Chapter 4 gentlemen! Great to be back! Now, I'm going to try and get the ball rolling here, but I won't make any promises. The actual plot might take a bit, but we'll see.
Now, I've been reading a few other fanfics that revolve around this idea, Harry in snake land, abused harry, rich harry, all the similar shit. I'm hoping to steer this story away from the norm, if only a little. Now, reviewer responses.
Anon: Well, your review was astounding. Let's address a few points here, chronologically of course. First, yes, I am young, not even out of high school yet, crazy world we live in, isn't it? Second, I'm taking offence that a total stranger is critiquing me on my looks, craterface. Third, if I'm not attractive for writing HP fanfiction, can I assume a reader is unattractive as well, craterface? Fourth, gee, we're getting along, aren't? We? I've only been in the HP section for a little under two weeks, not a long time to read, juggling between school, homework, part time job and daily chores. Fifth, I have never said my writing was superb, in fact, I excel much better at comprehension that actual writing, but let's face it, we all can't have the magical skill you possess, can we? Gosh darn, we're at six now. I think I'll group the next few together, lest I 'skew' the word count. Most of the current plot is still in a word document, hence, you won't understand everyone disliking Dumbledore. As for him saying he got a custom wand, let's face it, in the Dursly home, he was probably brought up to reveal details or get skinned alive. Now, onto seven. I've looked, and unless you can point out SPECIFICALLY where prohibits review responses, I'll be continuing. Now, 8. Golly gee, you really left a review, didn't you? Eight, perhaps I'm just not that great of a writer? Perhaps I am not that good enough to SHOW rather than TELL my story? After all, I'm doing this because writing gives me a bit of satisfaction. And the 51 reviews so far of people liking my story, that and 123 story alerts says to me people like this story the way it's going and can look past my shortcomings. As for my arrogance, well, perhaps you're right, perhaps it is an ugly trait, and I agree, but don't presume to know me. Hmm, will you look at this, your review response has skewed the chapter by 363 words ! Who would've thought? I really hate to see your reviews against people who do a block story.
Cah11: Yeh, sorry about the robe thing. I originally had them in Ravenclaw, and with Hermione, but a facepalm moment made me remember to change it to Tracy and Slytherin.
But, enough of me, you all want the story, don't you? Yes you do, yes you do! sit! Sit! Good boy/girl! Who want's a cookie? Yes you do! CAN'T HAVE ONE. Have a story instead.
On with the story.
Harry walked with Daphne and Tracy towards their first class, Potions with Professor Snape.
"On the bright side, it's near our rooms," commented Tracy, hanging off of Harry's right arm. Daphne grumbled, hanging off of his left arm.
"I still don't like it, it's cold and damp outside of my room down here. I'd rather go where the sun can shine." Harry found himself agreeing with that statement.
The trio arrived at the classroom. On the outside, it had a large, depressing door that was flush with the wall and floor. Walking in, the room wasn't that much nicer.
The odd window seemed to suck out light instead of provide it, a curious green mist had accumulated on the ceiling, the tables were dark oaken wood, the supply cabinets were chained closed, and the teacher's desk was empty, except for a tray and some paper. Covering one wall was a chalkboard, with ingredients to a 'pepper up' potion.
The three nervously took their seats, the girls sitting on either side of him. the one side of the class, garbed in red and gold robes, looked envious at the green and silver side. It didn't take long for the teacher to walk in, hair covered in black grease.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." Through his speech, he walked to the front of the classroom, turning around. His robes billowed out around him, creating an intimidating effect. Harry squinted as it happened. Something wasn't right with his robes.
The professor's glare cut across the room, landing on the blond ponce dressed in gold and red.
"Malfoy, I'm surprised, your whole family has been Slytherin for generations, thought you'd break away did you?" he asked, sneering. Malfoy glared.
"Tell me, where would I find a Beor?" Draco opened and closed his mouth, unable to answer.
"Pity, you didn't think to prepare for your trailblazing. 20 points from Gryffindor." The class was fairly... tense... from then on. The students immediately started making the potion. The lack of detailed instructions led to some difficulties though.
A scream of pain drew the looks of everyone. There was a Gryffindor on the ground, covered in angry red boils, with a melted cauldron.
"Honestly Longbottom, I'm assuming you forgot to turn the heat off before the porcupine quills?" He scowled. He flicked his wand, banishing the molten slag and angry red viscous liquid.
