I encourage reviews of any type.
A/N: Thanks for the support people, but let me tell you, having the stomach flu is NOT fun. Anyway, enough about me...
Harry Potter and the Breath of Life
"Ah, yes, that is actually a very good question Ms. Skeeter. Now I will not say for sure whether these rumoured Greater Beings have shown any interest in our world, or even exist in anything other than the legends of times far past but you must admit that there are a fair share of mysteries in the magical world that have yet to be explained. The Ministry has an entire 'department' dedicated to such research, do they not? But even so, we must be careful with our discoveries lest they fall into the wrong hands. I am confident in the people's choice but Cornelius' 'zeal' for the unknown does concern me, yes. Such surprises are often Dark." - Interview with Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Supreme Mugwhump
"Shit!"
Harry turned his head absently, keeping his eyes firmly on the History of Magic notes Hermione had loaned him. Binns taught the same thing to each first year class so there was little worry of being wrong in his copying but Nott's hissing curse had been interesting enough to split his attention. "What happened this time, Nott?" he asked dully.
"Another bloody parchment cut!" The fox faced boy snapped, waving his injured hand around in the air in an attempt to stop the stinging pain. "Merlin, I bloody hate parchment cuts!"
Harry's lips twitched but he swallowed the guffaw that threatened to break loose. "I'm sure they hate you too." He didn't need to look to know that Nott was glaring at him from his bunk bed. "Besides, they heal quick anyway." He turned his head back to his notes, shrugging and largely unconcerned. It was a bloody papercut, it wasn't like the boy was going to keel over any time soon.
The other boy sniffed. "You'd think so, but I got one two days ago and its still bleeding!"
At this Harry turned around fully, frowning at the wire-black hair that adorned the top of Nott's head as his dorm mate struggled with a bandage. Two days...still bleeding? Harry thought. That wasn't right...papercuts were shallow wounds, barely cutting through the top layer of skin and virtually all minor wounds scabbed over in two days. Sure, Nott was pale like practically everyone else in this House but Harry didn't think the boy was sick. He'd heard of it, a muggle disease that resulted in slow healing, but he didn't know if wizards suffered from it.
--We going to ask?--
Harry paused, opening his mouth but then closed it, shaking his head. It was kind of...rude and besides, if Nott was sick, Nott would know so. Satisfied with his reasoning, he continued doing his homework, successfully forgetting it.
Well, the boy forgot it, but the voice in his head didn't, just staring out of his lightning-bolt shaped window to the world with a resigned expression on his face.
--So Life...that's what happened to this place here...--
Even though it was faint, very faint, the familiar tingle of magic washing over him was there. The wards vibrated pleasantly as he emerged from the back of his shop, absently blinking his glass eyes to get some moisture on them. Having his eyes open for two hours straight always did leave him feeling a bit out of sorts and more than a little self conscious. Glass eyes weren't unusual, needing two might raise an eyebrow but the reasons why he had them were certainly unique.
It had been his price for cheating.
He almost groaned when he "saw" a hovering spectre of white in his store. Merlin, just coming out of woodwork, weren't they? First Death and now...He straightened his posture and plastered a pleasant expression on his face, waiting for the Greater Being to introduce themselves. It wasn't his miraculous spellwork that allowed his wards to catch something no mortal being could see or hear unless allowed to...this one wanted him to know.
A show of good faith, even indulgence from an Incarnate and it made him nervous.
Thaddeus Burwright... the dulcet tones of something powerful sent Ollivander's nerves tingling and he locked his knees, refusing to kneel. He was immortal too, for Merlin's sake, he had his pride! We, Fate, have a small task for you.
He tensed. "And that would be?" Fate. Merlin's beard...this was getting interesting. What have you been up to, Mr. Potter? he wondered inwardly. That would cause such commotion...
The white cloud pulsed and Ollivander found himself holding a long, single strand of white hair. Ordinary, but his eyes could pick up the residual black mist that clung to it. He was momentarily puzzled, last time he saw Death, it had no hair. What was this then?
Make a wand, tell no one but Xenophilius Lovegood when the Time comes and wait.Fate said easily in clipped, no-nonsense manner. It will go a long way towards forgetting your transgression...it finished slyly and Ollivander coloured with anger.
"I am not a pawn!" he snapped, abandoning his mask of a mysterious old man for a moment as his magic lashed about. "You hold nothing over me anymore, not even the Weave." The spectre pulsed again but remained silent. Ollivander clamped down on his emotions and buried them once more, scolding himself but without any heat to it. Someone had to pop their collective egos. He suspected that even if they acted like they didn't care, being worshipped by mortals had given them swelled heads.
Well, he almost smiled fondly. Most of them. Eternity was always humble...
"What do you want?" His unwelcome guest said finally, no power plays, no imposing voice, just someone very tired sounding. Still, he just puffed himself up indignantly.
