Chapter 6: Lunch, Troubling Revelations, the Wand and a Stranger.

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/Echo Flashback/Parseltongue

Harry and Severus quickly walked into the pub and take seats in a well-hidden corner. Severus waves the bartender over. The man walks over to them and asks, "What will it be for you today Professor Snape? Ah and I see you have a…" the Bartender stops speaking as he gets a good look at Harry.

"My word is this...?" he starts to ask.

"Yes, Tom it is but could you please keep it to yourself we don't want to be mobbed today." Answers an irate Severus.

"Of course, of course I'll keep it to myself. But let me say Mr. …" Tom looks around to make sure he isn't overheard. "Potter welcome back."

"Thank you, sir um, what is good here I'm rather hungry."

As Tom fills Harry in on the daily special and all the dishes that can be had at the Cauldron Severus excuses himself and slips off to make a floo call to Hogwarts.

Taking a pinch of floo powder Severus throws it into the fire saying, "Albus Dumbledore, Headmasters Office, Hogwarts." Severus glances around and casts "Muffliato" and then sticks his head into the green flames.

"Albus, are you there?" he asks.

Albus gets up from his desk and walks over to the fire place, "Yes, Severus has something happened?"

Severus shakes his head in the negative, "No, nothing has happened to Harry. That being said Harry has to wait for his wand to be made."

"Garrick is making a custom wand for Harry? That is highly unusual. He and I thought Harry would gain the brother to Tom's wand but if that is not the case then I am glad."

Severus looks puzzled, "Why is that Albus?"

Albus shakes his head, "Not over the floo Severus, even with the security measures you no doubt took when you called I won't have this information getting into the wrong hands."

"Very well, while Harry and I wait we were going to have lunch."

Albus ponders a moment, "Hmm perhaps I shall join you both I have finished most of my paperwork for today and I would like to know more about Harry's new wand. If you do not mind."

"I do not mind Albus nor do I think Harry would object."

Albus nods his head, "Very well then please step aside and I will make my way through."

Severus nods and steps away allowing passage through the floo. Albus walks through and looks around the dining room of the Cauldron and spots Harry and Tom the Barkeep. Albus and Severus make their way towards the table and catch the tail end of Harry's conversation.

"… and then your father comes out of the kitchen covered in flour and looks to his mother, Dorea, and says with the big eyes and says 'It wasn't me it was that one-armed wizard.' Suffice it to say he got quite an earful from your grandmother."

Harry giggles at the story of his father's antics his eyes watery from unshed tears both from the story and from learning about his family.

Albus walks up to Tom and asks, "Perhaps we can get a more private dining room Tom? Harry no doubt has many questions to ask and I believe some will be quite personal."

Tom glances over to Dumbledore and nods his head, "Right this way Professor."

Tom leads the three to a private dining room and goes back out after taking their orders.

As they all get seated Harry greets the new arrival, "Hello again Professor Dumbledore."

"Hello my boy I hear you have had quite an experience with Garrick."

Harry nods, "You mean mister Ollivander? Yes, he is making me a custom wand."

Albus hums in agreement, "Yes, would you mind telling me what materials your new wand will be made of, Harry?"

"I will answer; if you don't mind Harry?" asks Severus.

"No, go ahead Professor."

"As I told you when I called you Albus, Ollivander is making Harry a custom wand. What I did not tell you is that this was after he tried every wand in the store including the brother wand you thought he would get."

"Really Professor you thought I would get that wand?" Harry asks Dumbledore.

"Yes, at the time I was certain that you would receive that wand my boy. You see… How should I put this?" Albus mutters to himself.

"When Voldemort came for you and your parents he marked you with that scar. I believed that some of his powers transferred to you when your mother's protection activated and destroyed his body."

"So, I might have had a piece of him inside me?" Harry asks horrified, "Is that why I can talk to snakes or is that just a regular wizard ability?"

