Chapter Six – A Return?
By Kateen
Harry, his three Phoenix, a Midnight Unicorn, Odin and one hundred Tægern horses, all arrived in front of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, although they were invisible. Harry gave instructions to Saraide, Lilith and Prianz to hide at the House of the Family, with Sabina and he would come for them later.
By his calculations, it was two days before school was to start and he could either go and speak to Dumbledore, or could go back to the Home of the Family. He had returned in the same body as he had left the training, which was going to require some serious explanations, or he could just disguise himself. He hadn't decided yet.
In the end, he decided to go to the Three Broomsticks and have a butterbeer, while he thought it over. He wondered whether anyone knew that he hadn't been at his aunt or uncle's or if Ron was still angry at Hermione for going to Bulgaria with Krum, or if he had gotten over that. A pang in his heart, however, reminded him of Garma and Letharnet.
He wondered how they had fared in their tasks. None knew, so well as him, how hard it was to be separated from your soul family. Garma would have been so sad for weeks. It had hurt them both when Letharnet left, and now Harry had gone too, leaving Garma with nobody. It saddened him, yet he knew that the boy had survived.
Harry decided to change his appearance back to the Harry Potter that everyone knew, before he walked in to the bar, and so there was a universal gasp when people caught sight of the scar. Madam Rosmerta hurried forwards, "Potter! You're alright!"
"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" he looked at her strangely, "can I have a butterbeer, thanks?"
She blinked, "of course, of course."
Shite, Harry thought to himself, obviously some pretty outrageous rumors have gone around about where he'd been. Serious Damage control was going to be necessary. He took the proffered mug, "Madam Rosmerta, what has the Daily Prophet been saying about my absence?" he asked in a highly controlled voice.
"Uhm, well, Rita Skeeter has been saying that you've been captured by Death Eaters but some people are saying you cut yourself off from the world because of guilt about Diggory…"
"Oh dear," Harry sighed, "this is going to be fun," he looked at her, "I was taken to Majorca with my aunt and uncle to visit family. I was unable to do any magic for the entire holidays."
"Oh, and what are you doing away from them?"
"School starts soon. I need to speak to Dumbledore,"
The door swung open and Harry turned to look, four people came in looking harassed and tired.
"Minerva dear, don't worry," a voice that Harry recognized after a moment as Professor Sinistra's said soothingly, "he'll turn up. You know how he is: half the time he's just gone for a walk."
"But I'm just so-"
"I warned the boy," said a spooky voice that Harry recognized immediately as Trelawney, "he was fated to die this holiday."
Minerva slapped her angrily, "what the hell would you know, you fraud!"
Harry realized he was going to have a problem, so he waved his hand, causing Madam Rosmerta to forget that he had been in, and he changed his appearance back to what it had been when he'd arrived back. The third person with McGonagall, Trelawney and Sinistra looked up when Harry did that, as though he detected the magic, but Harry dismissed it. He was, after all, a Grand Master War Mage, the Phoenix Lord and the Midnight Unicorn. He sighed, he didn't know for sure.
Reaching out, he tried to find out who the fourth person was, but met with a block. Some people naturally block others from their mind, while others acquire a block after a stressful experience, and others cultivate a stronger one through practice. You couldn't tell, but Harry had no reason to suspect it was aught but a natural or stress block. He stood, paid for his butterbeer and walked out, after bowing respectfully to Madam Rosmerta who waved back, rather dazed.
Harry quickly realized that he would have to go back to Hogwarts almost immediately, if he was to explain to Dumbledore without getting into too much trouble. He wouldn't be surprised, however, if he was in trouble because he hadn't warned the man.
He hurried up the path, giving up after a moment with human form, and transforming into a snow leopard, the most graceful of the cats. His lithe white form covered the ground between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts in the quickest of time, as though it leapt from one to the other. He transformed back, and pushed the door open.
Changing his appearance again, he walked in to the Entrance Hall and towards the stone gargoyle that guarded the Headmaster. Harry wasn't sure whether to use his powers to get in, or keep up appearances and guess. In the end, he decided appearances were probably safest.
"Butterscotch?"
"Toffee?
