Disclaimer: In the beginning, nothing of this will be original. Harry potter and all characters plots and elements that are used are property of the author J.K.Rowling. This is an alternate universe fictional story beginning from the end of year one (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone), the differences should become greater with each chapter.
It was dark.
And cold.
Fear permeated the atmosphere.
The scent of terror came across the silent wind.
The creatures of this forest had long realised that in this part of it none could last for long.
Occasional glimpses light in green and grey shades leaked in from above.
The trunks of ancient trees surrounded him.
The moon was just past full.
He avoided its light even.
The air was icy and frigid even in the heart of summer.
He slid along the floor looking for life.
Only the young or foolish ever came this way.
The terrain was rocky and unforgiving.
He was a survivor.
Though the dark jaws of death always lurked so close, so very close.
The heart beat the only remainder of life.
Yet he would not give up the struggle.
He felt the pull of life, something was near.
The form he inhabited was so close to giving way.
He could feel his heart slow as his mind started to shut down.
He needed to hold out for the last possible second.
He would not waste the life of the noble creatures that shared theirs with him.
Beat... Beat... Beat... Silence...
The body of his host dried out as the last of it's life was given in his escape.
...
Harry awakened in a cold sweat.
His heart raced as he recalled the oddest dream. He had no body, yet he crept along the ground. The few sensations he came across were dark emotions. Anger, hate, fear, abandonment, longing, hunger, and ...death. He was sure he now knew what it was to die. For his heart to stop beating. For the last breath of air to escape his lungs. With several deep breaths the Gryffindor tried to push the dream to the back of his mind and to focus on more pleasant things.
Harry enjoyed his new home. The people he was staying with had given him the promise of stability. A kindness of the likes that he had never experienced before. He felt that eventually he could feel safe here. Maybe even loved.
The day after his shopping trip in the wizarding world Jules had roped Chris into staying home to sign for the deliveries. She had insisted that Harry needed to go shopping for a whole new wardrobe, from underwear to winter coats. The young wizard had not realised exactly how large Mrs Mason's budget issue was. Even though Chris alluded to it on numerous occasions, today was the first day that he experienced it first hand. If asked what happened during his excursion at the muggle shopping centre he could only vaguely remember having a slice of pizza for lunch (though the exact toppings on it were not entirely clear) and that his feet were hurting by the end of the day.
Walking in his bedroom the first thing that he noticed was the new comforter on his bed. Walking closer to it he saw a rampaging gold lion on a field of crimson with matching red and gold pillows. The rooms original blue curtains on the French doors that lead out to a balcony complimented the red and gold bedding beautifully. Jules assisted Harry in putting his new clothes away in what he had not realised earlier was a walk in closet. There were several doors that lead from his room with the closet that was larger than his original bed room being one, a black marble bathroom being the second, the French doors that lead to the balcony overlooking the gardens being three, the second floor hallway being fourth, Harry was unsure of where the fifth door on the south wall lead.
Now to understand the wizards reasoning of why this door of his bedroom was unexplored you must understand that living with the Dursleys had lead to certain rules of self preservation. One of which that ran along the asking no questions was to not go anywhere unless it was a direct instruction. Harry had actually no idea of what his uncles or his cousins rooms looked like for he was never aloud to be in them so as he could not damage anything with any of his mishaps.
Mrs. Mason after putting the last of his new T-shirts in a new dresser indicated Harry to follow her to this door now. Opening to reveal a stair case that twisted around so as that he could not see the top of, Jules lead her charge up wearing a large smile. Harry starting to worry of exactly what she was planning followed a little more cautiously. What he saw at the top forced him to gasp. In a room three the size of the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts (about half the size of the Great Hall), sporting and electronic equipment spread from one side to another. The most noticeable being a large oak desk the size of his bed held a state of the art computer as well as a large book case completely full to the right of it. Windows let tinted light in from all four walls and the ceiling as well as large glass doors to the north and south. Walking over to the south door Harry peered out onto a court yard. Jules still following close to him mentioned softly that on the other side of the yard was the library (which he had not yet seen but had held several conversations with the Masons while his eyes healed). The wizard turned around and looked at the entertainment set and couches set up around it. Among the sporting equipment Harry witnessed a set of weights, several punching bags, a basket ball hoop with a rack of several balls set up to the right of it, some floor mats as well as several dummies. There were several cupboards that had locks on them that he was curious about but he did not have a desire to appear nosey.
