Hello everyone and welcome to the first chapter of my first story! I hope you all like it! Now, onto the important stuff. I don't own any character in this story, though this may not hold as the chapters go on. I do own the character Querry partially, but his race belongs to Gene Roddenberry.
Do Q Believe in Magic?
The uniform, staccato ringing cut through the veil of twilight, but only for a moment. A hand hastily pressed the snooze button. The young man slid back in the lumpy busted up bed frame, his legs displacing the tarnished covering half of his body. He had been up for the past half an hour, waiting for that bell to ring, signifying the most over looked and forgotten day of his life. A joyless smile crossed his lips, his voice a barely audible whisper when he next spoke. "Happy Birthday…to me…"
He ran his right hand through his dark, eternally untidy hair, the motion putting an odd lightning shaped scar on his forehead into view. His olive green eyes resting behind black framed glasses were directed to the dusty floor, specifically a loose floorboard. The broken two by four that ran from the edge of the bed to under it, a feature easily missed if you didn't know it was there. Fond memories of early birthday gifts gushed to the forefront of his mind. A box of "Exploding Screech Bats", the latest prank device from Fred and George Weasley; even to this day he wondered if giving them all those Galleons to start a joke shop was a wise idea. Harry had given the gift from the twins a very cautious, still not exactly sure how to set the things off or what they did. Hermione Granger, one of Harry's closest friends, had somehow foresaw the gift from Fred and George, having sent him a bottle of Jangus' Burn Ointment ("From matches to Dragons, think Jangus!"). He had chuckled over the gift from her, it signifying the range of her knowledge and the thought she had put into the present. Ron Weasley, his arguably best friend and younger brother of the twins, had sent him a large basket filled with dozens of treats from Honeydukes, with a tin of fudge from his mother in there as well. The gift from Hagrid, the groundskeeper of Hogwarts, a school for witchcraft and wizardry, had sent him an odd, but practical gift. It had been a beautiful wallet made of Moke's skin, which would shrink to microscopic size if approached by anyone but the owner. Moke skin wallets were pretty expensive, so the fact Hagrid made the gift by hand made it more dear to the teenage wizard.
The final two presents he had received so far had proven the most troubling of the lot. The first came from Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, he knowing the first from Hogwarts and the second from his time with the Order of The Phoenix. The couple had sent him a particularly delicious cake, but the candles sang out the classic birthday cadence pretty loudly. In fear of waking up his foul tempered Uncle, Harry had to snap them all in half to shut them up. The floor of the bedroom had became a miniature graveyard, their "corpses" scattered here and there. The baked good was all that had sustained him for a while, his Aunt Petunia putting the house through another attempt to make his piggish cousin Dudley lose weight. But their gift didn't end with the cake. Attached to its base, oddly enough, had been a wedding invitation for Harry and his strained family. This struck him as slightly surprising, but not outside the realm of expected. Everyone had known that the two had entered a relationship some time before the funeral of Albus Dumbledore, but no one had expected it to flourish and mature over the span of three months so quickly, especially with the current situation going on. And yet here they were, planning on binding in holy matrimony in November.
That thought brought a feeling of depression over his heart. Albus Dumbledore had been many things to many people. He had been a close friend, a confidant, a father figure, an ideal of what a man should be, a leader and above all else a teacher. Some believed him to be the most powerful wizard of this age, some even seeing him as mighty as Merlin the Great himself. But one thing held by all was that the major reason that Hogwarts was a safe place for students to learn was because Voldemort feared Albus and Albus only. But that no longer really mattered anymore. Prior that year in a coup on Hogwarts when Dumbledore was gone, Severus Snape showed what some see as his true colors. Dumbledore arrived back to the school tired and weakened from destroying one of Voldemort's Horocruxes, Snape and several of the Dark Lord's elite, Death Eaters, waiting for him. Harry had rushed to help his friends repel the other front of the coup, leaving Dumbledore with the others. The weakened wizard had put his trust in Snape, not retaliating at a man he believed reform. But Snape betrayed him killing him on the spot. This act had been the basis of many a nightmare for Harry, one such as that having woken him up this night.
