Harry Potter and the Circle of the Serpent
Chapter two: Somewhere Far, Far Away
Albus sighed before he opened the doors to the hospital wing and stepped through, aiming directly over to the bed with the unconscious unknown boy. Poppy Pomfrey, the school nurse, was tending to the boy once more. He was badly injured, but they still hadn't been able to identify the curse, which had caused the lightning bolt shaped scar on the boy's forehead. "Anything new, Poppy?" he asked softly. The nurse whirled around, startled. "Albus! Do you have to scare me like this?!" she accused, making the headmaster chuckled. Then his face was serious again as he asked "Has he woken up yet? Have you found anything about this scar?" Poppy shook her head, a concerned frown marring her face. "I have nothing new about the scar, no. But he woke up for a short time - ten minutes ago… He was talking…"
Albus' head snapped up. "Talking? What did he say?" Madam Pomfrey bit her lip. "He – I'm sure it was the fever, Albus – he was talking nonsense. About an attack and a prophecy and a record. He said something along the lines of 'The hospital wing?? Did I break Dad's record?' It was nonsense really." Albus frowned slightly. An attack? A prophecy? And the boy knew where he was, although no-one could remember him ever having been here? Somehow, he doubted that that was nonsense…
A groan was heard from the curtained bed and Albus hurried to the boy's side, Poppy on his heels. The unknown boy groaned again. His eyelids were fluttering, his lips parting slightly. After a moment, Albus realised that the boy was trying to talk. "Shh!" he shushed the nurse who was making a big fuss out of it. She huffed indignantly and turned around.
"S-sir? 'Fessor 'umbledore, sir?" Albus frowned. This boy, whom he had never seen before and, of course, didn't know anything about, obviously knew him. "Erm… sir? Is everything alright? Did – did something happen to – to my relatives? What – Is something wrong with you? Did they attack Headquarters? Has something happened to Ron or Hermione? Please sir, say something, what is it? Is it – is it Tonks or – or Remus or – SIR! Are you listening to me? What happened? Sir… Oh! Are you mad about what I did to your office, sir? I'm – I'm really sorry about it, I – didn't want to destroy your things, I – Sirius had just died and – and I was angry that you wouldn't let me out of the office… A – and your encouragement only made it worse. I'm so sorry! Were you able to fix all the things again?"
Albus held a hand up to silence him. The boy stopped, looking extremely concerned. "Now, I must ask you how exactly you know me and who you are?" The boy stared at him as if he'd grown a second head. "Sir? Are – are you all right? I – I'm Harry, Professor, Harry Potter. I'm – is this some joke? I – I mean – not that I like being famous and all – but how could anyone not know me? How can't you know me? You – you've been my mentor for nearly six years. I'm a student at Hogwarts. I – I – what's wrong, sir? Is – (He caught sight of the calendar and paled drastically.) 1976?!?! Oh my god! …Merlin! How - ? 1976! How did that happen? … Tom! I'll kill him! He – he – he's cost me all I held dear and now – NOW he sent me twenty years into the past?!"
Harry seemed to have forgotten him and was starting to hyperventilate. Albus sat next to the hysteric boy and tried to stop him from hyperventilating. Finally, Harry calmed down and looked at him with wide, fearful eyes. Albus sighed. "Why don't you tell me now exactly who you are and what happened to you again, a bit more calmly, perhaps? Your name is Harry and you know me – that is as much as I could gather from your rambling…"
Harry blushed. "I'm sorry, Professor. My name is Harry, Harry James Potter. And before you ask, yes I am related to James Potter – he is or better, will be my father. Because, you see, I sort of come from the year 1996. I don't know how it happened; the only thing I know is that it has something to do with Tom Riddle. He shot a spell at me and mine and his curses connected. But that time, no Priori Incantatem happened – they just met directly in front of me and I got the full blow and the next thing I know is waking up here. Ugh – I hate the hospital wing. It's too damn white and sterile…"
Albus chuckled. "You're right there, Harry. So you claim to be from the future? Would you mind us questioning you under Veritaserum?" Harry frowned. "No – yes, of course I mind! I can't tell you about the future – I could cause a paradox! See – I could get a lot of things back if I decided to change the future, but I won't, because I also care for the greater good! I won't tell you more than I have already told you!" His voice was laced with determination and Albus sighed. "You do want us to believe you, don't you?" Harry laughed sarcastically. "I don't give a damn about what everybody believes…" he scowled. "Harry – you have to prove what you say or we will have to call the ministry…" Harry huffed annoyedly, but finally said "Fine! Do what you want!". Albus smiled amusedly.
"Okay. Wait here. I will come back with the serum." Albus quickly went to his office and got the truth serum. When he walked back into the hospital wing, Harry was sitting on his bed, scowling at the opposite wall. Albus coughed. Harry turned his glare to the headmaster. "Three drops will do." Dumbledore said, totally unfazed. Harry pouted and then gulped down half the bottle. Albus raised an eyebrow. Harry chuckled. "You do want to know my story, don't you? We'll need some time for that…" Albus nodded and got out parchment and quill.
"Please state your name and birth date."
"Harry James Potter, 31st of July 1980"
Albus gasped. "Oh Merlin… Please give me the names of your parents and your place of residence."
"James Potter and Lily Evans. Dursley Residence, Number four, Privet Drive – Little Whinging, Surrey."
"Why do you live with the Dursleys and in what relation do they stand to you?"
"My parents were murdered by Voldemort on the 30th of October 1981. Petunia Dursley is my maternal Aunt. She is a muggle."
"How did you get this peculiar scar on your forehead?"
And so the questioning went on until Harry had told his entire life story to the headmaster.
Albus looked at Harry gravely. "I am very sorry, my boy, but I do not think that there is a way of sending you back. I will research this, of course. I will send for someone you know. I think Remus Lupin would be nice. He will have to be at the school in a week's time anyway because of his transformation. I will write a letter to him later, but now we firstly need a new name and a new record for you." A tear rolled down Harry's cheeks. "So I won't see my friends for twenty years?"
Albus sighed. "Alas, you most certainly won't… Now for your name…"
Tbc…
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Hi guys! I'm finally back! (got a new computer yesterday and just finished this chapter.) I think this chapter isn't very good, but there you go… Please Review!! (constructive critic is very much welcome) Sorry that the chapter is so short!
Lioness 12.09.2004