Harry Potter and the Eye of the Storm

(A/N: I hope you like this chapter, which is dedicated to all my friends that urged me to keep going, and also special thanks go to Lady Lemmy, who wrote me a really nice review. Please feel free to email me on zakulaminahotmail.com if you don't want to leave a review.)

Chapter 2: New Experiences

Harry's 16th birthday was the first that he had ever looked forward to, as he, thanks to Dumbledore, would finally be allowed to practice some of the magic that he had been reading about in his new sixth year books, as well as his extra reading.

Harry could just imagine Ron's horrified expression as he unwrapped 'Advance Defence' '1000 Rare Curses and Hexes' 'Animagi: Advance to Animals' 'Beginners Metamorphmagi' 'Wandless magic for the worried witch or wizard' 'Magic Theory' 'Apparition: a Beginners guide' and 'Elementary Elementals: Natural Power' However, he could also Hermione's jealous one as Harry began reading. Sirius was right. He was quite balanced when he thought about it.

Harry was also spending a lot of time with Mark. Even though there was a five year age difference between them they had become friends very easily. Harry kept Dudley off Mark and Mark loved to hear about the Wizarding world, whether good or bad, happy or tragic. They had taken to reading the Daily Prophet together, and seeing who saw their trackers first. Harry was at Mark's house the night before his birthday when the strangest conversation started.

Mark had been quiet for almost five minutes when he said, 'Erm...Harry? Are we... I mean, is there any chance... that we could be related?' Harry looked up sharply, but knew Mark had more to say.

'Its just, well, your mother's maiden name was Evans, right? And her grandfather's uncle was called Thomas Matthew Evans, and that's the same as my great-great- grandfather...' And to Harry's amazement Mark produced a family tree.

Harry stared at the tree for a full minute without saying anything at all. Maybe he was hoping that somebody would say 'April Fool!' though even as he had this thought some part of his stunned brain registered that it was mid July. Mark finally broke the silence.

'Harry? Are you Ok? I might have got it wrong, you know...Harry? It isn't bad is it? I was really happy...'

'No, no, it's great, its really great... it's just I was told that the Dursleys' were my last relatives...' Harry was infuriated to realise that his voice was breaking. 'Dumbledore said...'

'Maybe he meant a direct blood relative?' tried Mark. 'I mean it's quite distant really. I just thought you'd be happy, we'd be more than just wizards, you know... was I that wrong?'

And Harry smiled. 'No, not really. It is good. And he'd better have needed a direct blood relative. Sorry, where were we? The basics of Charms?' 'Translation I think.' 'Transfiguration. Are sure you want to learn before school?' 'Of course! I mean, none of my immediate family are wizards, I don't want to be left behind.' Harry grinned, remembering his own first year fears.

'Make sure you don't become a Hermione.' He joked, without thinking about what he was saying. 'Who's Hermione?' asked Mark, the basics of Transfiguration forgotten already. 'She's one of my best friends, the brightest girl in the year. She's in my house, Gryffindor, and we made friends after I helped save her from a mountain troll.'

They kept talking until 8 o'clock and Harry had to go home, and they hadn't done any work at all. Not quite a Hermione then Harry thought smirking as he went back to Privet drive. This summer wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be was his last thought before he fell asleep.

Harry woke up to find that there were several owls pecking a little annoyed at him. It was 4am and it looked as if they'd been there since midnight. Then he remembered: he was 16. And he was free at last!

There were a total of seven owls on his bed and another three birds around his room, including Hedwig, Pigwidgeon and several Hogwarts ones. And in the corner was a strange creature, the colour of snow. Not quite white, but a creamy, blueish brown, and it was twice the size of the biggest eagle owl.

And then he saw it. The eagle owl that Harry had seen so many times before. It was even sitting a little further from the other owls. Harry had no idea what it was doing here- maybe it was lost? But Harry was sure that he wasn't wrong. It was Malfoy's owl.

Harry untied each parcel or present from each bird, but he could help glancing back at Malfoy's owl every now and then. It was starting to irritate Harry. Why was it here? Harry didn't really hate Malfoy, just thought he was an insulting git. But if he hadn't been so horrible, always acting first, maybe they wouldn't have been so against each other. Harry thought of the Sorting hat and decided that this year he would at least try to be civil to the Slytherins.

