The Lord of Stone Tower
Chapter 13; Hogwarts and Firestorm.
The Infirmary Spindle
Alex Firestorm sat on a seat beside the unconscious Harry Potter and stared at the wooden staff that lay along side the man that he had begun to think of other the last few weeks as his guardian angel. Or more precisely as his guardian demon as that is what his animagus form took the place of. Over the last few weeks his nightmares had been very rare compared to the constant onslaught he was used to. He remembered several times to start with the form of Harry Potter in his dreams, normally in his human form rather than the Dream Walker form.
He had started to think of this man as an older brother and even though he had spent very little time with Harry over the last few weeks of his stay at the City he knew that Harry saw him as the little brother that he never had. He had started to dread his return to Hogwarts, not only would he lose his big brother, he would lose the security he felt when inside his surrogate brothers city. He knew through Harry and his headmaster that Ron Weasley was still brushing shoulders with the Order of the Phoenix, there had been no proof that Ron had done the attack and they had picked up Harry's Magical Signature and come to the conclusion that Harry had kidnapped Ron and Alex.
He had almost laughed when his old headmaster had told him that Ron had spun some illustrious tale about his overcoming Harry and escaping.
Harry had been unconscious for two days now and no matter how hard Draco and the Nurses had tried they couldn't move the wooden staff, Draco had actually been thrown across the room and knocked unconscious when he had tried to move it and that had stopped any further attempts to move the staff. No other thing had been known in this realm to be able to knock out a dead being.
Alex had been mortified to find out that Harry had been knocked out and was in an unknown state. The fact that his newly found big brother was now unconscious was enough to keep Alex almost permanently by his side. It was when one of the healers entered with a plate of food that Alex saw Harry move for the first time.
"Harry!" Alex was immediately on his feet and the healer chuckled as the twelve year old boy jumped up to kneel on the side of the bed before she ducked out of the room in search of one of her colleges more suited to check up on the stirred lord.
Alex shook the mans shoulders in an attempt to awake him faster. Harry eventually gave in, "Alright, alright kid," He mumbled pitifully, "If I try to wake up any faster I'll give my self a seizure."
At the comment Alex settled back onto his heels and waited for the man to sit upright on his pillows, but before Harry could think of something to say he was lunged upon again by the twelve year old in a hug that he eagerly returned. It wasn't until the healer returned with a few other healers and Draco that they were disturbed.
"Oi!" Came Draco's voice from just inside the doorway, "What the hell did you think you were doing going all unconscious on me without telling me first? What kind of friend does that?"
The boy pulled back and sat on the bed next to Harry after Harry moved over, now that he was awake he didn't feel that anything was wrong. He ignored Draco and turned to one of the healers.
"Do you mind looking me over so you can give me the all clear, I think I have a lot to do." He asked politely before turning back to Draco. "It seems that the Staff here bonded itself to me and knocked me out in order to do so. No harm came of it I believe." He looked at the healer who had just finished checking him for confirmation.
The man nodded kindly in agreement. "You're free to go, my Lord."
"Thanks you for your hospitality and for putting up with little Alex here for two days."
"How did you know I was here the whole time and for that matter how did you know you'd been unconscious for that long?" Alex blurted out going slightly red at being found out even though he knew his brother would work it out eventually.
"Ah," Harry smirked at the boy he thought of now as a little brother, "I created this City; it bends to my will and kindly brought me up to date. And along those lines," he turned to Drale who had entered only three minutes before, "you were right to allocate the caverns to the Muggle, I was thinking of using them for that. This City will become a great staging centre for the upcoming War and I don't particularly want to ruin its aesthetics by storing their weaponry up on the grounds."
Drale flushed slightly at the confirmation that he had made the right choice. "Thank you my Lord!"
"Quite alright my dear Drale, and since you have proven yourself in that aspect it is now you task to oversee the designation of all of the areas of the City." Drale looked slightly shocked, "Don't worry, the City will inform me whenever you designate an area of land to someone, no matter where I am."
