Chapter Eight – A Prank War
By Kateen
Harry was woken up rudely that morning, by sixteen owls hooting at him. He grunted, told them to wait until the mail was due, and with a wave of his hand, dismissed them. They shut up but, instead, perched themselves on him, digging their talons into his legs. He ignored them and went to sleep.
Not a few minutes later, one thousand bells began to ring around his bed. Harry grunted, rolled over and shot a major stunning spell out of his eyes, causing everything to freeze and fall silent.
"Sirius, I'm going to kill you!" he hissed to himself, as he fell asleep again.
"Kill them, Wormtail." Voldemort demanded. Harry watched from his hiding place, as Peter Pettigrew lifted his silver arm and, with a spark of green light, sentenced four adult and three children to death.
There was an evil smirk from Voldemort, "I wonder why," he said, "that interfering fool has not returned to save these people?"
Harry laughed to himself, Because he wasn't going to risk his life just yet. He would lose if he fought Voldemort at that point, but in time he would be strong enough to defeat him, strong enough to make sure he could never return from the dead.
"Perhaps he is bu, busy," Wormtail said quietly.
"Foolish man," Voldemort sneered, "Crucio!"
Harry's scar exploded in pain, and he began to black out. Consciously, he began to force his mind and body to ignore the pain, as he began to push himself to wake up.
Standing, he dressed himself with a wave of his hand and, unconsciously rubbing his forehead, he walked downstairs towards the great hall, hoping that there would be some breakfast waiting for him.
He slipped through the door and realized that only Snape was already there. His hand stilled and fell to his side as he walked up to the high table and served himself a bowl of cereal and a cup of Pumpkin juice. He sat down in his traditional seat at the table and began to push the food around on his plate, lost in thought.
As he was thinking, his hand strayed back to his scar and he began to rub it, trying to get rid of the throb that just wouldn't stop. He wondered if it was because Voldemort was still using the Cruciatus, or if it was just that Voldemort was alive and had his body back. His time in the past had given him a break from the pains in his scar, and he had enjoyed it, but now he was back he had to deal with it again.
"Not hungry, Potter?" Snape sneered.
Harry raised an eyebrow, "not really, no," he said calmly, as he continued to push the food around.
"Something bothering you?" the Potions Professor asked, with a strange emotion in his voice. He looked surprised that he had said that himself.
"Not really. I just haven't been sleeping well, that's all," Harry smiled, "but thank you for asking.
Slowly the other teachers drifted in, casting strange glances at Harry and Snape who hadn't gone at each others' throats and were being almost civil to each other. Sirius and Lupin came in last and Harry smiled companionably at them, "Morning, Sirius, Professor Lupin," he said cheerily, "did you sleep well last night?"
"Yes, thank you, Harry," Sirius said with fake innocence, "and yourself?"
"The usual," he shrugged, "I am expecting numerous owls this morning, so please get out of the doorway."
"Oh, sorry," Lupin moved, dragging Sirius with him. They began to talk in hurried whispers, while Harry smirked. It was plainly apparent that they were behind the disturbance in his sleep earlier. They didn't know what they were in for, that much was obvious. Nobody messed with a Grand Master Mage, and got away with it.
Numerous owls flew in and eighteen of them flew to Harry. He nodded to them and untied all the letters (ten of which were howlers), and let them fly away again. He opened the Howler, and a particularly loud, unidentifiable voice berated Harry for pranking them. Harry smirked at that, even though certain teachers were looking at him murderously.
He raised a single eyebrow at Sirius and Lupin. Remus remained outwardly impassive to the searching glance, although he did shift slightly. Sirius, on the other hand, flushed bright red and refused to look Harry in the eye.
"I don't believe I warned you, did I?" Harry asked quietly, "that not only am I the son of a Marauder, but quite a powerful wizard!"
With a grin, he waved his hand and the two of them were decked out in hot pink robes, with bright green splodges. Lupin's hair had been decked out in purple and yellow stripes, while Sirius wore blue and maroon checks. There were two howls of outrage and then Harry was being pelted with hexes from the two of them.
