Animal I've Become
Chapter 5
Secrets and Training Plans
Harry didn't know what to think as himself, Sirius, and Remus were joined in the living room with the mysterious biker muggle. How the muggle found him and even knew his name perplexed Harry. Sirius had poured all of them a glass of pumpkin juice, which the muggle quickly drained as if he hadn't had anything to drink for days.
"Hmm kind of interesting, never quite had a taste for anything pumpkin" the biker muggle says setting his glass down and turning to face the others.
"Not to be rude or anything but who are you? And how exactly were you able to find Grimmauld Place?" Harry asked who was both curious and cautious.
"All in due time Harry, but first I need to know about the deal" the man said, his blue eyes not leaving Harry's emerald ones.
"Deal? What deal? Harry what haven't you told us?" Sirius asked.
Harry closed his eyes and took a breath before he explained how for the last few weeks leading up to the end of term, he had been having vivid and extremely detailed dreams about the prophecy and how it had appeared that Voldemort had captured Sirius and was using his torture to lure him to the ministry to get the prophecy. He continued with how after he and his friends found the prophecy, Lucius Malfoy and some other Death Eaters arrived, including Bellatrix Lestrange. Harry finished with explaining how they all ended up in the room with the archway and how he and Sirius had dueled Lucius and some other unnamed Death Eater, before Bellatrix shot some kind of spell at Sirius which hit him in the chest making him fall back into the archway.
"I was so scared and confused that I didn't know what to do. I kind of fell asleep during my History of Magic O.W.L. and had it again, when I woke up, the exam was over and I had gone outside, and I decided that I would go to Dumbledore if it happened again."
"Go on Harry" Remus said softly.
"After the exam had ended, Hermione, Ron, and Me went our separate ways. Hermione went to the library and Ron I think went back to the dorms. I meanwhile went outside and sat under that big oak tree near the lake. I was thinking about the dream when suddenly this old man appeared".
Harry noticed that the biker cringed and had grabbed the arms of the chair he was sitting in when Harry mentioned the old man.
"What did he look like Harry?" the biker asked.
"He had graying hair and dark blue eyes. He was slim and wearing a jet black suit with a flame red tie. Also he was leaning on an intricate cane that was topped with a silver skull decoration. He had asked what was troubling me, and I told him about the dream, he said that he could save Sirius from dying, and that all I had to do was sign a contract".
"And what was this contract for?" Sirius asked, a sense of dread starting to come over him.
Harry chewed his bottom lip before saying lowly, "My soul".
"What about what happened to Professor Umbridge do you remember what you did to her?" the biker asked.
Before Harry could continue with his story, Sirius cut in, "What do you mean what he did to Umbridge? Are you saying that Harry did that to her?"
"If my suspicions are correct then yes, now let him explain" the muggle said.
"Right well it was a few days before term ended, and I was on my way back to the dorm after visiting Hedwig for a few hours, and when I passed Umbridge's office, Colin Creevey and his brother Dennis came out. I of course stopped so they could catch up and so we could return to the dorms together. Well as we were walking, they kept on rubbing and scratching at their hands and they were acting nervous. When I finally convinced them to show me their hands, I saw that etched on their hands were the words "I will not marry a pure-blood and taint the pure magical line".
"Then what happened Harry?" Remus asked.
"My head started to pound and my hands started to shake as a cold sweat developed on my forehead. I left the Creevey brothers and headed to the nearest bathroom to splash some cold water on my face. The water didn't help because I was still feeling hot. It wasn't bothering me just annoying. However it started to get even hotter and when I tried to get my robes off they tightened so I couldn't get them off. In my mind all I could see was what Umbridge had forced Colin and his brother to carve into their hands. Then a flickering light caught my eye and well um both of my hands no longer hand skin, they were just bare bones, but there was also golden flames flickering against the bones. I could feel the flames but it didn't hurt or was it super-hot either. I then closed my eyes and felt my entire body becomes swarmed in the golden flames, when I opened them, I saw me but it wasn't really me. My hair was all burned off and so was my face, all that was left was my skull which was surrounded by the golden flames. That's the last thing I remember" Harry finished looking between his godfather, Remus and the biker.
The biker sighed before closing his eyes for a few moments. When he opened them, he looked at Harry and said, "Alright well first Harry, my name is Johnny Blaze and I was a professional stunt driver before I had to make the deal. The same deal that you made, but it was to save my dad from his lung cancer".
"What did I do Johnny?" Harry asked. He was now scared, confused and nervous all at the same time.
"First off, you made the deal with Mephistopheles otherwise known as the devil. And what happened was you transformed into the Rider" Johnny said.
"The Rider?" Harry asked looking at Johnny, confusion still evident in his voice.
"The Ghost Rider is what's known as the devil's bounty hunter, who can be called upon when Mephistopheles has need of his or her abilities. Now when you attacked Umbridge you used the Rider's most powerful weapon, the penance stare. It forces the person to relive all the evil they had ever done before searing their soul, which leaves them comatose forever."
