Harry sat down in Albus's cottage on a large throne that seemingly had come from some sort of King's palace. The cottage which turned out since Harry had discovered a wine cellar, a conservatory, two rooms for socks, and a library about no subject other than quidditch was not as small as it first appeared, was getting rather full. The inhabitants included Lady Morgana, Atrus, Snape who was up to his knees in a special liquid potion to warm him up, Alastor Moody and his Aurors, and of course the gang which had saved the hour again. Harry had gotten himself just a small glass of sprite ale which once sipped was still making him cough and he had nearly passed out, Ron had forgotten to warn him that fairy drinks weren't weaker but in fact about five times stronger than normal wine.
"*Cough* So Albus feeling any better? *Cough*" Harry said approaching the aged wizard as he sat in the corner by a warm fire leaning on his stick. Albus looked considerably better and had started once again wearing his wizard robes and regaining the twinkle in his eye as some rose returned to his cheek.
"Ah Harry much better much better indeed though I must say it's more due to the sprite ale than anything else, whatever you do don't sip it, it overwhelms your constitution it does then." Albus said as Harry looked down at his small cup of glowing golden ale and decided to trust Albus long enough to take a long drink, hoping he didn't fall to the ground unconscious…surprisingly it was mild and sweet tasting that way.
'I will never understand fairies.' Harry said.
"I suspect you have quite a few questions regarding the afternoon's events Harry." Albus said simply sipping his own glass in a single gulp.
"You might say that." Harry made the understatement of the year.
"Well what would you like to know?" Albus asked simply putting his hands on his lap before snatching a pastry off a nearby cart being brought in by a remarkably well mannered Dolby trained House elf Sirius had asked for the celebration.
Harry knew how the book containing Grindewald had gotten in Philip's hands. Atrus had obviously wandered through Morgana's library and grabbed the tomb just as the Dark Lord had said.
"How did Grindelwald survive?" Harry asked calmly.
"His own evil I'm sorry to say Harry. Like Voldemort Octavian believed that true immortality did not come from being just and righteous but from magic like far too many fools throughout history. The Prime Magic he so touted and you unfortunately felt the sting of was his key, it is not the power of God as he would have believed but merely the magic within all of it…with less and less control." Albus sighed.
"Quicker, Easier, More Seductive." Harry smirked at Albus.
"Why yes Harry that's a very apt description. His obsession was with his book was all that gave him what little control he had and once destroyed he lost what little magic he had and with his physical form scattered will always exist….but less than a ghost or even soul, buffeted forever by the magical energies he's forever trapped in." Albus Dumbledore spoke as Harry winced, not wishing that sort of fate on anyone, even Grindelwald.
"Why Philip?" Harry asked blinked "I mean if Grindelwald could have chosen any student in New Avalon as he said then why him?"
"Ah yes well Harry…don't worry about him really, he managed to deflect most of the bolt with a simple absorb/dissipate charm I've made use of myself many a time. For the next few weeks he'll be waited on hand and foot like when I had that foot long big toe from a failed…" he smirked at Harry's bewilderment "In truth Harry the poor young American was the victim of a ruse conducted by myself and Severus Snape. The quill of Rowena Ravenclaw informed us that destiny had chosen him to become Grindelwald's next host and Rowena was quite the good diviner….so I took it upon myself to hyper train him in the magical arts and give him a scholarship to Grindelwald's last known location." Albus said simply looking rather guilty.
Harry just blinked at him "So you deliberately put him in that situation." His voice was very disturbed.
"I must admit yes I did Harry and I thought it was for the best. I felt great guilt contacting a man who had been missed by America's very poor magical location facilities and who had grown up completely unaware of magic save perhaps for an attraction to fantasy, an attraction to books, and a belief in the spiritual beyond the norm and I took him from his safe world to a very frightening world where I knew he would be tormented greatly by many things he didn't understand and ultimately become host to an evil that he had never before faced and probably never would have faced had he stayed in his comfortable little Kentucky home, probably would have been a minister there or raised horses without alicorns or wings." Albus sighed and cleaned his glasses.
"How can you do something like that?" Harry said, feeling very betrayed by his mentor.
"I would have felt worse Harry had I left Philip unwittingly to the hands of an evil unprepared…I knew where he would be that he would have friends and protectors who might help him get through the crisis and overcome the horror. Harry the day I sent you the letter to Hogwarts I saw that quill write again with information that said you would ultimately be forced to face Voldemort again, I could have left you with the Dursleys but he eventually would have found you….and he would have killed you. Thus I took it upon myself to introduce you into a similar world." Albus shook his head "I am sorry for the pain I have caused both you and Philip but I followed my conscience Harry and gave you what I could like I gave Philip what was most precious to me."
It was then that Hermes bounced up and landed in Albus Dumbledore's lap before the old wizard placed his hand in between the rabbit's ears and stroked down. Harry looked up at Albus with a skeptical look.
"Oh no no Harry, Hermes isn't what's most precious to me. OW!" Albus said as he looks down at the Rabbit and leaned over to pick up a pebble off the ground, which had mysteriously collided with his head. "Though certainly he comes close…I swear one of these days I'll figure out where he gets all those. No Hermes was a Loa, sort of patron saint of animals who are animals that I managed to hook up with while visiting New Orleans, he was such a cute bunny and no proper wizard is without a familiar…" he looked at Harry again with a smile "Memories Harry is my most precious possession Harry and my heart's desire is to have as many of them as I can before I die filled with good tidings, comfort, and love for all my fellows and family."
Harry didn't understand then it dawned on him "Philip's memories of being in Ravenclaw…"
"Those weren't Octavian Grindelwald's, oh heaven's no. No Philip would have rejected them in an instant so filled with guilt, paranoia, and desire to make up for the wrongs of his ancestors when in truth he should have been just trying to live up to his potential. You have to have a like mind you know for the memory charm to work and the young wizard and I were a perfect match I'm happy to say, then again he's a relative so…" Harry blinked at Albus's words.
