Desiring Other Times

Chapter 5 – Invitations

Disclaimer: If you think I am J. K. Rowling, you are sorely mistaken. And touched in the head.

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There are a million and one things I believe that the general Wizarding world would not even consider. One is that I am the Boy-Who-Lived, another is that Voldemort is not dead. If he was, the connection to my scar would have nothing to connect to, and hence wouldn't be there. Another rather controversial belief of mine is that Albus Dumbledore does not know what is best for everyone.

Until the day I meet someone who can (at the very least) agree with me on these three points, I will walk this path of mine alone.

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"…and heeeere's the Gryffindor team!" shouted Lee Jordan into the microphone, as the red and gold clad players strode out onto the field, brooms in hand. On the field, Madam Hooch did her customary pre-game talk, and the two captains shook hands (opposing team: Hufflepuff).

"They're off! Chaser Johnson seizes the Quaffle and the Lions form an Arrowhead Formation! She shoots-! She scores!" The roaring crowd chanted and screamed, the collective noise starting to get to me.

However, I kept close watch on the field as my parents had insisted I keep a memory of it to show them Jeremy's first Hogwarts Quidditch game when they had time. Ten minutes into the game, I realised that Jeremy's broom was jerking vaguely.

"What the…" I muttered, then cast my eyes over the crowd… there! In the teachers' box, two staff members were looking straight up, muttering under their breaths. Despite how much I despised my brother, it wouldn't do if I let him die. I sprinted to the teachers' box, hit Quirrell with an Itchy Burn Hex (first he would filly itchy, then very uncomfortable, and then he'd burst into flames) while colliding heavily with Snape.

"Insolent child…!" cursed Snape before he realised who it was. Almost frantically, he looked back up in the sky and let loose a sigh of relief when it was apparent Jeremy was fine. He looked at Quirrell and wondered why Quirrell was suddenly no longer concentrating on Jeremy.

Snape glared at me. "Um… I wasn't sure which…!" I trailed off, and he quirked an eyebrow. "What did you do to him?" He murmured, sotto voce.

"Itchy Burn." I replied, and his other eyebrow rose up to join the first. Almost at exactly the same time, Quirrell spontaneously combusted. He screamed, and the teachers near him scattered then started to conjure water. The students in the other stands craned their necks to see what was going on, and I snuck off in the confusion.

"Where were you?" Padma asked when I sat back down with the other Ravenclaws.

"Nature called." I lied smoothly.

Gryffindor went on to win the match 220 to 40.

"Harry! HARRY!" I turned, and wondered what Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom could want with me.

"Yes?" They skidded to a halt before me.

"Uh… We… we saw what happened, with Professor Snape."

I frowned. "Snape?"

Hermione seemed exasperated by my apparent confusion. "Yes, Professor Snape. He was Jinxing Jeremy, wasn't he? But why did you have to hit Professor Quirrell…?"

I smirked, realising they had decided Snape must have been the one who had been Jinxing Jeremy, and they hadn't even noticed Quirrell. "It wasn't Snape, actually. It was Quirrell – Snape was performing the Anti-Jinx. Didn't you wonder why Jeremy's broom didn't seem able to really throw him off?"

Ron turned a little pink. "It has to be Snape! He's evil and he hates Jeremy! Quirrell doesn't have anything against Jeremy! And how do you know it was Quirrell? Maybe he was the one saying the Anti-Jinx."

"Just because someone doesn't like you doesn't make them evil. He might be a little unfair-" Ron snorted. "-okay, very unfair to Jeremy, but he doesn't seem the kind of man that would… that would wish to attract the ire of James Potter more than he already has."

"Your father? What…?" Hermione was confused, unhappy really, that she was in the dark about something.

"Let's just say they went to school together and father… wasn't exactly very nice to Snape. Very unkind, some would say."

Ron snorted, and Neville blinked owlishly. He certainly was a quiet boy, I noted. "Well, who wouldn't be mean to him, I mean, he's such an awful git."

"Have you ever wondered why someone would turn out like that?" I asked Ron, and he turned defensive. Neville and Hermione looked thoughtful, however.

"What, are you taking his side now? What are you, an honorary Slytherin?"

"I don't have to be in Slytherin to defend a staff member."

"Well, Quirrell's a staff member too!" He retorted.

