Harry Potter and the Infinite City
By Black Magic Fuckery
(A/N)
I haven't written anything in a long while, so bare with me.
-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-
My name is Harry James Potter and If you are reading this, then that means… well it can mean that someone has found this after so long sitting in a dusty old trunk lost in my attic… or you're reading this because it's the only thing that made it back.
The story you are about to read is... unlike anything you have probably read before, but it is true. Every. Single. Word. And let me tell you, sometimes… sometimes I really wish it wasn't, but if this "adventure" has taught me anything at all it's that life is unfair… but it's how we handle it that shows just who 'you' are on the inside.
I… I 'm not sure where to start… One would say at the beginning but… its a little more complicated than that. How do you start when you're not sure where it all truly began? Can you start from a point in the story prior to your place in it? I'm not sure… I guess I'll just start from where and when I 'myself' became involved…
It started with three friends… and a Doorway…
-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-
It was a bright, sunny and warm day at Hogwarts, strange but pleasant weather and everything had been going well more or less. Classes so far had been breezy and smooth going, Peeves hadn't caused any mischief and the normal passive animosity between Gryffindor and Slytherin was as lukewarm as could be. Hell, Snape had apparently been seen smiling and even Filch and Umbridge were in genuinely cheery moods. Maybe that should have been the biggest clue that something was terribly and profoundly wrong. The Lunch period was about to begin in a few moments and a certain ginger was impatiently urging the other two of the trio to step it up.
"Come on Harry, Hermione," Ron whined holding his belly in mock pain. "I can feel my stomach starting to eat itself!" He groaned and purposely stumbled into Harry gently nudging him and using him as support in his 'weakened' state, Harry chuckled in response.
Hermione shook her head with an exasperated sigh, "Calm down Ron, I doubt that the food has even been served yet, it's not going to kill you to walk at a normal pace."
"That's not what's going to kill me," The redhead cried, a pleading look in his eyes. "What's going to do me in is if Dean or Seamus get the biggest chicken legs because you wanted to go get your third and fourth year Runes books for review!"
"Oh honestly Ron, it was just a five minute detour at most and and you didn't complain when Harry grabbed his broom." She muttered irritably as she readjusted her book bag. Glancing at her other friend she said. "At least you're not ruled by your stomach."
Harry smiled as he shifted the Firebolt resting on his shoulder. Just as he was about to reply in agreement, however, his stomach groaned with a mighty need. The three froze in place for a moment in slight surprise, before a giggle escaped the brunette's mouth. She tried almost immediately to cover her mouth but couldn't stop the laugh that escaped between her fingers. Seeing this caused the other two to begin to laugh heartily for a moment and as they calmed down, smiled at one another.
"I guess that means I'm out voted." Hermione said with mirth in her voice. "Alright, I know when I'm beat, let's get going then."
The three started to make their way down the way towards the stairs when they came across an intersection in the halls, and out of the corner of his eye, Harry spotted something… odd down the intersecting corridor. Coming to a stop, he squinted his eyes and readjusted his glasses.
"Harry?" Hermione called out noticing his sudden stop. "What is it?"
The raven haired teen tilted his head, as if that would correct or make sense of what he was seeing and asked in reply. "Is that what I think it is?"
"What is it?" Ron said approaching his friend's side. "I don't see any… " He blinked. "Hang on a mo'… is that a door?"
"A door?" Hermione asked as she walked up to them, her eyes glanced around trying to see before suddenly settling on the object in question. "… Why is there a doorway in the middle of the corridor?"
"I dunno..." Harry muttered as he started making his way towards it, with Ron and Hermione close behind.
A pair of tall double doors, almost as tall as the corridor itself but very narrow, barely more than the width of a person. It appeared to be made of bronze with a nearly ancient quality to it and the frame was ornately designed to appear like it's was made of free flowing strips of cloth caught in the wind.
As they made their way towards the seemingly random door, Hermione's eyes swept around and noticed something else out of the ordinary. "Do the paintings look odd to you?"
Ron turned his head to look and frowned "They look fine to me."
"They look… off." She murmured unsure of what she was missing. "I can't put my finger on it." As she began to take a closer look Harry's voice called out.
"Hermione, do you recognize any of these?" He said gesturing towards the door. Upon closer inspection it was covered in faded but dull glowing runes. Eyes going wide she moved towards the door and began to look them over. "I'm not sure… wait, those ones along the inner edge look similar to something I saw in my fourth year book, I think. Harry, hold my bag for me, I'm going to take a quick look."
