Harry Potter: Demon Hunter
A/N: Sorry it's been so long since the last update, trying to manage work and college means something falls to the wayside. I'll try to be more prompt with updates going forward. Also writing in this tense is tougher than I thought.
Another feeling of being squeezed through a tube. I don't think I will ever get totally used to that. After catching my breath I take stock of my surroundings. The village I have arrived in with the headmaster is best described as quaint. A moderate sized area, yet something about it seems off. It takes me a moment to realize there are no telephone poles. How odd.
"Welcome, young Harry to Hogsmeade village. This is the only village in Britain that is entirely populated by wizards." The headmaster was taking in the sights as well, his eyes slightly glazed, though I imagine he had to have seen this place thousands of times in the past.
"Sir," I ask, hesitant to break his trance like stare, "why are there no telephone poles here?"
"Well Harry, magic tends to interfere with more modern inventions; something in the way electricity reacts to magic, I suppose. There are people who study why this happens and try to find ways around it but I will admit I consider it something of a lost cause. We are able to do everything the muggles can do with magic alone." A frown creases Dumbledore's face.
Right, I'm filing the old man away as obstinate as well as untrustworthy. Note to self, find books about electrical-magical interactions and see what I can turn up. If everyone in the Wizarding world is this obstinate, anything I can come up with should surpass them by leaps and bounds.
"Are you alright there Harry, my boy? We have a long walk ahead of us." Dumbledore's voice brings me out of my reverie, and I can't help but feel resentment at being called boy. I keep quiet because I have to play nice for the time being. I walk quietly along with the headmaster, simply following his lead until we break past the trees surrounding the village. There is only one word to describe how I feel at the sight before me. Home.
Fast forward about five hours. I still don't have a feel for this place. I thought it looked big when I first saw it but I was still surprised upon entering through the great double doors. Once we were inside Dumbledore took his leave but not before arranging for me to get settled.
"Tippy," he called out. A small creature came into existence before us with a pop. About the height of three year old, the creature had mottled light green skin, large floppy ears that ended in a point and protuberant eyes that remind me vaguely of tennis balls.
"How can I be helping yous, Master Dumblydoor?" The creature's voice is high but not grating, though its grammar is atrocious.
"Yes. Tippy please make sure young Harry gets settled. I have some urgent business to attend to. Harry, why don't you go visit the library? I'm sure you'd like to know a bit more about magic before classes start. Tomorrow I will arrange for your school shopping to be taken care of. Now I must be on my way."
Well, the old man now registers as obstinate, untrustworthy and now rather flighty as well. I never thought that combination was possible. Might as well check out the library.
"Tippy can you show me the way to the library please?" I still don't know what to make of this creature.
"Of courses, Master Harry. This way please." Tippy grabs my hand suddenly and I flinch. Damn those Dursley's.
"Tippy, I hope this isn't rude, but what exactly are you?" Tippy looks puzzled at my question for a moment then his eyes light up. At least I think it's a him.
"Oh, I dids not know Master Harry is a muggle born. Tippy is a house elf. We serve wizards however they wish, but we are loyal to only one family at a time." This development is intriguing but I have to resist digging further for now as we have arrived at the library.
"Here we are Master Harry. If yous be needing anything just call for Tippy." Before I can ask how he…she…it will hear me, Tippy is gone with a pop. The expansive library lies before me, its numerous stacks of books highlighting just how little I know about the world I've been thrown into. Reasoning that if something like a house elf can exist, I realize there are probably many more odd creatures out in the world somewhere. I figure it would be prudent to start learning more about them, so as not to be caught off guard. Wandering the stacks I find many different books about magical creatures, but glancing at their titles leads me to believe they have more to do with cultural myths than actual facts. I pick up the first book, Ghosts: A Treatise on the Afterlife and Assorted Religions.
Ghosts. Many people wonder how they come to be. They are the echoes of our ancestors, of those who have died in ages past, yet they are much more and much less than that all at once. It is said that when a person dies they are given a choice, pass onto to whatever is beyond the Veil of Death or remain amongst the living, halfway between this world and the next. Those that chose to remain become ghosts.