Drale nodded and went quiet as he became lost to his thoughts. Harry turned and put his legs over the side of the bed and stood. With a wave of his hand he was dressed once again in his Mage robes. He concentrated for a few seconds before looking at Draco and Alex. "Now how about a visit with Minerva and Hermione, Hogwarts tells me that they are in the main office." After receiving a nod from Draco and a wary one from Alex he turned to Drale. "Could you please locate Albus and ask him that if he wished to make a visit to Hogwarts then he is to meet us in fifteen minutes at the Dark Ring."
Hogwarts
"What's next on the list, Minerva?" Hermione asked from the desk where she was seated as she watched her old Transfiguration teacher pace the room with a list in her hands.
"Nothing, that's everything settled I believe. Now how about we go down to the Hall and get some dinner, the students should just be returning from Hogsmeade for dinner now."
"I can't believe its Halloween already, it's been quite a while without the Headmaster around." Hermione sighed as she headed for the door with Minerva just in front.
As Minerva placed her hand on the door handle however they felt a brief flash of magic before she turned it and pulled it to open the door, but failed.
"That's strange, you didn't lock the door did you?" Hermione asked.
"This door can always be opened from the inside. Hogwarts makes sure that the Head of the school can open any door no matter what spells are on it."
"Unless they decide to keep you in here that is?" The two ladies spun around as they recognised the voice of the long missing Harry Potter.
"Harry!" Hermione screeched and before Harry could react his face was full of bushy hair like he remembered from every time he had been hugged by the slightly older woman.
Minerva was calm enough to take in the rest of the visitors. "It is good to see you again Albus." She nodded kindly at the older man. "I was under the impression that you and Mr. Firestorm here," she nodded towards the boy who was standing beside Harry for reassurance, "were kidnapped by Mr. Potter."
Harry separated himself from Hermione. "I am afraid that Fudge fell for our act and Weasley wasn't exactly the angel in that encounter as Alex here will agree."
Alex got a brief dark look on his face as he remembered his escape from Order Headquarters.
"We had the feeling that certain truths were being with held, especially after Hogwarts refused to allow Mr. Weasley to enter the school." Minerva put in.
"That would be right, as Hogwarts has bonded with me I can ask them to do things for me, like locking you in this room before we arrived. Also I asked them to not allow anybody that is evil or has intentions to harm on their mind." Harry responded.
"What do you mean 'them?' Everyone calls Hogwarts a 'her.'"
"Oh, of course!" Harry smiled as he realised his slip up. "Hogwarts sentient side isn't just one personality like most sentient objects. It has the personalities and actual essences of the four founders. So I say them. Of course some areas are greater in one personality like the Library is more Rowena whereas the dungeons are more Salazar's domain. The same goes for the Hospital wing and Training Room as well as the Common rooms and the founders personal rooms."
"I can understand not knowing where their personal rooms are but what about the training room?" Hermione asked.
"The training room is behind the five Suits of Armour on the fifth floor, just tell the centre suit what purpose you are there for. It is a room where you can not get hurt, no matter which spell is used the effects are negated at the end of the fight, and lethal curses are turned into stunning curses and so on. The private rooms have not been used in centuries. Only bonded people can enter them with the exception of the study and guest quarters in Godric's rooms which are for the Heads use. This Office being his study."
By the end of his brief explanation the group had followed Harry around to the back of the Desk and to a book shelf. Harry reached up his hand and tipped forward a book called 'Hidden answers by Merlin.' The bookshelf slid back and across into the wall.
"That only works if you know that there is something behind it." He stepped through followed quickly by the other four people. "This is his Living Room."
They sat themselves down and Minerva called for an elf to bring them some food for dinner.
They chatted over dinner covering almost everything that Harry wanted. An alliance between Stone Tower and Hogwarts was quickly set up and Harry was due to build a Ring for access between the two. Harry also brought up his ideas about what would happen soon and asked the two Headmistress' is he could allow Hogwarts control of itself so that it could rebuild itself into a stand alone town that it used to be in its pride.