"Chocolate Coated Manticore Teeth?"
"Fizzing Whizbee?"
"Skittles?"
"Mars Bar?"
"M&Ms?"
"Bounty?"
"Twix?"
"Popcorn?" The stone gargoyle sprang to life and jumped aside, Harry shaking his head, "he gets stranger every year."
Unfortunately for Harry, a quick search revealed to him that Dumbledore was not in his office an unsurprising fact, considering it was the holidays, but he was surprised to not have seen a sign up saying – "out for dinner" or some such thing. Dumbledore was usually quite conscientious.
Fawkes, however, was sitting on her perch beside his desk, and chirped quite cheerfully at Harry, Good Evening, Phoenix Lord!
Hello, Fawkes, Harry replied politely, How are you?
Very good, thank you, and how is Saraide, Lilith and Prianz?
Harry blinked, and then realized that Phoenixes could keep track of each of their number mentally, and the new connections would be hard for all of them to control, They are good, thank you. They are back at home.
It is good to see one of your kind after so long. White beard will be pleased, to meet another.
Dumbledore has met one before? Harry asked surprised, Yes, but a number of years ago, when he traveled back in time with the old one, to find something for the Philosophers stone.
Harry nodded slowly, thinking to himself. Fawkes chirped and then flew over to Harry, landing on his lap and curling up on it. Harry smiled and began to pat him, just like he knew that the three Ali Phoenixes liked it.
She continued to chirp, and slowly Harry slipped into meditation, trying to organize his mind again. For him, a mind was like an office. You used it, and then you filed everything away – not leaving a mess, so that the next time you wanted to use something, it was where you expected it to be.
Twelve hours later, the door swung open and Professor Dumbledore looked in and was greeted by a fifteen year old boy, who's emerald green eyes were glazed and he was mumbling to himself softly. His own Phoenix, Fawkes, was sitting on his lap, being petted, her red and gold head leaning into his stomach.
Dumbledore grabbed the door for support, "Ha, Harry?"
The boy's eyes opened, "Professor,"
"Where have you been?" Fawkes flew up and over to her master, leading him to his chair. Dumbledore sat down, and raised an eyebrow at Harry, asking for a reply.
Harry shifted uncomfortably, "Lots of places, Professor."
"Give me some, as an example."
"I can't professor," Harry said quietly, "much of the story you may know, yourself, but not all of it. Do you remember the House of the Family?" he asked.
Dumbledore gripped the handle on his seat tightly, "you were there? How on earth did you get there? You aren't related –"
"When was the last time you saw the tree?"
"When I was initiated,"
"My mother descended from a line of squibs, you wouldn't have paid them any heed, and my father wasn't born anyway. It would have been hard to put two and two together, and get four."
"But, I was there only last week."
"And I wasn't. As you know, depending on the person, training can take a long time – or a very short time. It took me a month to complete the training I was allowed to do with Sabina."
"Where have you been since then?"
"Missions, gaining practical experience. I don't know if you remember, but we were not able to contact people from outside the house and outside the training course."
Dumbledore nodded, "ah, yes, I do recall that. My father was absolutely furious with me. He was a muggle, you see," Dumbledore sighed, "my Mother knew all about it, however, and insisted that it was fine. She was so brave, a descendant of Godric's you know.
Harry nodded, and waited for the inevitable question to come. He didn't have to wait long.
"Harry, which of the five do you come from?"
Both Dumbledore and Harry had decided to go back to the house that night, partially to see Sabina who they had both been trained by, and partially so they could discuss ways to cover for Harry's absence. In a strange way, it was good to be there.
Harry went into his bedroom as soon as they arrived, and Dumbledore went to his. When he opened the door, there was a box in the middle of the floor. Harry stared at it for a moment and then began to unpack it.
There were piles of paper, keys and at the very bottom, a case of some kind. Harry opened the case, and was surprised to see hundreds of golden and silver ornaments, with Gems and Jewels that all sparkled in the sun. One caught his eye, it was a charm of a phoenix exactly like the three he looked after.
As he thought of them, Lilith flew through the open door, Master!
Hello, Lilith! He greeted her cheerfully, Is everyone settled?
