Chapter 2 - Strange Occurrences
Harry stopped his run for the shiver that ran through his body. Not realizing that he has been running for quite some time, Harry headed back to number 4 Privet Drive before his aunt locked him outside. If he were to be honest with himself, he regretted at his refusal to accept the extra training Dumbledore offered.
For some weird reasons, Harry knew that to achieve his maximum potential he must do it alone. At first, he felt guilty for excluding his friends in his quest to achieve his maximum potential. His guilt was gone immediately when he remembered that his friends are being trained by the order. His guilt, however, came back full force for thinking his friends will only hinder him from achieving his maximum potential. Harry managed to suppress his guilt toward his friends, when he realized that his dependence on others had made him feel powerless at times. He remembered his fight against Quirrel in his first year as a wizard, his first true encounter on how weakness can be exploited. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it.
Thinking back to his first year through fifth year, he realized how naïve he was with everything. His fifth year was definitely an eye opener. Every adult tried to protect him from knowing the truth, so that he could enjoy his adolescence life as Mrs. Weasley put it. However, he no longer can afford to stay naïveté. Now, however, staying naïveté would be stupidity. He must obtain the power he needed to wage a war against Voldemort.
Harry knew there would be major obstacles on gaining his independence once more. People that have gotten closed to him would not let him to be as independent like his first eleven years of his lives. He also knew that total independence would be hard to obtain, as he likes the feeling of acceptance.
All of Harry's friends refused to let him go through his live trials alone. They had send Harry letters after letters trying to get him to share/open his feelings. They tried to help him to get out from his depression due to Sirius' death by telling him that it was not his fault. All of his friends claimed that Sirius would not want him to sulk or keep blaming himself for his death.
Harry wanted to tell his friends to back the hell off, since they can only sympathized with him. Harry realized, however, that by telling them all the things he wanted to tell them not only showed his weakness, but also would ruin his plans to gain his independence once more. It was a good thing Harry realized on his own that Sirius' death was not his fault. He decided to put majority of the blame on Dumbledore and the rest on Snape for the time being.
Harry held Dumbledore responsible for withholding information on the obsessive ness of Voldemort on anything that had to do with him. Dumbledore could've had at least informed him " 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 will mark him as his equal " parts of the prophecy and that their connection had gone stronger. Those parts were in no way advantageous to Voldemort, since they already had happened. Harry would have taken occlumency much more seriously.
Harry held Snape responsible for his inability to put aside his grudge against his dad. Harry did see that his dad was as true as Snape portrayed him to be, but his dad had died long time ago for merlin's sake. If Snape had put aside his grudge against his dead father and truly helped him in occlumency, the lack of information at the time would not have mattered much. Harry had sworn to pay back Snape for all of his actions accounting the previous years if he does not stop being a bastard in the upcoming school year. He was after all destined to be Voldemort's equal since he was a baby and was the one destiny has chosen as the champion for the weak. His second perspective troubled him a bit; as, one could say that he's no different than Voldemort for calling himself the champion for the weak.
Harry, however, would not allow himself to feel guilty for thinking himself as the champion for the weak. History showed that dictators rose because nobody braves enough to stood up and fought for injustice. Harry also knew that one man to achieve victory couldn't fight a war.
Going straight to his bedroom after his shower, Harry is stopped by Dudley. " Yes " Asked Harry with a raised eyebrow.
" Hey, Ha..Harry.. " Stuttered Dudley unable to continue. " Well, what is it. I have better things to do that being stared at by a moron. " Sneered Harry, who recently went a rather drastic changes in characters. " Never mind " Dudley replied with a sigh and a slight teary eyes. Harry was caught off guard with the teary eyes Dudley.
Looking at Dudley carefully Harry couldn't help but to notice that Dudley seemed very skinny. " Dud, how did you lose your weight so fast? I mean you were not this skinny five weeks ago " with a tone of curiosity. " Well, I guess boxing really helped you lost those lard you called muscles " oh! Bloody hell " I'm sorry Dudley " Harry apologized. " Yeah, well, at least I got something out of it. " Dudley answered as he walked away.
" All right, what the hell is going on Dudley " Harry stopped Dudley on his track. " Nothing. Mind your business Freak!! "Dudley yelled.