By why was his owl here? Harry took its parcel off its leg last, and even though he was burning with curiosity, he decided that it would probably cast a shadow over the other presents, so he left it on his desk for a while. Almost all the birds stayed, obviously waiting for a reply. So Harry picked up his first present and slowly opened it.

It was from the twins. There was a card, a note and a small box embosomed with a fancy logo for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Harry put their card (which had tried to suck him into it) on his bedside table and opened the note. It read:

Dear Harry,
Happy Birthday! For your sweet sixteenth we've decided to give you some merchandize so you can see what your money has helped us to do. We are also giving you this warning: DO NOT EAT ANY OF THE SWEETS inside the box. We hope you don't mind us sending you a box of chocolates and telling you not to eat any of them, but we feel that you will understand that we personally feel that it is your cousin that really needs them and their effects!
You see, really we are giving you sixteen amazing laughs free as well as the box, which has its own manual. We hope that you will tell all to us later this summer.
Enjoy!
Gred and Forge Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

Harry grinned, thinking of the twins' laughing faces and the last time he had seen them at King's Cross. The next present was from Remus. It was a spell book entitled 'The Lost Spells of Godric Gryffindor'. The card had a beautiful wolf on the cover, and it also had a short note that said:

Harry,
For a true Gryffindor. Hope it helps, I'm sure if you don't like it Hermione would starve for it! See you in two weeks! Love Remus

Hermione had sent him a card with a picture of the three of them laughing in the Three Broomsticks together and a real, spelled dream catcher. 'To help you with your Occumency' she had written.

Ron gave him a miniature Quidditch team, and a note that told Harry briefly that everything was ok but he was missing him and could tell he wasn't really saying anything from his notes.

From Tonks Harry got a book on Metamorphmagi and a note that asked how he had recognised her in the park. Moody had sent a book called 'Trials and Troubles: a guide to becoming an Auror'. Ginny had sent him a skin melding locket that literally melted into your collarbone when it was put on and no one else could see it or touch it. It had a picture of her inside.

Neville had written to him, and Harry assumed that the huge bird was from Luna. That left Malfoy and – Dumbledore? Harry opened it slowly to reveal another book. But it was empty. The note said:

You are going through a lot. Don't feel you have to use this, but it is a magic diary. Maybe one day people will be ready to know the truth. Maybe that day will never come. Decide for yourself.

Harry looked at the diary again, and reading the manual found it could only be seen by people trustworthy to the user, and only read by those chosen few. Then Harry picked up Neville's letter and the package from Luna.

Dear Harry,
Thank you for your letter, it was good to hear from you and I am sorry for your untimely loss. Your offer was the first I've ever had of the sort, and I hope to take you up on it one day.
Happy Birthday! I'm sorry I haven't got you a present, but I only realised your birthday was just three days after mine on my own. See you next term.
Neville

Dear Harry,
It was very nice to hear from you and I'm glad that I could help you. I found that I just needed time, but the knowledge that she is just waiting for me on the other of a veil helped I think.
We FOUND A CRUMPLE HORNED SNORKACK!!!! Enclosed are several photos that will be published in the next edition of the Quibbler. Maybe Hermione should buy it? We have managed to find an egg, and I am going to be allowed to keep it if its hatches! I feel so happy and am just glad that I have someone to tell. See you September 1st.
Luna

Harry couldn't help grinning as he leafed through the photos of Luna, her father and a herd of the strangest creatures he had ever seen.

Finally, Harry picked up Malfoy's parcel. Harry was about to open it when he thought first. As he was sixteen now he could use magic. He silenced the room, locked the door and cast a cleansing blanket that would both protect him and the room from anything that could be in the envelope. Then he opened it. There was a letter and a small parcel. Harry went for the letter first.