"There is nothing more that I want, thank you very much."
A sigh as the spectre pulsed. "Need I ask Desire personally or will you just tell me?"
There was a five minute silence as Ollivander struggled with himself. To tell or not to tell, what would happen in the long run? Was the lack of insight worth his peace and quiet? In the end he slumped in defeat, clutching the strand of hair. "Never you mind, it shall be done."
Without so much as a 'by your leave' his shop was empty and he grunted.
"Involved again, you fool." There was a heart beat of quiet as he thought it over and then snarled, "And for free this time too!"
"You really should try out for the Quidditch team, Potter," Malfoy was saying at the table, cutting his steak into carefully measured pieces. The one time Zabini had nudged his arm so that he cut wrong, the blond boy had nearly castrated him. Harry would never have pegged Malfoy for an obsessive compulsive type, but because he couldn't imagine it, teasing him about it was a nice way to pass the time.
"Why bother?" Harry viciously sawwed into his steak and watched in amusement as Malfoy's eyebrow ticked. "It'll cut into study time and Flint's a bastard."
"It'll cut into study time!" Zabini mocked in a high pitched voice, a shit-eating grin on his face. "Me thinks a certain Potter was Sorted wrong...raise your hand if you think Potter belongs with the 'claws!" The olive skinned, blue eyed boy raised his hand, cackling and was soon followed by Crabbe and Goyle who most likely had no idea what they were raising their hands for. Greengrass mockingly raised hers at Harry's scowl but Malfoy just raised his eyebrows imperiously.
"Potter," he said calmly. "I forbid you from helping them with potions." Poof! Instant horror-filled faces and all hands went down.
Harry couldn't help but to grin smugly, but the grin died when there was no commentary. Serves them right! he could almost imagine that extra voice in his head saying. Idiots, insulting their source of help? he heard Thana's voice next, her cruel edge of humour bleeding through her words.
A crimson, dripping sickle...eyes staring out from the heart...note: Always room for improvement..."Kill something!"
Quite suddenly, he didn't feel like eating.
"Potter?" He lifted his eyes from his plate and realized that half the table was staring at him. He beat down an embarrassed flush.
"Sorry, what did you say?" Malfoy, Nott and Zabini exchanged glances and Harry felt that anger starting to burn in his stomach again. A bloody simple question! He almost felt suffocated, sitting there and feeling so vulnerable, so clueless. There was a weird surge of something but he stubbornly kept his eyes firmly away from any necks, the psycho comment still strong in his mind.
"Anyway!" Malfoy said loudly. "The team needs a good seeker and you've got the build for it. Not that you'd beat me of course, but maybe reserve..." Harry felt his lip start to curl disdainfully but he schooled his expression over.
"Nah, you take it with no competition Malfoy, I'm not interested." And he wasn't. Flying was nice but he was on a broom for crying out loud. There was a sense of freedom that came with flying but reducing it to drills and pressure? He'd rather fly when he wanted and not when he didn't want to or otherwise talk to Tha-
He swallowed hard.
"You have the power to hurt her...you will want to use that power..." another memory echoed in an unpleasant reminder of last year. He stood up from the table and flashed the others an uneasy smile. "I...don't feel well."
He made it out into the hallways that lead to the Hospital Wing, humming a jaunty tune when...
The sound of grinding stone...a rasping echo...he was watching something dark moving through in undulating movements...emerging to stare with gold eyes...
Harry whipped his head around, looking for something he knew was there, he saw it come here! Left, nothing. Right, nothing. He looked behind him in dread...and nearly collapsed in disbelief. It was just Colin, this weird muggleborn kid that made it a habit to follow him around with that stupid camera. It looked like he was still trying to grab a shot. "Creevey, I told you to stop following me around."
The boy didn't move, camera practically glued to his face.
Harry began to get irritated. "Colin!" When he got no answer he stalked forward and grabbed the boy's arm. He frowned, there was something wrong about this. He still wasn't moving, usually he would be stammering and blushing by now, and his arm...
It was hard, like stone.
He tripped over his feet stumbling backwards in horror, landing against the wall painfully. His forehead throbbed with pain.
Thana's voice..."You didn't touch Potter, did you, hmm?" A hiss. "Good."
Harry reeled, clutching at his scar, eyes blankly staring at the once-living statue. How could she! Why...how, when did? WHY?
--The boy's just petrified, get a hold of yourself!-- the whisper broke its silence, snapping at him.
He scrambled to his feet, and took off at a dead run back towards the Great Hall, his inner Gryffindor screaming foul! That was definitely Thana's voice, he heard it! You can't say that wasn't Thana!
--As you so wish to believe--
He couldn't take the time to ponder the cryptic response, running right up to his Head of House and yanking on the man's robes.