" Hmm…it's obvious that you want something from me or else you would not have waited for me in front of the bathroom. So either you spill it or don't ever bug me again " Harry waited with a cold expression.
" Mmm… gulp by…by any chance that you know how to..mmm…how to….cure herpes? " Dudley fidgeted avoiding Harry's eyes.
" Coughed Mmm..Why do you want to know Dud? And who needs it" Asked the stunned Harry Potter. By now Dudley had gone beet red, which was a good thing he had lost his weight or he would have looked like a baby whale with sunburns.
" Be..Because I..I..Got…I…got…herpes from this girl that I met about two weeks ago " Dudley finished quickly.
Harry's reaction was not what Dudley had expected because, the red color from Harry's face no longer come from shock. " Ha.hahahhaha…hahahahah…hehheheee…. hihihi.. That's good Duddykins, you almost had me…hahha.. hahaha… " Rolling around on the floor. " I was not trying to amuse you, Potter! " Dudley coldly snapped.
" Well that ruins everything Well, How do you know that you actually have the whatsisname " Harry would not pass his big chance for some revenge on Dudley.
Dudley had already realized that he was in no position to do anything but let Harry have his fun. " The whatsisname is Herpes. So do you or don you not know how to cure it? " Dudley asked again.
" Hmm…it seems that this would be my chance to go to Diagon Alley. I do not know how to cure your sickness, but that does not mean I will not help you. " Dudley is very grateful the fact that he had a magical cousin. " Thank You…Thank You…" " Wait, I will require your help to get all the material I will need to come up with the medicine " Harry immediately interrupted Dudley's rant.
" Okay Dud, give me a week to plan everything out. " Giving Dudley a nod, Harry locked himself in his bedroom to plan everything out. " What luck, I was wondering how to go to Diagon Alley without alerting the order. " Harry thought happily.
" Hmmm…bloody hell.. It has been three days already.. Every plans I came up always has a flaw…use Dudley to coax uncle Vernon into going to London and using invisibility cloak to hide myself in the car…flaw I don't know when its Mad-Eye's turn to guard… then again the chance of implementing the plan at the same time of Moody's turn is pretty slim.. NO! I will not play with chance.. The plan must be perfect…. I know that I'm allowed to use magic over the summer, but that old fool must have something to monitor any magical activities that come out from my wand… so any advance magic could easily be detected.. Not that I can do advance magic in the slightest for this mission… aaaccchh…. I'm having a headache…hmmm.. What time is it… 2:00 in the Morning…GRRR.. So fourth day and still no perfect plan… " Harry went on to sleep very disappointed with himself.
" No!… " Harry woke up with a heavy breathing as a result from having visions. Visions he had tried his best to stop from having them back during his third year. The only difference this time is his feeling of anger and rage to the point that he must release them. Again for reason unknown to him, he concentrated on pouring all of his anger and rage into wanting to make Voldemort suffers. Darkness suddenly claimed Harry Potter.
" Yikes!.. God…aaaw.. Ouch… grunt my head hurts… what the bloody hell happened " Harry moaned. Knock..Knock… " Who is it?! Leave me alone!! "
" It's me Dudley " Dudley entered. " What do you want Dudley? " Harry asked without any gesture of welcome.
" Have you come up with any plans, yet? " Dudley asked straight to the point.
" Do I bloody look like I have a plan? I still have 3 more days, for god's sake. " Harry replied. " Ummm….Harry..umm.. You've passed out for the past two days " Dudley whimpered.Harry stared at Dudley incredulously. " Dud, please tell me you're joking! " Harry locked Dudley eye to eye.
Harry had come to accept that mysteries are and will always be a very big part of his life when he accepted the prophecy, thought nothing of it when he felt angst, anger, hope, lust, and fear from Dudley. Concentrating on hope, lust and fear, Harry was overwhelmed by Dudley's thoughts. " Hmmm..Interesting… so Dudley was hoping that I have planned everything out to get his cure and.. What's this.. He still plans to shag the girl who had put him in this predicament.. " Harry broke off his locked on Dudley's eyes on instinct when he started to feel anger and rage resulted from Dudley's thoughts.