He ducked with a surprising agility and, before anybody, except perhaps Dumbledore, realized he had gone, was behind them and out the door running and ducking spells.
"Well, we all know that a Potter is only good at running!" Snape sneered.
"Not true!" said Harry's voice from all around the entrance hall.
Minerva looked at Dumbledore, "what is going on, Albus?" she demanded.
"I'm not quite sure, Minerva, but I do believe that Mr. Potter has just made a big tactical error and divulged knowledge of some of his powers, quite unnecessarily."
"I don't do anything unnecessarily, Professor!" Harry's voice came again, "but you might want to remove these two scourges from my trail before I'm forced to leave them with some permanent damage!"
Dumbledore blinked, "oh, dear," he said sadly, "I do believe Mr.'s Lupin and Black are in for a beating at the hands of their adopted nephew."
"Interesting development," Snape commented, "two teachers at the mercy of a student, in a Prank war…"
"Prank War? Where did you get that idea?" Minerva spluttered.
"Two marauder's, the son of the best – and a powerful wizard, at that… What did you expect?"
She sighed, "Hogwarts just got a hundred times more dangerous."
Harry managed to evade Lupin and Sirius with relative ease, and slipped into the library after making sure they were gone. He then began to research some harmless control curses, which would allow him to get them to tap dance in the Sorting Ceremony, without being traced.
True, he already knew the spells required, and how to hide his magical signature from being traced, but he really just wanted to brush up on it.
A lot had changed about Harry since he had returned to Hogwarts. For one, his dangerous Mage personality had been hidden, submerged behind the Harry that everyone knew. He wasn't sure why he was hiding his identity, but merely that he was doing it and he didn't really want to stop it yet.
There is a big advantage in the element of surprise, and if he could surprise Voldemort the next time he was captured, then he would have a major tactical advantage. As he was about to go and change into his robes, for the feast, he felt an amazingly powerful twinge in his scar. Although it was only momentary, he knew exactly what it was – The Death Eaters were being summoned.
He hurried down the corridor directly towards Dumbledore's offices, and ran into Snape. He sighed, "I forgot you would have felt it too. You can tell him then,"
Snape nodded briefly and continued on his way. Harry hurried upstairs to his dorm, and threw on his Grand Master War Mage robes, summoning Lilith, Prianz and Saraide to his side, his appearance changed back to that of the 20 year old that he was. He strode down the stairs, unrecognizable as anything other than a Mage of some description, his robes billowing behind him in a manner similar to that of Snape.
He ran into McGonagall who stared after him, startled, and let him past without doing anything. Harry looked like he meant business and, even though she didn't recognize him, she wasn't going to mess with him if she could help it. It was like she was getting mental instructions to let him pass.
Odin came snorting up to the gates, followed closely by Keonri who knelt his head for the three Phoenixes to perch on his back. Harry vaulted onto Odin, and the small team rode off to do battle.
He knew that Voldemort wasn't far from them, he had sensed him moving into the forbidden forest not long after he had summoned all the death eaters, so he knew where he was going. He instructed the three phoenixes to go back to the house of the Family, suddenly realizing how impractical it was for them to be with him at school. Keonri snorted her head when he suggested that she go with them, and he knew it would be pointless to argue.
Sounds of a chant were beginning to grow, and become louder until Harry began to recognize them for what they were: Ancient Magic.
Technically, he supposed it was Ancient Dark Magic, but Magic itself is not light or dark. The Light or Darkness comes from what it is used for. If it is used for good things, then it is Light Magic, and if it is used for bad outcomes, then it is Dark. Magic can be neutral, and often is, but it all depends on what it is used for.
He swore silently, Ancient Magic was dangerous business and he had little faith in the idea that Voldemort could actually control it properly. Harry could, he knew, but Voldemort was not a trained mage, and Sabina had sworn black and blue that she didn't teach Ancient Magic to anybody!
