My name is Harry Potter.
And I am a Controller.
Erllon sat on the end of my bed and put my face in my hands. My glasses pressed rather uncomfortably into my face… but it wasn't like I could do anything.
You've led a hard life, he said.
"Tell me something I don't all ready know," I replied grumpily.
I'll get out of your head as soon as I can! Erllon said, exasperated.
I really couldn't blame him. I had been saying, or at least hinting, for him to get out of my head incessantly. He was actually starting to surprise me, too. He wouldn't go through my memories unless he absolutely had to. I guess he really isn't that bad.
I let my thoughts wander. I drifted from fantasies of being a famous Quidditch player, to thinking about O.W.L.s, to former Quidditch matches, to Ron and Hermione.
I sighed. Would we escape with both our lives and our free wills? Would we have to die to get our freedom? I'd much rather die than be a slave…
Don't do that, Erllon said, jerking me from my thoughts.
"Huh?"
You don't have to die, he retorted, I'll let you go as soon as possible. I don't like having an involuntary host, unlike other Yeerks.
"Oh."
He got me to my feet. The meeting is about to start, and I have to be there. he said, checking to see if anyone was in the room. He grabbed a cup from the bathroom and filled it with water from the tap. Grabbing the Cloak and throwing it over his head, he made sure to bump no one as he left the dormitory. We got out of the portrait hole and to… well, wherever it was we were going without trouble.
When we got to where we were going (the empty Transfiguration classroom), he quickly stashed the Cloak behind a statue. He walked over to the door and rapped three times quickly, paused, then another two.
The door swung open and a hand came out, grabbed me, and pulled me through. I gasped at what I saw when I came in. The room was absolutely packed with students. I saw people from all Houses, Slytherin included. As Erllon scanned the room, I saw a few familiar faces: Lavender Brown, Ernie Macmillan, Cho Change, Hannah Abbot, and…
I couldn't help but gasp. None other than Draco Malfoy stood in the room, leaning against the wall and scowling in my direction. He swaggered over to us and looked down his nose, saying, "What are you doing here, Potter?"
"Calm down, Jagser 491," Erllon said, smiling, "It's Erllon."
Malfoy visibly relaxed. He even smiled. "Oh, good. I thought I was going to have to go though the whole 'tough-as-nails-and-hates-all-Gryffindors' act again." He scowled, looking much like the true Malfoy, "I hate doing it."
Erllon laughed. "Good. At least you don't have to do it now."
"You have that speech ready?" asked Malfoy—or rather, Jagser—nudging me.
"Oh, yes, of course," Erllon said with an encouraging smile.
"Luck, my friend," Jagser replied, patting me on the back.
Erllon went to the front of the room and scrambled up… McGonagall's desk!
I groaned. "You could choose any desk here. Any desk. But you just had to pick McGonagall's."
It's the biggest and the sturdiest, but that's not the point. Could you… you know, rally them up? Make them listen to you?
"Why should I?" I asked, though not unkindly.
Because I asked you too. And I'll get out of your head while you say it.
Now it was clear why he had brought the cup of water with him.
"Fine," I said.
Just… lift their spirits. Oh, and promise me—promise—you'll put me back. I'll die.
I mulled it over. "I promise, as long as you promise to get out of my head for good as soon as possible."
I promise, too, then, because I was going to anyway.
"Deal, then. Mind you, I keep my promises."
I know you do.
He brought the cup to my ear. He slowly wriggled out and landed with a plop in the water. I shuddered as I looked down at the slug-like parasite, unbidden images of it wrapped around my brain coming to mind.
I gently placed it down. My heart soared. I was in control of my body again!
I whipped my wand out of my pocket. Lifting it high above my head, I said clearly, "Lumos."
The blue light that suddenly radiated from my wand tip startled many into looking over at me. I felt my face flush, but held firm. "Yeerks," I said in a voice that was awfully quiet but seemed to echo through the room, "I am Harry Potter."
No one said anything, so I continued.
"If you have read your host's memories, you will know me. If not, I am the person who 'defeated' Voldemort" —everyone flinched— "when I was one. Defeated, that is, if you consider this version of events and that I did nothing: he came to my house, murdered my parents, and when he tried to kill me, the spell rebounded. It turned on him instead and he fled, bringing the house down with him. I left with nothing but a scar on my forehead."
I lifted my bangs so that the assembled could see my scar. The very thought of doing this made me sick, but I did it anyway to show a point. I considered what to say and found something that would most definitely persuade them. The good thing is, it was very possible. No, it was possible.
"I know what it's like to be something you don't want to be," I said, voice rising with every word, "I don't want to be the famous 'Boy Who Lived.' I don't want to be famous. I don't want my name to be known to every wizard in the world. I don't want to be hunted down Voldemort." —there was a collective shudder that rippled down the room— "I don't want my parents dead.
