Chapter 3: Meanwhile in Scotland…

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Final Fantasy XIV ARR. HP is the property of J.K. Rowling and FFXIV ARR is the property of Square Enix.

Spells/Abilities/Primals

Mother Crystal

Thoughts

Albus Dumbledore was not having a good day. He had just returned from advising a disgruntled Cornelius Fudge at the ministry of magic. Now that the Ministers ruffled feathers had been smoothed he could return to the task at hand. Prepare for the new school year and that of course meant paperwork. Paperwork was what took up much of Albus time these days. Paperwork from the Wizengamot (new laws to be looked over to be approved or rejected). Paperwork from the ICW (keeping the peace and balancing the power of member countries). Paperwork for Hogwarts (Filches updated contraband list, requisitions for new class equipment). Thankfully Minerva McGonagall took care of the student paperwork (Hogsmeade forms, incoming student acceptance letters, Book/Equipment lists). The only bright side of the day was that Harry Potter was getting his Hogwarts Letter today and soon would be on his way to Hogwarts where he would be happy and safe, after all aside from Gringotts Bank, Hogwarts is the safest place in the United Kingdom.

"Thinking of which I should have Hagrid pick up the stone from Gringotts in a few days," Albus thought, "If the thief tries again the goblins should be able to capture him and all this will be over and the stone can be returned to Nicolas. And if the thief should evade the goblins well let him just try to steal from Hogwarts where the mightiest magical minds reside."

"Tippy please come here." Albus calls out.

With a small pop a house elf appears in the Headmaster's office.

"Yes Professor Dumbledore, what can Tippy do for you?" She asks as she bows to the headmaster.

"Please let Minerva and Severus know that I wish to speak with them."

"Of course Professor! I'll let Professors Kitty and Snakey knows right away!" Tippy beams and pops away to fulfill her task.

Albus chuckles at the house elf's nicknames for his two friends. A musical twitter from his animal companion lets him know that Fawkes the Phoenix is awake and amused at the nicknames as well.

"Good morning to you Fawkes, would you prefer to go hunting for your breakfast today or would you prefer some fruit from the kitchens?" Albus asks his familiar.

A little known fact about Phoenixes is that they are omnivorous. Most people believe that they are frugivorous and prefer sweet exotic fruits since phoenixes are seen as creatures of light and life and thus would abhor taking life for sustenance. In truth phoenixes not only represent Light but also Fire, Life, Death and Rebirth. Fire consumes all things bringing death to the old but it also makes room for new life to grow.

Fawkes trills a reply and looks out the window.

Knowing full well that Fawkes prefers catching his own breakfast and preferring fruit for dinner Albus opens the window with a flick of his wand.

"Good hunting my friend."

Fawkes trills in thanks and takes flight through the window.

Albus smiles and turns back to his desk and the paperwork. His smile disappears and he sighs, "Well, time to get this done."

As Albus focused on the task at hand his deputy head and his advisor had met up and where walking to the entrance of the headmaster's office.

"What do you suppose Albus wants with us Severus?"

"Most likely he wants to speak to us about the upcoming years most important student or that damn plan of his to keep the Philosopher's Stone here during the school year. Why Nicolas Flamel agreed to this insane plan and not just placed the stone under the Fidelius Charm and place it in his sock drawer is beyond me." Complained Severus.

"What makes you think it's the real stone Severus? Do you really think that The Alchemist, Nicolas Flamel, would entrust his most prized possession to anyone but himself? The man is over 600 years old! There is no way that what we will be guarding is the real thing. At most its bait to catch the culprit who is stupid enough to try and steal it; at least it is to get Albus "I-Have-Too-Many-Names" Dumbledore off his back." Snapped Minerva.

Severus raises an eyebrow at his colleague, "Something bothering you Minerva?"

"Yes, this is the year Harry Potter will come to Hogwarts and…"

"Don't remind me; he will be just as arrogant as his father I know it." Severus gears up to rant about the evils of James Potter and his little cronies only to stop when he sees the glare Minerva is giving him.

"Oh do shut up and listen for once!" snaps Minerva, "Now, as I was saying Harry was left with Petunia and her fat boar of a husband. You remember Petunia, Severus?"

Severus flinches at the memory of Petunia Evans and how bitter she became as Lily went off to Hogwarts.

"Yes, she began to hate Lily more and more every year we went to Hogwarts and left Petunia behind. Wait are you telling me you left Lily's son with that bitter magic hating woman?!" Severus asks in shock.

"Ah so he is Lily's son now?" Minerva smirks before becoming more subdued as Severus glares at her.

"Yes," she sighs as she remembers that night, "I had been watching the Dursleys all day. I saw what kind of people they were and let me tell you they are the worst sort of muggles I had ever seen. I am worried that they tried something as stupid as 'Stamping out his magic' or some such nonsense."

Severus looks stricken; he remembers what it was like living with a parent like that, "This changes things." He mutters to himself.

"Very well if it is as bad as you think it is you will have an ally in me Minerva." Severus vows, "I will also endeavor to see him as Lily's son instead of Potter's spawn. For Lily."

Minerva smiles, "That is all I ask for Severus and who knows you might just get him as one of your snakes."

Severus smirks, "Hopefully he will be one of your Lions, could you imagine what a colossal shit storm it would be if the 'Savior of the Wizarding World' was sorted into the house made infamous by the Dark Lord?"

"Language Severus!" chides Minerva, "Beside we know that being sorted into Slytherin does not a dark wizard make. Only by our actions are we defined."

He smiles sadly, "Yes, some change their ways. They are still tainted by their past actions, though."

Minerva looks apologetic "Oh Severus…"

"Enough, we are almost there. Let us see what Albus…."