"Philips a relative?!" Harry stared at Albus. He was surprised to find the Dumbeldore family was wider spread than he had imagined, somehow he'd just thought that the old man was one of a kind.
"As far as you know. Really Harry, don't believe everything a dodgering old man tells you. In any case they along with a strong moral foundation, and…something else allowed Philip to cast out Grindelwald. Deprived of a book, a body, and left only to his own devices he is no more. That and a little help from…oh but I shan't spoil that for you." Albus smiled "Best to let the hero of the hour bask in his glory."
"Oh please I don't know how I'm going to live down this one." Harry pulled up a seat "The craziness after Voldemort's defeat was bad enough eleven years afterward and the months after it was really over wasn't exactly much fun either. I don't know how I'm going to get "Harry Potter saves College from Dead Wizard" out of the news."
"Well Harry if your lucky you'll be replaced by the latest werewolf attack in a week, Grindelwald's reign on the Earth this time was thankfully brief and you can share the credit with many. Though I've left out who exactly was possessed in my statements to Alastor, Philip has a scholarship and I'd hate for him to lose it, especially when no one died." Albus nodded with a grateful look and Harry reluctantly concurred, Albus never concealed things from children but he was oddly the reverse with adults he didn't respect. Alastor Moody had killed six giant cobras, a basilisk, and had subdued personally a Hungarian Horntail before Charles Wealsey apparating in from Romania had managed to get the other five dragons under control, thankfully only a few injuries had been reported from the incident and a lot of frightened hearts. The property damage had been fairly minimal as well.
"So Baal Krell's death had nothing to do with Grindelwald?" Harry asked hoping they didn't all bear some responsibility for his death.
"Alas no Lilith Krell's son, she's resigning you know, lies in the grave that he dug for himself. The young man apparently turned to the Dark Arts in order to acquire a bit of female companionship which I personally think any young man can get if he puts his mind to it, adopts some manners, and…I'm sorry I seem to be causing you to look ill Harry." Albus smirked and poked Harry in the stomach.
"Ah well." Harry sighed and looked across the room at Cho Chang.
"I think it's time dear boy that you went on to other aspects of the party." Albus gently nudged his student up from his chair.
"I think your right."
***
Ron Wealsey shook his head as he drank down heavily his sprite ale and put it to one side, thinking how fun it was going to be for Harry to be coughing all night by sipping it. He also was munching on his favorite brand of chocolate chip cookie while sitting Albus Dumbledore's bed, currently covered in wizard cloaks.
"Well I've certainly made a mess of things." Ron leaned back and looked up at Albus's silk curtains which the canopy had images of stars woven into them. While it was embarrassing enough that he'd nearly had his soul sucked out of his body by the first girl he'd liked since arriving at New Avalon. He had also accused someone of murder and while he'd been right on the sickles that there was something wrong about him, he felt pretty much he'd gone about it in a very bad way. What was it his mother was always saying 'never just go for a pretty face'.
"Eh don't be so hard on yourself." A voice said from behind Ron, which caused him to immediately get up and look behind him as he saw Alastor Moony of all people holding a thief's lantern and with his one eye squinting.
"MOODY!" Ron said blinking wondering what in the Lord's name he was doing under a bed during the middle of a party.
"You managed to acquit yourself well Ron against the forces of evil and handled a succubus level four threat and class five free roaming ghost, most powerful type you know, only faced one before in my life." Moody said tapping his false eye. "You'll make a fine Auror someday if you keep up this kill schedule."
"Um yeah….ummm Moody why exactly are you checking under Albus's bed?" Ron observed looking and having a distinctive feeling of exactly what it is going on.
"It's a common practice of mine that before I attend any parties whether they be common house hold get togethers or balls in my honor, to check each and every room thoroughly for Dark wizard tampering or traps or hidden agents of unsavory characters who might be listening or plotting some doom." Moody crossed his arms and swiveled his false eye "With the number of wizards present here of great renown for fighting the Dark Arts one has to suspect any number of forces from Death-Eater remnants, Wotan's Eye fanatics if such might and can exist, to even common wizards of dubious sanity wishing to make a name for themselves to strike."
Ron Wealsey took a long look at Alastor Moody and blinked for several moments before shaking his head as he reminded himself once again that the man's paranoia was somewhat justified and then less complimentary that he had been modeling himself after Alastor.
"Alastor I hate to say this but if I have to keep up this kill schedule I just may want to reconsider joining the Aurors." Ron shook his head, the idea of finding himself in bed with Isolde Devlin had seriously lost it's appeal once he'd known that she had been wanting it because she'd been kept from sucking souls freely until him.
"You do that boy….ooo is that Sprite ale, give me a sip would you, good stuff unless you swill it which makes it taste like elf water." Alastor said taking a sip of the teacup that Ron had nearly drained. Putting just a little on his lips, which made Moody give a satisfied 'aahhh' several seconds later. "It's a hard life chasing after the Dark Arts creatures and practitioners with knowledge that you probably won't make a dent in the eldritch hordes which lie just beyond humanity and even wizard ken. You have to take what pleasures you can in life because the next day you might lose your life or even your sanity."
'Good recruitment speech.' Ron thought. "Then why do you do it Moody?"
Alastor gave a sort of half smile before sitting down and putting his hand to his head, a look of heavy introspection coming over those all too calculating eyes. Alastor Moody's voice lowered for a moment and became almost quiet as he said his next words with great care "I thought that much would be obvious Ron. I'm not going to get glory, which matters towards me at least, that becomes fairly bitter and pointless once you realize what's out there. I'm going to spend my days looking at shadows because I know even when there's no report of something out there I have to follow up every lead and read every old case file I can because I know if I don't somewhere, somehow some poor Muggle, witch, or wizard is going to suffer because I didn't go the distance." Alastor sighed. "I suffer Ron, we all suffer because unless we do this the payment will be in someone else's hide. I barely sleep now but I wouldn't be able to sleep now Ron but I couldn't sleep at all if I didn't do what I did."