Dear Potter,
Before you say anything, I don't know why I am writing to you and if you say anything to anyone at all, even Weasley or Granger, you will not know what hit you. I might not be the same as You- Know-Who, but I will be similarly driven to end your life with a lot of pain.
As you will know, my father is still in Azkaban, but he won't be for long. Whether I am gloating or warning you, I am not sure. I heard on the grapevine that it is your birthday. Actually, my mother heard, and suggested that I send you this gift, as we are undoubtedly 'friends'. She gave it to me wrapped and I don't know what it is. I don't know how stupid you really are, but I wouldn't open it. If you sent me a gift I wouldn't even touch it, but you do seem to do some weird things. Don't think that I don't want whatever it does to happen, which will probably contain a lot of pain and screaming, but anyone worth getting someone killed for can do better than that. Then again, don't give it to Dumbledore either. I don't know what you should do with it but I'm sure you've got enough people around you with glowing halos to figure something out. Why I am telling you this is a mystery to me. I wouldn't mind if I never saw you again.
If you are reading this Potter, then obviously I sent this, but at the moment I am having severe doubts. Have I gone crazy? I wrote to you? Well, I might as well continue writing mystery crap. I hope you know that I'm only writing this because my mother is at a meeting. There isn't meant to be a letter with this 'gift'. I could be in personal danger for writing this. I have gone crazy. I will now pretend that we can stand the sight of each other for the rest of this letter, as I have written at least three times to everyone in Slytherin house, and they have all said much the same things. This does not mean I want a reply, as I do not want to hear from you or get in trouble for contacting you at all. I just need to write. Maybe it's easier to talk to someone that you really hate? Don't answer that.
I have become Quidditch captain, and I am sure you have for Gryffindor. Of course you have, golden Potter and his golden broom. I was actually shocked that you weren't favoured enough to become a Prefect, but then I remembered how stupid you are. Almost as much as me for writing this. It seems that Parkinson wants to marry me, and this is probably the one thing that you can really trust in this to be true. I'm serious. I mean, I hate you, Weasley is a prat and I will not write more than Granger's name, but I've got an excuse for that. But my parents actually think it is a good idea.
Nott is planning to make your life hell this year. I am all for this, of course, as I hate you and all your adoring fans and would love to see you have a hard time, but preferably with more dignity. Nott is slightly unhinged though. In fact, all followers' children are going to be making your life hell this year, except me. I have the joyous prospect of being the person who is meant to 'spy knowingly' on you. Do you know what this means? Do you think I should ask you for your plans, become your friend (how?!?), bug Gryffindor common room? Though it seems that I am choosing the first, the third seems the easiest, with one flaw. Where is Gryffindor common room? I think Crabbe must have thought of this plan, as Goyle would not have been able to spell 'knowingly'. I would never trust you and I doubt even you would ever really trust me.
I am not sure why, because I really do hate your guts and am not just saying this, but as I write this I do actually wish you a happy birthday. My birthday was awful, and normally I would be hoping that you have a worse one. But I know that you are going to have an awful year, and I will be able to witness most of that, so maybe you should have some good memories from this year.
I hope that I will be better by the time school starts. If Weasley is reading this, know that for my birthday I got more than his entire family has, and didn't want any of it. If Granger is reading this, even though she is a Mudblood I would rather marry her than Parkinson. If any teachers or Healers are reading this, please contact me and tell me how to cure myself of writing to someone that I will probably try to kill in the near future. Until then, Draco Malfoy

Harry stared at the letter, and burst out laughing. He just couldn't help it. Of course, some of the things Malfoy had said were nasty, and the present was dangerous, but it was just so unexpected that Harry needed to laugh.

He put the gift in one section of the magic box that Fred and George had sent him, and started to reply to each gift or letter. The Order ones were short as Harry thought that he would be seeing them soon anyway. Finally, Harry wrote one to Malfoy. He had been about to just write back when one sentence jumped out at him. I do not want to get in trouble for contacting you. Harry thought about this for a while, and ended up writing:

Postal Office We are sorry to inform you that your owl met a terrible storm and that we cannot guarantee that the letter that she is carrying was either meant for you or that your original letter got though.