Harry hurried to the edge of the clearing that was being used, and watched as person after person apparated in, hidden under black cloaks and masks. There was no way that Harry could allow Ancient Magic to be used, he would have to act.
As each man appeared, they joined into the chant, until someone rose out of the chair opposite Harry, and began to cast the spell. His wand went around and around, in the shape of the pentacle, as he began to summon the spell.
With a sharp kick, Harry spurred Odin on and they leapt into the clearing, "Voldemort," he said, his harsh, deep voice crystal clear, "Cease with this nonsense, or face the consequences!"
There was a sickly laugh, "Who are you?" Voldemort asked with a sneer, "to interrupt ancient magic?"
"A Grand Master War Mage, of the First Order," Harry, as Har-i-rah-hishon, smirked, "and my name is none of your concern."
"Oh, really?" Voldemort sneered, "and just why would that be? For I will tell you, I am the Dark Lord, and your kind have traditionally allied themselves with me, do you not wish to follow in their footsteps?"
"I wrote their footsteps, I took their footsteps and I alone can continue their path. We did not ally with any one faction, but worked with those who suited our cause,"
"And does it suit your cause to join with us this time?" Voldemort asked silkily.
Har-i-rah-hishon appeared to consider it but then laughed, "Common Sense, my dear Voldemort."
All the Death Eaters had stopped chanting and were watching this brazen man as he battled verbally with the Dark Lord, renowned for being able to persuade someone to kill themselves through a few well chosen words. Harry immediately detected the curiousity levels rise as he nodded to the Dark Lord, "I'd challenge you to a duel, but it would be an unfair battle, I therefore propose that you cease this nonsense and we can all go home to our nice warm beds and pretend this never happened."
There was a sharp, hissing laugh and Harry raised an eyebrow at Voldemort as he smirked at Harry, "You think, Mage, that I will stop because you ask me to?"
"No," Harry said firmly, "you will stop, because I'm telling you to," and, raising his hand, green light shot out in all directions, swallowing the death eaters and Voldemort until they were all dizzy. He turned and threw hex and curse at every death eater, each of whom was firing curses at him in a rapid succession.
"I don't have time for this," Voldemort snarled after a moment, "crucio!"
The curse hit Harry full in the back, and he fell of Odin, who stood guard over him. Not a sound left Harry's body as the curse shook through him. When Voldemort lifted it, Harry stood and stalked over to Voldemort.
"That was foolish, Tom," he said quietly, "Very foolish."
With a snarl, he slapped the Dark Lord and climbed back onto Odin, raising his hand again, until the green light expanded and exploded with a bang, expanding to cover the entire forest, knocking everyone touched by it unconscious.
Harry whirled around on Odin and pounded back to Hogwarts, not stopping until he reached the gates, where he swung off and sent the Horse back to the Forest, with instructions to keep an eye out for strangers and alert him immediately.
Pushing the door open, Harry waited for the inevitable questions from Dumbledore. Almost as soon as the door was open, Filch came hurrying down, "You are here to see the Headmaster?" he sneered.
"Yes, Argus, if you would escort me, please?" Harry said wearily, "it is in relation to recent Death Eater activities which must concern yourself?"
"Yes, yes of course," Filch nodded sleazily and hurried off through a secret passageway that Harry hadn't even known about, "right this way, sir."
Harry was sent past the gargoyle, and into the office where Snape was still sitting, talking to Dumbledore. Bill Weasley was there too. Harry pushed the door open and ignored the three wands that were pointing at his forehead, he sat down in a nearby chair and magically poured himself a cup of tea. He added two cubes of sugar and took a few sips before turning to Dumbledore, "I am a War Mage," he said, without preamble, "I am a Grand Master, actually. I enjoy battle, and risk taking. It is my life. Voldemort is, in a sense, somewhat like me. He enjoys bloodshed, however, and I do not."
"Who are you?"