"No matter how much I want to be a normal wizard, I know it can't be possible. I can't help be the way that I am. I know how you feel. You were born parasites; it wasn't your fault! You can't change the way you were born.
"However, there is something you should know: you can change."
There was a great uproar at these words. The Controllers turned to one another, murmuring excitedly. I waved my wand around in the air and shot off red and gold sparks, retaining quiet.
"We are wizards. We use magic. Magic, as you probably now know, has no explanation. We can do things regular humans—or Yeerks—couldn't even dream of doing. For instance, we can change one thing into another. This is called 'Transfiguration'. If we use Transfiguration, we can change your form into another without morphing."
Excited mutters filled the room. I continued, and they quieted, "There is, however, a catch. You must help me put an end to Voldemort and Visser Three's reign of terror. As you can quite clearly see, Controllers can't use their hosts' magic. If we can't use magic, we cannot transfigure you. Together, both Yeerk and wizard, we can stop them. If we unite, we can overpower them, and we can all get what we want: freedom."
Applause and cheers erupted. People stomped and whistled. Yells filled the room, along with catcalling. I shot off sparks again for quiet.
"Don't think," I said, "This will be an easily won victory. I don't know how many will fight against us, and what kind of weapons they posses. People will die. People will get injured. People will lose loved ones. I know this from personal experience. This will be a battle, a battle for freedom. As a famous American once said, 'Give me liberty or give me death'!
"Who's with me?"
The explosion of noise made my head throb. I jumped down from the desk and landed lightly on my feet. I smiled weakly at the people who thumped me on the back and patted my head. The many movements jarred my glasses loose and they fell with a clatter to the ground. I heard someone step on it.
"Here you go, Harry," said a voice, handing me my glasses.
"Thanks," I said. I put them on and immediately saw the damage: a cracked lens and halfway snapped bridge. I groaned.
"Sorry I couldn't fix them," said the person who'd handed me my glasses, "I can't use my magic."
I looked up to see who had spoken.
And my heart skipped a beat.
Cho Chang stood before me in all her Ravenclaw glory. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled in the wand light. She tossed her long, black, silky hair over her shoulder and smiled brilliantly at me.
"That was an awesome speech," she complimented.
"Uuuh… t-thanks." I stuttered. Why—why do I always stutter!? WHY!?
"You were brilliant," she said passionately.
"T-t-thanks," I spluttered.
She bent forward and kissed me quickly on the cheek. Then she darted into the crowd and I lost her.
I flushed, pleased and very embarrassed. A few people went, "Ooooh!" Muttering incoherently, I took my glasses off. I tapped them with my classes and murmured, "Reparo." With a cracking sound, the lens and bridge mended.
"Lumos." I said. The tip of my wand lit with a blue flame. I watched it with longing as I lowered my ear into the cup with Erllon in it. He sensed my presence and swam to my ear. I wrinkled my nose in pain as he squeezed into my ear. My eyes blurred and refocused. I felt the flush drain from my face. The light at the tip of my wand went out as I'd said the counter spell.
Hello, Erllon said.
"Hi." I replied, still pleased.
He watched the memory of my speech with some surprise. Well, I only told you to life their spirits, not say a whole speech. He sounded a little disappointed.
"Oh. Um… Sorry. I got carried away."
I see. I had a speech prepared, but I guess… er… you've done the job.
Everyone flooded out of the classroom, jabbering excitedly. Erllon left last, clutching the cup tightly. My scar gave a particularly nasty throb. He winced in pain.
"Look on the bright side," I said cheerfully, "It could be worse." Cho's kiss had, embarrassingly, lifted my spirits.
Yeah, I guess, Erllon said, a smile to his voice.
A hand abruptly clamped over my mouth, startling Erllon and I alike. Erllon cried out in shock, but the hand muffled the sound. We were dragged backward into the shadow, so all I could make out were six shapes in the dark. They pushed me into a classroom and swung the door shut.
They put something in my mouth that tasted suspiciously like a sweaty gym sock. I could barely make out the wand that pointed at the bridge of my nose.
"Lumos," said a gruff voice.
The tip of a wand blazed into light. As everything came into light, I saw that Jake was the one pointing the wand at me. Though he wasn't skilled in dueling, he could still do a lot of damage. Erllon looked around at the Animorphs with huge eyes.
"Tie him," Jake said.
There was a snapping sound. A rope shot out from someone's wand and wrapped around my wrists. Erllon struggled furiously but to no avail.
Together, the Animorphs pushed us down to the Chamber of Secrets. When we got to the Chamber itself, they threw me to the floor. My knees throbbed. Erllon gave another muffled cry.