"While I bring this dunderhead to the hospital wing, finish up, bottle a sample and place it on my desk. You may leave when the bell rings." In an angry spin of his robes, he dragged the student through the doors. It slammed shut violently, leaving the students to work silently. The trio worked quickly, not wanting to draw the wrath of the potions master, even if he was their head of house. It didn't matter if they were in his house, the man was probably off his rocker.
Daphne and Tracy sat at the Slytherin table, eating lunch quietly. There were other students, some drifting in, some out. Tracy was absently looking for Harry, while Daphne was looking harder.
"Where is he? He said he would be here for lunch." Tracy huffed. "And there I had all these great ideas on how to make him more open," she growled. Daphne poked her arm playfully.
"Give him time, whatever troubles him is there to stay. He probably went to the library, nobody but a few Ravenclaws at any given time." Tracy tilted her head in thought. She guzzled her water, finished her sandwich and grabbed Daphne, dragging her out of the hall by her arm.
"Where are you taking me!" she shrieked, much to the amusement of people in the hall.
"To the library. We're finding Harry," she stated, a wild gleam in her eyes.
Several minutes later, and with a bit of arguing, the two Slytherins arrived in the library. Soft red carpet lined the floors, heavy oaken bookshelves were everywhere, towering above the students. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, illuminating entire isles of the library. There were soft couches and study desks interspaced, padded in royal blue cloth.
"Alright, you cover history and reference, I'll cover defence and charms. We'll meet in transfiguration and theory." Tracy nodded, heading for the far corner of the library. Daphne started in the charms section.
The books there were smaller, newer looking and bound in leather. It was a larger section, comprising of a few dozen shelves, all dozens of feet long and high. The only things she found were an open book on a heating charm and a couple of 7th years making out. She continued into defence.
Tracy meanwhile was searching the history section. By far it was the largest section of the library, and as such, required a bit more of an intensive search. Unfortunately, being a first year, she had very little appreciation for this section of the library. She was very surprised that in the first five minutes she found the black haired boy.
He was sitting at one of the oak desks, with a few older looking books scattered around him. she meandered over to the first year, making herself known early.
"Hi Harry, what are you doing?" she asked, gesturing to the books.
Harry shrugged. "Looking up the Potter family history," he replied, head on his arms, a thoughtful look in his eyes. Intrigued, Tracy pulled the nearest book to her and opened to the page he was on. It was a brief family history of the main line of Potters, going back 8 generations. Each name included the date that he or she lived.
"Ok, you did miss lunch, you know that, right?" she asked. Harry shrugged, pointing to a book to his left. She grabbed that one, pulling it over. This had a list with no pictures, stating the family head and their son or daughter, for the past couple thousand years. She noticed a small mark, probably made by Harry.
"Notice the gap?" he asked. She frowned, seeing it. A period of about 300 years had no Potter alive. The last one was James Archibald Potter, died 1237, followed by an Archibald Hendrick Potter being born in 1589. That was 352 years of no family.
"I checked what little the library had, even asking the librarian for help. There are no detailed family trees outside of the restricted section. Doesn't that seem strange?" At that moment, Daphne, with her hair billowing behind her, stepped into the small alcove in the history section inhabited by the other two first years.
"There you are! Lunch ends in a half hour! Come on!"
Lunch, Harry learned, was going to be a problem. No matter what he did, the other tables saw fit to stare at him.
The Griffindors, specifically all but a few rallying behind a red head first year and a blond next to him, were glaring at him like he was a blight upon the earth. Harry found himself shrinking into his seat, hoping he could just disappear. Their glares were all too familiar of what he got at the Dursly household.
The Ravenclaw table were merely curious about him. Apparently the Potter lineage was known for being a strict Gryffindor family. Honestly, Harry wasn't sure how they didn't get a migrane from all the red and gold. He found, even after a short while, the green and silver of Slytherin a much more soothing, calm color to be around. Common room was sort of cold though.
Hufflepuff was looking between him and the red head boy who was rallying the Gryffindor table, nervous glances on their face. Probably because they were between them as a house, both location wise and loyalty wise. Hufflepuff was long known to hold a study group for all houses. A few braver students crossed the lines from the rival houses, but this year would be all the more difficult.
