Webs and Shadows
Chapter Beta by SuperSherlockedGallifreyan
Chapter 02: The Last Farewell
It had been two weeks since his arrival, and Harry Potter was managing to survive. He went back to the one thing he swore he would never do again — stealing.
It was the only opinion he had at the moment because it was either that or starve. All of his food was gone, so he had to steal.
He learned to steal from his time with the Dursley's before he went to Hogwarts. He first learned how to undo the lock on his cupboard his Uncle put to ensure he didn't steal their food. Then he mastered being silent and making sure he didn't leave a trace.
These skills proved most useful to him in his greatest time of need.
He didn't have the skills or equipment to break into a bank. Also, with the possibility of getting caught, it was too risky. Harry knew that banks were design to keep people out, but if you attempt to rob it, the trick was getting out.
If he could still use apparition without the side effects of Voldemort's curse, then he would risk it. Unfortunately, that was no longer an option.
Instead, he chose liquor and convenient stores. They had low security, and not all of them kept their money in a safe.
Harry felt guilty for doing it, but he reminded himself that he did it to survive. It didn't make it any easier when he did, though.
As for sleeping arrangements, he found shelter in an abandon station and slept inside a railcar. He could tell that no one came here, so he was left alone.
During the day, he would break into people's home and use their shower and take what cash he could find. He would also clean himself up the best he could. He had to look somewhat presentable.
Today, Harry was walking when he bumped into a blonde girl. She had bright green eyes almost like his.
"Sorry, I didn't see you," Harry said.
"It's okay," the girl said as she accepted her backpack from Harry. She never noticed that he took her wallet from her front pouch before he managed to zip it back up.
Harry bid his farewell and walked the other way, making sure he disappeared in the sea of people.
"Bastard robbed me," The girl shouted, looking for him, but Harry made sure that he was hidden. He regretted it, but she had a lot of cash which, for him, meant he would eat for a week or two.
Harry never had an American burger before, or a burger in general, so he took his time enjoying it. He was sitting out by the pier, enjoying his time in the city.
He also saved up enough money to buy books — a lot of books on many subjects and matters. That way, he wouldn't be completely lost in this world and learn things that he would need for his plan.
Hermione was indeed clever, perhaps the smartest witch of their age if not century. However, she had many flaws and made many mistakes. The worst was that she left many dark books in Harry's pouch. While some were about Horcruxes, there were others, including dark rituals.
He read about a particular dark ritual in one of the books. He only heard it once in passing from Sirus. It was what Bellatrix Lestrange did to herself to become a skilled duelist. She sacrificed her sanity to become stronger.
Ritual of the Medjai, it was called, an ancient Egyptian ritual.
It's a ritual where you can absorb mass amounts of information and knowledge, but there's a price. You have to sacrifice something in return for such knowledge and gifts.
For Harry, the choice was obvious. As much as it pained him to do so, he really felt it was the only choice to make, no matter how much he didn't want to. He was going to sacrifice his magic.
It was the only thing that made sense to him. If he attempted to repair his magic, he might end up damaging himself further or worse, killing himself. Throwing it away seem more of a logical choice, not to mention he was sure that he was never going to see his home again. It was a term that he had come to accept since he arrived two weeks ago. It didn't make it any less easy, but he accepted it nevertheless.
The ritual was the only way Harry could successful remove Voldemort's curse.
Harry finished his hamburger and before going buy his books.
He didn't buy everything at once. Instead, he bought them one by one and at different locations, so he wouldn't get ask too many questions.
Harry soon began to lose count of how many days and nights had pass. He did know one thing, though, winter was coming, and he would not survive in the winter cold.
He had to complete the ritual before winter arrived.
Harry turned around and left for his little hide away that had become his home. Harry easily climbed into the rail station before moving down the path and into the railcar.
After making sure all the doors were jammed and no one could get in, Harry went to the corner and fell asleep.
Harry has never been homeless before. Even during the times when he was lost, he always had someone to guide him towards his path and even remind him what it was.
Here, in this strange world, he had nothing. He had no ties and no one to showed him the path he should take.
Harry opened his eyes. Sitting up, he realized that he had been going about this the wrong way.
For so long, he has stayed in Dumbledore's shadow.
Didn't he, in defiance to Voldemort, declare he was his own man?
Perhaps some twist of fate decided to test him on this theory.
There was no Dumbledore and no magical world, but he was sure there were maniacs like Voldemort out there.
Harry started to think about his options.
He couldn't be living like this.
Looking outside, he could see that dawn was breaking.
If he was going to start, then he need to do many things.
Unfortunately, that meant getting rid of his past as well.
Harry was clinging onto his memories of his old life and the small hope that he would see his friends again.
Snape would get in his face and tell him to face reality.
Harry never thought he would be thankful to Snape, but at this moment, he was.
"Thanks, Snape. Your harsh words gave me the slap I really needed." Harry said, looking up with a smile.
Digging into his pouch, Harry pulled out the papers Professor McGonagall gave him after he complete his sixth year when he told her that he wasn't coming back.