Albus and Severus look at Harry shocked at the knowledge that Harry is a parselmouth.

Severus asks in a quiet voice, "You can speak to snakes Harry?"

Harry nods and tells them what happened at the zoo on Dudley's birthday.

"It is possible," says Albus. He then looks at Severus

"Severus if you would."

"Of course, Albus," Severus then looks at Harry and says, "I am going to summon a snake Harry if you can please try and speak with it."

Severus takes out his wand and casts, "Serpensortia." A small garden snake shoots out of his wand on to the table.

"Where am I? Who are you three? Oh no please don't eat me! I am skinny and full of bones barely any meat on me!" the little snake cries.

Harry looks at the snake in awe and giggles at its antics before reassuring it that, "Do not worry little one we are not going to eat you. Professor Snape summoned you to see if I could understand and talk to you."

The snakes head snaps over towards Harry, "A speaker you honor me! Wait till the others find out I helped a speaker learn how to use his voice!" the snake happily exclaims.

Harry giggles and tells the Professors what the snake is saying. The professors look at each other and nod. Severus unsummons the snake while Albus casts some diagnostic charms on Harry.

"Fascinating," says Albus, "Do not worry Harry, you do not have a piece of Voldemort in you anymore."

Severus looks sharply at Albus, "Anymore?"

"Yes, at one point there was a piece but it has been recently removed. It seems however you kept the abilities that piece granted you."

"Well that is good I didn't want a piece of him in me." Says Harry.

"Indeed, my boy." Albus answers, "That being said try to keep that ability secret."

Albus holds up his hand to stave off Harry's question.

"Unfortunately, many see Parselmouths as dark wizards. At least here in Britain that is, elsewhere in the world they are prized for their Parselmagic abilities which mostly lend themselves to healing."

"Well I will just have to change that someday." Says Harry

Albus smiles and nods but Severus looks sick realizing that only one piece of dark magic that could have left a piece of the Dark Lord in Harry.

Severus glares at Dumbledore and cast several privacy spells and asks in a rough voice, "The Dark Lord made a Horcrux? Why did you not say anything!?"

Albus sighs and answers both Severus question and Harry's curious glance, "Because I did not want him to know that I know he made them…"

"THEM?! AS IN MORE THAN ONE?!"

Albus nods grimly, "Yes Severus he made more than one and before you ask I do not know how many he made, further more keep your voice down. For one I don't want that getting out and two you are scaring Harry."

Albus nods over at Harry who is cringing at Severus' loud yell.

Severus sighs and glare at Albus before addressing Harry, "Forgive me Harry I did not mean to frighten you, it is just madness to make one of those things let alone multiple."

"It is alright Professor just…" Harry looks around and lowers his voice, "What is a whore's crutch?"

Severus answers before Dumbledore, "A Horcrux, Harry, is a foul piece of magic so dark that not even the darkest of families would consider making one."

"I get that but what does it do?"

Albus sighs and asks, "Do you really wish to know Harry? I would rather spare you from this knowledge until you are older."

Harry just nods and stares intently at Dumbledore.

Albus sighs, "A Horcrux, Harry, is a container for soul fragment. When a person creates a Horcrux they commit ritualistic murder and shave off a piece of their soul. They then take that piece and place it in an enchanted object that in nigh indestructible."

"And he tried to do that to me?" Harry asks.

"No, I believe he had no intention of make you a horcrux. I believe it was an accident. His soul was already so damaged that when your mother's protection activated and his body was destroyed a piece was sheared off and went to the only thing that could sustain it, you."

"I had been searching for a way to remove that piece from you for some time. Whatever happened today that led us to you purified your body. I am most thankful for that miracle." Admitted Albus. "Speaking of which do you remember what happened Harry?"

Harry nods and tells the Professors how his day started and how he found the glowing crystal. He was about to tell them what happened when he touched it when there is a knock at the door.