Ron just sat there taking a look at his wand for a long time as he thought of the fact he wouldn't be fighting for himself but he'd be fighting for other people as an Auror and just really what the price would be to live a life that wasn't forced on him like Harry and Voldemort or really Ron and Hermione had been put through for simply being Harry's friend. He'd never actually get a day off from it, it was a bitter and firm realization as he picked up his wand and knew Isolde Devlin had died because of it, she'd been a soul sucking beast and he'd been enchanted but it still didn't mean the truth hadn't destroyed a dream of his.
"Come on Ron let's go enjoy the party. This house is clean…for now." Alastor smirked patting Ron on the back as he opened the door for him that had been closed due to the ever -changing house's architecture.
***
'The top ten signs your going insane….you think you're a wizard, your possessed by a demon….' Philip thought as he sat on the top of Albus Dumbledore's roof where he looked at the mysterious castle of Hogwarts that he had never step foot in but he knew as intimately as any man might know a place. He wondered briefly as much as he'd liked to visit this place and talk among it's peoples and personages if he actually would fit in or whether or not he be like the serpent entering paradise, a Muggle in all but name tainting the magical purity that he had tasted of.
'It won't really matter now. They'll be sending me home if not to prison…or execution.' He thought briefly surprisingly resigned to either option as much as he hated the thought of leaving this world and it terrified him. He understood why they would do what they would do it and it made him a little less horror stricken. Philip remembered crystal clearly his memories as Albus Dumbledore in which all the nonsensical actions that were fairly sensible to him at the time had made sense and he remembered perfectly clearly the horrible things he had done while being possessed by Octavian Grindelwald and he wondered briefly just how much he had been master of his own.
As he ran through what he would do if he were going to be shot by fireballs or taken off to perhaps Azkaban which had been constructed in Albus Dumbledore's youth and the foolish childlike plans he might have to escape it he briefly thought about Hermione, Ron, and Harry. He had only known them for a week and truth be told had no idea what they were liked save what he'd been told by them and read. They were the first friends he had made though in the world of magic and they were somehow close to the deepest part of his heart.
'and I tried to kill them.' Philip thought blinking slowly. He had dreamed of Grindelwald's horrid form every night and the Dark Wizard's memories had intruded on his on several occasions but Philip had foolishly ignored or forgotten them. In no small part due to Grindelwald himself he had no doubt. Still he knew if he'd not been so afraid or had more decency he would have thrown out Gridelwald sooner. 'God forgive me I probably did kill Baal Krell…' the thought was sobering though still tainted by the curious question of why anyone would name a child after the distinctly unpleasant gods called Baal from the old testament.
"Philip.." he heard a voice on the roof call to him and interrupt his thoughts to avoid thinking about the horrible magical curses that had been flowing from him like a fountain spewing water.
"Hermione…hi." Philip said as he turned around to look at her, he'd been staying on this rooftop for some nights now since Albus had been taking him star gazing. The old wizard had been kind enough to let Philip stay at his cottage since he'd never been away from his home and was having enough trouble with the Sickles, Galleons, to dollars let alone pounds and having to find a place to stay. He started to approach her but she moved back a bit and Philip stopped and sat down, it was no wonder certainly.
"Ummm Philip I just thought you might like to talk about today." Hermione blinked at Philip as he breathed and was immediately overwhelmed by her presence as she sat down beside him, no one had come near him since the possession.
"There's not much to say is there." Philip said looking at the girl who had first kissed him on the lips, really kissed him, it was rather pathetic that at twenty years old but he'd gone to an exceptionally small private school and he'd always been shy. Probably because he knew in some place there was something different about him from the young women he'd been interested in, or that was probably just a major excuse. Hermione was obviously nervous around him, which didn't help his embarrassment. It was his only small consolation that whatever Grindelwald had done he couldn't make him harm her.
"A lot. Well Philip really I've known someone who been possessed before and it's really not that bad, her name was Ginny. It was really quite awful, Ron's sister in fact." Hermione said to Philip as he blinked at her, finding that the most unexpected thing Hermione might do. Okay he expected on some level she might try and downplay what had happened but were evil wizards rising up to steal people's souls common in the magical world? He felt her touch his hand, then move off as if she had been shocked before she put it back.
"Hermione you really don't have to do this." Philip said blinking as he shook his head, while it seemed wrong now to still want to be a minister while probably being a murderer, he still knew a lot of things about conscience and he knew that Hermione was afraid of him but felt it was her duty to un-burn the bridge that had been set alit by his actions.
"Uh Philip do you still like uh want to date?" Hermione asked as Philip jerked his head so fast at her that his glasses fly off his head and off the roof.
"Oh…" he started to swear before he realized that he was in the presence of a lady. Of all the responses that he had been expecting that hadn't been the one.
"Yeah I'd like that." He decided to kiss Hermione and she blinked, as they broke apart somewhat reluctantly.
"Well Grindelwald did some bad things to you…" she kissed him then as he smiled and got up "Come on, let's go down to the party.."
Philip didn't want to but he did.
***
Hermione looked at Philip as she walked onto the roof and went over the carefully planned speech she had made where she talked about how it wasn't Philip's fault, how she was still a bit woosy, then quoted the many instances of possession and cures and how many had gone on to live normal productive lives and then they'd snog and live happily ever after.
'Which now suddenly seems extremely ridiculous.' Hermione thought looking at Philip who was watching Hogwarts by starlight.
"Philip.." she said rather coolly as she cleared her throat. It wasn't as if she was in love with Philip, she knew her parents had disliked each other intensely and only had become a couple after Dentistry school. It was a rose being gardened rather than something instant but she did like him a lot and he was the type of person who would….errr…well throw themselves in front of lighting rather than see another person hurt.