As a precaution and in case he needed to disappear in the muggle world, Professor McGonagall had given him muggle papers and identification, even a passport.
Harry paused to look at them.
It was his first time he actually looked at them since arriving in this word, but it seemed McGonagall had saved him.
However, one thing baffled him as he looked at his Muggle, British Passport.
Harry James Potter,
Born July 31, 1992
His birthdate was twelve years in advance.
Harry frowned as he realized that something was wrong. The only thing he could think of was the year here was different and the magic Professor McGonagall used on create these identities, had rewrote itself upon Harry's arrival.
Harry got up and decided to find a way to turn his gold into cash. He also need to gather some things for his ritual.
He could already feel his magic starting to cause damage to his body. He has been staling, but now he had to act.
He knew a part of him wanted to live with magic. It was his identity and why he believed he had a reason for his existence.
Although, Harry knew that if his own power was now killing him, then he had no choice but to get rid of it.
It was a debate he had never done with himself, but it was one he had to decide and decide quickly.
Harry walked out of the station and into the city, wishing that, just once, his life could be simple and not so complicated.
He spent most of the day walking around the city, gathering the resources he would need to perform the ritual. He had to make some adjustments as the items he needed didn't even exist in this world, so he went to the New York City Library and began researching things to see what he could use as replacements.
It didn't take him long to gather his things, nor did it take him long to gather the resources he would need. However, he did have to wait for the full moon as it was one of the requirements for this ritual. So, Harry went to the abandoned apartment building and ate his New York Pizza.
He was starting to miss having company and even friends. A part of him wanted to see his old friends, but he knew in reality, he would most likely never get to see them again. Still, it wouldn't hurt him to try to find some new friends.
The only problem was that he didn't know where to look to start making friends.
Harry merely let out a sigh as realize he was thinking too much, and it was starting to hurt his brain.
The day was starting to break, and Harry needed time to prepare for the ritual.
Grabbing his things, Harry calmly put them in the circle.
Harry began to focus and as the moonlight shone through the crack of the ceiling ahead. It was then that the ritual had begun.
A bright light filled Harry's eyes as the ground and strange markings began to glow.
Harry suddenly felt a jerk in his body as if he was being pulled.
Harry opened his eyes and what he saw was baffling. It was a glowing, orange fire shaped as a phoenix, floating in midair.
"Fawkes," Harry whispered.
"No," a voice said from the fire. "I am you. I am the Phoenix Core that had existed inside your wand. I am your magic that had resided within you."
"So, is there a test?" Harry asked.
"There is no test. Everything you have is already inside of you. The Ritual of Medjai is a dark and dangerous ritual because of the sacrifice one must make to successfully cast it. For you, you wish to rid of your magic without it damaging you any further."
"Is there a way to heal my magic?" Harry asked hopefully.
"If you were in your world, yes, there is a way. But here, where magic is limited, there is no way. However, you truly cannot be rid of your magic. It is a part of you as much as breathing is. The only true way to heal yourself is to be reborn. You must be willing to destroy your current body and be reborn into a new body."
"I don't like the sound of that," Harry said slowly.
"You misunderstand. You will still look the same and be the same person. The only thing that will be different is that you will be reborn without the gift of magic."
"That would be the sacrifice, wouldn't it?" Harry asked.
"Yes."
Harry frowned. It would heal him with a new body, but it would also throw away any chance to quickly learn about this world.
"What about the knowledge I'm trying to seek. I need that to survive this world."
"If you seek to gain the knowledge of the world, then you wouldn't would able to throw away your magic completely. Instead you will only be allowed to seal away your magic. It will still be a part of you, but it will exist inside of you and could be dangerous if you do not truly get rid of it or find some way to bind it to something else."
Harry paused. He wouldn't be in pain or possible die from using magic. However, as much as his magic was trying to divert him from his choice of action, Harry wouldn't change.
"I want the knowledge of this technological world and in return, I surrender my ability to use magic again," Harry said calmly.
"Be warned, if you do this, your magic will still exist within you, but you'll never have access to it. I advise you to learn how to defend yourself for the spells and magic you learned to defend yourself with are forever useless now. I ask again, are these conditions are what you truly desire?"
Harry paused. He knew, of course, if he did this, he would never see his friends again. However, he knew he had to survive. In order to survive, he had to get rid of his past.
"Yes," Harry said strongly.
"Then the conditions are agreeable. You have the knowledge you desire, and in return, you will never again be able to use magic."
Harry woke up on the ground with the wind blowing all around. Getting up, he could see the ritual and items he used were gone, but now he couldn't feel any pain with his magic residing inside of him.
He knew he had to find some way to survive. Although he sacrificed his magic, he only did so temporarily. He was sure he could find some way to rebuild himself, though, and perhaps repair his magic in a way that he could use it differently.
That, however, would require research and lots of carefully put together information. He would also need to find someone to help him restore his magically successfully.
Harry had given up on returning to his world and was finally able to find himself in this new world.
He didn't know why, but he was happy. It was strange to find himself happy. Sitting on the roof, Harry looked up the night sky. Things were changing, and for the first time, he was actually looking forward towards the unknown future.