Severus is interrupted by a large explosion that rocks the castle. This causes both Minerva and Severus to fall flat.

"Are you all right Minerva?" Severus asks as he picks himself up.

"I'm fine Severus but where did that come from?" Minerva asks.

As he moves to help Minerva up Severus realizes that the explosion must have come from Albus' office since none of the other professors used this corridor.

"Minerva call one of the elves and have them get Poppy that explosion came from Albus' Office!" Severus yells as he rushes off towards the office.

"Nippy!" Minerva calls as she steadies herself against the wall.

Severus rushes up to the gargoyle that marks the entrance to the office and quickly gives it the password.

"M&Ms"

The gargoyle jumps to the side. Severus runs up the stairs and into the office. A large amount of smoke billows throughout the office and is venting out the window. As the room clears Severus sees that the one of the selves is at the epicenter of the explosion.

"Albus are you alright?!"

At first no response is forth coming but as the room clears further he is able to see Albus rising from beneath his desk were he took shelter from the blast.

"I'm fine my boy just a little shaken." Albus replies.

"What happened?" Severus asks.

"Well as I was going through…"

Albus is interrupted by two sets of foot falls coming up his stairs at a very fast pace. Minerva and Poppy Pomfrey rush into the office. Poppy's wand is already in motion as she rushes to his side casting a diagnostic charm.

"Albus what happened?" asks Minerva.

Albus sighs and lets Poppy do her job knowing full well that his objections will be shot down before he could even utter them. He looks at Minerva and Severus and starts explaining.

"As I was saying to Severus; I was going through the last of my paper work when I heard a whistling sound. I looked over to the source which happened to be one of the instruments I use to monitor Harry Potter's health. This one in particular releases a cloud of steam whose color determines the extent of the injury sustained. It has always shown white since I tied it to Mister Potter. The metal itself seems to have grown white hot and upon reaching the point of no return exploded. It seems that a visit to Mister Potter's residence is in order." Albus said gravely.

"We must go at once! Fawkes we have need of you!" Albus calls out.

Fawkes flames into the office, takes a quick look around and nods at Albus.

"Poppy please come with me via Fawkes' fire travel to Mister Potter's location. Minerva Severus please follow via apparition afterwards." Says Albus.

The others nod and soon they are on their way. They all arrive at Arabella Figg's home in a flash of fire and a crack of displaced air frightening both the half-kneazle's Arabella keeps around her house as pets, and Arabella herself.

"Albus, Minerva, Poppy and Severus what is the meaning of this?" she asks.

"We're terribly sorry for scaring you Arabella but we can't delay something has happened to Harry!" Albus calls back to her as he and the other Professors rush out of her house.

Casting a quick Notice-Me-Not charm over himself and his colleagues, Albus heads for Number 4 Privet Drive. Albus unlocks the door with a quick Alohamora and kicks the door open to find Vernon Dursley dumping an unconscious Harry into the cupboard.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!" he roars shocking everyone present.

"WHO ARE YOU LOT AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING BARGING INTO MY HOUSE LIKE THIS?!" Vernon roars right back after getting over the initial shock of seeing Albus and the other Professors.

Petunia who had been leaning against the wall squeaks as she recognizes Severus. "You? What are you doing here?"

"You know that man Petunia?" Vernon asks his wife.

"Yes he is the boy who told Lilly and I about magic." She responds in a soft voice lost in her memories.

"Great more freaks if it wasn't bad enough we have to deal with the boy what do you all want?" Vernon asks gruffly.

A quick legilimency probe tells Albus all he needs to know about the Dursley's treatment of Harry and it makes him sick that he had to leave the boy here with these people for his protection.

Albus shakes his head to clear his thoughts, levitates Harry out of the cupboard and onto the couch. He then moves aside so Poppy can treat Harry.

"Petunia," he says, "This is not what I meant when I asked you to take care of Harry. He is your family and family shouldn't treat each other like this."

"You didn't ask you left him here, on a cold November night I might add, with a note explaining what happened! How was I supposed to act? I just learned my sister died, killed by a magical madman with followers that could be coming after me and mine since Harry was here with us. You know we never wanted to be involved with your world. Of course we would come to resent him." She explained.

"You treated him like a house elf! Making him cook and clean, forbidding questions and punishing him for magic he couldn't control!" Albus yelled at them, "While you never beat him you withheld food from him! You even lied about his parents to him!"

As Albus and the Dursleys argued Severus and Minerva were hovering over Poppy watching her as she worked.

"How is he Poppy?" Minerva asked.

"Physically he is fine, though whatever happened to him caused his scar to burst open. There is a little dark magic residue but it is fading fast." Poppy answered back, "Mentally his mind is working furiously. It is like he is dreaming and learning at the same time."

"When will he wake?" asks Severus.

"That will depend on him there is nothing we can do right now." She says tiredly.

Minerva moves to the couch and kneels down by Harry's head.

"Wake up Harry. Wake up! Harry please wake up!" she cries.

A small groan escapes from Harry's lips.

"What's all this shouting about?"

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Author's notes

Well hello everyone thanks for stopping by the third chapter of Harry Potter and the Mother Crystal Book 1: The Crystal Bearer and the Red Tincture.

FFXIV Heavensward patch 3.2 trailer is out and watching that got me in a writing mood. Here are the fruits of my labors I hope you enjoy.

R&R please flames will be ignored while constructive criticism will be appreciated and considered.

Oh and there is a poll on my profile for the Job Harry will Unlock in third year (Healer)

Next Chapter Harry heads to Diagon Alley, escorted by Severus, where he gets his school supplies, learns of his family and gains something more.