CHAPTER 13

(A/N: Wow, I have to thank the reviewers who contributed so quickly to my last chapter; I honestly wasn't quite expecting so many! Thank you again! I hope I won't disappoint you! A.S. Leif)

The days until Sunday couldn't have gone by fast enough, and it finally arrived. Harry ate a big breakfast of pancakes, orange juice and toast after his morning routine, then went upstairs to get ready. It was only eight o'clock, and his lunch with Alex was set for one, but Harry wanted to take his time getting prepared. He managed to get his hair into some kind of order, using some gel he'd picked up in Diagon Alley yesterday. He didn't want it slicked back like Malfoy did, so he spiked the very front part up, and the rest smooth. After his hair dried, Harry put an altered glamour charm on his scar, hiding it from sight, then went to his wardrobe. Since he planned to take Alex to a muggle restaurant, as he'd explained in his second letter: 'I don't want to attract too much attention', he left his robes alone.

Instead, he dressed himself in a grey pair of slacks, a nice, dark blue collared shirt, his black leather jacket, and his black dress shoes. He wore his wand holster just incase (as well as the knife and its holster), and pocketed his magic-to-muggle credit card. After looking at himself in the mirror, Harry checked the clock he'd put on the wall—it was only eleven. With a sigh, Harry went into the library to study Arthrimacy to pass the time. "Whoa, nice look," Godric said, walking into the room in his physical form.

Harry grinned weakly and put his book down, "Thanks."

"What's the occasion?"

A tinge of color appeared on his cheeks, "I'm having lunch with a friend at one." Harry answered.

Godric raised an eyebrow, "Girlfriend?"

"No!" Harry protested, "Well, she is a girl, and a friend, but not—that kind of girlfriend."

Godric laughed at Harry's stumbling words, and pointed at the clock, "Better go, you're date's gonna start in five minutes."

Harry leapt out of his seat, "It's not a date," he growled with embarrassment, and then teleported to Diagon Alley while Godric began to laugh.


He walked to Blurnof's Eyestore, made sure no one was inside, then entered and waited for Alex. Harry looked around for a few minutes until he heard someone coming down the stairs. Turning around, Harry was glad he dressed up a bit more than normal.

Alex was wearing a black, knee-length skirt, and an emerald green tank top that suited her form perfectly, and matched her eyes. Her hair was looses, falling to her shoulders and two glossy locks framed her face. She tucked one behind her ear. "Wow," Harry said, "You look great."

She smiled at him, "Thanks, you too."

Harry offered her an arm, "Shall we?" Alex laughed, and put her hand gently on his arm. "This might feel a little weird," he warned her. She assured him that she'd be fine, so Harry teleported them to Black Manor, then rapidly to the alley behind the restaurant. "What do you think?" he asked.

Alex smiled ruefully, "It was a bit strange," she admitted. Chuckling, Harry led her into the restaurant.

Harry had reservations already, so they were seated at a booth immediately. It took a little while for them to warm up to each other enough to talk, but Harry got the conversation moving by asking her where she'd gone to school.

"Well, I went to Beauxbatons Academy in France for four years, and spent my last year in an American school." she told him, "You see, in France they start at nine years old, and my parents died in my second year."

"I'm sorry," Harry said, "I know what that's like."

Alex nodded, "I'd heard about that. Did you even know them?"

Harry shrugged, "I know what they look like—thanks to the Mirror of Erised and some photographs from their friends, but I don't know much about them."

"What do you know?" she asked. So Harry told Alex about Hagrid's gift in his first year, the things Remus and Sirius told him; the will he found, and about how his father was a jerk in his fifth year. He didn't go into details, only said that James embarrassed Snape horribly, just because Sirius had been bored. "And now Snape hates me for it," Harry finished as they ate their food. "I mean, I know my dad wasn't always like that, and I still love 'im and everything, I just feel—bad."

Alex nodded sympathetically, "I can understand Snape hating you. There's a guy who used to shop at the store, but ever since Mr. Blurnof refused to sell him something, he hates everyone in the shop, especially me." Harry laughed at this comparison, drawing a smile from Alex, who was clearly relieved by his reaction, "I know it's not the same thing," she added, "Just the basic idea." Harry grinned back and asked her about her own parents. It turned out that her mother was German, and her father was Irish. They'd met at a Quidditch competition—they were on opposite teams. "After my mum his my da with a bludger, he was out of the game. Her face was the first one he saw when he woke up," Alex told him, "He said he fell in love with her right then. My mum doubted it when he found out she'd been the one who'd knocked him out." She smiled, " 'It was a bludger of love,' my da always used to say, it was what got his attention in Mum's opinion. After I was born, my mum stayed home with me, and my da retired from the sport to work for the French Ministry, in the sports department."

