Harry Potter and the Dreams of Kings
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and related characters belong to JK Rowling, Warner Bros etc. anything else is mine.
Chapter 2
The weeks until August 31st pasted quickly, the Order heard no word from Harry, and - although Hedwig appeared on July 29th on pick up Harry's presents, and they had word from Remus and Hagrid that she had also visited them to pick up delivered theirs - no one except perhaps the youngest Weasley knew anything about his whereabouts and she wasn't telling.
The day dawned bright and clear, the Weasley children and Molly left early for reasons that needed no explaining. They Flooed to Diagon Alley, and went immediately to Flourish and Blotts.
Molly went up to the counter and waited until the salesman had finished serving another customer. "Could I have the books on these lists please?" Molly asked.
"Of course, ma'am. Most of the students have already got their books," the man behind the counter commented. "Although we had a seventh year come in for his books two days back."
"Really, who?" Ron asked curious.
"Don't know, tall feller though, found the Invisible Books of Invisibility too, didn't buy one though. He did a spell on a pair of specs to let me see them."
He peered out the window. "I think that's him coming through from the Leaky Cauldron now."
The three teenagers ran out into the street to see, and Hermione, Ginny and every witch within fifty feet (and some of the wizards) gasped and starred wide eyed and mouths opened at the man coming down the street.
He was about six foot three, with long black hair tied back in a tight ponytail except for a fringe hiding his forehead, his eyes were hidden between opaque black sunglasses, and his well-muscled legs were wrapped in tight black dragon-hide trousers, and black dragon-hide boots with snarling silver metal dragonheads at the toes covered his feet. He wore a tight red t-shirt with a large gold griffin, stretched over his muscled torso, and a full-length black dragon-hide coat topped off the ensemble.
He walked gracefully up the street, like a lion his eyes seeing everything until he reached the Weasley's group, his emerald eyes looked over his sunglasses at them and Hermione realised impossibly who this was.
"Harry!"
Harry smiled for a second down at the three of them, before being enveloped by one of Mrs Weasley's trademark hugs; however such was the strength of his torso that it had no physical effect. When he was freed from the embrace, he invited them all to Fortescue's for ice creams. All but Mrs Weasley - who said she had to go to Gringotts - accepted.
They sat down at a corner table outside, he gestured with his wand in the air.
"What did you do?" Hermione asked.
"It's a spell that means that only those we draw the attention of can see us," Harry said.
"That's nice, but you know that's not what she meant, Harry," Ginny said.
"Efvet uyi cae hatar, gia ta Detrea, naq la verni?" Harry asked to Ginny, who blushed and replied. "Repar sisae domuyi, scaq na fus."
Harry nodded, apparently satisfied. "Kiega."
Ron and Hermione asked together "What did you say?"
"I suspected that Ginny might be the other person in my Dreaming, and she just confirmed it." Harry said
"You could have just asked" Ron said.
"I did"
"What made you think it was Ginny?" Ron said.
"I am not going to tell you, Ron I still need you as a friend" Harry said and turned around to get the owner's attention.
Fortescue came over and then with a grin asked Harry. "Still not here, Mr Potter?"
"Now more than ever, four large ice-creams please. The usual." Harry said.
"Coming right up," Fortescue said, then smiled and headed back inside.
"Where did you go, Harry?"
"A lot of places… France, Germany, Egypt, Greece… a few other place that aren't on any map… and no I won't tell you where they are." Harry said and continued "I went to a Black villa on the French coast after I left Surrey, and again on the way back a week ago, I also met Fleur and Gabrielle that time in Callay."
"Cool, anyone else?"
"Yes, I met Bill in the Valley of the Kings on my birthday. I think they had some sort of emergency they need him to take care of. I actually opened my presents in the Sphinx. Oh yeah, I also met Neville and his gran in Flourish and Blotts when I was buying my books the day before yesterday."
"Bill didn't say."
"I made all the people promise to only tell Dumbledore."
"That makes sense."
Soon after that the ice creams came and they sat enjoying each other's company, Harry answering the odd small question.
Near noon a commotion was heard in the street, green light flashed. "Death Eaters." Harry said, instantly rising to his feet. "Contact Dumbledore using Fortescue's fire place, then stay there until he arrives"
"What are you going to do?"
"Stop this" Harry said, he was already through the door.
