always choose to say no, but you don't. You are, therefore, my slave." She turned back to what she was working on. "Have fun with you new friends, 'Jack'." Harry stuck his tongue out at her and Charged to the garage before heading back. He arrived just in time to see Zeke land on his ass from another failed prototype. He stood over the man.
"Didn't we say not to encourage him, Zeke?"
"Oh, hey, Little Man!" He stood up and dusted off his lab coat. "You did, but he said he'd let me in on the profit if it worked. Little extra bonus."
"Except he didn't tell you that because you're both D.M.T. employees, any inventions made using company equipment and on company grounds is considered a company product and any successful inventions are to be company assets. You don't get a bonus, just like I don't."
"You don't work here."
"No, but Mom does. And she makes sure any money I would've made is put into a trust for when I turn 16."
"Huh. Sure wish I'd have been told that."
"You were told. You just fell asleep halfway through the hiring interview and didn't hear the last part."
"Oh right. Man was I tired that day."
"Yeah, well fighting a terrorist organization a few days before will do that." Zed ran over and spotted Harry. He tried backing away silently. "Arc." He shot the taser fingers at Zed, making him stop. He retracted them and let Zed fall to the ground. "We said, no more hoverboard prototypes, Zed."
"Won't stop me…"
"Do you want to keep working here?"
"Yes…"
"Then please, stop. We cut your funding for this when I first came to you guys. Do we need to dock your pay for using company assets for a personal project."
"No… I'll stop."
"Good man. Nullify." His gauntlets turned back into cufflinks and he patted Zed's cheek and Charged back to R&D. "He'll stop. For now at least. We know he'll be back at it in about a month."
"Yeah, but at least he's not potentially hurting himself and others for now."
"I'll be heading back now."
"Alright." She held up her phone and he Charged back to the ice cream parlor. The girls looked at him, amazed.
"As long as it has a connected network, we can travel through it. Electrical systems, cellular networks, the internet. We can travel along each of these."
"Internet," asked Padma.
"The world's largest source of information," said Hermione. "Think a supermassive library you can find anything in."
"Though most use it for porn," said Isabel, earning a smack upside the head from Cindy.
"Porn," asked Parvati. Cindy and Mrs. Granger glared at the dhampir.
"Sex recorded and put onto websites, areas with specific things all in one spot," said Harry. "These sites are only for adults above the age of 18."
"Why would someone do that," asked Padma.
"Some made a career out of it," said Isabel. "Others do it either by accident or as a thrill."
"They don't need to know that," said Cindy.
"Better they learn it like this rather than accidentally stumbling on a site while Padma is exploring by herself and get scarred for life."
"I suppose," said Mrs. Granger. "But…"
"But nothing. They learn about this kind of thing around this age anyways. Girls especially since they mature faster."
"Hell she already gave me The Talk."
"You what," asked Cindy. Isabel shrugged.
"Someone had to do it. And you were too scared to. It was either me, Cole, or Zeke."
"…When you put it like that…"
"So that doesn't warrant a smack."
"Actually," said Harry. "It was against her wishes, no matter how necessary it was, so…" Cindy grinned and smacked her boss upside the head.
"Traitor," said Isabel.
"Loyal to my mother before you, Izzy."
"And stop calling me Izzy!" The twins and Hermione giggled at the exchange between the two of them. Harry held out his hands to the twins, handing them each a phone.
"Here you go, girls. Phoenix II smartphones. These are simple to use…" As Harry explained how to operate the phones, Padma moving closer to him instinctively, Isabel turned to the Patil's.
"Harry would be more than willing to come over and help Padma learn everything he's learned about Technomancy. She could even Charge over to the company to learn there."
"Are you sure that's alright," asked Mrs. Patil.
"Of course," said Cindy. "For the longest time, it's been only Harry and his uncle, my brother Cole. And it works out for both of them. Padma gets a tutor of this new magic, and they both get a friend they can relate to."
"And it looks like sparks may fly between those two with time," said Isabel, indicating Harry and Padma. She saw Hermione glance between Harry's explanation of the phone and Harry and Padma. 'And it seems like Hermione may develop some feelings as well. How can I work that into their favor?' Cindy saw the gears working in her bosses head and looked at the children.
"Harry. Did you want to get to Olivander's anytime soon?"
"That was our next destination, actually," said Mrs. Patil. "We'll join you."
"As for us," said Mr. Granger. "We've already gotten everything Hermione needs for school. Unless they see fit as to ask for a visit, we'll see you at King's Cross." His wife nodded and Hermione said goodbye to Harry and the twins before joining her parents and heading for the exit. Isabel paid for the ice cream everyone had bought and the group left for Ollivander's.
"Had you gotten a wand already," asked Harry.
"I had," said Parvati. "But Mr. Ollivander said to return in a few hours for Padma's. Said hers needed to be specially crafted, for some reason."
"It could have something to do with the Technomancy," said Padma. "He said each wand I tried reacted differently than he'd ever seen. One core matched up, but the wood started to burn."
"Well," said Harry. "Our magic is based on technology which requires the correct conductive material to operate. It's why I was heading to Ollivander's in the first place. To borrow a book on wand lore and see how to craft my own wand using this." Harry showed them Sparky's orb. Padma reached out to touch it and gasped when the lightning inside seemed to jump towards her, making a jagged line from Harry's hand to hers. "It's never done that before."
"Does it have something to do with your magic," asked Parvati.
"Maybe. But I've handed this thing to Cole hundreds of times and it's never had that kind of reaction." Isabel noticed what happened and grinned inwardly, having an idea what it meant. They got to the wand shop and walked in, looking around for the odd wand maker. Four years of fighting the First Sons have made Harry's instincts sharper than most. He pulled out his staff, connected the two pieces and aimed an end at a man creeping behind his mother.