Dear Pen Pal,
It was surprising to get your letter, to say the least, as I had completely forgotten that I had signed up for a Pen Pal from another house at Hogwarts! It seems a little drastic that we can't write down our names, but I guess that's the rules for you. Oh well. I guess I'll never be able to talk about these letters to my friends, and the same for you, as neither of us know who we are writing to, but that is the idea. But I am in Gryffindor.
Did you hear that Harry Potter was made Quidditch Captain for Gryffindor? I know that you Slytherins really hate him, but he is quite good on a broom. That Draco Malfoy could give him a run for his money though, if they were on the same broom. I think I would like him more if he could just play one game without cheating though. He could beat Potter if they respected each other I think. Because half of Potters talent comes only from a drive to beat Malfoy, I think. Also if Malfoy didn't care so much about blood. I'm half blood myself, which is the same as You-Know-Who. Did you know that? Most people assume that he's pure blood, but he had a Muggle father. By his own reasoning he is lower than most of his followers!
Do you know anything about being crazy? One of my friend's dad's a healer and I mentioned that I got a letter from my ex-girlfriend this summer. It was very confusing, half of it was saying how much she hated me and the other said that she wanted to marry me! We agreed that even though my parents like her you shouldn't get married to anyone you don't like, and not before you're twenty at least. It's not my parents' life I said. And even if they got really mean, like by causing me the severe pain (by stopping my pocket money) I'm sure I could just run away and one of my school friends would take me in. Or I might just live in a hotel. I have my own Gringotts vault, so I could cope without my parents. So we decided that my ex wasn't really crazy, but that posed the question: if I write back to this person that really hates me, and I suppose I hate this person too, but only 'cause she said some really nasty thing to me and my friends, and acted on them as well, would that make me crazier than this person?
It was also nice to receive that gift and your advice on how to use it properly, as I have never used a quick- quotes quill before. I may need to ask someone to help me set it up, but it was a nice idea.
If you don't write back I won't mind, as I have no idea who you are, but it might be nice to see where this goes. Your Gryffindor Pen Pal

Harry was quite pleased with this reply. He fastened it to Malfoy's eagle owl, which flew over to the window and out of sight. When the room was finally empty of birds it was 5:30am, and Harry turned back to 'Advanced Defence' and finished it before beginning breakfast.

A hundred miles away and an hour later, Draco Malfoy got the fastest reply to a letter he had ever received, and was surprised to find that his owl had been charmed to be able to fly at huge speeds. At first he thought that the letter would be from Potter, and he considered just throwing it away, but Potter obviously hadn't thrown his away, so he opened it. Then he found it wasn't from Potter at all but from some crazy Gryffindor.

And then he realised that it was from Potter- but he was writing in some random code to cover up that he was writing to Draco. It was quite good actually, and if you could bring yourself to sift though some of the rubbish there was a lot there. No mentions of plans, but no one could be that stupid. But there were comments and advice. There was a whole paragraph comparing their Quidditch abilities, and Potter hadn't really said he was better than Malfoy. And he even talked about running away if he was forced to marry Parkinson. And Draco wasn't sure, but he thought Potter might have hinted about the Cruciatius curse. Maybe he should write back?

Harry slept in, and made breakfast when he would normally get back from his jog. The Dursleys' ignored his birthday, again, but this didn't bother Harry at all. But Harry did want some proof of being related to Mark. Things just seemed to be going so quickly. Harry had only really known Mark for about a week and a half. But he had to know.

'Aunt Petunia? Could I have a word with you please?' Aunt Petunia looked slightly surprised but as Uncle Vernon had already left for work and Dudley was watching TV she looked round. Harry took a breath. 'What was your father's name?'

'Sorry- Henry? Is that all?' Harry's heartbeat got a little quicker. 'And did you have any Uncles? What was your grandfather's name?' 'I had one uncle, Daniel, and my grandfather was called Peter, after his grandfather, Peter James Evans. I think he had two sons, but I'm not sure. I haven't talked to my family for a while, but I think Daniel has two sons and a daughter...' Harry wasn't listening. Lily, Henry, Peter, Charles and Peter. She had mentioned almost the entire bloodline that connected Harry to Mark. It had to be true...

The doorbell brought Harry back to reality. Harry went to get the door. It was Gordon and Piers. They were looking for Dudley. Harry went to get him. They were coming back when Harry heard the beginnings of a scuffle. He looked out of the door. There was Mark backed against a wall with Gordon and Piers smirking at him.