Harry counted twenty Death Eaters coming up the street, and let loose with a barrage of curses. The onslaught smashed into them, dropping six, the rest conjured shields to block his spells. Harry smiled wolfishly, and then gestured with his wand. A wall of gold and red light appeared all around the combatants, sealing them off.
"Potter, our master will reward us highly for capturing you." The Death Eater said.
"Lestrange, your master doesn't reward thinking and your welcome to try" Harry said, and launched a storm of spells in their direction.
"Expelliarmus!"
"Petrificus Maximus!"
"Stupefy!"
"Reducto!"
The spells slammed through their shields, several were knocked out, others blasted back and another four were transformed to solid rock. The four remaining Death Eaters lead by Lestrange launched Killing Curses at Harry, he dodged three, but was absorbed by a magical shield.
"Surrender or die." Harry said
"You first, Potter." Lestrange said as the Death Eaters raised their wands to fire.
Harry summoned the last of his power and cast a single spell.
"LACARNEM INFLAMARAI!" He yelled and a huge wave of fire burst from his wand and engulfed the Death eaters, instantly incinerating them.
Harry dropped to one knee, he felt the shield go down and its power flow back into him. He looked up to see Dumbledore, Fudge and a team of Hit Wizards.
"Harry James Potter, you are under arrest by the authority of the Minister of Magic." The lead Hit Wizard said.
"Could you give me a second?" he asked and sent his awareness down through the street until he reached the pure magic of the Earth's mantle, drawing its power up, he allowed it to absorb into his body, opening his eyes he jumped to his feet.
"Thank you, shall we proceed to the courtroom?" he said walking towards the Ministry, Dumbledore moved in step beside him.
"Are you all right, do you need any help?" Dumbledore asked.
"I am fine, could you find Hermione and the Weasleys? I want them to see this." Harry said.
Dumbledore looked startled, a twinkle formed in his eye. "What are you planning, Harry?"
"I am not planning anything," Harry said, bringing his hand up to straighten his clothes, revealing a gold, griffin shaped ring on his right hand.
Dumbledore's twinkle grew as he realised what it was.
"I will find them," Dumbledore promised and left.
He sent a thought message out. Marik, contact Skeeter. Tell her this: 'There is no reason to come to the Ministry courtrooms this morning'."
Done.
"Harry James Potter, you are ordered to surrender your wand and go to Courtroom 4,"
"Fine, it's burnt out anyway," he said and handed it over.
Soon they reach the Courtroom Door, a large crowd had gathered outside, including several reporters, Harry gestured with his right hand and his clothes changed into flowing red and gold robes, a golden griffin across the front. "Enter."
Harry walked in the door, the Interrogators lead by Fudge was as before, but the public galley previously empty was full.
"Harry James Potter, do you have anything to say in your defence against the charges of assault, multiple murder and gross breach of the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Wizardry."
"I am Lord Gryffindor. And under article forty three of the International Confederation of Wizards Charter 1435, unless this fact is acknowledged, this court's claims are null and void from this moment on." Harry said, calmly.
Fudge paled and looked at the scribe who confirmed Harry's statement.
"Lord Gryffindor, how do you answer the charges?" Madame Bones asked.
"Madame Bones. Under the Mortega Pact of 1221, any noble wizard in attendance at an act of civil or military violence except for reasons of national loyalty is charged to use any and all force at their command to safeguard the lives and liberty of those around them"
"I know the law in question and your assessment is correct." Madame Bones said.
"What about the other charge?" Fudge said.
"Clause 4 of the law itself allows use of magic in emergency. And the case of the Wizengamot versus Deterius 1259, clearly shows that 'a noble wizard of seventeen is an adult in all terms of law' in which by which Reasonable Restriction of Underage Wizardry has no effect."
"The Wizengamot agrees and all charges are dismissed." Madame Bones said.
The watching crowd cheered as Harry leaves the Courtroom he is ambushed by the Weasleys and Hermione.
"Wow, that was bloody brilliant, how did you know those old laws?" Ron asked
"I will tell you later" Harry said, he noticed the shadows closing in inside his head. "Much later." he added and everything went black.
Harry awoke in a familiar place, Ron's Bedroom at the Burrow. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Molly and a tall gaunt man in black robes with a Gryffindor crest on the chest.
"What is it about you Marik, that you always appear when I get knocked out lately?"
"My Lord, I was prevented from assisting you for the first seventeen years of your life, I have a lot to catch up on." Marik said dryly.
"What happened to you?" Molly asked.