"Before we make a move there is one last thing to do," Harry spoke as he stood and stretch his arms slightly after their three hour talk, "I believe there is a first year called Pernel Kell whose parents are in my City as well as a forth year whose Aunt is a resident also. I would like them to be informed at your leisure of the location of their guardians and to give them these invitations for residence in my City for the future."
"Of course." Minerva took the invitations easily. "What about Mister Firestorm here?"
Instinctively Alex moved slightly closer to Harry and he understood his little brother's reaction to the question. He sighed gently, "He is obviously very high up on Voldemort's hit list and therefore I believe for his sake and the other student's sake that he remains with me. He will receive his education. If once Hogwarts has rebuilt itself it is strong enough then he may return if he wishes it. The same will apply to the two students currently wards of my City if they wish to leave but only after the end of the year."
"That seems fine to me as long as they still take their exams at some point," Hermione put in, "I was looking at the books this week and there are three more muggle-born wizards in your city. One due next year and the other two are twins and will be old enough the year after."
"Please may I have a look at this book, I think I may know which you mean."
Hermione agreed and led just Harry followed by Alex out of the room giving Minerva time to catch up with Albus. "Here it is, Harry."
She placed a two thousand page book on the desk. This was the Magical signatures for every Wizard for the last two hundred years. Harry could see another four of them on the shelf. Hermione was actually breaking Wizarding Law by allowing anyone who wasn't Head of the school to see the book.
He frowned slightly, he knew Hermione was enjoying the fact that she hadn't told him where in the book to look. He concentrated briefly sending a plea to the castle.
He felt the Castle laugh slightly at his predicament and it was Rowena's voice that came to him. 'Just place the book on its spine and it will go the section on those born ten years ago. Then place your hand about half a foot above it and think of what you need."
He did as told and heard his old friend huff that he had overcome her so easily. He flipped to the right page and studied it completely. He laughed. "You better hope that they stay with me, these three are worse than the Weasley Twins. They hang about together even with one being in a different year. I think that they have even played a rather hilarious prank on the general of my army. I am not to sure if they know they are wizards, I may inform them before hand and teach them a few thing if they wish to come here and I am not too sure if they will enjoy being split apart like that."
"Are you ready to go Harry?" Albus asked as he walked back into the room with Minerva.
"Almost, something just occurred to me, Albus." He concentrated again on the book and the pages flipped backwards in time. And a page headed by the name Alexander Firestorm. Harry already knew the ability that Albus had kept from him, Alex had confided it in him soon after getting there.
'Just hold your hand over the page and speak the words I taught you when you need to change something in the castle,' this time it was Godric's voice sensing what he wanted to do, 'Also could you please set up a Founder talking stone before you leave in case we need to discuss something with the Heads and you are too busy. It will also give you a quick way to contact them through us.'
Harry silently thanked the courageous Founder. "By the right of being Bonded to Hogwarts and speaking from the Four Founders of this establishment I big you do as I wish!" He muttered and the book flashed.
Minerva and Hermione watched in horror as the page from the book began to delete. Harry watched in satisfaction as the word 'Infernis' was deleted from the page as well as anything that put Alex in danger.
"Harry!" Hermione screeched "You can't do that!"
"It's for Alex's protection, He is my little brother and I will not let any harm come to him. Besides Hogwarts said I could do it." He grinned at Alex when he said that and was rewarded by a slight flush. Hermione relented at his reasoning.
Harry turned to Albus, and motioned for them to leave. "I will set up the Dark Ring on my way out, will just outside the main door do for you. I will put up an illusion on it so that the Ministry do not know of its existence. Hogwarts will be the only ones here that will be able to activate it and it will only go to my City for now."
So after twisting the Earth around outside the doors of Hogwarts and pulling up a vein of Hard rock and shaping it into the Dark Ring, only different to his own one back at the City by its lighter colour, he hid the Ring with Invisibility and then disappeared along with his two companions.