They continued to talk through dessert, Harry retelling the story of the Philosopher's (A/N: Or Sorcerer's for everyone else like me) Stone; and Alex told him about the trouble she'd gotten into at Beauxbatons. "I don't know why, but I feel like I've seen you before this summer," Harry told her as they finished eating.

Alex laughed. "You might have." She admitted, "I was at Hogwarts for one year after my parents died, during the Chamber of Secrets Crisis."

Harry gaped at her until she gently tapped his jaw shut with a finger. "Seriously?" he asked.

Alex nodded, obviously amused by his reaction, "Mr. Blurnof is my guardian, after my parents died, he took me to Hogwarts. He didn't think it was safe after that, so he took me back to Beauxbatons." Looking at the grandfather clock in the lobby of the restaurant, Alex sighed. "Speaking of Mr. Blurnof, I should head back, he's expecting me in half an hour.

Harry followed her gaze to the clock, it was four pm already. "Whoa! I'm sorry—I didn't realize this much time passed already." He told her.

Alex smiled, "That's okay, neither did I."

Harry refused to let her pay any part of the bill, and led her back to the alley. He teleported them both back to The Hideaway, then instantly to Blurnof's Eyestore. Harry walked Alex to the counter, and said good-bye. Before he could leave, she pecked him gently on the cheek, "I had a great time," she said with a smile. Harry was blushing furiously, but managed a small smile as well. Alex turned and went up the back stairs, leaving Harry to teleport back to the hideaway.

Harry let out a whoop once he'd gotten into his room, and sound-proofed it. After finally calming down, Harry changed into a potion-resistant robe, then went down to the dungeons to practice.

Salazar was working on a calming drought, as well as another potion he'd been thinking up, and was able to help Harry with his basic truth potion at the same time. Harry used up the rest of his basic potions ingredients, as well as a fair share of the others he'd found, and decided that he would get more next Monday.

His lessons went quicker, and he made more progress every day. Gryffindor teased him by saying it was because he'd gotten a girlfriend. In place of animagus training, Godric began to teach him how to apperate, and a few transfiguration tricks that Mark hadn't learned. In charms Harry was learning how to create undetectable portkeys; Wizarding History was on Merlin; CoMC was based on thestrals; Potions was fifth year material; Ancient Runes was normal, and so was Arthrimacy, Offense, and Defense.

Harry reduced his time to clear his mind to five minutes, and was able to work out longer during the next two weeks. He went out with Alex on Sunday afternoons or Monday evenings, after enduring the teasing Godric gave him (which earned Gryffindor several stinging hexes on occasion), and they talked about Quidditch, school, and their current lives.

In his sixth official week of summer, Harry mastered Occlumency—none of the founders could even penetrate his defenses, and he have them several head aches too. Feeling immensely proud of himself and thankful for his wonderful teachers, Harry started to learn more offensive techniques to use in defending his mind. For starters, he could force the person out by striking them with lightning, bombard them with hail or ice pellets, and even cause the clouds below them to disappear, dropping them out of his mind.

He also mad progress in all his classes. He was almost at NEWT level in Herbology, CoMC and Potions. Harry managed to catch up to OWL level in Arthrimacy, Ancient Runes, and his History classes. He was actually beginning to make his own spells in Arthrimacy. Currently he was working on a shielding spell that would not only block attacks, but absorb them—strengthening the shield. Rowena told him it'd probably take him eight to twelve months to finish it, but she encouraged him none the less. Harry could also translate anything in runes, and was beginning to write them—though it was strange and somewhat difficult to master the curves and lines.

Among his other achievements, Harry could pull off professional level moves on his broom perfectly, create a portkey in ten seconds, identify over 200 species of plants, recite the ingredients for any potion below NEWT level and make them, cast every hex and shield spell with a power level of nine or higher, ride his patronous (though he fell off many a time), workout for an hour without breaking a sweat, and not burn anything he cooked. (A/N: Whew, long sentence, my apologies for that)

Harry was about to go out and refill his potions stock, when Helga looked at him curiously from her portrait in his bedroom. "Something the matter Ma'am?" he asked.

She shook her head, "I was just wonderin' if ya were gonna do somethin' with yer hair; it's gotten fair long."

Startled, Harry look in the mirror. His hair came down to an inch above his shoulders when he didn't keep it tucked inside one of his ski caps. "Huh, I never really noticed." He admitted. Remembering Bill Weasley's hair, Harry pulled it back into a ponytail. "Hmm, a bit too long." He muttered; from the back he might look like a girl. Using a cutting charm, Harry adjusted it so that his ponytail was only two inches long. "What do you think?" he asked Helga.