Harry had to force down a sigh, which he now frowned upon, went on to asked Dudley what seems to be the trouble as he seemed to be afraid of something. " I am scheduled to meet a physician on July 31st " The question caught Dudley off guard but answered nonetheless. Harry's action again threw Dudley out of a loop when laughter ensued from Harry's moving jaw.
" I'm glad that I could be to your amusement, FREAK! " Total fear placed upon Dudley's face as he realized he should not have said what he just yelled. " I'm sorry " Dudley immediately blurted out. " That's all right Dud. I'm sorry too; I should have come up with some plans that I've promised a week ago " Harry apologized as he could not help himself to be the Gryffindor that Snape had deemed as a sin.
" I guess I just have to face the music, huh! " Dudley replied with trepidation. " NO! You WILL have you're cure, I promised that to you! " Dudley was floored at the intensity of his cousin's statement. With a nod, Dudley dismissed himself from Harry's bedroom.
Dudley could not help being confused to the seventh hell with his cousin. Just a few weeks ago, his cousin did nothing but brood and snapped to everybody and to anybody braved enough to get close. Recently, his cousin managed to turn things around as he no longer brood and snap; the changes, however, were no better. Harry seemed to be very cold in his replies if he decides to acknowledge your presence, sneer whenever he feels he's being bugged, and the grand daddy of all is that he seemed to easily turn to your worse nightmares. Dudley had stopped for the chill that his body felt when recalled the event just happened.
" ……, FREAK! " As soon as he finished his statement, the coldness that spread through his entire body reminded him of his first encounter with dementors as what his cousin had called them. The coldness from Harry was not what strikes the most fear out of him, but the effect that came with it. It was as if dementors were present in the room.
" Hmmm… What the hell happened?.. What exactly prompted me to pass out for 2 days? I know my life is not exactly as straightforward as most people, but damn…. What were those thoughts that I was able to pick out from Dudley, was that legilimency….No! I don't think so. It was a different feeling than the one when I managed to break into Snape's mind. " Harry let out a growl for the confusions he seemed to pile with his thoughts.
Another three days have passed; Harry still had no plans " I really need to start thinking like a Slytherin. All this planning seemed to take out a lot of energy… GRRRGGRR… Where is Dobby when you actually need him… " " Harry Potter, Sir!! You have called for Dobby… Dobby glad Harry Potter accepted Dobby as his servant…" Dobby appeared out of thin air and tackled Harry. " Coughed Dob..Dobby.. What are you doing here…and what exactly do you mean by I have accepted you as my servant… BUT I'M GLAD that you are here! " Harry managed to stop Dobby from crying as if he has done a great shame.
" So.. Could you answer me, Dobby, please! " With a tone that will not turn Dobby into a banshee.
" Dobby is sorry, Harry Potter sir! Dobby forgets, Harry Potter sir grew up with muggle, sir not know wizarding world custom " Hiding a grimace for the truth behind Dobby's words, Harry smiled for Dobby to continue.
" When Harry Potter sir released Dobby of his service from Master Malfoy, Dobby sworn to serve Harry Potter sir. Dobby sorry for not asking Harry Potter sir's permission if Dobby can serve a great wizard like Harry Potter sir. " Dobby dared himself to look up to Harry afraid of His surrogate master.
" Thank you almighty deity out there I'm very honored that you had sworn yourselves to serve me, Dobby. So, are you my house-elf, Dobby? " Harry suddenly felt very happy.
" Only if Harry Potter sir would accept Dobby as his house-elf. " Dobby bounced around as if he would be the king of house-elf.
" Well, Dobby I would be honored if you want to be my house-elf… But I do not have a house " Ah shit, I'm a moron!
" Harry Potter sir need not house…no..no.. He not needed for house… no house.. For Dobby to be Harry Potter sir's house-elf " Dobby too happy at the prospect of Harry Potter will accept him as his servant did not notice the confused look plastered on Harry's face.
" Errr… Dobby! Could you repeat what you've just said? " Harry waited with amusement at Dobby's expression of 'happiness'.
" Yes, Harry Potter sir needs not house for Dobby to be Harry Potter sir's servant. Harry Potter sir just needs to say that he will accept Dobby as his personal servant. " Answered Dobby with much clarity.
