The Circle
By DraconicalPriest
Rating: Still R, but for no particular reason in this chapter… unless sarcasm is seriously disturbing to you, anyway.
Pairings: Currently nothing, unless some twisted person sees more than camaraderie between The Dark One and Guardian. *shudder* Can we say auto-eroticism, everyone? Boy, that'd be weird…
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and I won't even lay claim to any of his personalities. All I own is the effort it takes me to put this thing up, which is considerable.
A/N: Well, I decided to stay at pretty much the same spot I left off. I'm going to have one more chapter after this one set before Hogwarts, and then it'll be mostly according to canon, just seen from some different viewpoints. Also, I apologize for having taken a while to update. There are many reasons I didn't, all of them good (in my opinion, anyway) and most of them having to do with tax-day, but anyway I'm back, and I'll try to be posting more frequently from now on.
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Cover the little children: Chapter two
For the next several weeks, Harry was kept locked up in the cupboard while Vernon slowly calmed down again like a sputtering volcano after an explosion. Every so often Petunia would fling open the door and shove some food at him, let him out briefly to use the bathroom, or throw some sponges and soapy water in and order him to clean the place up. Each time she did so she was freshly unnerved, as the boy was again that black-eyed oddity which seemed to be mocking her with the silence of his face.
In the bleak stillness of the cupboard, The Dark One plotted. The pure challenge of this project had him nearly bubbling with a dark glee. He'd never been faced with so difficult a problem before, and he was elated each time he figured out another tricky spot. Every so often the body would shift its shape, the eyes flickering to a dull green or the hair lengthening, shortening, straightening, and coming back into a flyaway mess. However, after about five days, The Dark One was almost ready to give up on the physical transfiguration of the Cover. It was especially tricky since he couldn't just tie it into a specific shape. He had to make a transfiguration that would not only remain unaffected when the others came to the Outside to run the body, but that would also grow with the child. It could not be an illusion or simple glamour, since those would not fool all the senses at the same time and could often be seen through anyway, sometimes even by muggles. Also, while The Dark One held a lot of knowledge about magic, he'd very rarely gotten a chance to practice any of it. His latest attempt had been at the Cloak of Shadows glamourie which had so frightened the Dursley's, and he'd never even tried to transfigure something. On the seventh day, he was approached by a rather nervous Guardian.
*Erm,* he eloquently began. Guardian stood a short way from The Dark One, rather at a loss for words. At that point, The Dark One was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, going through a rapid-fire sequence of transformations. Some of which looked rather more real than they usually did, not shadowy at all, which again confused Guardian. *Erm,* he repeated, then finally continued when The Dark One opened his eyes and looked up with the faintest hint of impatience fleeting over his face. *What is it that you're doing now? I mean, I thought you were going to figure out some kind of masky thing so Harry won't have to go out there again, but you're just sitting there practicing your shadow stuff and those odd transformations…* He trailed off at the look on The Dark One's face, with a definite feeling of somehow having made an ass of himself.
The Dark One gave a long suffering sigh, then unfolded himself and walked over the dark plain to stand by Guardian. I am indeed working on a "masky thing", my dear Guardian. He said bitingly, It is necessary that I practice these transfigurations in order to do so. Stop and think a minute, will you? What happens whenever one of us takes control of the body?
*Well, that person is on the Outside. The body…he's the one moving it, and in control of it…* Guardian again stumbled into silence, perfectly aware he was missing something, but not entirely sure what it was. The Dark One tossed a sardonic look at him, then did another quick transformation, flicking through the images of a green-eyed messily black-haired five year old boy, to a sandy-haired blue-eyed girl, and then, to make his point perfectly clear, to Guardian's much taller figure, topped with his brown hair and gentle jade eyes.
Got the point yet? He continued impatiently, without waiting for the Guardian to answer. The physical changes when we pass custody of the body are really what's most noticeable to those tubs of lard out there. We can't afford to let the body actually change whenever one of us is "moving it" as you say. Therefore I need to work out a permanent transfiguration that will be connected to the body instead of the identity behind it. This is made slightly more complicated by the fact that I can't just lock it into a certain appearance. I have to figure out a way to make in unaffected by our changes, and yet still change as the body itself would grow and change. It's slightly tricky, Guardian. He ended on a rather petulant note, obviously somewhat stuck for an answer himself, but too stubborn to ask for advice.
*Hmm… well, if this transfiguration thing has to be something that's completely separate from our identities… isn't it basically just another one? One who is always Out? Would that work, to have him always be there, and not ever let anyone completely Out?* Guardian offered this hesitantly, knowing that he really didn't know what he was talking about… but it made sense to him.
