Disclaimer: not mine, almost nothing of it, unfortunately!

Harry Potter is of course property of J.K. Rowling.

"The Dark Eye" RPG belongs to Fantasy Productions.

Thanks to all readers. I do hope you enjoyed up to here.. As you can see I should have someone to look over my doings prior to posting them. So if you are willing…..

I could do with a review or two. Especially if you tell me what I need to work on.

This story is AU including a different time setting. Here Harry was born 1990.

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A lesson to learn

"And then I attacked him with my rapier. You guess! A dwarf in chain mail and the rapier only dose 1d+3 points of damage. I could only hurt him if I rolled a 6. But don't you guess I rolled three critical hits in a five attacks series and then rolled pretty well on the criticals. So he went down without scoring a single hit on me."

"That's sheer dump luck."

"Nah, I do not know why but with this character it's always like this. It seems like some people are constantly lucky."

Harry could agree to that. "But some day this kind of luck runs out, doesn't is?"

The man took a sip of his drink.

"No, not really, it doesn't. You see Harry, I have been in a lot of tight spots. Real live and in the game, so have all the others from tonight's meeting. But we are still around. You play your Elf, just like I play Rowen Icefox. And see, even though you are just level 2 now, you keep up with players who are more experienced and with characters that are way above you."

A compliment, but Harry knew it was true.

"Sure thing it is a game, you have to realise though that this game is a simulation. It is quite similar to the training of new recruits. We do nothing else with those. Tell them what and how to do it. Then repeat this over and over again."

"Would you be in a situation like in today's game you would know a course of action with some promise of success. You would just have to be physically able to do it."

"Oh, and you should of course be able to use the 'Fulminictus Thunder strike' spell. Or have a gun ready."

The man grinned.

Harry however had something to think about.

"To a different topic now young man. Have you heard of your friend or friends whether or not some of them will join us? I feel the new adventure should have more than just an Elf a Hunter and a smuggler as characters. Maybe you could find someone willing to be a knight or warrior and someone to be a witch or a mage?"

Harry could not handle the irony and started to laugh.

"I shall ask around but most of my friends have a rather long way here and are not likely to be allowed out to these hours."

Harry wondered what Hermione or Ginny would say if they knew his new friend would consider them mages.

Hermione would just start to lecture him on correct terminology and Ginny; well Ginny would most likely hex him for sexism.

'Ginny is exactly how those RPG players would imagine a witch. She is the archetype of a Beauty of the Night; beautiful, red-haired, quite a temper and always playful.'

He asked himself if she would like the game.

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Later in Dudley's second bedroom in Number four, he read a book he had borrowed. It was one of the unique ones. The sergeant had compiled it himself, from various sources.

"I have taken quite a few of these rubbish books on magic you can buy, as well as most of the things you find in the internet especially from 'dark eye' fans, then build some kind of comprehensive theory on magic for use with 'The Dark Eye'. I put everything in there that is available and then some."

He then had grinned wickedly.

"I even have done some research in quantum mechanics theory and psychology stuff like that to build the most likely explanations. I know it is sick, and in vain but each of my calculations is correct to the tenth decimal. All that is lacking is the existence of the energy form called magic."

As he opened the door for Harry to leave he added. "The part on the elven sight of magic is what you will enjoy the most. It should help you with the 'feel' of your character."

Harry's grin was no less wicked than the sergeant's had been, as the ultimate I-prank-Hermione-into-the-next-century idea formed in his mind.

'I have to get Ginny aboard to pull this off to maximum effect.'

Harry switched of the light and went to sleep.

He had not really noticed, however he had had restful sleep the last three days in a row.

Tonight's dreams were different thou, not the Ministry, not Sirius falling but of the game they had had tonight, filled with a redheaded witch.

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"Ginny, can you spare a minute?"

Ginny looked curiously at Remus Lupin, who stood in the doorway to her room. She picked herself up, smiled and waved her hand in invitation.

"Sure you can Professor, come in."

"I heard you are taking the Muggle Studies course?"

Ginny wondered about this opening.

"Yes, I do. Like father like son; as the Americans say. I am sure I am a daughter though."

"Yes that you are, for sure."

Remus thought about a way to get to his point.

"In my talks with Sirius he mentioned the two of you had … a lot of talks over the last Christmas break."

Ginny grew a bit upset. Figuring Sirius had spilled some of the more embarrassing topics they had spoken about.

Remus spotting her expression and smelling the increased adrenalin continued.

"He did not tell me anything you talked about, at least nothing that could be considered 'ears only'. However he was, at some times, obviously reluctant to go further and changing the topic."

Ginny noticed him looking for a save approach to a specific topic, and she simply knew that topic was Harry Potter. She felt her temper rising and fought it down. Taking a deep breath.

"So I wondered …"

"Professor, just spill it. I am Molly Weasley's daughter and I know I am a teenager. What you 'adults' have still to see, neither him nor me have been children in a very long time, ever since someone tried to kill each one of us. Tom treated me like something between juicy bait and a pawn to use and discard. I lost my childhood below Hogwarts to Tom Riddle; Harry lost his to his Aunt and Uncle supported by Tom."

She sighted.

"So belief me, I will not hex you. That is a show for mum's sake and for my brothers. They need to see little Ginny, it would be cruel to have them realise I went eleven to … say 25 in a few hours."

Astounded and jet not surprised Remus took a few moments think, looking into Ginny's eyes. Considering what he saw. There was a grown young women staring back.

'No, not only grown up, but battle hardened.'

He withdrew a few booklets from his robes.

"Muggles not merely write books about magic and fantasy settings but have games they play in these settings. Those games are called Role-playing games. It is a bit like acting really. Harry has started to play with some muggle acquaintance he made."

Remus watched out for her reaction, she seemed to just wait for him to continue.

"The Order would like to have someone with him in the game meetings. And I plan to suggest you to be the one."

"Why?"

Now Remus grinned.

"Just a feeling, that you would enjoy the game and company."

Ginny grinned now as well.

"So, Sirius did tell you more than he should have."

"Well."

He got up and went for the door, leaving the booklets with her.

"I also have a good nose. Emotional excitement has specific scents."

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The hours were late as in the kitchen of Number 12 Grimauld Place Albus Dumbledore, Remus Lupin, Molly and Arthur Weasley discussed whom to send with Harry to his new acquaintance.

Remus had so far been rather quiet.

"I spoke to Mr. Triebenbacher; the German soldier."

Albus sighted and fell back onto his chair.

"What did you learn?"

"He is a fantasy and science fiction addict. I can not place a finger on it but I did get the impression he learned as much about me as I learned about him, at the least."

Remus sported a dry grin.

"I suggest talking to Miss Granger about the significance of several of the book titles I came across in his flat."

"Are you suggesting sending Hermione to join Harry at this man's place?" Molly Weasley spoke in a calm voice, her face bare of emotion.

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In an SUV, rolling slowly over the path towards The Burrow, the Granger family sat.

Jane Granger had pondered for the last hour of the drive whether or not to ask her daughter one specific question.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, mum?"

"I… well, you are 16 and I have no more say in your love life…?"

"Oh mum, go ahead and ask your question, I know all about curiosity you know."

"Thanks dear. See I know you have been a bit preoccupied over this summer and, well, I was wondering if it had something to do with Ron Weasley?"

"Mum, I wish I knew. I mean I like Ron, very much."

"I do sense a big BUT there."

Her mother smiled encouraging.

"To be totally honest to you mum, I do not know if I like either or both of them as a brother or as in more than friend. I really do not know."

Hermione definitely looked unhappy.

"It is just like one second I could hex one of them, the next I cold hex the other. One second I would like to snog one, next the other. Mum I really do not know what I feel."

Under her breath she added. "Besides, there is Ginny."

Jane Granger knew it was not meant to be heard but hear it she did. And it made her wonder.

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