Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't even own Dudley.
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Harry should've known that he wouldn't be able to get away with such an excellent weekend. Unfortunately, Malfoy seemed to make it his personal goal to irritate him. Walking around the grounds three days later, he noticed a small crowd, huddled around what looked to be like a half-giant. At first he thought Hagrid was just teaching his Care of Magic Creatures class out in the grounds. But it looked almost like he was on fire.
Harry went closer to investigate, but he didn't like the sight awaiting him. As he drew closer, the students around it noticed him and guiltily parted. Harry finally got close enough, and noticed burning half-giant, was really a ten-foot tall effigy of himself.
Wow, he thought, Malfoy really put a lot of effort into this. The effigy was standing in a posture clearly indicating intense fear. His knees were buckled, and his hands were in front of himself, warding of danger away from his hunched body. The effigy was dressed in scuffed robes, and sporting matted and ugly hair. Of course, an effigy of Potter wouldn't be the same without the scar, and this effigy had a scar that clearly wasn't limited to the forehead. Harry's entire face was made in a grotesque mask of terror, decorated with glasses at least twice as big as they should be. A little inscription below read 'The Boy Who Feared', and the effigy was coated in flames which never seemed to consume it.
Harry walked around the effigy, considering it. A smile crept onto his face. Harry stood up and drew his wand. Some of the crowd were afraid. The others were clearly expecting Harry to banish the effigy. Harry, of course, had something better in mind.
Hmmm. Let's start with the posture, Harry thought. Harry began transfiguring the effigy. Suddenly, the back became straight. One arm fell to the effigy's side, while the other was held above him, palm outward. The knees became unbuckled. The face became one of triumph.
Ok, now for the decor. First, the scar went to a normal size, and changed from bright red to almost exact flesh-tone. Next, the glasses went to a proportional size as well. His hair, well, Harry had to admit his hair wasn't something to brag about. But, he thought, I might as well go all out. Suddenly the effigy had neat hair, lying perfectly over his forehead. That's going a bit far, he admitted. Suddenly, the effigy had Harry's wild hair, but it was heroically flapping from a non-existent breeze. That's better. He then cleaned up the robes, making them pure black. But black didn't seem to fit, so he made them red and gold like his quidditch robes. Something still seemed wrong with the quidditch robes. It took him awhile, until he realized that his hair was blowing like in a breeze, but his robes weren't! Another quick flick of the wand fixed that.
Harry took stock of the effigy, and then realized the thing was still burning! He compressed the flames off the body and into a burning ball. Harry moved the ball so it was positioned in front of the palm the giant held above him.
Well, he thought, If I'm going for the hero image, I might as well make it good. Harry fleshed out the upper body a little. Not much, but enough to give the impression of a well defined chest. He decided to make the arms a little wider too. I wonder if I'm getting vain. Something about the lighting wasn't quite right. He cast 'Deminuo Coma' on the figure, and it immediately looked darker, as if it were really dusk instead of midday. He smiled, and changed the flame to a very bright blue. Suddenly, the effigy's face was sent into a mythic relief. Harry stepped back and was amazed at his work. The effigy now seemed to radiate a great sense of power and intensity. Harry was almost a little scared of it. He suddenly noticed the inscription, again. Hmmm. 'The boy who conquered'? No, that's lame. How about simply 'The boy who lived'. Not very original. He reread Malfoy's inscription, and it hit him 'The boy who feared…nothing' Harry quickly changed the little plaque, and stepped back considering his work.
Of course, Malfoy would just change it back when he saw it again. Harry grinned even more. "Lucky I hang out with Hermione so much," he whispered to himself. He cleared his mind, focused with all his might at the effigy and yelled 'Nunquam Communatatus!' Nothing outward happened, but Harry knew better. Just to test it, he tried casting a charm on the effigy. Nothing happened. Harry now knew that Malfoy couldn't come close to modifying the effigy. Once Nunquam Communatatus was cast on something, only a wizard with more willpower could undo it. Harry was starting to appreciate the Alteration-Prevention spell Hermione showed him. Of course, Hermione grew annoyed shortly after she showed him, since she couldn't break Harry's if he put all his effort behind it.
Harry stepped back, and suddenly realized he was still around a small group of people, all staring at him. He smiled meekly at them, and then hurried back to Gryffindor tower.
Of course, Harry didn't fully realize the consequences of his actions. However, he caught on as he walked in for lunch the next day. Everyone was staring at him, which Harry had to admit wasn't that unusual so far through his 5 years at Hogwarts. But the girls were all giggling with their eyes on him as he walked over to sit down. The giggling didn't stop, and he saw Lavender nudge Patil and whisper in her ear. He then caught a glimpse out the window, and saw his effigy. It looked like a male-model, and Harry knew the effigy radiated a sense of power as well. He looked back over at the girls in the hall. Oh, no, he realized, I'm going to have to beat them off with my firebolt! He quickly looked around, and saw Ginny sitting across the table, drinking some pumpkin juice, thankfully looking quite normal.
"Ginny, can I ask you a question?" Harry said somewhat hurriedly.
"Er, yeah Harry," she stammered between swallows.
"You know that Yule Ball every Christmas when the Triwizard Tournament goes on? Will you go with me to it?" Harry finished. Ginny immediately spewed the pumpkin juice all over him.
"You know, it's traditional to say yes or no to that, Ginny," Harry smiled, pumpkin juice dripping down his robes.
