Chapter 9

Prof. Dumbledore sat there in quiet contemplation, mulling over the stranger's words.

"You spoke of a teacher…"

"Yes Headmaster. Whoever it was, I am not entirely sure. He did call himself Myrriden though."

Dumbledore, simply put was shocked.

"Myrriden you say? That is one of the lesser known variations of the man that most wizards and some muggles know as 'Merlin'."

The unknown warrior of light sat there, thinking.

"I guess I should have suspected his identity; what with his names being so close to each other…" Here he paused. "Headmaster, I must ask you to take a step back as it is time for me to reveal myself."

Getting out of his chair, Albus stepped a few paces away and stopped in the doorway of his office's antechamber.

The tall, powerfully built man drew his sword and held it aloft.

"Let the Power Return!"

Dumbledore was momentarily blinded as lightning flashed. In an instant his sight cleared and he watched in astonishment as the massive figure seemed to shrink and draw into itself. In another instant, it was over and the figure before him returned the sword to a scabbard that was apparently hidden under an illusion charm and a 'notice me not' charm.

"Mr. Potter…"

"Yeah it's me…"

"Everything good and bad seems to find it's way to your doorstep does it not?"

Harry sighed. "Sure does."

"Harry, if you would be so kind, how did this come about?"

The small for his age, and rather skinny boy took his seat as he pondered how to start.

He began by telling the Headmaster what had happened over the summer with his 'family' vacationing in Majorca. Their return and his uncle's grudging approval over the stat of the house. Harry told Albus all the details he could remember of his class within his dream with Albus sitting there in silence, taking in every word.

Pausing his narrative, it looked to Dumbledore that the warrior or his student rather, was listening to something that only he could hear.

And to nobody it seemed that Harry nodded in affirmation.

"Sir, the castle has asked me to tell you a bit more."

"A bit more, Harry?"

"Yes sir. What do you know of your ability to 'speak' to the castle?"

"I have assumed that it was simply part of the deal of being a headmaster."

"That is part of it; however, the castle's voice and spirit are not byproducts of its construction. Remember that I just mentioned that the first known Sorceress built this castle?"

Albus merely nodded.

"When the death of The Sorceress grew close, she cast a spell that would bind her soul to the castle." Seeing the elderly headmaster flinch, "No, she did not create a Horcrux. She transferred her entire soul and mind. Not just a fraction. That is what, or should I say who you have been speaking to all these years."

Albus was flabbergasted. Speaking with the first magical being all this time… The things that could be discovered and learned!

As all this was sinking in to Dumbledore, Harry looked at his watch and saw that he needed to get back to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Headmaster, may I take my leave? I promised my uncle that I would be there."

"Of course my boy. Use my floo here if you like."

"Thank you sir. I will be in touch through Hedwig if anything happens."

Albus nodded his assent, and ushered Harry over to his private floo.

Taking a fistful of the powder, Harry threw it into the fire and was gone.

Chapter 10

To Harry's chagrin, he once again did a faceplant on the floor in The Leaky Cauldron.

Tom the barman rushed over and picked Harry upright. Brushing him off, he asked Harry about his shopping.

"I managed to get what I needed and more."

"Anything I can do for you, Mr. Potter?"

"Yes Tom. If you would be so kind as to get a subscription to the Daily profit in my name and have it sent to me?"

"Sure thing Mr. Potter."

Walking out the door, Harry spotted his uncle driving up the street. Flagging him down, he got into his uncle's car.

"Well boy! Where are your things?"

"I have them in my pocket, Uncle Vernon."

Sparing a quick glance, Vernon started to go a funny shade of puce.

"What do you mean by that BOY?!"

"It means Uncle Vernon, that my purchases were shrunk to make them easier to carry."

"I see…"

The rest of the ride home was spent in silence. Harry wondered what was going to happen when he stepped through the door.

As soon as his uncle walked into the house, Harry braced himself for the worst.

"Boy, I want to know here and now what the political and economic climate is in your world, freakish as it is, and how it will affect the normal world."

"Uncle Vernon, what precisely do you want to know?"

"That headmaster of yours sent a letter, I suppose it is, to me explaining some of what has happened to you over your time… there. I want to know the details."

Heaving a non-visible sigh of relief, Harry began his tale.

"Did the Headmaster tell you about the troll that was allowed into the school on Halloween of the first year?"

"He did. Tell me what happened."

What followed was probably the longest conversation that Harry had ever had with his uncle.

"What does all this mean for us now?"

"What it means Uncle Vernon, is that the moment I reach my majority in the… my world, this house will no longer be protected by the spells and wards that the headmaster put here."

Vernon paused to put it all in perspective.

"So this means the 'magic' protecting us will fail?"

"Yes."

"What can be done?"

"The simplest thing would be for you and Aunt Petunia to allow me to continue living here until Voldemort is dealt with, one way or the other."

"Boy… Harry, I think we both know that is not a viable option."

"There are two other options that would be just as effective, and you would not have to put up with me being here any longer than needed."

"And they are…?"

"One would be for you to move to a new place and leave no forwarding address, nothing to indicate where you moved to."

"The other…?"

"Remain here and allow the headmaster to put the house under a modified Fidelius Charm…"

"Explain that charm to me again… please."

"It is a very difficult spell to pull off, however simple the concept. What would happen is that your location would be known only to you and the non-wizarding world. Simply put, your location and pretty much your existence, would become a secret that is concealed inside a living soul or person rather; most likely you. In short… nobody from my world could find you, even if they were right here in the family room with you."

"I will discuss all the options with Petunia when she gets home with Dudley. Is there anything else that I should know?"

"The only other thing that is relevant to you in particular is that Headmaster Dumbledore has convinced the new Minister for Magic to lower the under-aged restrictions for magic use to 13 years old with a parent or guardian's consent."

At this, Vernon nearly had a coronary from frightful thoughts as to what Harry could or would do with his 'freakishness'.

Seeing his uncle about to panic, Harry pressed on.

"You don't have to give your permission for that. But… if you do, it would allow me to do my chores more quickly and the end result would be just as good as doing them by hand, if not better than that."

Calming a bit, Vernon looked thoughtful.

"Let's give it a trial run first. You have my permission to do the dishes… your way."

Nodding his assent, Harry got up from his chair and walked into the kitchen where the breakfast dishes were waiting for him.

"There are two ways to do this uncle; one would be for me to 'enchant' the dishes to wash themselves with soap and hot water. The other would be for me to cast the cleaning charm that would leave the dishes as clean as the day you bought them."

"This can be done for any chore?"

"Well, I don't know any lawn care spells, so I would still have to do those by hand. But it would mean that I would never have to track in dirt and then sweep and mop up after myself."

"Either one would be fine."

Looking at his uncle to make sure, Harry drew his wand and pointed it at the sink of dishes…..