'He saved my life.' Hermione blinked, which Harry had pointed out formed a bond between two people and it was a bond both Harry and Ron had shared with her for some time. Hermione decided to move over to Philip as he answered her, it was obvious he didn't want to be alone right now aside from the fact he was alone on top of a roof away from a party that required a rickety old ladder to reach.
"Ummm Philip I just thought you might like to talk about today." Hermione said which was as good as any way to start a conversation she imagined. If he wanted to talk about it, which he would, I mean how could he not. He'd ask her.
"There's not much to say is there." Philip replied and Hermione's heart sank just a little bit as she looked at him and brightened her resolve. Quite simply if he wasn't, going to talk on his own then she'd have to convince him to talk. A part of her still was trying to shake away the memory of Philip in the quasi-Nazi uniform that had been conjured by Grindelwald and the hideous look of triumph that had accompanied the acts of sadism. Still one look at Philip and they became two different people, Philip and Grindelwald whom was dead and good riddance she thought.
"A lot. Well Philip really I've known someone who been possessed before and it's really not that bad, her name was Ginny. It was really quite awful, Ron's sister in fact." Hermione started on her speech about possession and realized how rather stupid if not out and out frightening that was. It also added a bit of a different perspective to Ron's trouble during things she'd have to bring up with him later. She put her hand on his then jerked it away before she put it back down, she still wasn't sure she was comfortable with this or Philip was but his warm hand put her troubles to rest on that end.
"Hermione you really don't have to do this." Philip most curiously said and she looked at him with a look that was very confused, why shouldn't she do this? What was he thinking? Then it dawned on her what exactly he WAS thinking and Hermione had a wicked urge to scoff in his face. Hermione was never driven by guilt to actions, she felt a lot of guilt it was true but she followed her heart and that she had never had to feel sorry for. Well if Philip was going to think that Hermione was only up here because she felt sorry Philip had been possessed then he had another thing coming. A lot of people had suffered greatly including Neville who had lost his parents to Voldemort and Harry who had the same done, Mr. Crouch had lost his son and ultimately his life, and the Diggory's had lost Celdric. Well there was one way to debase him of that sort of an illusion even if it was a bit risqué according to Hermione's view.
"Uh Philip do you still like uh want to date?" she said with considerably less confidence in her words than she would have liked. It was then she saw the young man's glasses go flying.
'That's so cute.' Hermione thought as she heard Philip's affirmative reply and was very pleased indeed to feel his lips press against hers, which sent tingles up and down her spine, she had been kissing fairly regularly with Victor Krum but he had always been fairly rough with his Bulgarian athlete persona and oft unshaven face but he felt different and he was smooth and gentle, she liked that. She lost her train of thought and smiled at Philip's elation.
'It's nice to be wanted.' And said something stupid about Grindelwald she wished she hadn't, she didn't want think of him now and kissed him in response to cover up her mistake.
"Come on, let's go down to the party." Hermione took the young wizard by the hand and down the stairs.
***
Cho Chang was listening to a very boring diatribe by Professor Snape and was forced to relive flashbacks to her Potions class that she had never wanted to relive again. The Ravenclaws had Potions with the Hufflepuffs and there was nothing like remembering Hogwarts to put an unpleasant taste in her mouth. Celdric had died, Daniel Arbors, Melissa Estelles and others from that school who hadn't made it past Voldemort's new reign. It hadn't helped that Snape had taken off points from Cho constantly because she had grown up with the best potions master in all of England as her grandfather she could correct Snape on all sorts of the "little comments" he made which were well worth anything Ravenclaw lost. Still it was amazingly impolite to just leave a person in the middle of a conversation and she'd been dumb enough to start one up with him because he was obviously suffering.
"Yes I tried to stop Grindelwald but the demonic little spirit back sided my wand usage. I think I weakened the man and I fully intend to tell the Daily Prophet exactly how those three managed to finish him off only a tiring wizard duel." Snape began with a hiss.
"Those FOUR Professor Snape." Cho looked at the Professor as she drank her tea, she hated sprite ale. She also hated having people forget her part in the mess of activities that was involved in also. Harry definitely deserved credit for having the guts to go after Voldemort himself but she like everyone at Hogwarts had done her part to bring him down to, she was just annoyed she hadn't done more to put the kibosh on Grindelwald herself.
"Ah yes you had some sort of part in it as well didn't you Miss Chang." It was a statement not a question as Professor Snape pulled out a large stopped bottle with some amber fluid that Cho suspected was probably manticore urine or something equally as unpleasant before he drank some. While she'd never wish death on anyone she was almost sad for whoever among Moony's crew had the bad luck to be the one to unfreeze Snape before he had suffocated.
"Hi Cho." Harry said behind her as she immediately turned away from Snape and looked at Harry with a smile. "I just wanted to see how you were holding up after well….it."
Cho smirked and said her next statement with considerable irony "Remarkably well Harry, despite nearly being eaten by a snake-man and being crushed by a giant stone hand I'm peachy."
"Yeah." Harry smirked.
"That was quick thinking you showed there." Cho said patting Harry on the shoulder, she'd been glad to have his flying take out that thing's book, which apparently did something unpleasant to it. She'd have to ask Albus Dumbledore about it, he was a fellow Ravenclaw and knew everything.
"Yeah well you did good out there yourself." Harry smirked.
"Yeah…broom blown up and nearly die. Great." Cho blinked, more than a little embarrassed she hadn't done better. Her mother was going to kill her for needing a new broom but they hadn't improved on the Firebolt series and she had a summer job working at the Warbles restaurant as a waitress so she could afford it.
"Uhh…" Harry was obviously struggling for something to say.
"Don't mind me. I'll just sit here and drink my Invigorator draught and stare at the wall." Snape replied sucking down the amber fluid and wiping it on his robe sleave.
"You do that Snape." Harry smirked as Cho chuckled and said
"You trying out for Seeker now?" they both asked simultaneously.