"Yes I'll go with you!" she said, a lot louder than needed. At these words, a lot of the gazes dropped off around the hall. Harry was about to talk to Ginny about the ball, when McGonagall came storming over.
"Potter, you will come with me this instant to take down that effigy!" she thundered.
Potter was puzzled for a moment, then said, "Oh, it's got an Alteration Prevention spell on it. You can take it off with Permisi Communatatus."
She leaned in closer, and Harry noticed her teeth were somewhat clenched, and hissed, "I know how to remove Nunquam Communatatus, Potter. You will go down there this instant." Harry realized that even McGonagall couldn't remove his spell! Ginny was looking at him worriedly, so Harry gave her a wink, and set off with McGonagall to the grounds.
Harry was amused, as Snape was there as well, trying Permisi Communatatus, with no luck either. His good mood vanished quickly. Not very many people can withstand Snape and McGonagall at their angriest. Harry quickly cleared his mind, focused hard, and yelled 'Permisi Communatatus'.
Professor Snape then turned back to the Potter effigy, and disassembled it. McGonagall rounded on him, and said, "Perhaps you better explain this, Potter."
"I didn't create it. It was originally a mockery of me, probably created by Malfoy. It had me hunched, burning, with physical deformities. I modified it to what you found, and cast a preservation spell on it. I didn't want Malfoy to change it back, but I guess I went a little overboard," Harry explained.
McGonagall didn't know what she wanted to do with him. She was still a little upset that somehow a 5th year student could do a spell she couldn't match. But before she could decide, Dumbledore arrived on the scene. "Harry, will you come with me?" he asked.
Harry walked alongside Dumbledore, back into the castle. Dumbledore waited until they were in an abandoned classroom before speaking. "20 points for Gryffindor. I am very proud of your actions, Harry." At this, Harry became confused. Points awarded was the last thing he expected. Dumbledore saw this and smiled, "I am aware of Malfoy making the effigy. I admit I was curious as to how you would react."
Harry hesitated, and then finally asked, "How am I able to cast an Alteration Prevention spell that Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape can't undo?"
Dumbledore sat and considered Harry for a moment. "Do you remember our discussion at the end of the first year? How I would tell you why Voldemort wanted to kill you, but only when you were ready?" Harry thought back, and then nodded to Dumbledore.
"You have a rare gift, Harry Potter. You have one of the strongest wills I have ever seen, even when you were just a baby. So strong that, even without training, you were able to defeat Voldemort last year," Dumbledore said.
"But, I didn't defeat Voldemort last year," Harry replied.
"I am not talking about the entire outcome, but the connection of your wands. It's not luck that your wand defeated Voldemort's. It's because your willpower was greater."
Harry's mind raced. He had greater willpower than Voldemort? He was more powerful than the most powerful dark wizard?
Dumbledore seemed to read Harry's mind, and said, "Harry, there is more to magic than willpower, or even power itself. Voldemort had a strong will when he was here at Hogwarts, and he spent a large portion of his time refining its strength. However, his anger and power quickly consumed him. Do you remember the words 'There is no good and evil. There is only power, and those too week to seek it.'?"
At this, Harry cringed. "Those are the same words Quirrell said to me," Harry whispered.
"They are not his words, Harry. Those are the same words Voldemort used to corrupt Quirrell. Treat power carefully, Harry, or it will lead you down the wrong path."
Harry walked back to the dorms, thinking over what Dumbledore had said. There is more to magic than power. I can understand that. Buy why is Dumbledore giving me all this information about Voldemort's descent? Is he worried that I'll follow his footsteps? Harry got a little upset. I've defeated Voldemort four times now. Doesn't that count for anything?
Harry entered the common room, and Ginny was sitting over by the fire, blushing. Ron and Hermione were over in the corner, sitting close together reading a book. Harry walked over and sat next to Ginny.
Ginny looked at him, and stammered, "Harry, I know you were flustered with all those people in the Great Hall. Are you sure you want to go to the Yule Ball with me?"
Harry knew that Ginny was almost entirely right about why he asked her, and he knew that it took a lot for her to risk him deciding he didn't want to go with her. She had a crush on him for the last 4 years. Well, if I could pick whomever I wanted to go to the dance with, who would it be? Harry thought. Not Cho he immediately checked off. Certainly not either of the Patil twins. Pansy Parkinson? Harry laughed inwardly at that one. Now that he thought of it, there wasn't anyone he'd rather go with. "Ginny," he said, "there isn't anyone I'd rather go with. Why? Don't you want to go with me?"
At this, Ginny blushed again, ran over and furiously hugged him. She then realized what she was doing, blushed even harder, and ran up to her dorm. Harry smiled to himself, and decided he'd have to work on her shyness. Just a little bit.
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Somewhere in the distance McGonagall is crying… lol
Next chapter will be long, and it'll have a lot of things. The 2nd Quidditch match, Malfoy, a Chicken Gaggle, and even a visit from some Hogwarts Alumni.
Oh… Aye-De-Di-De-Di-De-Di-De-Di-De-Di-De-Di
Oh, Aye-De-Di-De-Di-De-Di-De-Di-De-Di-De-Di
There was a group of readers
Who read my Potter text
But they needed to give a clue
Of what I should write next
Without their honest feedback
I don't know what I'd do
I'd probably have Harry
Run off with You-Know-Who
Oh, Aye-De-Di-De…