Harry shook his head, trying to not for once relive the horrible memories of his past. His mind went back to the final gift he had received this causing his heart to twinge with a dull pain. The present had come from the youngest member and only female child of the Weasley family, Ginny. Harry's interaction with her had begun in his second year at Hogwarts, she in several ways announcing to the school as a whole that she had a crush on him. The year ended with Harry saving Ginny from an ancient reptilian monster known as a Basilisk and the destruction of one of Voldemort's Horocruxes. The younger redhead wasn't noticed by Harry as more then Ron's sister until near the middle of the last school year. She had emerged, as one of the most attractive girls in the school's society, but Harry didn't take note of this as much. But when both Ron and himself caught her and her current boyfriend Dean kissing in a secret corridor. This had enraged both boys, but Harry more then Ron. Harry had a first dismissed this as brotherly instincts. But as the weeks passed, Harry found himself thinking of and pinning for Ginny in ways hardly brotherly. In the party directly following the Gryffindor Quidditch team winning the Cup Harry spontaneously kissed her, which shocked but was accepted by his fellow students and Ginny herself. The two started going out shortly after that and both acknowledged that they were happier then ever before with each other. But directly following Dumbledore's funeral Harry broke off the relationship, fearing that Voldemort would only attack and harm Ginny in a bid at himself if their relationship was ever found out. Though it had pained Ginny, she had understood his decision and was actually expecting it. Though it had caused Harry much emotional pain, he didn't regret his decision. He just cared too much for Ginny to see her get hurt because of him. Though he probably wouldn't come to realize this much later in his own life, but he genuinely loved Ginny. Ginny had given him as a Birthday gift a mirror like device called a "Forget-me-not." It was similar to the clock found in the Weasley home, showing the current condition and where abouts of any person the user wished. Fighting temptation, Harry had left it in it's packaging.
The teen was pulled from his thoughts by a sudden hollow sound, something hard rapping against glass. His eyes swayed to look at the window, a smile crossing his lips at the sight of the snowy white owl floating just outside the window. He had sent out Hedwig a few days ago for her to get some fresh air and to hunt. But that was almost a week ago and Harry was worried that something foul might have befallen her. He quickly jumped to his feet and opened the window; the owl scuttling over to land on the nearby desk that held her cage. "Hey there Hedwig, where've you been." He affectionately petted the back of he bird's head, gaining a sullen hoot and playful bite on the hand from her. She suck out her right leg, what appearing to be a small box wrapped in gold paper attached to her leg. "What's this?" The bird merely hooted at her master after preening some of her feathers, returning to the act. Harry scratched the back of his head as he turned the box over several times in his hands, not find a tag or note of any kind. It was on the fifth time turning it that Harry was surprised to find a tag hanging lazily from the top. "Huh? That's odd." He squinted in the low light, trying to read the small print. Strangely, it seemed to enlarge more the harder he concentrated.
Happy Birthday Mr. Potter,
I'm not the kind of guy who gives conventional gift 'cause what's the fun in that?
Anyways, be warned young wizard!
If you open this gift you will be signing yourself onto anything that shall be fall you.
Have a Nice day!
"Hmm…It's not signed…." The slightly joking tone of the tag and the way it delayed too appear made Harry set onto that the thought track it was a gag gift from Fred and George. He quietly tore off the wrapping paper, wasting little in opening the small black box. It appeared to be empty and nothing more. Harry was about to place it down when a blinding silver flash of light blinded him, causing him o lose his balance and fall on his bed while Hedwig let out a loud squawk, falling off the desk.
As Harry recovered from the event he noticed a great chill in the air, his body quivering and his teeth chattering. A low background noise occurred in his mind, sounding oddly like the screams of a young woman and the maniacal laughs of a full-grown man. A cold hand gripped his heart, his eyes widening and his mind reeling when he confirmed what he had feared. Floating before him like Death itself was a cloaked figure in a black robe. Its face was hidden with in the folds of the hood, but its wraith like body and the scabby gray hands extending from the sleeves sealed its identity. Right now, right here on 4 Privet Drive once again, a Dementor had shown itself. The wraith's breath was a hollow, rattling sound, all the air in the room seemingly drawn into it and then let out with each such breath. The creature's right hand reached out towards Harry's throat, wrapping it's cold, slimy fingers around him. It was then that Harry reacted, pulling forth his wand from under his pillow. The air was soon being cut off from the teen, lights flashing before his eyes. His right foot struck out, connecting with he wraith's chest, sending it back and into the desk. But it seemed to not be effected in the least, resuming its path towards Harry. For the life of him Harry couldn't guess why his Aunt, Uncle or cousin hadn't be awoken by this racket, but it was hardly the time or place for that. His mind anchored itself on the happiest memories he had, the time he spent with Ginny when they were still a couple. He brought up his wand like a sword, aiming directly at the fell creature's heart, or where it should be. Harry's voice ripped from his throat as a trumpeting roar, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!", and a massive blast of white light exploded from his wand's tip. A massive white stag now filled the room, it bowing its head and charging the Dementor, aiming to gore it on its antlers.
But, to Harry's surprise and sickening awe, the monster merely caught the stag by its antlers, effortlessly holding it back. With the horrible sound like hard plastic being ripped in half like paper, such was the Patronus' fate. Gleaming slivers of light was all that remained of the stag, these soon slipping through he floor at their feet. As the fell beast turned to face Harry the teen was still on his face, pure courage on his face and a gleam of righteous fury in his eye. "I will not die at the hands of a monster like yourself! I will fight with every bit of my strength and I will destroy you and your horrid master!"