Harry nearly fumbled his broom as she suddenly put the bag in his arms and started to sift through her book bag, Ron stepped closer to the paintings lining the walls and frowned. There was something off he realized as his eyes drifted from painting to painting. They eventually settled on what was obviously meant to be a portrait. He frowned seeing that that occupant was nowhere to be seen. His eyes flickered about to the other paintings and his eyes began to widen as they moved on and on.
"There's no one there..." He said out loud.
"What was that Ron?" Hermione called out as she pulled out her third year runes book and quickly stuffed it back into the bag. "No, that's not it..."
"There's no one there." He repeated louder this time as a feeling of unease began to settle on him.
Hermione huffed as she pulled out her 5th Year Transfiguration book. "They're probably just out Ron. Seriously, how could it not be next to the 3rd year book..."
"Hermione," Ron said turning to look at the browsing brunette. "There's no one there in any of the paintings! They're all empty!"
"What?" Hermione said looking up in surprise and let the book she had been looking for fall back into her bag.
"That can't be right," Harry said casting his green eyed gaze across the numerous canvases. "There's got to be at least a few of them here to keep an eye on the hall. That's what the twins' said anyway."
"I'm telling you they're all empty." Ron said gesturing wildly at them. "Not a one in any of em!"
Harry's eyes widened as his eyes found one painting that he was familiar with, it was a landscape full of wild life, or rather it was supposed to be. From the stories he had heard from Sirius, this particular painting had been altered so that the Marauders in their animals forms would occasionally run across the landscape. Animals didn't normally leave paintings and the only time he had ever noticed them gone was when the Dementors had been posted at Hogwarts.
"I don't like this," Ron muttered as his eyes suddenly settled on the door. "It's got to be this thing… We should go tell a Professor or-or even Dumbledore."
Surprised by that Hermione turned to him with wide eyes. "Who are you and what have you done with Ron Weasely?" She tried to joke even as a sense of unease began to fill her.
"I'm serious Hermione!" The redhead said, eyes pleading for her to understand his growing dread. "I have a really bad feeling about this thing, it has to be dark magic or something."
"Ron, the school is covered from top to bottom with wards that detect and prevent objects of a certain power and alignment to be brought in without the Headmaster's permission," She said and for an uncertain moment couldn't tell if she was trying to relieve Ron's anxiety or her own. "if it's here, it's always been here or Dumbledore gave permission for it."
Harry's eyes drifted towards the doorway and after a very long moment frowned. "Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Hermione asked turning to look at him.
"Exactly… I don't hear anything." Harry said as the hairs on the back of his neck started to stand on end. "I don't hear anything. Not the other students, not the normal back ground noise of the castle… nothing."
Ron shuddered as he perceived the void-like silence. "We need to get away from this thing, tell Dumbledore and McGonagall, it's not normal!"
"I-I agree," Hermione said as she took a step away from the door. "We need to go straight to the great hall and inform the staff."
Harry nodded as he finally tore his eyes away from the door. "Ok, let's go, I don't want to be around this thing any-"
"HARRY!" Ron shouted running towards him eyes wide with panic. Hermione gasped and pointed behind him with dread clear on her face.
Whipping his head around the raven haired boy gasped as he saw the doors, having been silently thrown open, an inhumanly long and rotted arm reaching out towards him. It's long and bony fingers firmly latched onto his shoulder and began to pull him backwards. With a yelp he struggled against it's death like grip, twisting his body and trying to pull away only for it to have no effect at all.
"I-I can't get loose!" He cried panic coloring his voice as he dropped his broom and Hermione's bag and tried to pry the fingers off him.
"I got you!" Ron shouted having reached him and wrapping his arms around him. With his added weight the arm began to slow it's steady pull. "HERMIONE!"
"Stay still!" She shouted coming around the side and pulling out her wand. "Don't move!" She said as she cast a severing charm at the decayed appendage. It split it's nearly mummified flesh straight to the bone but it sealed up a moment later as if it had never been cut. Whipping her wand around she quickly cast a bone breaker curse and the severing charm once more, breaking the bones and splitting the flesh in almost one go.
With the limb dismembered the hand lost it's grip and fell from Harry's shoulder as Ron pulled him away. They had barely gotten a few feet away before the hand snapped up and reconnected to the arm, re-knitted itself back into shape and was joined by another that shot out like lighting and grabbed Harry by the upper left arm and his right ankle. He cried out in shock as he lost his footing and fell to the floor.
Ron quickly dived and grabbed Harry slowing the arms down again but not nearly as much as before. "Hermione, do something!"
"I'm trying!" She cried as she spun around towards the door, with the added distance that they were from it she tried something more powerful. "Bombarda!" She screamed as the spell flew from her wand.
