Chapter 5 – – There ought to be a law

.

Quidditch turned out to be a lot of work and time-consuming with practices every other day. I tried to work my regular exercise program with the practice sessions. In our first game I secured my position on the team by scoring 80 points all by myself against Sytherin. That was until somebody stole my broom.

I was a little bit higher than the hoop I was planning to put the quaffle through. I was also traveling as fast as the comet broom, that Cedric had borrowed for me, when I felt the pull from the broom. With my left arm and hand tucked around the quaffle I only had my right hand to hold onto the broom. I was sent tumbling head over heels when the broom was snatched away from under me.

The first law that came to my mind was the one that says that object in motion tends to remain in motion. The more important law that the same guy wrote was the Law of Universal Gravitation that of 3.52 × 1022 newtons converts to about 8.0 × 1020 pounds of force. Which meant the law of gravity would soon overcome the Law of Motion. My understanding of those laws was that I was about to be seriously hurt if not dead.

"Click, click… Who told you that you could fly without a broom?" Hedwig grumbled as she grabbed my Quidditch robes and flamed me to the ground.

I removed my face from the turf and stood up to find the game was over. The other chasers on my team had gotten 30 total points and of course Cedric got 150 for catching the snitch. We had won the game!

"Harry, Harry, are you all right? It was Snape! I have no idea what spell he used on your broom but it tried to smack him in his overly large nose. Dumbledore is over there right now! Do you think he will do anything? Do you know what curse he used?" Hermione Granger had arrived on the scene.

In the end not much was said except by the rumor mill. The rumor mill continue to make up stories however that changed when Dumbledore announced something that sounded like the 'Imperius Curse' but Dumbledore was not forthcoming with information.

Gryffindor took the cup. Oliver Wood was one hell of a Keeper and our team couldn't overcome their point lead.

/Scene Break/

Draco recovered from his injuries but other than running his mouth the rest of the year the school year was fairly quiet. It appeared simple lessons were beyond Draco and he craved punishment. His mouth was going to do him in sooner or later. I only hoped it was going to be me that taught the lesson.

The disappearance of the DADA instructor in the closing weeks of the school year was never explained to the students.

Unbeknownst to us Albus Dumbledore was fuming in his office. Not only had Harry Potter not shown up to fill Dumbledore's plan but no one tried the third-floor traps once they had run into Hagrid's three headed dog, Fluffy. He had known that Quirrell was possessed but never did he think that Voldemort would get away that easy. While he had easily dispatched Quirrell the essence of Voldemort had just left laughing at him, the great Albus Dumbledore. The he had found that the stone, he was hoping would make him a younger, turned out to be a phony. It seems that Nicholas Flamel was not as slow witted as Dumbledore had thought.

As we rode the train back to Kings Cross station that year we chuckled over completing the year in the safest school in England.

/Scene Break/

Summer turned out to be more training with different types of tutors. The Goblins added more insight into my wealth and properties that I owned. Some of our newer tutors trained us in physical training in conjunction with our spell casting which made for an early evening and some very sound sleeping. It did seem that we had not lost our touch in Kockturn Alley as the denizens still gave us a wide berth. Libby ensured we had healthy meals even if we did stop by the ice cream parlor every weekend. So as our two months free time raced by it was now time to collect our materials for September 1st and Hogwarts.

"You know its so easy shopping in Kockturn Alley as everyone is busy shopping in Diagon Alley. BUT then they have to come up with some schoolbook that makes us go to Diagon Alley and mix with all those people. Yesterday we had a relaxing day picking up our robes at Twilfitt and Tattings in Kockturn Alley. Now today were going to have to fight the mobs and buy some of Lockhart's fantasy novels in Flourish and Blott's."

"You know Harry I don't believe I've ever read anybody's book that contradict themselves so many times within the same book."

"Well let's go get this book shopping over with Wendy."

"Hey look Wendy, this is just not Brill." The sign read:

GILDEROY LOCKHART will be signing copies of his autobiography today!

"Come on Harry let's go in and get it over with." We entered the shop to find the Malfoy's and the Weasley's right in the middle of…"I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all those books little girl."

Lucius Malfoy reached into the girl's cauldron with his gloved hand to remove a battered book. "Not paying you much at the Ministry these days are they Weasley?" Seeing the Grangers there Lucius continued…blood traders and mudbloods cannot your family sink any lower?" That started Arthur Weasley throwing a couple of punches at the elder Malfoy. Cauldrons went flying as spell books fell from their shelves. Mrs. Weasley was screeching while the Weasley kids were rooting for their father.

"Give it a break you lot…" Hagrid thundered in pulling the two men apart. Lucius was still holding a old battered book, here little girl, take your book!"

"Harry did you see what the elder Malfoy did?"