Yes, she responded, The Tægern horses are in the stables, Prianz and Saraide will be here momentarily. Keonri and Odin are in the forest.
Thanks.
He put the charm around his neck, smiling to himself as Lilith settled on his shoulder. The other two flew in a moment later and landed on his other shoulder and head. Harry smiled fondly when he saw them.
The keys, he quickly identified as Gringotts keys, obviously he had more vaults than he knew about. He frowned – just what he needed, more money. The paperwork was what was most interesting, however. He held the deeds to Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and almost fifteen other schools, not to mention four Universities, and hundreds of acres of land. He shook his head in amazement. How in heavens name was he meant to guard all of that?
Replacing everything in the box, he walked back out to the living room, the three phoenixes still firmly attached to him. Dumbledore was sitting there, setting up a chess game, with two mugs of coffee. Harry sat down in the chair opposite the headmaster, "May I play?" he asked.
"Of course, Harry," Dumbledore nodded.
The three Phoenixes, chirped, and the elderly man looked up suddenly and dropped his mug of coffee in surprise. Before it hit the ground, Harry waved his hand and it returned to the Headmasters grasp.
"Harry!" The headmaster gasped, "you have three Phoenixes attached to you."
Harry nodded, "yes."
"Three Ali Phoenixes!"
"Yes," Harry nodded, again, as he moved the first piece on the chessboard.
Dumbledore shook his head in amazement, "each time you surprise me, Harry, and I think there is nothing that could shock me even more, and each time – I eat my words."
Harry shrugged, "there is a lot about me that you don't, and will never know, Professor. My apologies for keeping secrets, but the less who know them, the safer the world is."
They played on in a tense silence for a few minutes, Harry sipping his coffee unconcernedly, Dumbledore watching every move Harry made with a distant air as though trying to discern something about him.
"The story about my absence, Professor," Harry said slowly, "is that I was taken by my relatives to Majorca, and wasn't allowed out of the hotel room. I wasn't allowed to send owls, or receive them, and no magic. I finally gave up, and left them three days ago."
"Uh, alright then, Harry."
There was a small explosion, and a shriek and Sabina came flying through the doorway, her hair – now a long, platinum blonde – in complete disarray, "I'll kill that bastard!" she said, with a distinctly Cockney accent. She turned and saw Dumbledore and Harry, "oh, hello there Harry, Albus. How lovely to see you again!"
"Who are you training this time?" Dumbledore asked with a faint smile.
"Nobody. Just some traps that young Mr. Potter left for me," she eyeballed the youngster affectionately, "it wasn't nice, Harry, to wake up and find three snakes crawling all over my bed."
"And it was no better to be chased for four years by over enthusiastic instructors who just wanted us all dead!" Harry retorted, "it was nothing you didn't deserve."
She grimaced, "probably true, but anyway, how long have you been back? What are you planning to do?"
"I've been back since yesterday, and I'm planning on returning to Hogwarts and pretending the whole thing never happened. I want a holiday. I don't want to know about Voldemort, or what he's doing and I sure as hell don't want to have to do any of that Diablo Eternal stuff.
"Diablo Eternal?" Dumbledore asked, mystified.
Harry waved a hand dismissively, "don't worry about it. That's one of the things you won't know or understand. Out of respect, I won't erase your mind, but-"
"Were you in the Three Broomsticks, last night?" Dumbledore interrupted, a thought having just crossed his mind.
Nodding Harry answered quietly, "I was, but I was not in my child form. Some aspects of my training took several years but were completed in a different time. I am no longer a child, but my physical form is that of a twenty-year old. Nobody recognized me, but one of the four people detected me."
"Yes, Professor Snape came to me in my chambers and informed me that there was a very powerful wizard around. I will assume that he is talking about you."
"So, the fourth was Professor Snape?" Harry nodded to himself, "Intriguing, to say the least," he blinked, "There are some things I need to discuss with you, Professor, about my schooling."
Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, "You are coming back to Hogwarts, aren't you?"
Harry nodded, "Yes, but there will be times when I'm not there. My many responsibilities will require me to do a lot of traveling. Much of it I can organize to be done at night, but some, I will have to do during the day. I want to know whether I will need to create an illusion, or if I can be honest with everyone?"