Neville seemed to have had enough. "Ron! Just give it up! He's right – we can't assume that it was Snape. I mean, Dumbledore made Snape a Head of House – that must mean he trusts him somewhat."

Suddenly, I felt somebody ping me discreetly with Legilimency, and I realised it was Snape. He was coming closer, and his life had trained him to check if there was anyone ahead.

"Well, Dumbledore hired the staff – surely we can trust them!"

"Boys," intoned Hermione. "I do believe we aren't getting anywhere by arguing over whether it was Professor Snape or Quirrell – let's just agree that it was one of them that was Jinxing Jeremy." She paused, looking at Ron and Neville and I. We shrugged. "It's not like we can do anything to find out more, so let's just trust Professor Dumbledore, okay?" She turned to me. "What I meant to say when I called you was thanks, for saving Jeremy."

"It wasn't me. It was Sn… whoever was casting the Anti-Jinx."

"Still…" muttered Neville. "You helped. A lot."

"Would the four of you move, you're blocking the hallway." Snape glared at us, then strode past us when we moved, his robes swishing and rippling ominously.

"See? He's evil." declared Ron. Neville and Hermione sighed while I entertained the idea of beating some sense into Ron.

"Shut up, Ron." demanded Hermione. She and Neville began walking back to Gryffindor Tower, and Ron hurried after them.

"What a bunch of idiots…" I muttered under my breath before returning to the Ravenclaw Tower. It was times like these that I was really confused as to why everyone my age that were on 'the good side' had to be so immature about everything – even Draco Malfoy had an edge on them. Speak of the devil…

"Harry Potter, we meet again. Long time no see, my good friend." declared Draco, approaching me steadily, Vincent and Gregory trailing behind him.

"Draco," I replied, nodding my head at him.

"Professor Snape informed me that you are quite an accomplished Potions student – he suggested that with this year's talent, we may be able to start an Accelerated Potions class. The Headmaster has agreed – you interested, Harry?"

I certainly was interested. Accelerated classes? That would mean I could be finished with all the school stuff earlier and have the time to learn other more important things. "That's an excellent idea, Draco. Do we have to get new timetables?"

Draco shrugged. "I don't know – he said that he'd swap around some of the First Year classes so we get one of the class lines, or something like that. But this will be an excellent opportunity, don't you think?"

I nodded. "Who else has been 'invited'?" At this, Draco scowled.

"Dumbledore's the one who chooses who gets into the class ­– apparently that mudblood Granger and your fool of a brother are going to be in it too." He paid attention to my expression, trying to discern whether I had taken offence. "Although I suppose Granger is better than Weasley – I don't see how he can call himself a pureblood when even his mudblood sidekick knows more about magic than he does…" conceded Draco.

I smirked. "She is rather well-read for a Muggle – but I'm sure she doesn't have access to certain… resources." Draco grinned at that too, and I caught a glimpse of the vast library in his manor and the vault filled with arcane artefacts beneath his home.

"You got that right, Harry." He looked left and right, as if checking for eavesdroppers, then leaned in secretively. "You know… my father's on the School Governors Board, and he's only heard good things about you. And when I spoke to Father about you, he asked if I could… invite you over sometime. Perhaps you would like to stay at my house for the holidays? Father says he understands how your parents are extremely busy for most of the school year, and he's offering to well, help share the load."

This conversation was getting stranger and stranger as it progressed. What next, proposed adoption by the Malfoys? "I'll think about it, Draco. It sounds like a wonderful idea, but I think my parents would expect that… that my brother was invited as well." My tone turned distasteful, and even Draco wrinkled his nose.

"That is a problem – but I'm sure Father can figure something out." He declared, sure of the fact that his father could do anything.

"Thanks, Draco. Tell your father that I greatly appreciate his offer." Draco smiled widely.

"Of course. So I suppose I'll see you in Accelerated Potions, then." With a nod, he and his two bodyguards were gone. I stood there for a few seconds, and then raced off to my dorm.

Dear Father, Mother,

I know not whether this is fortuitous news or not, but Draco Malfoy has passed on an invitation by his father to visit his home in the holidays. Jeremy may have informed you that I have done what I can to not be an enemy of the Malfoys – it seems that they wish to pursue a more friendly relationship.

Know that I am a child of the Light forever, and awaiting denial or approval of permission,

Your son,

Harry

Just as I was about to whistle for my owl, it flew in through the open window, clutching a letter from my parents, in reply to my refusal of the offer to be able to try out for Quidditch. Deciding I should read the letter first and gauge their mood, I unrolled the scroll of parchment.