'Chris's workshop is on the other side,' Jules indicated out the north doorway. 'We want you to use it only when are there to supervise. The pool is heated so you can use it any time during the year. We used this room originally as a home gym but each time we would buy something new when we thought we would have enough time our time evaporated. It is yours now so feel free to use it. The weights and the fencing equipment need to be respected so don't use them unless someone can help you when you get in trouble,' she then turned and indicated the bookcase and desk. 'This is yours to use as you like. The books are some standard academic ones for secondary schooling along with some either I or Chris thought you may enjoy. I really wasn't sure what sort of things you might like so I got a little of everything. If I missed something feel free to ask.'
Jules finally turned her full attention to the preteen and was concerned about his expression. His mouth kept on opening and closing though no sound was apparent besides the slight wheezing. 'Hey Harry,' no response. Trying to get some sort of response she waved a hand in front of his eyes she was starting to get worried, 'Harry are you ok? Come on speak say something! If you don't like it I can let you and Chris go shopping latter? Harry! Can you hear me?' At which point she tapped him gently on his shoulder. Still no response other than the wide eyes she tweaked his nose, at which he jumped and turned towards her and gave her a hug around her waist his head muffled in the lower part of her jumper he said something.
Not exactly sure what was going on she rubbed his back softly, 'What was that dear?'
Harry pulled his face off of her jumper, 'Thank you,' and he went back to hugging her. After that they walked back down stairs to the kitchen where they shared afternoon tea.
...
For everything that the Masons had given him, Harry still missed his friends. The last that Harry had actually seen Ron was beneath the trap door when he was knocked out by the white queen. He remembered Hermione hugging him before she walked through the purple flames and his fateful run in with Quirrell. He vaguely recalled them visiting him in the hospital wing but the exact events other than the varying degrees of pain were muffled. Regardless he really wanted to meet up with them.
Even though it had only been a few weeks since the end of school so much had happened making it seem so much longer.
Harry Potter in the mean time developed a thirst for knowledge. After reading the Magical implements book(some of the theories it proposed were absolutely amazing), he moved on to one of his transfiguration texts (it delivered a fair definition between life like and true life, true life only attempted in the much more advanced transfigurations), then to his Creatures of the Magical World book (which provided some ideas for additional magical sources than those named in the implements book) . Harry had read a total of eight books from his personal collection (including a rudimentary biology book that Jules had given him two days before). Harry had not surrendered to sleep until the sun started to rise. This was why when Jules and Chris walked into his room, at nine in the morning, after knocking repeatedly, they found him sleeping on the floor surrounded by piles of books.
...
Chris reached down to gently bring the twelve year old into consciousness. 'Harry, come on bud we need you to wake up, we have some things to discuss with you,' he gently shook the child's shoulder.
'...powdered bicorn horn, professor ...what? What happened to Professor Snape?' Harry's eyes grew wide and then narrowed slightly when the adults started to laugh kindly.
'Harry I think you were dreaming. Let me guess you nodded off while reading one of the potions texts?' Jules asked jovially, to which Harry had the curtesy to blush. The Masons had heard enough stories about Hogwarts, during his recovery, to understand what Harry was going on about.
'Harry I got the Dursleys to sign the last of the paper work. We now have full custody of you, but there is something that they gave me that I am not sure you would really want to know,' Mr Mason conversed solemnly. 'I have something in my study that I think you should read, that is if you want to. It is your parents' last will and testament.'
Harry appeared confused and he turned to look at his guardians. 'Where did you find it?'
'The bastard kept a copy in his office safe. From what I understand it is the reason the Dursleys kept you for so long. It has a contingence in the event of your parents death that who ever is your guardian when you come of wizarding age will receive a tenth of the Potter family assets, that is if you received your Hogwarts letter by the day after your date of birth. Other wise they would have received the ten percent September the first of your fourteenth year to cover your expenses,' Jules grabbed Harry's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. 'Hun we have no desire for any of the property that is rightfully yours. We have already written and signed papers that make that clear, so don't try to fight us about that issue, clear?'
'Yes mam,' Harry replies nodding his head as the tears started to well up in his eyes. "Something from my parents," was the primary thought among the torrent of emotions playing in his mind.