"If you mean adding that extra book, yes I did. Let's find out what he's adding to the girls cauldrons. If Malfoy Senior is like Junior that books has got to be trouble. Go talk to her and distract her for a bit while I get that book."

Wendy approached the little redhead, "Hi, I'm Wendy are you okay?"

I bump into the little red headed girl, "I'm terribly sorry, I think I tripped on one of those books on the floor, are you okay?"

"No, I'm okay, it just that the Malfoy's are so rude and arrogant, Grrrr!"

"You're going to Hogwarts, is this your first year?" Wendy continued the conversation.

"Yes and I expect to be sorted into Gryffindor like the rest of my family has been." Ginny looked over at me.

"I'm sorry I'm Harold Smythe but everybody calls me Harry, nice to meet you. Wendy we need to get to Gringotts if we are ever going to get enough money to pay for these stupid Lockhart books."

/Scene Break/

"Master Knifethruster would you be so kind as give this book a quick look I think there's something wrong with it." I started to hand the book to Knifethruster but he backed away from it growling, "Dark Magic!"

"Huh!"

"Ragnot will want to know about this immediately. The dark magic that was lodged in your scar, well there is a similar piece of that darkness in that book."

After having tea with Ragnot in his office Knifethruster returned with the diary, "They have removed the dark magic from this book. They confirmed that it's a piece of a soul, the same persons soul piece that was lodged in your scar. We removed it from the diary as we have now done with your scar." The diary had the person's name on it in gold letters 'T. M. Riddle'."

"Harry I think were going to have to find out little bit more about this T. M. Riddle." Ragnot did not appear to be overly thrilled with Knifethruster information and ordered a full investigation.

/Scene Break/

About two weeks later, in our apartment Wendy and I were discussing todays schedual when…POP!

A strange elf just arrived, so I asked, "Can we help you?"

"Harry Potter asks if he can help Dobby…"

POP!

Libby arrived and demanded, "What be yous business here?"

"I be Dobby, I's come to warn The Great Harry Potter not to return to school. Nasty and dangerous things will be happening this year at Hogwarts." POP!

"Libby, would you go and tell Ragnot about Dobby's visit and what he said. Maybe he can figure out what's going on and who this Dobby belongs to."

"Yes Master Harry, Libby tells Ragnot about Malfoy elf's visit." POP!

"Wendy, do you have the feeling that Hogwarts is going to be more than just a school for learning this year? I mean can you believe that we now have Malfoy's elf involved, it's bad enough that we have Draco."

"I will believe anything if you can tell me why that elf was calling you Harry Potter?"

All I could say was, "whoops!"

The explanation took the better part of what remained of the day and in the end Wendy was not overly mad. Well not mad at me but Dumbledore was not fairing as well.

The next morning Libby had a fabulous breakfast arranged. After digging in we prepared to head to Gringotts for our tutor and our lessons for the day. That's when Hedwig the owl flew in the open window and landed on the back of the dining tables chair. She then changed into her Phoenix form and waved her tail feathers in our direction. The action was obvious so we grabbed hold of her feathers and were flashed into Ragnot's office.

"It's good to see you two again. The reason for not waiting for your usual arrival is we have Lucius Malfoy wandering in the bank. I'm having Knifethruster acting anonymously on your behalf."

I knew Ragnot would've said what was going on if he wanted me to know so asking would be a waste of breath. The silence was broken as Knifethruster rushed into the office.

"The purchase is complete for 1300 galleons." Knifethruster exclaimed.

"Then call the elf."

"Knifethruster called, "Dobby". POP!

"Elf, here is your new master." That started Dobby spewing superlatives and dancing around in his happiness at being Harry Potter's elf.

Dobby was finally told to be quiet and was given series of orders. Actually Ragnot told me to order Dobby. Dobby was to work at Hogwarts and protect his master. His master was to be called "Master Smythe" and not Harry Potter. Dobby was not able to give any further information on the Malfoys or the diary so he was sent off to Hogwarts.

/Scene Break/

September 1st rolled around so Wendy and I took the 'floe' from Gringotts to platform 9¾. Libby took care of the luggage with my new Nimbus 2000 and would be joining Dobby in the Hogwarts kitchens. It was nice to see the scarlet steam engine puffing smoke and ready to take us to Hogwarts.

Boarding the train we secured a compartment near the Perfect's compartment. Wendy and I were loners for most of the previous year and weren't expecting much company. Malfoy's continuous harassment scared away a lot of potential acquaintances. Hermione was part of our library study group but today she was most likely with her Gryffindor friends if that's what you could call people like the Ron Weasley. I was surprised when we got company.

"Hi Harry, might if I join you as your compartment seems Nargal free. I'm Luna Lovegood. and you have already met Ginny Weasley."