Transparent, with the consistency of a nebulous cloud they can pass through any object. Many cultures have means of helping their loved ones pass from this state into the next world. Some remain due to unfinished business, and helping them fulfill it helps them move on. Other cultures have tried to devise more forceful means but have failed in finding anything permanent. They did however find ways of temporarily incapacitating a spirit. Salt, long a symbol of purity the world over, has been found to have a very real effect on ghosts where spells fail.
In Scotland salt is added to a batch of mash to keep witches away (a falsehood as many wizards and witches are overly fond of salt on their bangers and mash). In Christian cultures, salt is used as a means of warding off evil, either by wearing it as an amulet or pouring a line of salt across windows and doors. This trend varies by country and culture but it is a trend none the less, one that may have a basis in reality. Researchers found that ghosts cannot cross a line of salt, no matter how much they desire to. This has been used effectively as a way to trap malevolent spirits until they give up and disperse.
This could be interesting. I wonder if there are any ghosts I can test this on.
"Tippy!" pop. Suddenly the goggle eyed creature is standing before me.
"Tippy I was wondering if there was any way I can get some salt." I doubted the creature would comply with such an odd request, but two pops later and there I was holding a cylindrical container of salt. I should ask if there are any ghosts around. Right as I open my mouth to speak I am suddenly drenched. Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Floating above me is a transparent figure in an ill fitted polka dotted suit. A cruel grin stretches his face into an odd shape that simply couldn't be possible if he were living.
"Oh, never had ickle firsties here so early! This summer with actually be fun for Peevesie! Oh, what fun, what fun," the figure cackled manically. Well I did want to try this out. While this Peevesie was dancing I jig I discreetly poured some salt into my left hand and brought it behind my back.
"Oh Peevesie was it? I was just reading about ghosts and I had no idea they could interact with physical objects. I would love to speak with you more, since this book is obviously incomplete." A bald faced lie but definitely worth it. The spook took the bait and swooped down peering at my face closely, never losing his manic grin.
"Peeves is my name, and pranks are my game. It gets so dreadfully boring around here, but I am not your average ghost. I'm a poltergeist you see. You aren't mad about the water?" Peeves never dropped the grin but I can see the glint of suspicion forming in his eyes, so I decide to lay it on thick.
"Nah, it's all in good fun. Since you can easily lift water balloons, how about a handshake for a prank well played?" Peeves eyes me for a moment then grabs my outstretched hand. As I suspected he has to become partially solid to interact with the world allowing me to grasp his hand, holding him in place just long enough to toss the salt at his face. Peeves howled loudly and I could feel his semi solid hand slip through my fingers like a cold breeze. Peeves is gone from sight, and I am surrounded by damp books coated in a light layer of salt. A bird like shadow descends over me and I spin around coming face to face with hard faced woman I can only assume is the librarian. Keep in mind, I've been beaten since I was only enough to work the stove, for things as simple as speaking out of turn, yet this woman sends a chill down my spine like no other.
"Mr. Potter, I presume? The headmaster may have brought you here early, but that does not make you exempt from any other rules. Get out of my library this instant! I do not want to see you in here again until the start of the school year. Do I make myself clear?" The woman's voice reaches decibels I never thought possible.
"Crystal. Ma'am." I fake a crestfallen look as I trudge out of the library but inwardly I am thrilled. I definitely did not expect that to happen. I am so excited that it takes me a few moments to notice Tippy quietly following me.
"Tippy, can you show me where I can get cleaned up?"
"Yes Master Harry. Rights this way. Headmaster Dumblydoor has arranged for you to stay in Gryffindor tower." There is probably some significance to that, but right now I just need to get changed. All in all my life hasn't improved much over the past day or so, but it sure has become more interesting.
A/N Sorry about the pacing of these first few chapters guys, I'm going to be setting up Harry's knowledge base, and doing the school shopping over the next chapter or two then things will begin to move quite a bit quicker.