"We do not give our names freely," Harry said quietly, "it is a sign of great respect that mortals like yourselves would hear the name of a Grand Master like myself. Not many know my name, but instead know me by an alias, but that is not what I come about."
"What are you here for, then?"
"The same reason as Mr.'s Snape and Weasley," Harry said calmly, still in what was his normal body, that of Har-i-rah-hishon. His body as the Harry Potter that everyone knew was an illusion he kept up to maintain appearances. His mouth curled into a faint smile, "the summons from Voldemort this evening."
"What importance is that to you?" Snape hissed, "you could not have been there."
"I received a message from a mutual friend, today," Har-i-rah said softly, "informing me of the summons but stating that he would be unable to attend. He asked me to go in his place. Mr. Riddle is attempting to cast some ancient magic, a strong spell that he cannot hope to control. It is of major importance that he is stopped, yet I cannot stop him at this time.
"Had I the means to do so, I would have killed him today, but there are issues that I must deal with before I can do so. Issues that will prevent me, including my having to keep up the appearances as a student here, at Hogwarts."
Dumbledore began to interrupt and but was ignored as Har-i-rah continued, "You didn't notice?" He said softly, "a Grand Master War Mage in your midst? I was well disguised, by one you would expect it from, and there is no blame to be had."
"How could we not notice?" Snape demanded, "powers like those you are suggesting are always traceable."
"Not always," Har-i-rah corrected him, "You are mere wizards, all of you. You do not shape spells, as you desire them, from raw magic. I do not use magic the same way as you do. I delve deeper into it's source, in a desperate attempt to understand it. My use of magic is by a strict code of ethics, and it is without doubt that you would struggle to understand it.
"Perhaps the one who comes closest, is Mr. Snape, who understands the intricacies of many of the most complicated Potions known to Wizarding-kind. My magic is identical to yours, but I access it in a different way."
Dumbledore shifted, obviously immersed in the description of another type of magic, "But," he said, unwillingly having to shift the conversation along, "what are you here for, and what does it have to do with Voldemort?"
"Tom Riddle is using Ancient Dark Magic that will seek out people who are not purebloods, and kill them. The problem, that he has forgotten, is that no witch or wizard is pureblood. Not even myself, and I descend from the purest of the pure."
"So he will wipe out all the magical folk in the world?"
"Except those who, like myself and yourself, can shield against the ancient magic," Harry nodded.
"And what can we do?"
"There is very little that you can do," Harry said sadly, "but I think you should start explaining ancient magic to all students, and explaining simple methods of blocking it. Students who show promise, should be taught more advanced methods. Although I hate to say it, you must be selective and choose only those who are capable."
"What good will that do if we have no warning of when it will happen?"
"Voldemort is currently unconscious. He will remain so for a week, I make no promises for after that."
"So we have a week to teach everyone basic shields, and how to maintain them for extensive periods of time?"
"One day to single out the best students, six to teach everyone. I recommend you alert the magical community as to the necessity of learning shields, but I doubt you will be able to accomplish much in a week, with the magical community the way it is now. I wish you the best of luck," He nodded respectfully to Dumbledore, Snape and Bill.
Bill had been staring at him, confused recognition present as he tried to place both the face and style of the man in front of him. With a faint smile, Harry nodded, "Yes, Mr. Weasley, you do know me, but as someone else."
The three of them blinked and, in that split second, Har-i-rah-hishon disappeared.
"You can't apparate or disapparate on Hogwarts grounds," Snape said faintly.
"Apparently, he can," Dumbledore said amusedly.
Up in the Gryffindor tower, Harry transformed back into the illusory body of himself as a fifteen year old, and lay down as his scar began to ache again. One of the things he liked about his adult body was that they link between himself and Voldemort was less powerful and he could deal with it better.
Already exhausted from apparating through wards, verbally sparring with Voldemort and then dealing with Dumbledore, he lay down to sleep. He cast a silencing charm around his bed in case he was visited by visions of Voldemort's actions, and drifted off into a light doze.