The End…for now.
***
Comments?
This story has been really fun to write and expect much more to be said about New Avalon, Philip and Hermione's relationship, The Neo Death Eaters, and the Fraternities next story. Still I'd love to hear what you have to say…this has been a real exercise and my first real HP fan fiction of any length.
I really had fun writing it.
-Charlemagne
"*Cough* So Albus feeling any better? *Cough*" Harry said approaching the aged wizard as he sat in the corner by a warm fire leaning on his stick. Albus looked considerably better and had started once again wearing his wizard robes and regaining the twinkle in his eye as some rose returned to his cheek.
"Ah Harry much better much better indeed though I must say it's more due to the sprite ale than anything else, whatever you do don't sip it, it overwhelms your constitution it does then." Albus said as Harry looked down at his small cup of glowing golden ale and decided to trust Albus long enough to take a long drink, hoping he didn't fall to the ground unconscious…surprisingly it was mild and sweet tasting that way.
'I will never understand fairies.' Harry said.
"I suspect you have quite a few questions regarding the afternoon's events Harry." Albus said simply sipping his own glass in a single gulp.
"You might say that." Harry made the understatement of the year.
"Well what would you like to know?" Albus asked simply putting his hands on his lap before snatching a pastry off a nearby cart being brought in by a remarkably well mannered Dolby trained House elf Sirius had asked for the celebration.
Harry knew how the book containing Grindewald had gotten in Philip's hands. Atrus had obviously wandered through Morgana's library and grabbed the tomb just as the Dark Lord had said.
"How did Grindelwald survive?" Harry asked calmly.
"His own evil I'm sorry to say Harry. Like Voldemort Octavian believed that true immortality did not come from being just and righteous but from magic like far too many fools throughout history. The Prime Magic he so touted and you unfortunately felt the sting of was his key, it is not the power of God as he would have believed but merely the magic within all of it…with less and less control." Albus sighed.
"Quicker, Easier, More Seductive." Harry smirked at Albus.
"Why yes Harry that's a very apt description. His obsession was with his book was all that gave him what little control he had and once destroyed he lost what little magic he had and with his physical form scattered will always exist….but less than a ghost or even soul, buffeted forever by the magical energies he's forever trapped in." Albus Dumbledore spoke as Harry winced, not wishing that sort of fate on anyone, even Grindelwald.
"Why Philip?" Harry asked blinked "I mean if Grindelwald could have chosen any student in New Avalon as he said then why him?"
"Ah yes well Harry…don't worry about him really, he managed to deflect most of the bolt with a simple absorb/dissipate charm I've made use of myself many a time. For the next few weeks he'll be waited on hand and foot like when I had that foot long big toe from a failed…" he smirked at Harry's bewilderment "In truth Harry the poor young American was the victim of a ruse conducted by myself and Severus Snape. The quill of Rowena Ravenclaw informed us that destiny had chosen him to become Grindelwald's next host and Rowena was quite the good diviner….so I took it upon myself to hyper train him in the magical arts and give him a scholarship to Grindelwald's last known location." Albus said simply looking rather guilty.
Harry just blinked at him "So you deliberately put him in that situation." His voice was very disturbed.
"I must admit yes I did Harry and I thought it was for the best. I felt great guilt contacting a man who had been missed by America's very poor magical location facilities and who had grown up completely unaware of magic save perhaps for an attraction to fantasy, an attraction to books, and a belief in the spiritual beyond the norm and I took him from his safe world to a very frightening world where I knew he would be tormented greatly by many things he didn't understand and ultimately become host to an evil that he had never before faced and probably never would have faced had he stayed in his comfortable little Kentucky home, probably would have been a minister there or raised horses without alicorns or wings." Albus sighed and cleaned his glasses.
"How can you do something like that?" Harry said, feeling very betrayed by his mentor.
"I would have felt worse Harry had I left Philip unwittingly to the hands of an evil unprepared…I knew where he would be that he would have friends and protectors who might help him get through the crisis and overcome the horror. Harry the day I sent you the letter to Hogwarts I saw that quill write again with information that said you would ultimately be forced to face Voldemort again, I could have left you with the Dursleys but he eventually would have found you….and he would have killed you. Thus I took it upon myself to introduce you into a similar world." Albus shook his head "I am sorry for the pain I have caused both you and Philip but I followed my conscience Harry and gave you what I could like I gave Philip what was most precious to me."
It was then that Hermes bounced up and landed in Albus Dumbledore's lap before the old wizard placed his hand in between the rabbit's ears and stroked down. Harry looked up at Albus with a skeptical look.
"Oh no no Harry, Hermes isn't what's most precious to me. OW!" Albus said as he looks down at the Rabbit and leaned over to pick up a pebble off the ground, which had mysteriously collided with his head. "Though certainly he comes close…I swear one of these days I'll figure out where he gets all those. No Hermes was a Loa, sort of patron saint of animals who are animals that I managed to hook up with while visiting New Orleans, he was such a cute bunny and no proper wizard is without a familiar…" he looked at Harry again with a smile "Memories Harry is my most precious possession Harry and my heart's desire is to have as many of them as I can before I die filled with good tidings, comfort, and love for all my fellows and family."
Harry didn't understand then it dawned on him "Philip's memories of being in Ravenclaw…"
"Those weren't Octavian Grindelwald's, oh heaven's no. No Philip would have rejected them in an instant so filled with guilt, paranoia, and desire to make up for the wrongs of his ancestors when in truth he should have been just trying to live up to his potential. You have to have a like mind you know for the memory charm to work and the young wizard and I were a perfect match I'm happy to say, then again he's a relative so…" Harry blinked at Albus's words.
"Philips a relative?!" Harry stared at Albus. He was surprised to find the Dumbeldore family was wider spread than he had imagined, somehow he'd just thought that the old man was one of a kind.