"Not many can tell where I am when they first walk in," said the man with a grin, startling everyone but Harry. "Good show, Mr. Potter."
"It's MacGrath, sir," said Harry, lowering the staff. "I was adopted by my mother three years ago. She's the woman you were about to scare.
"My apologies. It was not my intention to scare anyone."
"Well," said Parvati. "You scared me last time."
"My apologies again, Ms. Patil. Now. I believe your sister is here to pick up her wand?" Padma nodded and he made his way to the back of the shop. He returned with an ornate box, carrying it in his hands like it was a valuable treasure, which it may be to him. "I believe you'll find this wand to your liking, Ms. Patil. Storm Dragon heartstring core…" he lifted the lid revealing a dark brown wand with metal worked into the grip. "Walnut with an iron grip. Give it a wave, my dear." Harry stopped Padma from gripping the wand.
"Not the right metal," he said. "Ninth best conductive material in the world. The connection would be horrible."
"My boy," said Ollivander. "Forgive me. I'm not familiar with what metals would work for a wand."
"Normally, none would. But she is a Technomancer, like myself. It would require something with a higher conductivity. Zinc, would be more appropriate." He made the wands blueprints appear in his eyes and looked it over, somehow seeing it's very layout. He messed around with the blueprint before nodding. "Definitely zinc. Not too conductive but capable enough for the minimal amount of metal incorporated into the wand without having to take it apart fully."
"Did you just look at the schematic of the wand," asked Isabel.
"I think so… I just focused on it like I would a machine back at home. I saw the flow of magic from the core and it's flow into the metal grip was… faulty. Wouldn't connect to her properly and the spells would be underpowered." Harry pulled out Sparky's orb again and examined it closely, picturing the same layout as Padma's wand before seeing the blueprint explode. He blinked.
"Not every wand is made the same way," said Mr. Ollivander. "The way Padma's wand was made wouldn't work for what you seem to have in mind. Thunderbird's Storm. Willingly given, I presume?"
"Upon it's death, yes."
"Regrettable, but unavoidable. A Thunderbird's Storm is a rare sight, for one to be given to a human, even more so. I take it, you want to use it was your wand core."
"If it's possible. I was actually here to ask for a book on wand lore so I can give other Technomancers a proper wand. Ever since I discovered my magic, I presumed a normal wand wouldn't work properly for one of my kind."
"I'd argue otherwise, but after seeing Padma's reactions to the wands we tried earlier, I'd have to reassess my first assumption. I've encountered Electromancers before and assumed the same solution would work for her as well."
"Good thinking. Only problem is just as there are many types of wood and cores. So too are there types of metal. If you ever encounter another Technomancer, a good test would be to show them a basic blueprint and wait for their eyes to show lines like these," he pointed to his eyes. "Next, have them try to send a current through a piece of metal. Depending on the voltage they send, through it, the right metal goes a long way. For those with high energy, Pure silver, pure copper, and pure gold are your best bet. A medium voltage would be for zinc, nickel, brass and bronze. For low voltage, the safest metal is iron followed by platinum then steel. Lead is too poisonous to handle, and stainless steel barely carries a charge, from what we've found when experimenting with my staff."
"You have a staff," asked Ollivander.
"Not an ordinary staff." Harry brought out his Tesla Staff and connected the ends. He sent a few volts through it making electricity spark around the staff. "This was made so I could use my magic in either a melee or long range fashion."
"Just like a magical staff," said Ollivander.
"I suppose so, then." Harry flicked a small piece up at one end of the staff and held it in the crook of his arm as he looked down the staff at what he just flicked. "Except mine comes with a sight so I can see where my shot will land where older staves had a bit of range issues, from what I've read." He fired off a bolt passed Ollivander and hit a fly in the air. "Also, staves were only used by experienced mages who knew the effective distance of the spells they were using. Otherwise, it wasn't a proper foci, if I'm not mistaken."
"Quite right. May I see the Storm?" Harry handed the orb to him and he examined it. "Yes, I have an idea of what to do with this. But it'll take time."
"Is a month enough? I turn eleven then."
"I should have it ready by then. In the meantime." Ollivander went behind the counter and pulled out a book before handing it to Harry. "This is a book on wand lore. I believe this is what you were looking for?"
"How did you?..." Ollivander just smiled and ushered them out of his shop after handing Padma the box.
"I trust Mr. Potter can make the proper adjustments to your wand, Ms. Patil." He smiled and closed the door to his shop.
"I think we should leave now," said Cindy. She turned to the Patil's. "It's been a pleasure meeting you all."
"The same to you," said Mrs. Patil. The twins said goodbye to Harry, Parvati even kissing his cheek before they left. Cindy grinned at her son as he blushed.
"That's my son. The perfect gentleman."
"Please don't embarrass me anymore, Mom."
"Alright, I'll stop. Do you want to try Charging with company?"
"Not when you're at risk of getting hurt."
"Again," said Isabel. "Don't think I didn't notice you left me out!" Harry grinned again. They took hold of the rope and took the portkey home.
(Author's Notes)
I'd have had this and Revival out sooner but my modem died on me so I didn't have access to the internet for a week. Anyway, I have a question for you guys, my regular readers especially. Can you guess what the 'Coming Darkness' is? PM me what you think I have planned for BoT's sequel story. BoT will focus on years 1-6 and periodically, I will be giving hints about what is coming in the sequel. I already have one hint in this story. If you caught it, and have an idea what the threat is, you get a choice. Either have an OC entered into the story later on, or something I'll tell you about in a PM if you guessed correctly. Hope you guys have some other ideas for things to add to Harry's arsenal, I know there are a lot of interesting ideas either from your own mind or from certain pieces of fiction that you feel would fit. Until next time, Y'all!