Harry,

It makes us proud that you have the maturity to make informed decisions, and that you value your education as much as we do. James is disappointed, of course, as he dearly wished he could say that both of his children became members of a Hogwarts House Quidditch team in their first year. Perhaps he believes it would make him look good at the Ministry.

Ah, but I digress. As it is, we love you dearly, Harry.Know that if you change your mind, you need only ask.

Your loving mother,

Lily

PS: We apologize for the previous letter's lateness. It seems that Mercury has become too old to be reliable.

Hm… seems like they were in a favourable mood. My owl, Mittere, nibbled on an Owl Treat from the bowl I kept on my table. "Would you take this to either of my parents?" Mittere bobbed his head, then grasped the letter in one claw. "Thanks, Mittere." I smoothed his feathers down, and watched as he flew off once again.

With everything dealt with, I pulled out my homework assignments and worked my way through them. It took me about five hours (not counting breaks and dinner) to finish it all. The Ravenclaws around me were also focussed on their school work, so I retreated to the privacy of my four-poster bed and began a new Occlumency exercise I had read about in one of my books. It involved the creation of golems that masqueraded as normal memories when they weren't activated. If an intruder was sensed, they would activate and proceed to kick the shit out of whoever was stupid enough to enter. Given enough time (and if the intruder was unable to return to their body), the golems were capable of killing the intruder's projection, which should, in theory, kill the intruder physically.

When the first half-dozen golems had been created and posted within the innermost circle, I entered the chamber of my sorcerers' trunk. Once there, I activated the runes in the middle which actually increased my acceleration due to gravity. A few stretches and an hour of training exercises later, I exited my trunk, cast a Cleaning Charm on myself and then went to get a shower.

A steaming hot shower later and I was back on my bed, this time reading about the process of becoming an Animagus. It was a rather complicated process, involving two potions (a test to see if you were capable of becoming one, and another to both reveal the form and to unlock it from the recesses of one's mind), much meditation (so that the form allowed you to use it) and quite a large amount of magic. Some people argued that you only needed one potion – the Revealer/Unlocker, but some research into the matter uncovered the fact that if you weren't capable of becoming an Animagus and took the Revealer/Unlocker, you would, at best, lose your magic, at worst, lose your life.

The first potion was a rather easy one to make, as it didn't need any time to mature and the ingredients were easily accessible. Checking to make sure there wasn't a specific timeline that I would need to follow (that is, I wouldn't have to take the two potions one after the other), I pulled out my Invisibility Cloak (purchased in Pecunia Alley), donned it, and left the Ravenclaw Tower.

Five minutes later, I was in the Room of Requirement, and had 'Required' the Room to supply the ingredients for the potion and the equipment required. Half an hour later, I was surveying the goblet of potion. "Cheers," I toasted to nobody, and drank the potion. It tasted of – funnily enough, considering all my experiences with potions had me expecting them to all taste foul – strawberries and mint, even though I hadn't added any such ingredients.

I swallowed, waiting with bated breath.

And promptly fell unconscious.

I dreamed of a flash of green light and the sound of rushing air, of explosions and the brilliant red-orange flames of destruction. I dreamed of the night Voldemort came to kill my brother and me and was beaten.

By the time I awoke, it was an hour and a half later – almost nine o'clock. Curfew was at ten. The fact that the potion had knocked me unconscious pointed towards the fact that I was capable of becoming an Animagus – and not something as mundane as a cat or a rabbit or a sparrow. People that were destined to become those sorts of Animagi merely suffered a bout of wooziness, but wizards and witches that were knocked unconscious had a high chance of becoming a magical creature.

Elated with this discovery, I returned (cloaked again) to Ravenclaw Tower. Awaiting me was Mittere, perched on the small wooden perch I had fashioned for him and nibbling an Owl Treat. Seeing me, he stretched out his leg, and I removed the attached letter.

Harry,

We need to talk through a secure connection. Call me with your mirror.

Father.

Deciding I couldn't quite stall, I did so, pulling my Communication Mirror from the third compartment of my trunk. I closed the curtains about my bed, put a Silencing ward on them and then forced the recording ward on my Ravenclaw wristband to temporarily record the sound of someone periodically turning the pages of a book and not performing any magic at all.