"Can we discuss that on a per-situation basis?" Dumbledore asked, after a moments thought, "and what responsibilities are you talking about?"
"As an heir of one of them, Anything they, or any descendants owned, I own. I also have to look after. For example, the Four may have founded Hogwarts, but Merlin owned it. As a direct heir to Merlin, I own Hogwarts. It is therefore my responsibility to ensure that it has all the necessary resources and nobody is harmed in an attack."
"So you will be back, but on a conditional basis, is that what you're saying?" Dumbledore asked, checking.
Harry nodded, "exactly."
The air was murky, and someone was pacing backwards and forwards in frustration, another was on the ground, groaning.
"Wormtail, you have failed me again!" said the high pitched voice of the man who was pacing, Harry immediately recognized it was Voldemort and shuddered. His scar was throbbing, but he barely noticed, his training had allowed him to block pain – to a certain extent.
"Master, I did-"
"Come here," Voldemort commanded, and Wormtail stood and limped across to his master, "Hold out your arm!"
The arm went out and Harry saw the Dark Mark, still etched onto Wormtails' arm, Voldemort pressed it, Wormtail howled and Harry felt the pain in his scar, but said nothing. Immediately, people began to apparate in around the Dark Lord, kissing his robes and moving back into a circle – like they had at the end of the Tri Wizard Tournament.
"Loyal Servants," said Voldemort, hissing out a breath, "and those who are not so loyal! We have important business to attend to tonight. There is a traitor among you!"
There was a gasp, and an unmistakeable muttering. Harry, of course, knew who the traitor was and he suspected – so did Voldemort, shit! He murmured to himself.
"Wormtail, has discovered evidence of who the traitor was. Luckily, he was an unimportant character, and I have no regret in killing him, but first – we will have some fun!"
Some of the Death Eaters shivered, but nobody moved outside of the circle. Harry hoped that Snape wasn't in any danger. He was, although an irritating git, a genuinely decent spy. He sighed, and watched. He knew that he could interact with the people in the dream, if he wanted, but he wasn't sure he wanted to blow his cover.
"Master, we wish to know," Malfoy said softly, pleadingly, "who has betrayed you? Who has tried to surrender the magical world to mugglehood?"
Voldemort sneered, "Funny you should ask, Lucius, but there isn't just one traitor, but two. Severus, step forwards, if you please!" he commanded.
A robed, and masked, figure stepped forwards, "yes master?"
"William, stand beside him."
Another figure stepped forwards, and Harry began to scry into their minds. Snape was almost relieved, believing himself to be at the end of the road. Able to escape all that he had done. The figure that Voldemort had named William was none other than Bill Weasley. Harry frowned, and read further into his mind – he had joined only recently, and had been spying for Dumbledore ever since.
With a pop, Harry appeared – dressed as a Grand Master War Mage, with the midnight blue robes and silver and gold embroidered runes, in front of all the Death Eaters. There was a shuffle as they stepped aside to allow him to pass.
"Thomas Marvolo Riddle!" he said, in a voice that brooked no refusal of answers, "what have you done?" he asked.
"Who are you?" Voldemort demanded, "I'll have you know, you're trespassing."
"There is no place on this earth that I cannot go, Thomas, and be welcomed. There are things about me that even you don't know. I am a Grand Master War Mage, of the First Order. I command you to release these two men and end this foolishness."
"I challenge you, to a duel." Voldemort said softly, anger seeping through his words. The anger was from a combination of hate and frustration and fear. A dark lord doesn't appreciate being afraid, Harry thought with a smirk.
"I refuse. Now is not the time or the place, and I am busy. You are merely seeing an illusion of myself. I will take these two men, they will not return to you."
"You cannot do that! They are my servants."
"Did you not say that you would kill them anyway? What difference does it make if they are with me, or you, when they die?"
Harry did not wait for an answer, however, but flicked his wrist and the two men disappeared – reappearing in the Hogwarts Entrance hall, with a note telling them to remain at Hogwarts for a few days, until notified of a safe house or location that they could reappear from.