" What about your job at Hogwarts, Dobby! I thought you work for Dumbledore.. " " No..no.. Harry Potter sir… Dobby sworn before accepting work from Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Dobby had always bounded to Harry Potter sir…. " Then it clicked with Harry why free house-elf's will have a hard time to find another home. " Is that why no house-elf want to be free as no wizard or witch will take you, because they are afraid the free house-elf may have taken an oath to serve another wizard or witch? " Harry asked. " Yes sir, Harry Potter sir " Answered Dobby with apprehension. " Why? " Asked a curious Harry Potter. " Mmmm… mmm.. Because… because a house-elf… " " You don't need to answer that Dobby! " Harry felt the tension with a faint of happiness coming out of Dobby.
Harry who had been wondering about his earlier experience with Dudley concentrates on Dobby's feelings. " I, Harry Potter, accept Dobby as my servant " Using all his willpower not to grimace for making someone as his servant.
As soon as he finished his declaration, Harry felt a tingling sensation that indicate that he had sealed Dobby's oath and formed a very strong bond.
" Dobby, I need you to find all books about curing sexual disease " A red faced Harry stopped at the giggling house-elf.
" What is so funny, Dobby? " Curiosity took over. "Oh… nothing Master Harry Potter sir…Dobby sorry for interrupting.. " " One thing that you need to keep in mind, Dobby, is that I do not want you to ever hurt yourselves as long as you are my servant. UNDERSTOOD! " Harry firmly told Dobby. " Y.. Yes sir! " Dobby squeaked.
Curiosity still strong, Harry concentrates on Dobby's amusement.
" Good thing I hate the Malfoys Right! So I need you to buy the medicine for curing sexual diseases, all books on Dark Arts.. " Harry had to stop his request as fear took over Dobby's expression and Harry immediately concentrated on the feeling.
" Buy the books I have specified Dobby! 'The Darkest of Dark Arts' all volumes, 'Recorded Magical Traits of Dark Lord's Descendants ', 'The Theory of Magical Gifts', 'Dueling Tips for A Dark Wizard or Witch', 'Tips on Exploiting Your Magical Gift or Gifts', and 'Tips on How to Use Dark Arts for everyday Life'." Harry firmly ordered.
" Dobby, I promise you on my life that I will not practice the things I'm going to learn on you. I will make sure that Draco and Lucius Malfoy will pay for your grieves. AND I give you permission to defend yourselves in anyway possible when someone tries to hurt you. " Harry locked his eyes on Dobby's. Immediately, Harry felt relief, happiness, awe, pity, and trepidation. Concentrating on happiness, pity and trepidation, Harry had not expected the thoughts associated with them. Harry decided he had enough of nosing around on Malfoy family secrets through Dobby.
" Dobby here is the key to my vault in Gringotts before I forget. Now, after you get all the things I've requested, I still want you to go back to Hogwarts. " Harry instructed.
" Dud, here is your medicine. The instructions are in the box. Oh, where are uncle Vernon and aunt Petunia " Asked a concern Harry.
" Oh, they're still at one of those charity thingy. Why? " Dudley nervously asked.
" Oh, it's nothing! I just wanted to say you better use the medicine right away " " Thanks, Harry! " " Oh, before I forget, once you used the medicine careful with whom you're shagging. That medicine only works once "
" Really? " Asked a disappointed Dudley. Harry had to run back to his bedroom as he prepares to hear the show.
" All right, let see how to use this medicine. First, drink the bottle that contains the red potion. Wait until 20 minutes have passed, then take the green potion. 'Caution after 5 min…' what the hell does it say '… it is advisable to hold any urination for 2 hours as discomfort may occur. Ok, here goes nothing "
25 minutes later there was a very loud screaming and a faint laughter. " Only once indeed." Harry thought.