The spell bursts through one arm and nearly destroyed the other but the arms reform near instantly and just continue to pull the boys closer to the door. "This isn't working, we need help!"
Harry's mind was racing as he tried to dig his fingers into the stone floor, hopping to catch a grove. Help. The word triggered a memory from the last year and he called out "Dobby!"
There was a sudden gong like noise that echoed over the struggling teenagers. "What was that!?" Ron cried as he tried kicking at the arm desperately.
"Dobby!" Harry shouted again and again the gong like noise sounded.
"I don't think he can come through!" Hermione said as her mind deduced what was happening. "Whatever this thing is must be blocking him from coming!"
The gong sounded again without prompting and started happening rapidly one after another. "He's going to hurt himself!" Hermione cried as she turned back towards the arms. "I-I don't know what to do!"
The gong sounded once more followed my an unholy screeching noise, like a hundred nails on a chalk board. Magical energy began to crackle off to the side as the hazy image of a house elf appeared as if it was struggling to take shape. "Harry P-Potter, sir!?" Came the distorted but familiar voice.
"Dobby!" Harry called out, never feeling more glad in his life. "We need help! Get Dumbledore, the professors, anyone!"
Struggling to move towards the trio the elf glared through squinted eyes at the scene before him. "D-Dobby m-must help Harry Potter and his f-friends!" He shouted as he came more into focus raising it's arms out towards the door.
"No, Dobby! Go get help!" Harry shouted as he finally caught a seam and dug his fingers in.
But the house elf didn't listen as a crackle of energy shot out from his outstretched hands and struck the doorway. There was a moment of almost complete silence as the very air pulsed with energy before suddenly a wave of distorted air shot out from the door way. The wave moved over the teens harmlessly but as soon as it hit the hazy house elf it made a deafening crashing noise. The house elf's image was blasted away with a quickly fading scream sounding through the hall way.
"DOBBY!" Harry shouted in dismay, if the stubborn house elf had met his end trying to save him, he'd never forgive himself.
"The door!" Hermione cried out in shock noticing as the two doors began to slowly close. "He must have spelled them to shut! We just have to hold on till they close!" But as if in response to that declaration, three more arms appeared from the doorway grabbing on to Harry, dragging both him and Ron towards the doorway's closing maw.
"Ron," Harry cried turning to look at the ginger teen struggling futilely to slow them down. "Let go, it only want's me!"
"Are you bloody mental!?" Ron shouted as he slid across the stone floor with Harry.
"Let go!" Harry pleaded again and tried to push his friend away.
"S-Stop that Harry!" Ron said as he almost lost his hold. "I'm not letting go! Not on your life!"
A sudden thump and a weight on his other side made him whip his head around to spot a mass of bushy brown hair.
"Hermione no!" Harry shouted struggling harder to push his friends away and out of danger. "Get away before it's too late!"
"No!" She cried as they rapidly approached the doorway. "I'd never be able to live with myself!"
Harry clenched his eyes and gritted his teeth in frustration as a sudden burst of energy coursed through his body. "Get off!" He shouted as he gave one great heave!
"NO!" Ron and Hermione cried out as they were pushed away and the raven haired teen was pulled through the doorway and into darkness.
The two stared in disbelief for one brief moment before the sound of a great many footsteps sounded out behind them and knocked the sense back into them. Hermione looked towards the sounds of the footsteps and back towards the rapidly closing door. "They'll never get here in time!" She said as she pushed herself to her feet.
"You stay here!" Ron grunted as he pushed himself up off the ground. "Tell Dumbledore what happened!" He said as he made his way towards the doorway that had swallowed up his friend. "He'll know what to do!"
"Ron!" She she called out to him but he was already jumping through. For one brief moment Hermione was all alone and the idea of being that way from here on terrified her more than the door ever had. She would not lose her friends. Grabbing her discarded bag from where Harry had dropped it as well as his Firebolt she heard a gasp from behind her.
"Ms. Granger!?" She turned to see that Professor McGonagall and Flitwick had just come around the corner. She smiled at them sadly and replied in almost a whisper.
"I'm sorry."
She then threw herself through the doorway just before the doors would have been to narrow to pass through. They closed with a deafening clang and in the blink of an eye the door's vanished from sight.
-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-o0_-
...And that's how it all started…
...Three friends and a Doorway.
Where it would lead us to, would being us to the brink of death, the edge of sanity and very nearly break our faith and trust in one another and ourselves. This is how it all began, this perilous "adventure" in the dangerous, ancient and endless...
...Infinite City.