"I will answer everyone's questions downstairs shortly, now if you would all leave now, I wish to get changed" Harry said. All but Marik filed out.
"How did you manage to convince Molly to even let you in?" Harry asked.
"The Weasleys are an old family, and the Prewetts somewhat older. Mrs Weasley is familiar with the noble ways, she understands enough to realise who but not what I am."
"I would imagine, how are the people from Diagon Alley?"
"A few Deaths from the Killing Curse, the injured are fine, a remarkable first response." Marik said.
Harry nodded. "Did you retrieve my stuff from Fortescue's?" Marik nodded and handed him the bag, Harry slid a mirror from a concealed pocket.
"Teleros?"
A grey skinned face appeared in the mirror, a bony forehead jutted out between dark grey dreadlocks and savage yellow eyes, a scaled nose with wide flared nostrils and a mouthful of sharp teeth completed the image. "Lord Gryffindor. How goes the day?"
"I have made contact, sixteen of the enemy are slain, and four more are now statues, Lord Rak'ta. I would say my day goes excellently. How soon can our forces be in position?" Harry asked.
"I will be bringing up Lion Group at Samhain, all will be ready by Yule." Rak'ta said
"Good. Death before Dishonour." Harry said and the mirror cleared.
"All will soon be ready. How much of this will you tell them?"
"Enough that they understand, but not enough that He could win if he captures them. Dumbledore I will tell more because he must know."
"That is wise."
Some time later Harry (once more dressed as he was in Diagon Alley) walked in the Weasley's living room in find most of the Order assembled. Dumbledore, Molly, Arthur, Remus, Tonks, Bill, Charlie, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, the twins, Moody and Kingsley were all present. Marik stood in the corner, aware of everyone at once.
"You must have many questions but while I will answer some, you will have to trust me on most as even what I am going to reveal puts everyone here in grave danger."
"First Harry, what is wrong with your wand, and how did you defeat all those Death Eaters?"
"That's two questions, Hermione. But I'll answer them both, if you can't answer the first yourself. Can you?"
"It isn't actually a wand?" Hermione asked puzzled.
"Correct. In fact it's a stick, I picked it up in the Black Forest. The problem is they burn out if you cast strong magic." Harry said, he held out his hand for the stick, which crumbled in his hand.
"The second question is complex, in fact Marik always explains better than I." Harry said and nodded to Marik.
"The least complicated answer is that Lord Gryffindor's magic is of a different type than virtually all wizards known to exist, That is also the reason he was rendered unconscious earlier, a normal wizard or witch generates their magic internally and casts spell through the magical core of their wand which focuses and restricts the flow of their power, this causes the problem that they have only a small amount of power but it never causes any physical problems for them using it" here He paused.
"But every few thousand years, a wizard is born who is different, these wizards have powers that even you would rightly call myth. They can draw on the external magicks of the living world, making them theoretically near-all-powerful, but because the human body isn't designed to handle such power, they will occasionally suffer magical exhaustion." Marik finished.
"Why did this happen now?" Remus asked.
"If I may," Marik asked Harry, who nodded.
"Normally these abilities would manifest at the age of ten or eleven with the rest, but they were kept dormant as I was, by the magical enhancing of his Muggle side, which was rendered null and void by his turning seventeen." Marik said.
"Harry, where did you go?" Remus asked.
"I have mostly already answered that question, ask Ron, Hermione or Ginny to tell you if they haven't already." Harry said, the three teenagers nodded to show they had.
"I mostly stayed at my properties in the various countries, I lost my original ward in the week after I left Surrey, it burnt out. I picked up the first of my 'fake wands' the next day, and used them ever since, Marik found me on my birthday in Egypt. Thanks for the gifts by the way."
"Why use these fake wands?" Ron asked.
"Because if Tom learned that I can cast spells wandlessly, he would mount a full attack here tonight."
"Oh."
"And there's more you're not planning on telling us?" Moody asked.
"Yes, because there are dozens of ways to get even a strong wizard or witch to break and only Dumbledore's mental shields are strong enough to stop Tom from learning our plans if he captures him."
"What about you and those in your plan?" Moody asked as the others filed out.
"They would die before being captured, and if he got me he's already won. Plus I would die of old age before even He could break my mental shields."
"Would you like to sit Mr Marik?" Dumbledore asked.
"Certainly, Professor." Marik said.
"Dumbledore, this is how we are going to win the war…"