"Take the gag out," Jake instructed.
Rachel moved over to me and yanked the sock painfully out of my mouth. Erllon glared at her.
"We know what you are, Yeerk." Jake said, nostrils flared.
My eyes widened in Erllon's shock, but then my shoulders sagged. "How did you know?"
Jake looked shocked that Erllon had admitted this without hassle. "Uuum… we didn't. She guessed." He said truthfully, jerking his head at Cassie.
"Who are you?"
This seemed to alarm Jake even more. He paled several shades and glowered at me suspiciously. "Why didn't you read his memories?"
"I'm in the Yeerk Peace Movement. I don't believe in it. If Harry wants to tell me, he will."
"Well… um, we're the Andalite Bandits."
"Really?"
"Yes. Was Harry voluntary? Did he let the Yeerks infest him?"
I gave a shout of protest, realized they couldn't hear me, and shut up.
Erllon chuckled. "Of course not! He put up a terrific fight. You should hear him now, yelling." He realized that this didn't help his situation and added quickly, "He's yelling because you thought he might have been voluntary."
"Why did you take him as a host, then? I thought you were in the Yeerk Peace Movement." Jake said.
"I am. We've found that Harry is a major influence on the wizarding world, though. He's a priceless person to have on your side."
"Erllon," I interrupted.
"Wait a moment," he said to the Animorphs, and said internally, Yes?
"I have an idea."
What is it?
"I could get my friend Hermione to transfigure you… if you get out of my head now. She could transfigure you into an animal (we haven't gotten to human transfiguration in class yet) and then a teacher can transfigure him into a human."
Erllon thought on this. Could you do it quickly, so I won't die of Kandrona starvation?
"I promise to do it as fast as I can. Just trust me."
Fine. You keep your promises.
He brought my hands to my ear. I felt him unwrapping himself from around my brain. I shuddered, and then realized I had moved on my own. I nearly forgot about the Yeerk crawling out of my ear. My eyes blurred and refocused, but I had done it. I sighed in relief.
I felt the Yeerk fall into my hand. I looked at Erllon. He was about the size of the slugs Ron had started to cough up in second year.
Without pausing to think, I found a deep puddle on the floor and put him in it. When I looked up, the Animorphs were staring at me like I had ten heads. I felt color rise in my cheeks.
"Harry?" asked Cassie timidly. "Is it really you?"
"Yeah," I said, abashed to find my voice quiver.
"Can you do a spell for us?"
"Sure." I pulled out my wand, summoned up my magic and my happiest memory, and said, "Expecto Patronum."
The familiar silver stag exploded from the end of my wand. I smiled at it as it galloped soundlessly around the room. It cantered gracefully back to me. It stared at me with bright white eyes that almost seemed questioning. I stroked it with a hand. Once I made contact, it disappeared.
"What was that?" asked Cassie, looking at me with eyes wide with wonder.
"It was my Patronus," I explained, "It's the only thing that wards off dementors."
"How did you get the Yeerk out of your head?" inquired Jake, almost unable to keep a stutter of amazement out of his voice.
"I made a deal with him," I said, "I told him if he could get out of my head I would get Hermione to transfigure him into something."
"Brilliant," he murmured.
"And I learned something."
"Oh?"
"The Yeerks in the Yeerk Peace Movement are willing to fight. They'll listen to us during a battle. I think it's time to act, Jake. I'm ready. I know where the Yeerk Pool is. But, I think that before we go to battle, we should tell Professor Dumbledore."
Jake squared his jaw. "Right. First you and Hermione need battle morphs, though. Then we can go to Professor Dumbledore. I've seen him do magic. He can't be a Controller."
"Yeah. Yeah, okay."
"I suggest we go now."
"I'm ready," I repeated.
"Let's do it!" crowed Rachel. Marco groaned, and we all laughed.
A/N: Hey yo! Sorry this took long. ::glowers at computer:: I was half-done yesterday. When I opened up the document today, THE WHOLE CHAPTER HAD DELETED ITSELF! AAAAARGH! I had to write the whole chapter again. ::mumbles::
Besides, I read more this week than I usually do. I finished the current Cirque Du Freak series by Darren Shan (excellent, excellent story) and I'm almost done with Wolf's Head, Wolf's Heart by Jane Lindskold. It's an awfully long book, but a terrific book all the same (all 750 pages of it)!
Stay tuned for my next chapter, "Spiders and Snakes and Phoenixes, Oh My! (Ax)" Yes, my story is drawing to a conclusion. Do not fear! There are many chapters that are yet to be written! There is the battle and the betrayal and—oops, did I let something slip? ::cackles evilly:: Stick around!
