Disclaimer: I own nothing got it!
Author's Notes: While trying to think of something to continue my first work "Soldier's Dilemma" I decided to take a break and read a book. Turns out the book I read was the Harry Potter books …..all of them…..in three days. After finishing OoTP a lot of ideas came to mind so I decided to get them down on paper. My story is going to be a difficult one cause it's going to have to be woven into the next book in a way that it doesn't impact it. And that's pretty hard considering the book hasn't come out yet.
Chapter 1: Rain after the train.
Another year gone and all the students back with they're families, this last year full of surprises and danger. Although the weather seemed not to care for the latest news from the magic world as the rain began to fall. Life seemed a lot tougher now for a boy who was heading home to Number 4 Privet Drive. He stared out the window; not really looking at anything, with his head propped against the seat's head rest and stared at the world rolling by. He sat listening to the sound of the summer's rain pelting off the car's roof and windows. His hair jet black and stubbornly untidy, he was skinny and wore glasses, all in all a scruffy but mature boy. Harry Potter was pondering over the events of this last year at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft. Once again he faced the murderer of his parents Lord Voldemort also known as Tom Riddle. And once again he came away alive… but some did not. His godfather Sirius Black was killed when was absorbed into a veil hanging from an ancient archway in the Department of Mysteries. He could still see his face as he sank away and his scare started to tingle uncomfortably.
"He's happy" stated Harry dully.
"What's that?" huffed a large bellowing man by the name of Vernon Dursley, Harry's uncle.
"Nothing…" With this uncle Vernon went back to watching the road and Harry back to watching the world rush by. Returning back to his train of thought, remembering how all his friends followed him on a fool's errand. How he was tricked into going to the Department of Mysteries, tricked into taking the prophecy concerning him and Tom Riddle…
"Ow!" Harry rubbed his scar as a sensation of pain ripped across it.
"What is it now boy!" bellowed Uncle Vernon
"Nothing…" Harry replied once again. For an instance he caught Aunt Petunia's eyes. She was eyeing him with both worry and disgust then just as quickly returned to her business.
You hate it don't you… Harry thought with ferocity and hatred. You hate it when I call you Riddle. Don't you TOM RIDDLE! Harry grimaced as an explosion of pain shot through his scar as he could feel the fury of Lord Voldemort at the thought of his real name.
That's right Tom… your father was a muggle… YOUR half muggle… a filthy muggle born. Harry's hatred and anger was escalating in turn with Voldemort's. Your name is Riddle… TOM RIDDLE…TOM RIDDLE THE MUGGLE! At once the pain subsided as the presence of Voldemort disappeared suddenly.
And stay out! Harry thought bitterly. He turned his head back to the window and let himself drift away…
Harry felt himself seemingly drift away from himself… images came to mind. The first image was a familiar one a long table at which sat a familiar family of red headed wizards. They were eating in a solemn kind of a sad happiness. The feeling was still warm as the image drifted away and replaced with another familiar one. A wavy brown haired girl with mounds of books piled around her drifted into view. Instantly recognizing Hermione, Harry smiled to himself.
Do you ever stop studying? Harry thought.
As if Hermione heard him her head perked up looking around cocking her head to one side to listen. A woman, Harry recognized as her mother, came in commenting to her about her studying. Harry watched as that image too drifted away and another replacing it. This time he recognized the members of the Order of the Phoenix gathering, planning, determined to win against Voldemort. This image gave Harry a sense of pride and courage knowing that there were friends behind him. Remus looking pale but strong, Moody looking strange but steadfast, Tonks and her hair, Harry had to laugh to himself when he saw her pink and blue hair standing in an odd spiky manner, loving them all. Soon that image began to fade but what replaced it was unfamiliar… a feeling of many minds rushing past and soon an image of a town drifted into view. This town stood in the shadow of a mountain cast down by the moon. He felt a baby cry…not heard but felt. He stared into the mountain towards its summit soon a feeling of dread washed over him. His heart began to beat as the mountain seemingly moved as if a bat hidden in its wings would stir awake. At that moment the familiar feeling of a Portkey pulled him away. He felt as an invisible roped pulled him through the air. He watched as the world rushed by, mountains, rivers, oceans, all in the blink of an eye. Soon just as suddenly it stopped and he floated down to the ground landing near a large fire. The fire sent sparks flying into the night sky as the flames danced. Confused and a bit disoriented Harry stared into the fire. Lost in a trance he watched as the fire danced and danced. He began to feel it tell him a story, one he could not make out but still feel. Finally his eyes drifted away from the fire and he finally saw something. It looked like it was an old man, far older then Dumbledore, sitting cross legged on the ground covered with hides and furs. His hair was black and gray, a lot more gray then black, his skin was dark and tan. Harry could only describe him as a Medicine Man from old western movies depicting Cowboys and Indians. Soon a sound of many voices chanting began to rise in volume. The old man raised his hand with a fistful of sand pouring out level with his face. The voices became deafening as they chanted in a language that Harry could not understand. The old man opened his palm and blew the sand into the fire. The fire swelled and the unmistaken image of a Phoenix erupted out and spread its massive wings. Then a voice bellowed out among the chanting…
"You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it…"
Harry recognized Dumbledore's voice and his heart back flipped in his chest as he watched the Phoenix sore into the night sky. Harry turned to the old man and found him smiling up at him. With a nod of the old man's head and a small scruffy laugh Harry felt himself pulled up and away into the night sky…
"Wake up you lazy boy" Aunt Petunia's voice sang like horse with a sore throat. Harry opened his eyes and found he was back at Number 4 Privet Drive. With a groan he climbed out of the car to get his things. After stowing all his belongings he had a small dinner then retired for the night to his thoughts.