"I...I don't know what to say" Harry said.
"Harry I've come to train you, and help you focus your powers and abilities as a Rider, we'll be able to do it during the summer and then again during alternate weekends when you go back to school." Johnny explains.
"Mr. Blaze, I believe it would be a good idea for all of us to talk with Professor Dumbledore, he's the headmaster at Hogwarts" Sirius says.
Within the hour, Dumbledore had arrived at Grimmauld Place and was told of the situation. The news surprised him, however he thought of it as convenient as well he could now explain what he had planned on teaching Harry over the upcoming year. (A/N: Changing it where Dumbledore was able to convince Slughorn to give him the real memory)
"Harry have you ever heard of a Horcrux?" Dumbledore asked. When he had arrived, all five of them had gone down to the kitchen where Remus had put on some tea while Sirius grabbed a bottle of Fire whisky.
"No sir, afraid I haven't" Harry said taking a sip from his cup of tea.
"A Horcrux is an object in which a witch or wizard can hide part of their soul, in other words they can't die even should their body be destroyed. Now in order to do such a thing, they would have to split their soul which can only be done by committing the most atrocious act there is. Do you have any idea what that would be Harry?" Dumbledore asked.
Harry racked his brain for what he could think of what could be the most atrocious act that exists. Eventually his thoughts settled on the murder of his mother and father. His emerald green eyes locked with Dumbledore's blue ones as he said "Murder".
"Yes Murder is the one act that can rip apart your soul, now it is my belief that Voldemort created not only one horcrux but seven, and I also believe that you yourself destroyed one of them."
"I destroyed one of them? When?" Harry asked confusion evident in his voice.
From the inside pockets of his robe, Dumbledore produced a black leather bound book that had a large hole in the middle. When Harry saw the book, his eyes widened, "Tom Riddle's diary?"
"Yes Harry when you brought this to me at the end of your second year, I knew that this was a different kind of magic, dangerous and dark".
Throughout the next hour and a half, Dumbledore explained Voldemort's past and what events lead them to the night of the murder of Harry's parents. He explained how that upon graduating, Voldemort went to work for Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley. Dumbledore went onto explain how Voldemort held a fascination with the founders of Hogwarts and drove to find things that belonged to them.
"Sir you said that you believe Voldemort created seven Horcruxes do you have any idea what they could possibly be?" Harry asked.
"Well as you already know Harry, I believe the diary that you destroyed in second year was one of them and I have already destroyed a second one. From the same pocket that he pulled the diary, Dumbledore produced what looked like a common ring. "To answer your question Harry, this ring belonged to Voldemort's grandfather and it was very difficult in finding it, and even more difficult destroying it." Dumbledore says.
"So if one were to find and destroy the other horcruxes, then Voldemort will be mortal once more?" Harry asked.
"Yes Harry, One destroys the horcruxes, then one destroys Voldemort, and once school starts up again, I will be helping you to locate the rest of them" Dumbledore says.
"Will I still be able to help him during the school year Mr. Dumbledore? He has a lot to learn to master and focus his new abilities" Johnny says.
"Yes I will see to it that you'll have a small cottage in the village of Hogsmeade, that way you can stay close to Harry and help him when time permits" Dumbledore explained.
With everyone agreeing to the proposed plan of action, Dumbledore bid everyone good-bye and that he would be in contact with Johnny in a few days. Harry wanted to ask Johnny some questions about being a Rider, but he knew that there would be plenty of time for questions later. His brain felt like a wrung sponge as he learned not only Voldemort's secret, but also the fact that he had inadvertently become one of the devil's bounty hunters.
Was it perhaps chance however that Mephistopheles gave Harry the powers of the Ghost Rider as a way to help him in the upcoming battle that was soon approaching? Harry could only guess that when the time came, he would find out.
Upon re-entering his room, the first thing that Harry saw was that Hedwig was back and that a reply from Daphne was attached to her leg. He couldn't help as a grin forced its way onto his lips as he walked over and removed Daphne's reply from Hedwig's leg.
As Hedwig drank from her water dish and snacked on some owl treat, Harry unfolded the letter and began to read. As he read the letter, he learned that like in her first letter, Daphne's father was on the Wizengamot and had fought to get Sirius a trial. Daphne explained that her father was strict but fair, believing everyone had the right to a trial before being chucked in Azkaban. Daphne's letter went onto explain that her mother had been in Hufflepuff and upon graduating had pursued a career in banking, and is currently working as a curse breaker for Gringrotts. Daphne then went on to talk a little bit about her sister Astoria and exclaiming that she was a pain in her neck, but she loved her all the same.
After reading the letter, Harry decided to go to bed early and after placing the letter with the others, He stripped down and got into bed. The last thought to cross his mind before sleep took him, was that of wondering on what kind of training that Johnny had in store for him throughout the next couple of months.
A/N: End of Chapter 5 Please Read and Review!