She nodded, a smile on her face. "Much better."

Smiling himself, Harry bid Helga goodbye and walked down the stairs, looking for Hedwig. "Hey Girl, I'm going to Diagon Alley, care to join me?" he asked once he'd found her in the living room. With a soft hoot, she landed on Harry's shoulder. Smiling again, Harry teleported them both to Diagon Alley. Harry placed an altered glamour charm on his scar again and changed his eye color to black, then headed to the Apothecary. The store manager was more than happy to fill Harry's order, it would take an hour he said, but Harry was willing to wait. Leaving the order under Mark Shan, Harry went to Ollivander's.

The store was exactly as he remembered it: shadowy and crammed full of wand-filled boxes, with a mysterious feeling in the air.

"How may I help you?" a soft voice asked.

Harry turned to find Mr. Ollivander walking towards him through the towering cases full of wand boxes.

"Yes, I'd like to ask you about something." Harry replied.

"Your name Sir?"

Harry sighed inwardly, and checked to make sure no one was going to barge in on them with his magical lenses. "Well, I guess I'll tell you, but please Mr. Ollivander—could you keep it a secret?"

The elderly man looked curiously at Harry with his silvery eyes, then looked at Hedwig, who was perched on the counter. Finally, he nodded.

"Revelio," Harry thought, and the glamour charm vanished, leaving his scar visible, he also returned his eye color to normal.

The wand maker's eyes widened, "I thought we had met before Mr. Potter, but you have changed quite a bit." He said, "Please, step into the back room." So Harry followed Mr. Ollivander past the shelves, and into a small room with two chairs and a coffee table. "What is your question?" Mr. Ollivander asked.

Harry took a breath. "Well Mr. Ollivander, you know what happened between me and Voldemort during the Triwizard Tournament, right?" he nodded. "Well, I can't afford to let that happen gain. Yes, it was useful then, but it might not be so useful the next time. What if he uses a different wand, and I'm expecting our wands to connect? What if I get the chance to beat him, only to have it taken away because of our wands?" Harry shook his head, "Too much depends on my ability to use magic against him. So, what I'm asking is this: I know it's probably not legal, but I was wondering if somehow I could get a second wand."

Mr. Ollivander was silent for a few minutes, Harry feared the worst. "Mr. Potter, what you ask is, indeed, illegal." He began slowly, "I have heard rumors that there is a prophecy of you and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, tell me, if such a thing exists, what is it?"

Wearily, Harry began to recite it after making sure that this was no imposter, and that there were no trick spells in the room. " 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. And the Dark Lord shall mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not. And either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives.' "

Mr. Ollivander's eyes grew sad, he understood what it meant, and did not need to question. "I apologize for asking you to repeat it, but—I wanted to hear it for myself, from someone I knew would speak the truth in this time of lies." He explained, "I will gladly make you another wand, Harry Potter—if it will help you win this war, and be freed of this burden… I will."

Harry nodded with relief, "It'll help more than you know."

So Mr. Ollivander got up, "It might take me some time to find a phoenix who will donate a feather," he began, "and then I will have to see what the feather will work with."

Harry also stood, "Mr. Ollivander, I have an idea." He said, "I think I can give you a phoenix feather."

Mr. Ollivander raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "how so?"

Harry grinned weakly, "I regret to say that you must not breathe a word of this." At the wand maker's nod, Harry transformed into his phoenix shape.

Mr. Ollivander gasped. "Wonderful my boy! Simply amazing! Perfect form as well! A phoenix your age will deliver a powerful core!" Harry trilled a few notes, calming the ecstatic man down, "Ah, yes—now, I need you to drop a feather, preferably a tail feather."

Harry twitched his plumage, and a golden feather floated gently into Mr. Ollivander's outstretched hand, who then observed it closely. "Ah, perfect specimen. No trace of weather or flight damage, and in perfect health. You do have wonderful feathers, Mr. Potter." Harry trilled his laughter, and shifted back into human form.

Mr. Ollivander led Harry into his workroom. It reminded him of Alex's workshop, since they both had carving tools and wood shavings everywhere. The elderly man went over to a separate counter that had various bottles and beakers on it, almost like a potions area. He set the phoenix feather on a stand, then picked up a bottle and sprinkled a pinch of the contents over Harry's feather, a black flash of light followed. Mr. Ollivander continued the process with different items, reminding Harry of the trial to find his first wand five year ago. Finally, a flash of golden light glowed in the room from the feather. "Interesting," he muttered, then continued with his testing. Ten minutes later, he turned around and announced the results he written on a piece of parchment. "It appears your feather will work only with black ash, for wood, and—oh my," he stopped, "and a basilisk fang."

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked, though the combination was an interesting one at that.

"No, no—I just don't have any basilisk fangs, much too dangerous to obtain."

Harry smiled. "If you can wait a moment of two, I know where to get some. Does it have to be any particular age?"

"No, but the older the better—exact opposite of phoenixes." Mr. Ollivander answered.

So Harry left the room and teleported to The Hideaway, and ran downstairs to the dungeon. Grabbing the box labeled 'Basilisk Fangs', Harry checked to make sure there were some inside and teleported back to the wand shop. "Here you are Mr. Ollivander," Harry said, and handed the box to him. He didn't ask where Harry had gotten them, only praised the age of the fangs. The older wizard selected one fang, and gently set it on his work table. "It will take me a day or two to finish it," he told Harry.

"I'll come by in two days then," Harry agreed. He thanked Mr. Ollivander immensely for doing this and re-concealed his scar, then left the store to pick up his potion ingredients with Hedwig flying above him.


Severus had just finished his withdrawal at Gringotts, when he decided to go to Flourish and Blotts to see if his order was in yet. Walking down the street, and occasionally glaring at those who looked at him, Severus swore as an owl whizzed over his head, startling him. It was a white owl, and he followed it, planning to scare the owner out of their wits for letting their owl fly around unwatched.

The owl landed on the outstretched arm of a teenage boy near the Apothecary. His jet-black hair was tied back into a small pony tail, and his emerald green eyes scanned the street. "Potter?" Snape whispered, unable to believe it. Eyes still on his least favorite and runaway student, Severus got out his wand.


Hedwig landed on Harry's arm once he walked out of the Apothecary, purchases already shrunken and put in his pocket. "Sorry it took so long," he told her, "Want to get some food?" She flapped her wings in answer, and lifted off his arm.

A lucky step forward saved him from being hit by a stunner. Harry's wand jumped into his hand while he scanned the area. The spell had come from behind. A dark robed figure darted back around the store corner. Thinking it could be a trap, Harry stayed where he was.


Severus ducked behind the store and cursed silently when his stunner missed. Come on Potter, he thought as he waited for the boy to follow, come and play the hero. But the boy didn't come. Risking a peek around the corner, he was met by a stinging hex. It wasn't as bad as the Cruciatus Curse the Dark Lord used so often, but it was enough to make him wince slightly in pain. Severus fired off three simultaneous stunners, leaving Potter no escape—or so he thought.
As Harry saw the three stunners coming towards him, he realized that he was trapped. With the wall behind him, and the stunner covering his sides and front, he had nowhere to go. A moment before they hit him, Hedwig dove right in front of the path of the middle stunner, giving Harry an escape route. The stunner had an extremely powerful effect on the owl, and punched through her chest. Harry caught his bleeding owl as she fell, and glared murderously at his attacker—whom he didn't quite recognize. After that, Harry teleported to The Hideaway.

Harry rushed his owl down to the dungeon, applying pressure to her injury.

"What happened?" Helga asked, she'd seen him running and followed.

"It's Hedwig, she's been hurt—got hit by a stunner." He replied, trying frantically to stop the bleeding. More than anything, Helga wanted to jump out of her portrait and help, but she'd used up her two days.

Five minutes later, the bleeding stopped, but at a price. Hedwig had taken the hit in her heart, and there was no way to heal that. "I'm so sorry Hedwig," Harry choked out, tears streaming down his face, "You shouldn't of had to do that, it's all my fault." She managed to give a small, carefree hoot, trying to comfort her loving master. Harry stroked her feathered head until it drooped, and her heart stopped beating. "WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN?" he yelled, "WHY DOES EVERYBODY DIE BECAUSE OF ME?" Harry received no answer. Helplessly, he put his head in his hands and cried, his tears dripping onto Hedwig's cooling body.


Severus blinked as he saw Potter disappear, had the boy learned to apperate? He cursed himself for his failure to capture the boy, and walked back to the Leaky Cauldron, forgetting all about his reason for being in Diagon Alley. He held back a shudder as he remembered the glare Potter had given him. Now Severus wasn't a cowardly man—Merlin knew he was a double agent spying on the Dark Lord, who could scare people with just his name—but the look Potter had given him was enough to make him hope the boy hadn't realizes who he was.

And that was saying something.


Coming Up:

Harry's Reaction to Hedwig

The Wards Fall

Harry makes an appearance to the Order

A Letter to and from Enemies

Then:

Tallon and Moony at The Hideaway

Remus meets Alex

The Woes of a Werewolf


Review Response:

Obviously, the character death was not Remus, and I doubt you were expecting Hedwig, I do hope she is a favorite character. Now, the next chapter shall be up very, very soon. So Please, do be patient. Thank you,

A.S.Leif