And Chapter 6 people! Glad we've made it here! Now, because we're so close, I'm stipulating this rule. Once this story get's 100 reviews, the next chapter shall be 8K words. That's right, without the AN, you'll have an 8K word chapter. It will most likely, depending when it happens, make a good intro for year 2, or an epic finale for year one. Now, the largest question seen is what to do with Hermione. Adding her to the group is impossible, in the way I want. She'll be nothing more than a friend, but don't worry, I've got a pairing for her. It'll blow your minds. But, as they say:
On with the story.
Christmas holidays passed, students slowly returning as the first day of classes drew near. Harry was in the library with Tonks, looking up information on invisibility cloaks. He hadn't used his yet, so he wanted to learn the limitations of one before actually using it. He had hoped that his friends, particularly Daphne, might have known how they worked, but apparently all four of them didn't know anything about an invisibility cloak.
So, here he was, with Tonks sitting next to him, looking through a book with a reference to invisibility cloaks. He was currently reading through an aging history book on the subject, paying particular attention to the fact that a Potter, Damien Potter, born some 200 years ago, was seen with one when fighting terrorists.
Tonks meanwhile, had found something interesting. "Harry, do you know anything about the Hallows?" Harry looked up, confused.
"No, is that something shorter for a holiday?" Tonks gaped, before remembering.
"Right, Muggle raised. It's a wizarding story, usually told to children. It's actually interesting and might have some reference to your cloak." Harry frowned.
"What's the story then?" Tonks smiled, morphing her vocal cords so her voice was slightly deeper.
"Long ago there were three brothers. They were traveling when they came upon a river. All the previous travellers had died trying to cross it. Instead, they used magic to conjure a bridge of ivy across. When they got half way, they were stopped by Death."
"He was furious that he had been cheated of his prize, but, being Death, was cunning. He offered the three brothers a deal. For besting him, he would grant each one a gift." Harry gulped. This was a childs story?
"The oldest asked for the most powerful wand in existence. So, Death plucked a branch from a tree and gave it to the oldest brother. The second brother, he asked for the ability to bring back those who he loved from Death's domain. Death reached down and plucked a rock from the river, giving it to the brother."
"What about the third brother?" asked Harry. Tonks scowled.
"Don't rush me! I'm trying to make it sound mysterious!" she exclaimed, still using the deeper voice.
"As I was saying," she growled. "The third brother asked for a cloak that would hide him from Death's embrace as long as he wore it. Grudgingly, Death cut part of his own robe and gave it to the brother. The oldest brother immediately found his rival, before besting him in a duel. He flaunted the power of his wand, drinking himself asleep. Unfortunately, in the dead of the night, a young boy killed the brother, taking his wand." Now Harry was shocked. How was this a bedtime story for kids?
"The second brother proceeded home, where he brought his dead sister to the living realm. However, she was not meant for this world any longer, so her body decayed until there was nothing left to bring back. He hung himself in shame."
"Alright, how in Merlin's name is this a children's story?" all but shouted Harry. Tonks frowned.
"I dunno, but mom used to tell me it. Dad asked the same question, him being a Muggle and all." Harry frowned, but asked her to continue.
"The third brother used the cloak to hide from Death for many years, until he was very old with a child of his own. He gave his cloak to his son and went with Death willingly. Death had finally claimed the brothers."
"And... you think mine might be the actual cloak mentioned in this story?" he asked skeptically. Tonks nodded.
"Look, these books say that even the best of the cloaks have some flaw, either being a slight distortion, easy to tear, brightly colored, anything can go wrong with them and still be effective. Yours, based on our small tests, is far better. The invisibility is seamless, it's richly decorated and even stepping on it didn't tear it." Harry winced at that.
Shortly into their tests of the cloak, Harry had tripped on the edge, falling forwards onto the table. While under the cloak, he had used his hands to stop the fall, but was sure something was torn. Sure enough, there wasn't even dirt on it.
"I don't know, to think it's Death's invisibility cloak is a bit of a stretch." Tonks frowned.
"Well, I said it was a guess. Not like I'm all knowing." Harry saw her frown and gave her a hug.
"Sorry, but it just seemed a bit far-fetched, your forgetting, I'm the kid who was punished for even having an imagination." Tonks laughed a bit at that, before adopting a questioning look.
"You haven't really told us about your life growing up. I'm sure Daphne and Tracy would love to hear life growing up as the 'savior' of the wizarding world, even among muggles." Harry smiled sadly.
Whenever the girls had mentioned his fame at all, it was in a joking manner. Despite his short time with it, he was already disliking it. It was nice to see a group of people who liked him for him. Hell, a group of people who liked him period.
"I-umm," Harry took an interest in the books on the table suddenly. Despite his friends helping him through any lingering doubts of fear of other people, his time in that hellish household had scarred him. He was certain those attacks he sometimes had, forcing his body into mild convulsions, was a by product of all the abuse. He didn't like to talk about it, or even try to remember it.
"Perhaps some other time," he stated, avoiding the subject. Tonks frowned, her eyes narrowing.
"You will tell us Harry James Potter, or we shall be forced to get the answer from you." He recoiled slightly at the ultimatum, but he could see the mischievousness in her eyes. No wonder why she was sorted into Slytherin.
"Oh my god is that Snape in blue?" cried Harry, pointing behind her. Tonks twirled around, honestly expecting their head of house to be there in blue robes, a far cry from his usual black. Upset that she had missed the scene, she turned around...
Only to find no Harry.
Harry slumped against a wall, after having run through countless corridors. He was running from, and he was ashamed to admit it, his friends. Since his encounter with Tonks in the library two weeks ago, the three girls had made it their mission to capture him and interrogate him. The first few nights weren't so bad, even with them sleeping in his bed, but after that they grew more and more persistent. It had come to the point where he had actually told them to sleep in their own rooms. That was three days ago.
Starting that night, the nightmares came.
Brutal re-enactments of his time at the Dursly household, encompassing the most brutal 'punishments' his 'family' had to offer. The worst though, the worst was when they burned his arm.
The second night he tried to fall asleep, but true sleep would not come. Instead, it was small, 20 minute segments of nightmare after nightmare. It was one of the longest nights in his life.
The second day was long, with him dodging his friends, wanting to keep his secrets. It was difficult, but he skipped lunch and dinner and hid out in the top of the astronomy tower. The hunger and the cold was nothing new, so he was ok.
The third night and day were much the same, just longer and more horrifying in the nightmares. Towards the evening, he was actually seeing things. This did not register to be something to see the nurse about.
So here he was, fourth day with little sleep, almost no food, and running from his friends, or at least where he thought they weren't. With a loud creak, the door opened, revealing the astronomy tower's highest point. There was a bench with a blanket he managed to transfigure on it. Wearily, he sat down, gripping his arm. It was shaking slightly, phantom burns keeping him awake.
"Harry?" called a voice. He didn't respond. Inside his head, he knew the jig was up. There was nothing he could do, short of jump off the tower or blow through his friends.
"Harry, you don't look good," called the voice again. Harry realized it belonged to Tracy.
"It's just me, