A/N: I'll be posting chapters before my beta can pick through them, and I'll update as she gets back to me. It you notice any errors, please tell me! Also please let me know how you feel about the story so far :)
[End of Third Year]
Harry sat listlessly in the library, idly staring at a book on powerful protective spells. He had just saved Sirius, his unknown and unlooked for godfather, mere days before, with the strongest spell he had ever cast. Harry remembered the exhaustion that had clawed at him, the uncertainty, the blazing desire to witness his father save him…all to culminate in the sudden realization that the Harry of the past had seen the Harry of the future cast the Patronus charm, to save himself and Sirius. And he had done it. He had repelled who knew how many dozens of dementors, all with a single spell of staggering magnitude. He could only equate the spells' power to one other person.
Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts.
The Headmaster had beaten back the full force of Dementors by himself at the Quidditch pitch when the foul creatures had invaded the match, and Harry had essentially equaled that feat. Just remembering that fact filled Harry with satisfaction.
He was so far removed from the Dursley's control now. He had power of his own, and that power was formidable indeed. That power didn't stop the sharp pang of loss in Harry's mind. He had never known someone to love him unconditionally, and yet Sirius seemed to do so, in those last, frantic moments, when Harry, Ron and Hermione thought they could clear Sirius' name, and restore Harry into his godfather's care.
And then the very hands of Fate itself seemed to snatch him from an ideal place of safety. Professor Lupin had transformed, and Wormtail had escaped in the confusion and scuffle. And now with no evidence of the miscarriage of justice, the Minister of Magic was free to do what he wished, which had been to order the immediate Kiss of death by a Dementor to be bestowed upon Sirius. Luckily, Hermione's Time Turner had seen to the saving of all of them, as well as Buckbeak.
These dark thoughts had led Harry here, to the library, Hermione's refuge. Hermione and Ron were outside, attempting to patch up their friendship from the whipsaws of anger that the two of them had run through their bond, with Hermione's cat appearing to have eaten the at the time innocent Scabbers. Harry knew he would have to make his own amends for his anger at Hermione getting his Firebolt confiscated, especially since it turned out that the broom did come from Sirius Black, even if the intention behind the gift was off.
But that was for later. Now, he had the burning desire to learn. To learn of powerful enchantments and spells that he could use to keep himself safe. If Trelawney's Prophecy spoke true, Harry's enemy would be getting a follower back shortly. Harry had to prepare, and quickly. Voldemort had decades of experience under his belt, and the power to match the Headmaster blow for blow, even if neither could kill the other. Harry had to come up with a way of matching or exceeding the power difference, if he wanted to survive the battles ahead.
And so, the library.