While Wendy was suppressing a giggle or two so I replied, "You are most welcome to join us."

"I was telling Luna about what happened in Diagon Alley and she insisted we come look you up on the train to Hogwarts."

"Oh, why is that Luna? I inquired without really knowing why I should be asking.

"The Barbumbuckle that had attached itself to Ginny said you prevented a Riddle from overtaking Ginny's brain. Names can be so misleading, can't they?" Luna then just stared off into the ceiling and didn't say much more. I figured that I should let that conversation die. By now the train was well in motion and Wendy broke the silence by asking, "So what house do you think you will be sorted into?"

"Well I'm going to be sorted into Gryffindor just like all the rest of my family has been over the centuries." I noticed a slight negative shake of Luna's head. I was about ready to ask Luna when our friendly idiot from Slytherin slid open our compartment door.

"Why if it isn't a compartment full of blood-traders and mudbloods. Smythe my father says that you are going to find this year to be dangerous as blood-traders and mudbloods." I noticed his two stooges were not with him for some reason.

Draco's pollution of the area was interrupted by Ron Weasley who rushed up and pushed Draco away from the door. Ron then start his mouth, it was odd not to see food flying.

"Ginny Weasley why are you sitting with those Muggle freaks? You get out right now or I'll…"

Draco sent some kind of hex at Ron. Ron then punched Draco in the mouth and the fight was on. I slid the compartment door closed and sealed it with a 'Colloportus' spell.

"Sorry but I want the fighters to stay outside. I wouldn't worry Ginny as that fight will not last long as I saw two Perfects heading toward our cabin." I was proven right even if the Perfects had to physically drag them away.

I've been practicing all the spells that I had learned in that strange library but I had come to couple of conclusions. Those spells and curses were too dangerous to be used at Hogwarts or at any of the students, even Draco. With my power level I had to tap down the amount of magic I used on normal spells or the spell could become devastating. All of those spells and curses from the library were designed to make your enemy dead or make them wish they were.

We did have another visitor by way of Cedric Diggery who wanted to chat about Quidditch and how we were going to take the House cup this coming year.

/Scene Break/

At the welcoming feast Professor McGonagall rapped her spoon against the crystal goblet to get everyone's attention. I swear I could feel the vibrations from that crystal goblet run through my body and out my toes. I was also not happy to see Lockhart sitting at the High table as our new DADA professor. The rumor mill stated that both Malfoy and Weasley had broken their wands while they were fighting each other on the train and had detention for the entire year. The better news was both houses were now in the minus house point area.

I was needed to pay a bit more attention to Luna Lovegood as both she and Ginny Weasley were sorted into Hufflepuff. Luna's head shake on Ginny being sorted into Gryffindor and the words Riddle could have been a coincidence but her words was bothersome. Had something changed by my taking the diary? Yes Luna was now someone of interest.

/Scene Break/

Of course the broken wands provided entertainment within the rumor mill and our study group discussions. I didn't get to see a lot of the action first hand as did the girls. I was spared some of the fall out because of my different class schedule as I was in a different house than Ron and Draco .

"You should have seen Ron's cello taped wand backfire and hit Professor Flitwick with that stinging hex?" Hermione giggled. His next backfire hit Nott with some kind of slug belching spell, it was just gross.

We had to take the thrilling tale from the rumor mill or first hand from Slytherin's Tracy, Davis one in our study group, "It's no rumor Draco's broken wand sent a couple of streams of fire out setting the DADA classroom on fire as well as Lockhart's robes. Lockhart had let loose a whole bunch of pixies in the classroom. What we really think is Draco was trying to curse Lockhart."

The rumor mill further said that Professor McGonagall had sent off owls demanding the parents purchase new wands for those students immediately or remove their children from Hogwarts without delay.

Within two weeks of school starting Cedric burst into my dorm room at dawn and dragged me out of my warm bed. With my Nimbus 2000 in hand he dragged me to the Quidditch pitch while chanting "training, training, yes training".

/Scene Break/

Albus Dumbledore was not a happy wizard. His plans for Harry Potter somehow had been blown away in the winds with the disappearance of the brat. Albus knew he could twist the prophecy that had been made to fit anyone as he had done with Harry Potter but two points of the prophecy were ironclad. First it said "and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives" and secondly that he will have power the Dark Lord knows not" otherwise the scam wouldn't work. Riddle knew part of the prophecy when he went after the Potters and Longbottoms. The part based on a birth date could be easily changed. Hogwarts was not full of prospects but he needed a believable prospect who showed some kind of capabilities, Neville Longbottom appeared no more than a squib. Maybe that Smythe kid? He did layout Severus using a wandless stunner. Yes Smythe would do but for right now he the "Leader of the Light" would need to lay some groundwork and check on Smythe birth date.