Tom the barkeep opens the door and comes in with their food followed by Ollivander carrying an ornate box and another man. This man is 5 feet 11.6 inches tall he is wearing a red coat, black gloves with a metal ornamentation on the end, black pants and black thigh boots (Augmented Shire Gear of casting minus the top hat, the coat is dyed Dalamud Red). He has tan skin and has a chiseled muscular body. His dark red hair is styled back and has orange highlights. He has sapphire blue eye with a youthful face and chin stubble. From what can be seen he does not have any tattoos. A silver book hangs at his side (Mimesis Lux).

"Sorry for the wait Professors, Harry." Says Tom, "Garrick here came and asked if I had seen you all, that he had something for Harry here and this young man came with him."

"Yes, yes, thank you Tom." Ollivander impatiently waves Tom out of the room. "Mr. Potter has a private matter with me and my friend here, so please."

Tom just chuckles, "Of course, Garrick shall I get your usual?"

"Yes, please."

"And you sir?" Tom asks the stranger.

"Just a medium rare steak with whatever vegetables you have on hand, prepared how you like please." The stranger answers. "Oh, and a bottle of whiskey."

Tom nods and leaves to fill the orders.

"Garrick perhaps you would like to introduce your friend here." Says Albus examining the young man.

Severus nods, "I suspect he is the man who procured Harry's wand materials."

"Indeed I am." The stranger admits, "My name is Zacharius Clay, but before we get into further detail let us let Garrick deliver Mr. Potter's wand."

"Thank you Zacharius." Ollivander smiles and hands the ornate box to Harry, "Mr. Potter this is perhaps the finest wand I will ever make please take care of it and I am sure it will take care of you."

Harry opens the box and takes out his wand. As he touches it a warm feeling floods his body. To Harry it feels like a piece of himself he never knew he lost had been returned.

"Go on Mr. Potter give it a wave." Ollivander encourages Harry.

Harry does so and a stream of pure white sparks fly out of the tip. Six of the largest sparks land on the floor and form a circle. Sparks forms shift into crystals and then fade away.

"Yes, Yes, that is more like it!" exclaims Ollivander, "Your wand is 11 inches long and very flexible. As you know the wood is made from an Elder tree blessed by a primal god. The core is that of the first phoenix born in a land far from here. The wand is caped with a Gem made from the blood of an elder wyrm. It is a wand that has no equal in this land save perhaps one and it is capable of casting all types of magic with ease."

"Remarkable," says Albus while mirroring Severus' expression of awe from before in Ollivander's shop.

"Indeed, it is," says Zacharius, "Wood from an Elder tree blessed by Sephirot. A Phoenix feather plucked from the tail of the first phoenix born in my homeland. The blood of Bahamut crystallized by his own fiery fury. You are destined for great things…"

He looks at Harry who has been looking at his wand the whole time. Harry pulls his gaze away from it and looks into Zacharius' eyes.

"Tell me young man have you ever seen a crystal like this?" Zacharius holds out his hand and a dark blue crystal flashes into being.

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Well I'm back hopefully for a good long while. Let me tell you writer's block and real life can kick you in the nuts, multiple times in a row if they feel like it.

Now I know some of you are going to go "WTF why is Dumbledore telling Harry and Snape about the Horcruxes/Horcruxi?" He trusts Snape and seeing how Harry's life turned out Dumbledore decided he could not keep this from him. Also, Dumbledore did not know how to save Harry without sacrificing him and it was weighing Dumbledore down with sorrow. With Harry being free from the Horcrux that great weight was lifted. This is not an evil Dumbles story or a Bashing story. Don't get me wrong I love those types of stories. It makes me feel good when a truly despicable Dumbledore/Ron/Molly/whoever gets what is coming to them. But this is not one of those stories. This is my story. I am just pulling J. K. Rowling's/Square -Enix's characters into my own scenario. If you don't like don't read. That being said I hope you enjoy this new chapter.