"As far as you know. Really Harry, don't believe everything a dodgering old man tells you. In any case they along with a strong moral foundation, and…something else allowed Philip to cast out Grindelwald. Deprived of a book, a body, and left only to his own devices he is no more. That and a little help from…oh but I shan't spoil that for you." Albus smiled "Best to let the hero of the hour bask in his glory."
"Oh please I don't know how I'm going to live down this one." Harry pulled up a seat "The craziness after Voldemort's defeat was bad enough eleven years afterward and the months after it was really over wasn't exactly much fun either. I don't know how I'm going to get "Harry Potter saves College from Dead Wizard" out of the news."
"Well Harry if your lucky you'll be replaced by the latest werewolf attack in a week, Grindelwald's reign on the Earth this time was thankfully brief and you can share the credit with many. Though I've left out who exactly was possessed in my statements to Alastor, Philip has a scholarship and I'd hate for him to lose it, especially when no one died." Albus nodded with a grateful look and Harry reluctantly concurred, Albus never concealed things from children but he was oddly the reverse with adults he didn't respect. Alastor Moody had killed six giant cobras, a basilisk, and had subdued personally a Hungarian Horntail before Charles Wealsey apparating in from Romania had managed to get the other five dragons under control, thankfully only a few injuries had been reported from the incident and a lot of frightened hearts. The property damage had been fairly minimal as well.
"So Baal Krell's death had nothing to do with Grindelwald?" Harry asked hoping they didn't all bear some responsibility for his death.
"Alas no Lilith Krell's son, she's resigning you know, lies in the grave that he dug for himself. The young man apparently turned to the Dark Arts in order to acquire a bit of female companionship which I personally think any young man can get if he puts his mind to it, adopts some manners, and…I'm sorry I seem to be causing you to look ill Harry." Albus smirked and poked Harry in the stomach.
"Ah well." Harry sighed and looked across the room at Cho Chang.
"I think it's time dear boy that you went on to other aspects of the party." Albus gently nudged his student up from his chair.
"I think your right."
***
Ron Wealsey shook his head as he drank down heavily his sprite ale and put it to one side, thinking how fun it was going to be for Harry to be coughing all night by sipping it. He also was munching on his favorite brand of chocolate chip cookie while sitting Albus Dumbledore's bed, currently covered in wizard cloaks.
"Well I've certainly made a mess of things." Ron leaned back and looked up at Albus's silk curtains which the canopy had images of stars woven into them. While it was embarrassing enough that he'd nearly had his soul sucked out of his body by the first girl he'd liked since arriving at New Avalon. He had also accused someone of murder and while he'd been right on the sickles that there was something wrong about him, he felt pretty much he'd gone about it in a very bad way. What was it his mother was always saying 'never just go for a pretty face'.
"Eh don't be so hard on yourself." A voice said from behind Ron, which caused him to immediately get up and look behind him as he saw Alastor Moony of all people holding a thief's lantern and with his one eye squinting.
"MOODY!" Ron said blinking wondering what in the Lord's name he was doing under a bed during the middle of a party.
"You managed to acquit yourself well Ron against the forces of evil and handled a succubus level four threat and class five free roaming ghost, most powerful type you know, only faced one before in my life." Moody said tapping his false eye. "You'll make a fine Auror someday if you keep up this kill schedule."
"Um yeah….ummm Moody why exactly are you checking under Albus's bed?" Ron observed looking and having a distinctive feeling of exactly what it is going on.
"It's a common practice of mine that before I attend any parties whether they be common house hold get togethers or balls in my honor, to check each and every room thoroughly for Dark wizard tampering or traps or hidden agents of unsavory characters who might be listening or plotting some doom." Moody crossed his arms and swiveled his false eye "With the number of wizards present here of great renown for fighting the Dark Arts one has to suspect any number of forces from Death-Eater remnants, Wotan's Eye fanatics if such might and can exist, to even common wizards of dubious sanity wishing to make a name for themselves to strike."
Ron Wealsey took a long look at Alastor Moody and blinked for several moments before shaking his head as he reminded himself once again that the man's paranoia was somewhat justified and then less complimentary that he had been modeling himself after Alastor.
"Alastor I hate to say this but if I have to keep up this kill schedule I just may want to reconsider joining the Aurors." Ron shook his head, the idea of finding himself in bed with Isolde Devlin had seriously lost it's appeal once he'd known that she had been wanting it because she'd been kept from sucking souls freely until him.
"You do that boy….ooo is that Sprite ale, give me a sip would you, good stuff unless you swill it which makes it taste like elf water." Alastor said taking a sip of the teacup that Ron had nearly drained. Putting just a little on his lips, which made Moody give a satisfied 'aahhh' several seconds later. "It's a hard life chasing after the Dark Arts creatures and practitioners with knowledge that you probably won't make a dent in the eldritch hordes which lie just beyond humanity and even wizard ken. You have to take what pleasures you can in life because the next day you might lose your life or even your sanity."
'Good recruitment speech.' Ron thought. "Then why do you do it Moody?"
Alastor gave a sort of half smile before sitting down and putting his hand to his head, a look of heavy introspection coming over those all too calculating eyes. Alastor Moody's voice lowered for a moment and became almost quiet as he said his next words with great care "I thought that much would be obvious Ron. I'm not going to get glory, which matters towards me at least, that becomes fairly bitter and pointless once you realize what's out there. I'm going to spend my days looking at shadows because I know even when there's no report of something out there I have to follow up every lead and read every old case file I can because I know if I don't somewhere, somehow some poor Muggle, witch, or wizard is going to suffer because I didn't go the distance." Alastor sighed. "I suffer Ron, we all suffer because unless we do this the payment will be in someone else's hide. I barely sleep now but I wouldn't be able to sleep now Ron but I couldn't sleep at all if I didn't do what I did."