As they arrived he heard Helga's voice in his head, weaker than the others because of the distance. 'Ronald Weasley witnessed you hide the Ring and leave. We let him enter to find out what he wanted. He tried to trace your destination but we blocked it. He is trying to activate the Ring.'
"Albus stay with me here please, Alex, if you would kindly return to the Tower, I will see you in the morning. We'll start on your exercises then." Alex knew better then to question it and left the two older men. Harry turned and walked the short distance to the Ring. Calling for a few guards on his way. Drale joined them seeing that something was happening.
Harry concentrated on the Founders and sent them instructions. Then raised his arms. Time to test another of his Towers defences. An alarm sounded on the grounds and those that weren't military trained ran inside the main Tower or the protection of the Shelters dotted underneath the Town inside the walls.
He and the Guards backed away from the Ring and he covered them with an invisibility charm that he knew Ron wouldn't see through it till it was too late.
It took only a few minutes before a circle of green light flashed around the Ring to tell them that there was an incoming portal. After a moment the Green Light tightened inwards and filled the Ring behind it. Harry had told Hogwarts to open the Portal when Ron had tried enough.
And right as Harry had predicted, Ronald Weasley stepped through the Portal before it shut down behind him. He looked around very proud of his achievement. Harry nearly snorted as he watched several of his Guards fit their bows and some of the Muggles load rifles silently and take aim. He waved them to stand down and grinned.
Almost twenty metres from where Harry stood with his men Ron started to step forward happy with the thought of getting revenge against Harry.
As soon as Harry saw the traitor step forwards he flung up his hand and circled it once in the air and snapped his hand into a fist. The Tower instantly reacted and The Primary Pool glowed brightly plunging the City into green light before it split in two and the lower half sunk into the top of the actual tower of Granite. The light seemed to run down the side in eight lines and along the Spindles and into the ground before it disappeared.
Albus looked curiously at Harry at this but was sated when he was motioned at to watch Ron. After only a few seconds the ground at Weasley's feet flashed green before it lanced up around him and the green walls joined together over his head. He was too surprised to react.
Harry held back his troops as he watched the traitor reach for the wall in front of him. As soon as he touched it he was shocked by it and thrown back in pain. He bounced off the back wall and was shocked again but held against it in pain before he fell to the floor in pain. As soon as he fell down the green box struck down on him so that he couldn't stand again.
Harry dropped the invisibility and motioned his men forwards. They quickly surrounded the box and when Weasley finally looked up he was looking at the sharp end of several arrows as well as the end of several rifles.
Harry walked through a gap in the troops with Albus at his side. Ron, seeing Harry Potter, pulled his wand and aimed it through the green wall he could see through like looking through a green tinted window.
"I wouldn't try that if I were you. You fire we fire, but yours will bounce around in that little box until it hits something mainly you. Ours goes through easily." Harry said as if he was talking to a baby. "You are hereby a prisoner of the City of Stone Tower. I would suggest against any attempt to escape as the Tower could have killed you ten times over before I told it to capture you."
"You traitor!" Ron yelled indignantly stupidly sending off a cruciatius that simply bounced back and hit him, it was quickly cut off though as Ron fell under it himself and lost the concentration to hold it.
"Well that was damn brilliant of you wasn't it. Well we can't let you hurt yourself anymore can we?" He opened his hand out towards Ron Weasley. And for good measure spoke the words of the summoning spell and Ron's wand came to him. He held it out and flicked it back through the box. As he had said before the non-magical weapons could penetrate the box but a wand was magical and so when it hit the box it burst into flames. With that done he turned to a Guard on his right.
"I want five men watching him at all times."
"Yes, my Lord." Five of the men ran off, two muggles within them. Harry turned back to Weasley. "Bye for now traitor, I'm given some much needed time to think about things. I hope you like your knew accommodations, I am afraid it isn't too spacious though." He placed a hand out in front of him and clenched it before lowering it slowly. The box reacted instantly and sunk into the ground without a trace taking Ron Weasley with it to take him to one of the holding rooms. He'd remain in that box for a week before he was interrogated and put into a holding cell permanently, or until Harry decided what to do with him.