Several days have passed. Harry had spent every day reading the books that he bought using Dobby's help. Harry had found a gift in 'Recorded Magical Traits of Dark Lord's Descendants ' that isquite disturbing. Dark transformo mutatio is a gift that makes a dark wizard or a dark witch becomes the dark lord or the dark lady. An analogy is best used to explain this particular gift. Let's say that Dark transformo or mutatio is a contest, except this is a contest where you are guaranteed to get a prize but not the 'type' of the prize itself. For example, it was rumored that Salazar Slytherin was not a parselmouth; he became a parselmouth after he went through a Dark transformation. Dark transformation is a favorite technique among dark lords to speed the development of magical growth, open any hidden ability that could take several years to develop, and to claim the prize or prizes that dark transformo mutatio guarantees. Dark transformo mutatio itself is not a trait that descendants from a dark lord or a dark lady will have. Any wizard or witch can have a dark transformo mutatio gift. The prize or prizes from dark transformo mutatio, however, will always be present in the true line of a dark lord or a dark lady. So, any descendants from Salazar Slytherin will always have the gift of Parseltongue. Harry had a serious case of chills down his spine. The way he understands the gift of dark transformo mutatio is that he hoped Voldemort's lineage is not a lineage that consistently produces dark lords blessed with the disturbing gift.
Harry had also spent his days trying to figure out the new power he discovered during his talk with Dudley. Harry managed to find out the extent of his new power in the past several days. It was the book on 'The Theory of Magical Gifts' that informed him of the new power he discovered. Harry found himself liking the book more and more every time he read it.
It says that magical gifts must have a strong connection between magic and mind, will, or/and body as a requirement in a wizard or witch. From the book, Harry learned why Hermione is such a good witch (magical student). The book explained that magic inside every wizards and witches are tied to mind, will, body, and feeling. How strong the connections between magic and these four things are what make every wizard and witches different from each other. The connection between magic and mind represents the complex of the magic a wizard or witch will be able to do. For example, one out of a million, a first year student can beat a six-year student in casting a totally new spell for both the students.
Harry believed that Hermione could be a magic crafter. It is simply any wizard or witch whom easily master spells, charms, and/or the usage of magic, such as transfiguration, and easily modify spells, charms, and/or enchantments. Magic crafter must have about 85% - 95% as how much is required that a witch or wizard's mind tied to her or his magical power. A witch whom wants to have mind controller as her gift must have 86%-95% of her mind connected to her magic as a requirement. Mind controller is a gift that allows a wizard or a witch to access and control another wizard's mind, will not work against occlumens, naturally stubborn, or very strong willed people.
The connection between magic and will represents the success rate when a wizard or a witch uses his or her magic. The book pointed out that willpower and power based upon will are two different matters. For example, when Harry cast the summoning charm at the Triwizard tournament, although it was by far the farthest distance he attempted at the time, he succeeded nonetheless. He believed his broomstick would be summoned. Willpower is the strength of one's will. Not to give in to peer pressure is, an example of willpower.
The connection between magic and body represents a magical being. The higher a wizard's magic tied to his body, even muggle can sense that he is different. The muggle most likely, however, will ignore him. Harry immediately thought of Tonks. The closeness of her magic and her body, 95%-100%, is what allowed the alteration any part of her body.
Harry had trouble understanding 'The Theory Magical Gifts', but there are several things he understood. First, he definitely has a very rare gift. Second, there are so many combinations of proportions; it is equivalent to think of those combinations as DNA in muggle science. Third, the power a wizard or a witch can be generated or available depends on the strength of connection between feeling and magic. Fourth, majority of wizards and witches only have about 55%-65% of their feeling tied to their magic, some can reach up to 70% and at most 75%, which led to the believe that purity of blood does not matter. Fifth, with an educated guess, Harry guessed 90%-100% connection between feeling and magic is what being studied in the Department of Mystery.
The power he had knowingly used is called soul reading; it is the only known power above 80%. Soul reading is nothing more than a very powerful legilimency and occlumency. There exist no defenses for stopping a soul reader, except 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE', and there exist no offenses for attacking a soul reader. A soul reader could easily stop a legilimency attack by returning the attack.
Soul reader attacks others' thoughts through the attached emotion on the thoughts, just like when he digs through Dobby's thoughts through happiness, pity, and trepidation. He found out that Dobby was happy because he can help his master to torture his old masters; Dobby felt pity for the Malfoys since the most powerful wizard will give their punishment; and, Dobby worried that Harry will not land himself in azkaban if he got caught torturing the Malfoys.
AN: Thanks for the reviewSerpentine Phoenix – I needed something to invoke Harry's suppressed slytherin side.