The Dark One's eyes widened briefly, and he even flashed a short smirk at Guardian. Why that might indeed work, Guardian! I can't believe that I didn't think of that myself. If I did make him into a true identity, albeit a shallow one, as I don't think I could manage much more… I suppose he should look as much like Harry as I can manage as well, of course. Thank you, Guardian. I need to work on this some more. With that, he gave Guardian a firm look, in an obvious invitation for him to take himself elsewhere. As a puzzled, but somewhat pleased Guardian turned to go, he added somewhat absentmindedly, And I suppose that if he's got to be a separate identity, he'll need a name too. I think we can just call him the Cover.
When The Dark One had finally gotten the physical transfiguration worked out, he also had to find a way to keep the Cover up and functioning even when none of the others were running it. By the end of the second week he had created a sort of personality overlay, like a balloon that would keep the same surface over whatever filled it. The Cover would be able to step back, to retreat from the forefront, when one of the others was let Out. The Dark One finally set up a sort of "sleep" that would let this occur without too much trouble. The Cover also had to be cheerful, innocuous, and very easy to get along with. After this latest upset, the Dursley's would have to be soothed and reassured that Harry wasn't a real problem. If they suspected that this magic stuff would happen often, neither The Dark One or Guardian had any doubts that they'd be out on the streets or in an orphanage before they could blink twice. The Dark One had quickly realized that he couldn't be the one to control this. He was often very distractible, especially by interesting new ideas for charms and spells. Also, he knew that his sense of humor might get them in trouble, as it was rather…well, dark and twisted. After another uncomfortable conversation with Guardian, his final solution would either automatically render whatever was said into a safer form or the Guardian would censor what actually was said or done.
The last and most difficult hitch in his creation was the memories. The Cover simply could not depend on the memories of whomever was managing it at the time. This would never work, as each held their own memories, none of which were complete, and the Dursley's would probably notice if Harry started fluctuating between remembering something one moment and not knowing it at all the next. Also, if he was exposed to too much of the Dursley's abuse, such a shallow personality might very well break, which would bring them back to the same problem again. When he reluctantly brought this quandary to Guardian, he found they were both stumped. After a long, pondering silence, Guardian was suddenly struck by an idea.
*You said that he goes to "sleep" when the others are there, yes? So, we can just have him do the same thing if the Dursley's start acting up again! That would work.*
The Dark One looked at him skeptically. No, I don't think it would, actually. If he just goes to sleep with no one there, it would be like he suddenly fell unconscious. And I don't think any of us would want to be unconscious in the hands of an angry Vernon. That also wouldn't solve the problem of not having consistent memories.
This time though, the Guardian remained confident. *It will work! There's another. One that I don't believe you've ever met. Who did you think kept the secrets now? I can't any longer; I have to take care of the children. I haven't been able to keep the secrets for them for a long time…and I don't remember how long. But there is one who is still the Keeper of Secrets. There always has to be one. And Lavian is the one who takes those bad memories from us when they happen. Lavian could do the same for the Cover.* Oblivious to the shock on The Dark One's face, he continued cheerily, *As for the consistency, since you're already making him a separate person can't you give him a basic set of memories that he will keep even when alone? He doesn't have to remember much, it's not like those idiots really care about what he thinks anyway. As long as he remember how to act around them, he'll be all right, really.*
Eventually The Dark One regained control of his face, and the shock faded from his expression, changing into calculation and an amused smirk. Once again, dear Guardian, your blazing intellect has astounded me. That would indeed solve the problem… but why have I never heard of this Lavian before? I know I am the oldest, I thought that I knew all of us. Is he one of your childlings? I'll have to meet him in order to set up the link for this transference from the Cover. Where is he?
Guardian was also trying to control his amusement. His warm jade eyes twinkled suspiciously as he said *No, Lavian is certainly not one of my childlings. I think you'll be rather surprised when you meet Lavian. As to where he is, why, he's in the Circle of course, with all the rest of us. He usually faces out though…and is a bit hard to see anyway. Do you need to meet Lavian today, or are you planning to do so when you're actually ready with the Cover?*
A bit peeved, The Dark One admitted No, not today. I want to be finished planning this. I think actually setting the Cover up will require a bit of a ritual. A spell, if you will. We'll need to be out of the cupboard, and out from under the uncle's eye. Until then, I can't really do much more than plan, and figure out exactly how it'll work. As long as you're sure this Lavian can take the memories from a Cover as well as the rest of us…it should work, though.