Ron just sat there taking a look at his wand for a long time as he thought of the fact he wouldn't be fighting for himself but he'd be fighting for other people as an Auror and just really what the price would be to live a life that wasn't forced on him like Harry and Voldemort or really Ron and Hermione had been put through for simply being Harry's friend. He'd never actually get a day off from it, it was a bitter and firm realization as he picked up his wand and knew Isolde Devlin had died because of it, she'd been a soul sucking beast and he'd been enchanted but it still didn't mean the truth hadn't destroyed a dream of his.
"Come on Ron let's go enjoy the party. This house is clean…for now." Alastor smirked patting Ron on the back as he opened the door for him that had been closed due to the ever -changing house's architecture.
***
'The top ten signs your going insane….you think you're a wizard, your possessed by a demon….' Philip thought as he sat on the top of Albus Dumbledore's roof where he looked at the mysterious castle of Hogwarts that he had never step foot in but he knew as intimately as any man might know a place. He wondered briefly as much as he'd liked to visit this place and talk among it's peoples and personages if he actually would fit in or whether or not he be like the serpent entering paradise, a Muggle in all but name tainting the magical purity that he had tasted of.
'It won't really matter now. They'll be sending me home if not to prison…or execution.' He thought briefly surprisingly resigned to either option as much as he hated the thought of leaving this world and it terrified him. He understood why they would do what they would do it and it made him a little less horror stricken. Philip remembered crystal clearly his memories as Albus Dumbledore in which all the nonsensical actions that were fairly sensible to him at the time had made sense and he remembered perfectly clearly the horrible things he had done while being possessed by Octavian Grindelwald and he wondered briefly just how much he had been master of his own.
As he ran through what he would do if he were going to be shot by fireballs or taken off to perhaps Azkaban which had been constructed in Albus Dumbledore's youth and the foolish childlike plans he might have to escape it he briefly thought about Hermione, Ron, and Harry. He had only known them for a week and truth be told had no idea what they were liked save what he'd been told by them and read. They were the first friends he had made though in the world of magic and they were somehow close to the deepest part of his heart.
'and I tried to kill them.' Philip thought blinking slowly. He had dreamed of Grindelwald's horrid form every night and the Dark Wizard's memories had intruded on his on several occasions but Philip had foolishly ignored or forgotten them. In no small part due to Grindelwald himself he had no doubt. Still he knew if he'd not been so afraid or had more decency he would have thrown out Gridelwald sooner. 'God forgive me I probably did kill Baal Krell…' the thought was sobering though still tainted by the curious question of why anyone would name a child after the distinctly unpleasant gods called Baal from the old testament.
"Philip.." he heard a voice on the roof call to him and interrupt his thoughts to avoid thinking about the horrible magical curses that had been flowing from him like a fountain spewing water.
"Hermione…hi." Philip said as he turned around to look at her, he'd been staying on this rooftop for some nights now since Albus had been taking him star gazing. The old wizard had been kind enough to let Philip stay at his cottage since he'd never been away from his home and was having enough trouble with the Sickles, Galleons, to dollars let alone pounds and having to find a place to stay. He started to approach her but she moved back a bit and Philip stopped and sat down, it was no wonder certainly.
"Ummm Philip I just thought you might like to talk about today." Hermione blinked at Philip as he breathed and was immediately overwhelmed by her presence as she sat down beside him, no one had come near him since the possession.
"There's not much to say is there." Philip said looking at the girl who had first kissed him on the lips, really kissed him, it was rather pathetic that at twenty years old but he'd gone to an exceptionally small private school and he'd always been shy. Probably because he knew in some place there was something different about him from the young women he'd been interested in, or that was probably just a major excuse. Hermione was obviously nervous around him, which didn't help his embarrassment. It was his only small consolation that whatever Grindelwald had done he couldn't make him harm her.
"A lot. Well Philip really I've known someone who been possessed before and it's really not that bad, her name was Ginny. It was really quite awful, Ron's sister in fact." Hermione said to Philip as he blinked at her, finding that the most unexpected thing Hermione might do. Okay he expected on some level she might try and downplay what had happened but were evil wizards rising up to steal people's souls common in the magical world? He felt her touch his hand, then move off as if she had been shocked before she put it back.
"Hermione you really don't have to do this." Philip said blinking as he shook his head, while it seemed wrong now to still want to be a minister while probably being a murderer, he still knew a lot of things about conscience and he knew that Hermione was afraid of him but felt it was her duty to un-burn the bridge that had been set alit by his actions.
"Uh Philip do you still like uh want to date?" Hermione asked as Philip jerked his head so fast at her that his glasses fly off his head and off the roof.
"Oh…" he started to swear before he realized that he was in the presence of a lady. Of all the responses that he had been expecting that hadn't been the one.
"Yeah I'd like that." He decided to kiss Hermione and she blinked, as they broke apart somewhat reluctantly.
"Well Grindelwald did some bad things to you…" she kissed him then as he smiled and got up "Come on, let's go down to the party.."
Philip didn't want to but he did.
***
Hermione looked at Philip as she walked onto the roof and went over the carefully planned speech she had made where she talked about how it wasn't Philip's fault, how she was still a bit woosy, then quoted the many instances of possession and cures and how many had gone on to live normal productive lives and then they'd snog and live happily ever after.
'Which now suddenly seems extremely ridiculous.' Hermione thought looking at Philip who was watching Hogwarts by starlight.
"Philip.." she said rather coolly as she cleared her throat. It wasn't as if she was in love with Philip, she knew her parents had disliked each other intensely and only had become a couple after Dentistry school. It was a rose being gardened rather than something instant but she did like him a lot and he was the type of person who would….errr…well throw themselves in front of lighting rather than see another person hurt.
'He saved my life.' Hermione blinked, which Harry had pointed out formed a bond between two people and it was a bond both Harry and Ron had shared with her for some time. Hermione decided to move over to Philip as he answered her, it was obvious he didn't want to be alone right now aside from the fact he was alone on top of a roof away from a party that required a rickety old ladder to reach.