"Potter! What the bloody hell is wrong with you!?" the man snarled, barely missing spilling pumpkin juice on himself. Dumbledore's eyes were still tired, but wary as he watched the scene.
"Whatever is the matter?" the old man asked kindly as Severus began to draw his wand, a murderous expression on his face. "You seem to be a bit anxious."
Harry swallowed the no shit, Sherlock! and just pointed towards where he just came from. "Creevey, petrified, there!" McGonnagall was already rising from her seat when Dumbledore frowned at him, the twinkle in his eyes dimming.
"I'm sorry, could you-"
"Creevey, petrified, there!" Was all Harry could get out, thoughts a bit too jumbled for him to sound intelligent. Punctuating his point with another harsh jab of his finger, he gave Snape another tug. He may dislike the man but there was no way he was going to allow him to sit there like nothing was wrong! If it made the greasy bat the more irritated, more points for him!
The professors seemed to get the point, Lockhart taking lead with his reassurances that he knew what he was doing (Harry doubted it) and when Sprout came back to the Great Hall to announce that curfew was being enforced now Harry felt like a small weight was lifted off his shoulders. He'd done his part, let the adults handle the rest.
Malfoy walked up to the Head Table, looking thoughtful. "Potter? What happened?"
"Muggleborn was petrified." He said curtly and took in Malfoy's suddenly apprehensive expression.
"Oh..." Harry just continued to stare at the blond until he fidgeted and coughed. "Not that I knew it was going to happen!" he half-yelled unconvincingly before scurrying back to the other Slytherins as Harry put another "Problem" on his "This year sucks why:" list. So far he had Thana terrorizing the school, the voice in his head being too quiet (it was a weird list item but Harry put it down as a cause for concern anyway), Lockhart is a git, Hermione acting weird and now "Malfoy knows something."
Harry sighed in frustration and almost whimpered.
Was it too much to ask for a normal magical life?
"Truth, still diligently Seeing, I see." Thanatos said dully as she took in the blind man's rigid seating posture. "You won't be able to stand if you keep this up."
Truth's Realm comprised of a black sky, murky, dark grey bottom that looked like condensed clouds and a huge perfect-circle lake imbedded in the ground, one he was currently sitting on and Thana at the edge of. Technically, each Realm housed three Artifacts but this place was less of a home than it was a gateway. And it irked her sometimes, the gate to Eternity was literally right next door.
"In truth, a little muscle atrophy isn't going to stop me," he joked, shrugging his shoulders and tightening the triangle his hands were making. "If only you could See this..." his voice took on a wondering tone with a hint of mischeviousness as if he was being told a juicy secret.
"I'll pass."
It had been a week since Harry told her to bugger off and to be brutally honest, she felt like shit. Mentally, emotionally and physically, their bond becoming even more parasitic and vicious as the boy grew to unconsciously resent its presence. Hating the boy for its own reasons, Death was not talking to her anymore. She could force it maybe, if she got angry enough but it wasn't worth it. So a universal force was acting like a spoiled brat, she didn't really care. But the link...breaking the bond now might not kill her...but living with it in this condition would.
And a dead Incarnate cannot become Always.
"What can I help you with?"
"I need to see Always." Truth turned his head so fast, she was almost positive he gave himself an injury.
"What!? Why?" Thana allowed herself a moment to bask in the knowledge that she surprised Truth, the only one who didn't need to rely on the now unavailable Weave for answers. It was a nice feeling.
"I need to," she pointed a finger at her head. "Fix this before I mess everything up."
Truth began to look shifty. "You've been working it out fine on your own..."
"I'm pretty sure I made it worse," she said in a casual tone contrary to her words. "Now move or I'll make you."
He opened his mouth but then he jerked in surprise at some unseen thing. "Oho!" he chortled instead, before getting up and almost skipping away from the center of the lake. "Go right on ahead." Thana eyed him suspiciously but approached the exact epicenter. As soon as her foot touched it, the water rippled and she fell through.
Stars, really, that's how Death's troublesome Incarnate would explain Always' throne. Just a picture of Everything that was constantly moving, spinning around. Not what she would have picked but that is neither here nor there.
"I know you are in here," Thana said moodily.
I AM.
She took a shaking breath, why was she doing this again? Oh yeah, Harry, right... "Just to make sure, you know I'm going to take your job right?"
There was the sound of thunder and she realized Always was laughing. I DO
Well, there wasn't much to say to that, now was there? She huffed, hating feeling as small and young like she was right now, far too used to being above everyone but was able to push it to the side. "Fix me."
First step on the long road away from denial from Thana, now if we could only expect these phantom appearances of her in Hogwarts to be solved so painlessly...
This book is looking like it would have more chapters than the first one...And once again, thanks for the support, I really don't want to abandon this series.