What occurred next completely obliterated his resolve, as well as causing his mind to cease functioning for a moment. "Monster? Such an uncalled insult Harry." The Dementor……spoke…. The hands that Harry could have sworn were scabby before, now pink and fleshy, went up to the hood of the robe, pulling it down to rest at the neck. What Harry saw next caused his jaw to drop and his wand to clatter to the floor. Not a featureless gray oval rested beneath the hood, but a human face with jovial green eyes and short cut brown hair. He appeared to only be a year older then Harry and yet he had never met him before, the man acted like they had known each other forever. "Who are you?" The stranger smirked in an odd fashion as he grasped the collar of his robe. He tore it away like I was paper, revealing robes much like the one's Dumbledore once wore. The elder teen even pulled out a pair of half moon glasses just like Dumbledore's, resting them on the bridge of his nose. The man chuckled as his appearance gained a slightly aggravated rise in Harry. "Why, I'm Querry, a Q!" Harry blinked, confusion replacing anger on his face. "A…Q? You say that like it means something." Querry chuckled once, bending down to pick up a still befuddled Hedwig, putting her away in her gold cage. "Why yes! Yes I do! But maybe expecting even you primitive wizards of this universe to know of my superior breed is a stretch too far." Anger once more replaced confusion in the magic using teenager, his face feeling a tad hot. "Primitive! And what do you mean by that! How do you know I'm a wizard!" The outlandish man smirked in an arrogant manner at the boy's anger. "Yes, primitive. You'll just have to deal with the fact I'm better then you. As for me knowing you use magic like some teenage Merlin…..there's little I don't know about you or anything for that matter Harry." Harry was getting more flustered by the other man's words, it now visibly apparent on his face. "And what makes you Qs better then us!" "Hnh." Querry's attention left Harry, traveling around the room in a lazy fashion. "This room is pretty cramped, wouldn't you say? Now…we can't have that." He snapped his right index finger and thumb and there was a sudden flash of silver light just like before. It faded much quicker then the firsts, but it's effects were delayed. The entire room groaned and shook as it was expanded and metamorphosed into an exact replica of the Gryffindor common room. The fire roared gently in its place, Querry and Harry facing each other in large comfortable lounge chair, Querry in his same outfit but Harry was now in his school robes. His eyes widdened as he looked around the room, his mind still trying to comprehend what just happened. "Wha…What spell was that!" Querry laughed in a sarcastic manner, interlocking his fingers and resting his chin on his knuckles. "It was nothing as mundane as one of your card tricks Harry. We Qs hold the power supreme, the might infinite. I have unlimited control over space, matter and time. Still don't believe me? Well then…we can't keep that closed mindedness going, can we?" Querry once more snapped his finger, a gentle silver glare appearing in the air. It slowly grew in size, length and volume, taking a human form. Querry's smile took a more malicious turn as he soaked in the shook and naked sorrow on Harry's face. "S…Sirius…?" And that was whom it was, floating horizontal between them, unconscious. "Why yes Harry! That is in fact your dead Godfather. Bringing the dead back to life or returning a ghost to it's corporeal form is a simple task for me." And once more his fingers snapped, Sirius vanishing as quickly as he appeared. Harry jumped to his feet, anger shaking his sweat drenched body. "Bring him back! Bring him back now you bastard!" Querry did not return this demand with his normal smirk or chuckle, a solemn look on his face. The arms of he chair behind the angered teen sprung to life, grasping Harry's arms and forcing him to sit still in it. "You will be quiet and listen now boy. I come as a representative of the Q continuum and act as their judge. We have taken note of your escalating war with the other ape known as Thomas Riddle and we are not pleased. You two have amassed far too great a power for an ant race like yours. We will no tolerate the two of you existing so you will kill him. But we do not trust you to do so. To this end, I will run you through a gauntlet of grueling and hazardous trials. If you prove yourself worthy, you shall be allowed to kill Riddle or be killed by him. After that you will not here of my kind again until you monkeys expand off of this mud ball." Harry sat against the back of the chair; the arm rests having let him go. The threatening declaration by the being had leveled his head, he now going over his options. "When will these trials be?" The jovial nature returned to the god's face, a smirk playing over his lips. "Now what fun would it be if I told you that? Now, enough gibber jabber, you do have a school year to prepare for after all. Sweet Dreams Harry." And he snapped his fingers again, Harry falling down into an infinite abyss of darkness. Querry's face was merely a point of light shrinking into the darkness.
The uniform, staccato ringing cut through the veil of twilight, but only for a moment. A hand hastily pressed the snooze button. The young man slid back in the lumpy busted up bed frame, his legs displacing the tarnished covering half of his body. Harry ran his hand through his hair, sweat drenching his body. "Was it…. all a dream?" A rapping sound drew his attention back to reality, his eyes going to the window. A relieved smile crossed his lips as he saw Hedwig, he getting up to let her in.
Well, what did you think? I hope you liked it and feel free to review it.