Harry had yet to receive anything from his parents. Not even a single picture, he remembered something about red hair and green eyes but that was it. He remembered the mirror of Erised but he did not have much faith in it. He never received any of the gifts that were left for him at the end of the previous year, nor did he realise that it was another thing to blame the headmaster on.
Shakily taking the parchment into his hands Harry read.
Harry read what had been left to their friends and family.
Petunia had been left nothing unless she acknowledged her sibling by the time of her death.
Harry was to be left in the care of his godfather, if the man was not in a fit state to handle Harry Potter at the time of their deaths then it continued on down a list of succession (they brought Harry into a world where survival of any one individual was not guaranteed, which the acknowledged as one of the first things in the will). Albus Dumbledore was ninth on the list; there was not a single mention of the Dursleys in that section of the document. The preteen trembled with all the conflicting emotions. Sadness at the loss of his parents (he was never really given a chance to grieve before then), anger at Dumbledore and Voldemort (he could not decide which one he hated more), betrayal by a mentor that his parents trusted in his guardianship, loss at all the people that came before the headmaster on the list.
It hurt.
It really hurt.
The emotions built up and it felt like the wall holding them back was just starting to crumble.
Tears started to run down his face as a strangled cry escaped from his mouth. All that heard it could feel their hearts break.
The Masons both came up to him and pulled him into their arms, providing the little bit of comfort that they could. And for the first time in his life Harry let someone see his weakness.
...
The next Wednesday Harry made plans to head back to the bank to get the keys from the goblins, but he had no desire to actually go down to his vaults. To much had already happened to deal with going through vaults that potentially had some of his parents personal affects.
Silversmith motioned him forward as soon as he caught sight of the young Gryffindor. He immediately pulled three keys out whispering quietly to each one while taping a brass scale with one of his pointed fingers. Harry could feel the magic being activated as the key changed shape and size, the smallest roughly the size of his thumb while the largest the size of his shoe.
'We had some trouble with recalling the originals, something blocked their return. We re- calibrated the locks on your vaults. We can reset them if you ever come in possession of the originals. Do you wish to access them on this day sir?' The banker looked over the rim of his glasses directly at the young man in front of him.
Harry shook his head in the negative, 'No, thank-you Mister Silversmith. I hope you have a productive day. Thank you for your efforts,' Harry grabbed the keys and the goblin nodded at him dismissing him. Harry shot a smile at him before he headed towards the exit.
Walking down the street Harry felt a presence ...a familiar presence ...a presence that he had not felt since the beginning of the summer.
'Dumbledore,' he hissed underneath his breath.
Harry tried to focus on where he was feeling it. When, all of a sudden everything went dark. It was like someone slipped a blindfold on his eyes except he could not feel any pressure on his eyes and he knew they were wide open. The panic started to get to him and Harry shakily searched for a wall or door, something that he could anchor himself on the busy alley. Right when he reached the point where he might start to hyperventilate he felt the presence.
...then another
...then a dozen
Closing his eyes he felt the magic and life around him. The wind in the air and the stone beneath his feet. His mind quickly built a mental image of the street and all that was around him. The jaded boy, knowing he did not want to run into the old man, quickly turned down a side street. With his eyes open he could keep the mental image current.
Unknowing the street that he turned down had a certain reputation he did not notice the hag that caught a glimpse of his eyes. She cowered further into the shadows as she saw the fire burning in the pupil of his eyes and felt the power that radiated off of him. Just as she was just about to crawl away in the hope that he did not notice her; the shadows swallowed him up without a trace.
Ok one of the reviews claimed that they liked the super Harry stories. To be honest that is the last thing I want to write. That is not saying that this will turn out to be one of them but I want to end up with something a little deeper than the standard one.
No insult intended to those that read or write them are intended, but half of them turn out as horible as the other half turn out to be decent.
My story is going to be Order of the Phoenix compliant (sounds like a computer system) but this is a fair warning Dumbledore is going to be put in really bad light. And I am not saying that anything stated is my true oppinion. My various muses just are pushing me in that direction.
You Have Been Warned.
On a lighter note what sex do you think Blaise Zambini is? This might be crucial in the direction this story will eventually go.
Feel free to read review or just make faces at me.