And finally, Slytherin table. There was a strict divide between the two of them. On the one hand, a faction led by a 5th year named Terence Higgs. The figure head of their faction was Harry himself, fully supporting him in their house, saying it might be just the thing to bring them out of the hate zone.
The other side, led by a dark haired first year. He was using his father's position in the DMLE to influence students into believing that Harry was a 'half-blood' sullying the name of Slytherin. This group included a few of the darker families, but not all. Fortunately, Harry found himself in friendly Slytherin territory, stuffed near the far end with Daphne to his left and Tracy on the other side.
He was quietly eating a sandwich as the most uncomfortable lunch in the history of the school passed by. Tracy was eating some fruit, while Daphne was drinking some pumpkin juice.
A quick glance around informed Harry that a good portion of the great hall was staring at him, or in his direction. Harry quickly finished his meal, grabbing his books.
"I'm going to go back to the library until class starts, is that ok?" he asked. He wasn't entirely sure why he was whispering, but speaking loudly might be a bad thing.
Daphne nodded, finishing her drink. "I'll join you," she whispered back. Tracy just shrugged.
"I'm going to finish my meal. I'll see you in the common room?" Daphne nodded, quickly latching onto Harry's arm, much to his shock, again. She led the black haired Slytherin out of the great hall, where a collective sigh of air escaped.
Harry sat on the small sofa in his room, a half dozen books spread out before him. Two of them detailed his family history before and after the gap, while the rest were history on the 350 years between the Potter generations. Daphne had been helping him, but like any 11 year old girl, she quickly drifted to other things, mainly writing her name with her wand in misty white letters. Tracy was lying on the bed, snoring softly.
"Hmm," muttered Harry, looking at the book. Daphne, broken from her writing, looked at the boy.
"Find something interesting in those dusty old books?" she asked. Harry nodded, a little peeved at them being called dusty old books. They were the only thing he knew that held information on his family.
"Sort of," he replied, quickly. "At some point during this span of time, there was a dark lord. He had the title of worst dark lord in existence, right up until You-Know-Who came into power." This got Daphne interested.
"Oh, and who was this dark lord?" she asked, walking over across his small room.
"He went by the name 'Szarekh.' All that's known is he opposed the Ministry. He almost whipped out several families that had close ties to the Ministry, only missing them by one or two members. The hardest hit was the Dumbledore family." This brought a pause to the speaking.
"As in, the headmaster Dumbledore?" she asked. Harry nodded, pointing to a roll of parchment. It was a public copy of the Dumbledore family tree, showing a startling lack of generation between then and now.
"He fought for over 200 years, but vanished from the earth, supposedly dying from old age." Harry flipped pages, seeing nothing more on the Dark lord Szarekh.
Tracy, in her brilliance, brought up a valid question, having awoken to the last part. "What does 'Szarekh' mean?" Daphne frowned.
"What do you mean?" she asked, confused. Harry looked at the blue eyed girl.
"Well, You-Know-Who's name is French for 'flight of death.' It gave the appeal that he was immortal." Daphne tilted her head at her best friend. She was never this clever. Tracy grinned.
"I heard my dad talking about it!" Daphne nodded. Mystery solved.
"I'm... not sure," replied Harry, flipping through a few pages. After a few minutes of searching with the girl's help, he found nothing.
He leaned back into the soft leather sofa, his 11 year old body unable to keep up with the day's events.
Daphne walked towards the door, intent on heading back to her room. When she tried the door, she found it locked.
"Curses," she said, Tracy looking over. "Curfew is in effect, locking us in until morning." Tracy nodded before scooping Harry up.
"What are you doing?" she asked. Tracy just smiled, carrying the extremely light sleeping boy over to the bed, laying him down in the center. She plopped herself down beside, latching onto an arm. She motioned towards Daphne to do the same. With a shrug, the raven haired girl joined the two first years on the bed, latching onto his other arm.
[A.N.] That's it folks! Sorry it's such a long chapter, but the review, as you can see in the response section, just plane skewed the chapter. (teehee!) I've already gotten chapter 5 almost done, and it's a good deal longer. I'll start advancing the plot then. So far I've decided to canon it up until the end of first year, then we'll start to turn. Hopefully by the end of second year we'll be developing our own story, with canon as reference. I'll also start throwing up polls, but I'll announce them. They'll help determine major plot changes.