The third chapter is here! It would have been out sooner if my computer hadn't decided to curl up and die. *sob* Anyway, the reason (yes there is always a reason^.^) this chapter took so long is because, even thought it was done fairly soon it didn't sound right to me. I'm still not sure if it does sounds right now, but I can't hold on to it any longer. So here it is. Please tell me what you think of it.
Special thanks to Rose Fencer for helping me with this chapter.
Mind: Chapter 3
Harry hovered in a kind of limbo. The place radiated peace and Harry finally found himself able to deal with some of the things that had been pressuring him. He centred his thoughts on the complications that revolved around the arrival of James, his father, his dead father, and shoved all other worries out of the way for now.
For one single second he considered the fact that he might be mad, but he quickly shook it off and didn't even acknowledge the part of him that felt almost glad at the thought.
First things first, nobody could know about this. Not even Ron and Hermione, they already treated him like glass he didn't think that this new development would go over well.
Second, he would have to try his best not to let any facts slip out.
But there was almost no way that something wouldn't get out so he would just have to minimize it as much as he could.
Yes, that's what he'd do. Take this whole thing one step at a time, and just enjoy this unexpected gift to get to know his father. Already he felt calmer, although he wasn't sure if it was the place or the fact that he had settled some of the issues that had been pressing at him.
He knew he hadn't looked at everything that he needed to look at but for now he would deal with the immediate stuff and leave Voldemort out of it.
Harry shuddered at the thought but was able to quickly shove it away before the memory of Cedric's death came riding in on its tail.
Doesn't matter right now, he thought. Deal with it later, he silently promised.
Taking the equivalent of a deep calming breath, he let himself float. Everything was so silent and still, no worries pounded at his mind. He didn't have to watch himself, or wear the mask he'd created over the summer, he was just… himself. Nobody's hopes rested on him, didn't expect him to be the Great Harry Potter and save the world.
With a slow realization, Harry began to comprehend that something was wrong. The world seemed to be getting farther and farther away. He struggled to clear his head, but everything felt muggy and hazy. He realized with a sudden shock, much like have ice water thrown on him, that what he had thought had been only a few minutes was actually a lot longer.
He didn't want to leave, he realized. But he couldn't leave James stuck alone.
With a shake he threw off the last of the mugginess and understood that he had almost allowed himself to be drawn to deeply into this place where nobody could find him. His need to be free of all those complications had wrapped him so tightly that he hadn't even realized when he had stopped worrying about what was going on outside.
A cowardly thing to do, Harry berated himself. Already with his renewed awareness he could fell himself being drawn closer to consciousness. And James, his father, no it would be James, he didn't think he could handle calling him father and still keep secrets from him.
He wasn't sure what point he crossed but suddenly he could feel James again, and he knew James could feel him.
James had thankfully made it back to the dorms without any major mishaps, but he had only a few minutes alone, since he'd told the red haired boy, Ron, his name was Ron, that he just need to grab his potions book.
Lunch had been a trial, but it seemed that nobody expected Harry to do much talking so he'd listened and learned.
Apparently, the bushy-haired girl's name was Hermione, the redhead was Ron and they seemed to be Harry's closest friends since they'd spend most of lunch nearby. Hermione had even seemed ridiculously pleased to see him eating. They both acted like mother hens, Hermione more obviously then Ron but not by much.
With a sigh James headed to the trunk at the end of Harry's bed and opened it to scrounge inside in hopes of finding the other boy's book. Harry was still missing, and James was starting to get a bit worried, there was something strange going on here. Friends don't normally act the way Harry's did unless it was for a good reason, and something about the way Harry had withdrawn so quickly after he'd let the fact slip that he was dead in this time bothered him as well. In fact, the very atmosphere of Hogwart's felt tense.
Shifting through the items in the trunk he realized that the potion's book wasn't in there, resisting the urge to curse he wondered what to do now. Maybe Ron would know where it was and hopefully he wouldn't find it strange that Harry didn't know.
Moving to stand James cast once more glance into the trunk and was about to close it when something shimmering on the bottom caught his eye. Reaching in he pulled out the cloak out and stared at it in shock.
An invisibility cloak. These were practically impossible to get a hold of. His father had one he knew, he been told that when he was old enough it would be given to him, just like his grand father had given it to his father. Shaking the cloak out, James stood and stared at the shimmering folds.
His mind raced. He supposed that his father must be dead and the cloak had passed down to him, but that didn't explain why Harry had it. Even if he, himself, was dead, and he was, he mused; Harry shouldn't have been given the cloak. Surely his guardian, or mother, (James declined to even think about that particular subject) would have held the cloak in trust. It didn't make any sense for Harry to have been given it. It wasn't something most people trusted to a boy.
What if, and this thought made him pause, what if Harry didn't have anybody else. No, he shook his head, that didn't make any sense, even if by some freak accident both of Harry's parents had been killed, James had many friends in the wizarding world. Like Sirius, Peter or Remus, surely on of them would have taken care of Harry. Unless something had happened to them to. Frowning James ran a hand over the cloak, it felt like liquid cloth, James kept expecting it to just lose shape and form a puddle on the floor but it stayed draped over his arm.
With an annoyed snort James gave himself a little mental shake. This was foolish; he didn't even now if this was the same cloak as his father's. He folded up the cloak and placed it back in the bottom of the trunk, replaced the items on top of it, pausing a moment to look at something covered in a pair of very large, and ugly socks before deciding it was none of his business.
In an unspoken or even really acknowledge decision he decided the mystery of Harry's past would stay that way. It seemed that what little he'd already learned was distressing enough for Harry and he had a feeling Harry didn't need more things distressing him.
He closed the trunk and stood staring forlornly around the room, still potion bookless when he felt a tiny tingle in the back of his mind. He knew instantly that Harry was back.
Harry! He cried.
Um, hi.
Harry knew he sounded a bit sheepish but he also felt much more relaxed. He was a bit worried about what James would have to say about his sudden disappearance and with surprise, realized that he truly did want to make a good impression on the boy who would one day be the father he'd never get to meet. James opinion, in the very little time he'd spent with him, had come to mean almost as much as Dumbledore's. He wanted in silence for James next words.
Thank god, you're here. I can't find your damn potions book.
The sudden laughter surprised Harry almost as much as it did James. All that worry and all James had to say was 'where is the damn potions book.'
What? What's so funny? James asked, confused.
Nothing, Harry replied, his tone still ringing with humour. The potions book is under the bed, I tossed it there last night, cause I didn't feel like getting up to put it in the trunk.
Harry could feel James' confusion but the other boy obviously felt it wasn't worth bothering with and shrugged it aside, throwing himself on the bed and hanging off the edge to grab the large book.
"Got it! Now we need to get to potions. Is it still in the dungeon?" James didn't wait for a reply as he tumbled off the bed. He was headed out the door when Harry finally realized what was going on.
Potion's. Snape. Oh dear.
Maybe James won't recognize him, Harry thought hopelessly. Sure and maybe Hagrid would give up on deadly beasts.
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There it is. Please tell me what you think. Especially for this chapter. I can take anything you have to say as long as it's constructive. Please fell free to send me emails, telling me what you liked and more importantly what you didn't like. Thanks for reading.