After only a few days Harry was missing his world again. However the arrival of several letters from classmates and friends helped his mood. The usual salutations from Ron and Hermione, updates from Lupin, goofy snapshots from Tonks, books and studying advice from Professor McGonagall, an assortment of dark magic defense devices from Mad Eye Moody (latest being a survival handbook for Aurors), practical joke novelties from the twins, and homemade treats and wishes from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley just to name a few. Harry was pouring over the book Moody gave him when there was a tap at the window. Looking up he saw it was an Owl he did not recognize. Opening the window he let the bird in only faintly aware of Uncle Vernon's bellowing. He untied the piece of parchment from the Owl's leg. With its task done the owl took its leave, Harry returned to study the official looking parchment...
Dear Mr. H. Potter
Due to a request by the Minister of Magic and the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Floo Regulation Panel will be connecting your fireplace to the Floo Network. Please have all obstructions clear before the connection team arrives.
Jacob Basil
Department of Magical Transportation, Floo Regulation Panel
Ministry of Magic
Harry reread the letter a few more times before it sunk in. Surely they weren't going to connect the one in the den.
"Uh oh" Harry immediately headed down the stairs in a dead run. "Uncle Vernon!"
"What are you bellowing for boy" Uncle Vernon bellowed back from the den.
"I got this letter here…" before he could finish Vernon Dursley snatched the parchment out of his hand. After a few minutes of reading Uncle Vernon's face scrunched up in disgust.
"Here now boy, what does this connecting your fireplace mean?"
"It's a method of…" before he could get his explanation out there was a loud thud from the wall. "Oh boy…"
"Ow, what ruddy idiot put this here?" came a disembodied voice. Then another loud thud came with another groan of pain. "Get off me Stan!"
"What's going on?"
"Some moron put a wall in the way that what's going on!" Harry took a step towards the voices. The Dursley's huddled near the far wall.
"Hello?"
"Yes hello there, is this 4 Privet Drive?"
"Umm, yes but we didn't have enough time to clear your way and…"
"No worries stand back"
"Wait don…"
"Bombarda" plaster and rock rained all over the den as the wall exploded outward. After the dust settled two grimy looking wizards covered in soot came crawling out of the hole. "There we go, much better"
Uncle Vernon's face seemed to glow red hot with anger. "What in blazes do you think you are doing!"
"Or job pal. What do you think you're doin puttin that bloody wall there!" bellowed back the larger one.
"I WILL DECIDE WHAT GOES IN MY HOUSE!"
"TOUGH, if the Minister wants you connected you're connected" the smaller one started rummaging through his robes.
"YOU PUT MY WALL RIGHT!"
"Keep your fat shirt on we'll clean up" the smaller one seemed to find what he was looking for.
"Ahh here we are" pulling a very large book out of a much smaller pocket. Dropping the book on the dust covered coffee table causing it to groan under the weight. Pulling a quill from his pocket opening the book to the middle he started scribbling. "Here we go sign here please" he said handing the quill to Aunt Petunia.
"What?" she squeaked.
"Sign here" he tapped the book. "We haven't got all day we still have thirteen more floos to do." The larger one of the pair took out a series of parchment then presented them to Uncle Vernon.
"Sign here… and here… initial here... sign here… and here… here… initial… sign… fingerprint… sign… give me some of your hairs… sign… and initial. Right, now here is your copy and your complementary pot of floo powder. And also here is a book of rules and regulations of the floo network." he said while dropping a huge book into Uncle Vernon's arms.
"Righ, now all we need to do is…" with a flick of a wand all the dust and plaster was sucked out through the window. The fireplace and wall was neatly fixed up with a good fire going.
"Job's done, you muggles have a nice day" and in a puff of green fire they were gone. Harry and the Dursleys just stood in silence for a few moments.
"……"
"……"
"Boy?" Vernon bellowed. Harry turned to him unflinching.
"What?"
"Is this you're doing?" At that moment a dark colored owl swooped through the open window. "RUDDY OWLS!" Harry snatched the letter while Vernon was flailing his arms opening it at once…
Potter
The Headmaster believes it necessary that you need to continue your Occulmency lessons. Trust me I loath the idea of having to see you before school however I trust in Dumbledore's reasons. I only hope that you will as well now that you know the importance of you learning this. I trust you will take this more seriously then your appalling potions work. Expect your first lesson in one week's time after supper. You will need your wand and please mind your attitude.
Severus Snape
Somewhere in the pit of Harry's stomach it felt like someone dropped a lead weight. Snape was coming here to teach lessons? This was shaping up to be the worst summer yet.
"Well what is it now boy? What are your freaky friends cooking up now?"
"I'm getting a tutor" groaned Harry.
Author's Notes: This is going to be a very difficult story to right. My main goal is to not impact J.K Rowling's work too much. I am trying to write this story in the same manner as Rowling and a lot of what she hinted at for her next book kind of hinders this story slightly. Considering this story is being written with the 6th book in mind and the fact the book isn't even out yet makes things difficult. One of the main points of this story is to introduce to you the reader and Harry and his friends to the fact that there is a lot more to the wizarding world then Hogwarts and such. Plus I introduced more of the world and other forms of magic hence the Medicine Man. All I ask of you is reviews and ideas for this story. Finally I like to leave you with hints of what I would like to add and write about: There will be new characters about 4 of them. Yes one is American but I kind of have to make him be due to his abilities and origin. (Believe me I hate reading stories that introduce an American and they turn out to be the best thing since sliced bread and pockets on jeans) I will also use folklore and mythology of a few different countries to help in the story as well as a few organizations. The main characters are and will always be Harry and his friends. I will also take existing characters that were mentioned in the books i.e. Susan Bones and Eleanor Branstone just to name a couple. Cheers.