"James Potter," I intoned clearly at the mirror. Almost immediately, my father answered.

"Harry?" His voice issued from my mirror, and I could see my father's face displayed in the 'mirror'. "Good, you got my letter. Now…" His voice turned businesslike. "You wrote that the Malfoys have invited you to their Manor for the holidays. I've spoken to your mother and she doesn't agree with me on this but… well, we – that's Albus and I – were wondering if you were willing to go in as a spy." The way he said it dramatically was meant to pique my 'childish' curiosity.

I frowned. "A spy? Well, I suppose… but what about…" I forced a look of intense concentration on my face. "Is it… 'Legilimency'? The ability to read minds? What if Lucius Malfoy tries to read my mind?"

Father seemed to be shocked that I knew of that obscure branch of magic. "Well, I'm sure Albus can teach you Occlumency to protect your mind. But only if you want to!"

"What am I supposed to spy on?"

"Well, if he's got any illegal Dark Arts stuff, if he meets questionable people, things like that. And didn't you tell Jeremy at the start of term that you weren't the sort of person who ran away?" I was surprised that Jeremy actually remembered my words well enough to tell them verbatim to my parents.

"Well, I suppose. But only if I get these… 'Occlumency' – is that right? – those lessons."

"Excellent, Harry! I'll tell Albus that now." Without saying goodbye, he cut the connection.

Oh dear gods, my father was sending me into perilous territory with nary a back-up. And the holidays were rolling around next month. Shit.

I Dispelled the Silencing ward on my curtains and 'unlocked' them. It was around half past nine by then, and my dorm mates had gone to the bathrooms to brush their teeth. I joined them at the sinks, and we went through with the evening ablutions in companionable silence.

By the time we had finished and gone back to the dorms, a regal looking owl had joined Mittere on the perch.

I removed the letter from the new owl's leg, and broke the wax seal on it (Hogwarts' crest).

Dear Harry,

Your father has informed me of your volunteering your services. Supplementary lessons in preparation for this will occur every evening in my office from eight to half-past nine at night.

I am told my gargoyle likes Pez – do bring some along.

Albus Dumbledore

Well he sure worked fast… Eight to half-past nine, that cut into my training time. How troublesome – now I'd be forced to use those wards I'd placed onto the last wristband I wore that I still hadn't used. The wards slowed time down for everyone and everything except for me, and there had been two planned uses for that wristband – one was to give me more time, and two was to give me an edge over opponents. Fortunately, I had already stocked up on potions that slowed my aging and growth processes at about the rate, so I wouldn't age several weeks in what would seem like a few minutes to others.

There were definitely several perks to being 'officially' trained in Occlumency – it meant I could begin to use the more conventional means of protecting my mind rather than beat about the bush with my rather feeble 'defences'.

I fell asleep wondering if Jeremy would also be there at the lessons.

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Author's Notes:- To clarify:

1. In canon, the House Harry is playing against when he gets Jinxed is Slytherin. I wanted to make things different, so it's Hufflepuff.

2. Itchy Burn Hex – Causes the target to become so itchy they can't focus on anything else and then they burst into flames. Flames are somewhat resistant to water.

3. Neville – smarter than he's given credit for, he is still a quiet kid.

4. Accelerated Potions – accelerated classes get to learn the curriculum faster. In reality, this generally occurs for subjects like Languages, Maths, Science and social subjects like History.

5. Mittere – Latin for 'send', basis for transmit and message

6. Invisibility Cloak – Harry bought one in Pecunia Alley. Though they are rare and expensive, Harry's been saving for a very long time.

7. Magical/Non-Magical Animagi – some people complain that the ability to turn into a magical creature makes characters into Mary Sues and Gary Stus. This is true if everyone turns into a Basilisk or a Griffon or a Chimaera or a Dragon or something like that. The Magical Animagi in this story will generally be less 'out there' – remember McGonagall's form is a Kneazle (or similar).

8. Mirrors of Communication – exactly like the mirror Sirius gave Harry in canon.

9. Pez – rectangular candy that comes with a dispenser that has the head of a cartoon character (or similar children's entertainment icon) at the top and is attached to a plastic shaft where the 'cartridges' of candy are placed. If you know Bleach, it's like the dispenser for the Soul Candy.

10. Slowing Time – if going back in time only needs a tiny little hourglass and a chain, then merely slowing time should be easier. Enter Wristband of Time Stretching.