Suddenly all the hate for them that Harry thought was long buried came to the surface and the one restriction that might have stopped him was gone now he was sixteen. Dudley had pushed past Harry and was about to join them when he looked up straight into Harry's wand. 'Get away from him.' Harry said slowly and clearly, power vibrating in every syllable. 'Back off now.'

Gordon didn't react at all. Dudley looked worried, but then said, 'You wouldn't. They'd expel you for sure this time.' But it was Piers that really made Harry lose his temper. He looked Harry up and down, smirked as if to say, 'I could take you' and said simply, 'What? You going to poke us with your little stick, then are you?'

Harry seemed to calm, but this was because he was carefully rattling though spells in his head. First he turned to Dudley. 'Today is my sixteenth birthday,' he began slowly, 'and there are no more rules. Mark is my friend, and will be joining me at school this year. Now back off now.' And Harry happily stared at his fat cousin as this information passed through his brain.

As fury turned to terror at being on the wrong end of Harry's wand, Dudley looked like he might have backed off. But then Gordon, bored of waiting, hit Mark straight in the stomach. Harry turned his wand on Gordon and barely thought about what he did. He just yelled, 'Wingardium Leviosa!'

Harry couldn't help laughing as Gordon flew into the air, and held him there. Harry thought about stunning him, but thought that Dumbledore might object. As Piers moved towards Harry, he was sent sprawling in to the house wall. Dudley was just staring at the floating form of Gordon. 'Five years has taught me quite a lot you three.'

Harry released them and Gordon nearly landed on top of Piers. 'Now all of you run along.' Dudley tried to go with them but was rooted to the spot. Harry hadn't finished with him. 'Stay away from us- all of us.' Harry commanded, before releasing Dudley and walking over to Mark.

'Are you ok?' Harry asked, pocketing his wand. 'Let's go to your house, hang on I'll get some books. Umm... oh well "Accio first year and Advanced textbooks" are you sure that you are ok Mark? He hit you quite hard. Damn...' he trailed off as several spell books came swooping through the house. 'This is going to way a tonne. Hang on, "Accio box" and then we'll go shall we?'

Mark was looking at the books in astonishment as they flew down the stairs and settled in Fred and Georges' amazing endless box. You could up to five tonnes in them and still shrink it to the size of a matchbox and it would weigh the same. They were really talented when you thought about it. No wonder they were making such a profit. As he put the box in his pocket, Mark started to laugh.

'What?' asked Harry. 'Well I just realised how little you did, right? I mean, you've been at Hogwarts for five years, and you just levitated him, right?' Harry grinned. 'You catch on quickly. Just 'cause I'm allowed to use magic doesn't mean I'm allowed to abuse it. I was just giving them a shock really.' And they spent the rest of the evening laughing and reading together, with plenty of re-enacting Harry's rescue.

Mark gave Harry a watch that ha an owl on it and there was even cake. It was the best birthday Harry had ever had, even in his dreams, and Harry didn't want it to end. The next weeks were a blur to Harry, of laughter, spells and reading, and for the first time he actually didn't want to go and meet his friends again. Luna had become quite funny in her letters about Crumple Horned Snorkacks and even Neville liked to hear about what Harry had done to his cousin.

Strangely, Malfoy had written back to Harry, and they had continued to send seemingly unrelated rubbish to each other. They were all so different from each other that they had decided that by writing all the crazy crap they could think of it kept them sane in other areas of life.

And Harry hadn't told anyone that he was talking to Malfoy, in the same way he hadn't told anyone that he was doing extra work. They would think he was just too weird. When Harry received a Portkey on the morning of the 17th of August he was almost sad, but had taught Mark loads, and Harry couldn't wait to see Ron and Hermione again. Harry only paused to say goodbye to Mark and check that he could handle Diagon Ally and find Platform 9 ¾ and to say that he would see him soon enough.

Then he said that he was leaving and should be back next summer, and then he activated it. He thought about the parchment that Dumbledore had given to moody to give to him last year, and then with a sharp pull behind his navel, Harry and all him school stuff disappeared and reappeared somewhere Harry didn't recognise.

(A/N So did you like it? Should i change anything? REVIEW!)

Next Chapter coming soon... Luv witchintraining!