"Ummm Philip I just thought you might like to talk about today." Hermione said which was as good as any way to start a conversation she imagined. If he wanted to talk about it, which he would, I mean how could he not. He'd ask her.
"There's not much to say is there." Philip replied and Hermione's heart sank just a little bit as she looked at him and brightened her resolve. Quite simply if he wasn't, going to talk on his own then she'd have to convince him to talk. A part of her still was trying to shake away the memory of Philip in the quasi-Nazi uniform that had been conjured by Grindelwald and the hideous look of triumph that had accompanied the acts of sadism. Still one look at Philip and they became two different people, Philip and Grindelwald whom was dead and good riddance she thought.
"A lot. Well Philip really I've known someone who been possessed before and it's really not that bad, her name was Ginny. It was really quite awful, Ron's sister in fact." Hermione started on her speech about possession and realized how rather stupid if not out and out frightening that was. It also added a bit of a different perspective to Ron's trouble during things she'd have to bring up with him later. She put her hand on his then jerked it away before she put it back down, she still wasn't sure she was comfortable with this or Philip was but his warm hand put her troubles to rest on that end.
"Hermione you really don't have to do this." Philip most curiously said and she looked at him with a look that was very confused, why shouldn't she do this? What was he thinking? Then it dawned on her what exactly he WAS thinking and Hermione had a wicked urge to scoff in his face. Hermione was never driven by guilt to actions, she felt a lot of guilt it was true but she followed her heart and that she had never had to feel sorry for. Well if Philip was going to think that Hermione was only up here because she felt sorry Philip had been possessed then he had another thing coming. A lot of people had suffered greatly including Neville who had lost his parents to Voldemort and Harry who had the same done, Mr. Crouch had lost his son and ultimately his life, and the Diggory's had lost Celdric. Well there was one way to debase him of that sort of an illusion even if it was a bit risqué according to Hermione's view.
"Uh Philip do you still like uh want to date?" she said with considerably less confidence in her words than she would have liked. It was then she saw the young man's glasses go flying.
'That's so cute.' Hermione thought as she heard Philip's affirmative reply and was very pleased indeed to feel his lips press against hers, which sent tingles up and down her spine, she had been kissing fairly regularly with Victor Krum but he had always been fairly rough with his Bulgarian athlete persona and oft unshaven face but he felt different and he was smooth and gentle, she liked that. She lost her train of thought and smiled at Philip's elation.
'It's nice to be wanted.' And said something stupid about Grindelwald she wished she hadn't, she didn't want think of him now and kissed him in response to cover up her mistake.
"Come on, let's go down to the party." Hermione took the young wizard by the hand and down the stairs.
***
Cho Chang was listening to a very boring diatribe by Professor Snape and was forced to relive flashbacks to her Potions class that she had never wanted to relive again. The Ravenclaws had Potions with the Hufflepuffs and there was nothing like remembering Hogwarts to put an unpleasant taste in her mouth. Celdric had died, Daniel Arbors, Melissa Estelles and others from that school who hadn't made it past Voldemort's new reign. It hadn't helped that Snape had taken off points from Cho constantly because she had grown up with the best potions master in all of England as her grandfather she could correct Snape on all sorts of the "little comments" he made which were well worth anything Ravenclaw lost. Still it was amazingly impolite to just leave a person in the middle of a conversation and she'd been dumb enough to start one up with him because he was obviously suffering.
"Yes I tried to stop Grindelwald but the demonic little spirit back sided my wand usage. I think I weakened the man and I fully intend to tell the Daily Prophet exactly how those three managed to finish him off only a tiring wizard duel." Snape began with a hiss.
"Those FOUR Professor Snape." Cho looked at the Professor as she drank her tea, she hated sprite ale. She also hated having people forget her part in the mess of activities that was involved in also. Harry definitely deserved credit for having the guts to go after Voldemort himself but she like everyone at Hogwarts had done her part to bring him down to, she was just annoyed she hadn't done more to put the kibosh on Grindelwald herself.
"Ah yes you had some sort of part in it as well didn't you Miss Chang." It was a statement not a question as Professor Snape pulled out a large stopped bottle with some amber fluid that Cho suspected was probably manticore urine or something equally as unpleasant before he drank some. While she'd never wish death on anyone she was almost sad for whoever among Moony's crew had the bad luck to be the one to unfreeze Snape before he had suffocated.
"Hi Cho." Harry said behind her as she immediately turned away from Snape and looked at Harry with a smile. "I just wanted to see how you were holding up after well….it."
Cho smirked and said her next statement with considerable irony "Remarkably well Harry, despite nearly being eaten by a snake-man and being crushed by a giant stone hand I'm peachy."
"Yeah." Harry smirked.
"That was quick thinking you showed there." Cho said patting Harry on the shoulder, she'd been glad to have his flying take out that thing's book, which apparently did something unpleasant to it. She'd have to ask Albus Dumbledore about it, he was a fellow Ravenclaw and knew everything.
"Yeah well you did good out there yourself." Harry smirked.
"Yeah…broom blown up and nearly die. Great." Cho blinked, more than a little embarrassed she hadn't done better. Her mother was going to kill her for needing a new broom but they hadn't improved on the Firebolt series and she had a summer job working at the Warbles restaurant as a waitress so she could afford it.
"Uhh…" Harry was obviously struggling for something to say.
"Don't mind me. I'll just sit here and drink my Invigorator draught and stare at the wall." Snape replied sucking down the amber fluid and wiping it on his robe sleave.
"You do that Snape." Harry smirked as Cho chuckled and said
"You trying out for Seeker now?" they both asked simultaneously.
The End…for now.
***
Comments?
This story has been really fun to write and expect much more to be said about New Avalon, Philip and Hermione's relationship, The Neo Death Eaters, and the Fraternities next story. Still I'd love to hear what you have to say…this has been a real exercise and my first real HP fan fiction of any length.
I really had fun writing it.
-Charlemagne