*I am sure.* Guardian replied, gently rocking the sleeping children in his arms. *Now get to work. I doubt we have too much more time before the uncle finally lets us out of here.*
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A chance to set up the Cover didn't actually come until a whole month after Harry's birthday. By that time, they were all getting a little twitchy, and feeling rather weak from hunger, as Petunia's offerings didn't come nearly often enough to suit a growing boy. When Vernon finally let them out of the cupboard, he did so with several growled warnings to behave and not frighten Aunt Petunia. After he had stormed off to work, Petunia set them down at the kitchen table and nervously prepared him a bit of eggs and toast before she shooed him outside, to weed the rose garden. The Dark One gratefully sauntered over to the rose bed and set himself gingerly down in the midst of the fragrant blossoms. He then closed his eyes, and stepped back into the Circle.
Guardian? Are you ready for the spell to be cast? I need to see Lavian now, and Harry again.
Quiet steps seemed to echo as they approached him. Then Guardian's voice drifted out from the darkness, an unusually somber cast to his normally cheerful baritone. *We're here. I've brought Lavian and Harry with me. We're ready to begin, then?*
Yes. Bring them nearer. I need to see both of them in a minute. The Dark One then quickly stepped Out to check again that Petunia and Dudley were inside, and not paying any attention to them.
And so we begin. He thought as a gentle wind began wrapping around them. He began chanting softly and a gentle greenish light surrounded them, cloudily hiding them from view instead of illuminating them. His obsidian eyes closed again as he stepped back into the circle, and the roses danced gently in the verdant wind.
In the Circle, he stood again in front of the Guardian, who was holding a calm Harry, and a strange androgynous figure wrapped in a dark cloak which seemed to lose its shape near the edges and drift into the darkness. A wailing voice came from it as they set up the Cover's link together. ~A Cover to save us. A Cover to hide us. I will keep thy secrets child, an thee keep mine.~ Within the Circle they joined together in chanting, along with The Dark One, again sitting in the rosebushes:
"Occulto nos. Occulto nos in animus quod corpus. Occulto nos." It repeated and echoed oddly around the roses, and when the chanting slowly died down, the wind also calmed and the light disappeared. A sweet looking black-haired boy of about 5 sat there, his innocent green eyes shining in the sunlight like the bright leaves of the roses dancing on the breeze.
"Harry!" called a voice from within the house, "come help clean up the dishes from breakfast now!"
"I'm coming, Aunt Petunia!" He yelled back cheerfully, and ran out of the rose bed, and back into the house at number four, Privet Drive.
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A/N: Well. That was rather long…for me anyway. I didn't want to put it up in two pieces again though, so I just hope you all like it. It's also not beta-read, so I can only hope there aren't too many problems, I did check it over… but I probably have missed some. The Latin is a rather rough translation…I took Greek in college, not Latin. But basically it should be "Cover us. Cover us in mind and body. Cover us."
Thank you to all my reviewers! A big thanks to npetrenko, Nemi, Fireangle, wild kat, sc, Jaded1, cat, 2|2si, melly-chan, Lexi-It changed, minamino, Ophite68, jujuben, AnaRae, and Tereth Dragonstar. An extra big thanks, and a hug to Jaded1 and jujuben. I'm still astounded that anyone likes my fic that much…you guys have completely bowled me over. Now some answers to questions, and specific points:
Cat, you read my mind. That is exactly when I plan to have things start to fall apart. I admit I'm not happy with the prologue anymore…I wrote it before I'd really planned what I was going to do.
Melly-chan and minamino, thanks for noticing the way they work together! Mind you, they certainly don't all do so, but it's my opinion that Harry's personalities would be a lot more inclined to cooperation than bickering. He just seems like that kind of person to me.
AnaRae, yes he does have female personalities. In fact, we've already met one, very briefly. The Dark One may seem somewhat Snapish (mostly because I adore the man, he's so delightfully evil!), but I'm not really trying to aim at a resemblance to anyone. They are their own selves, though their characters are certainly influenced by his subconscious.
As to how many personalities there are… I'm not really telling. Unless of course, you ask really nicely, seem genuinely interested and have cool suggestions, or write me a really nifty review. *waves to Jaded1*
So, that's it for now. When next I update, it'll be shortly before Harry gets his Hogwarts letter. I'm looking forward to the Circle's reactions to that!
Please review, I always appreciate advice and I adore compliments. They make me tingly all over, and plant large grins on my face.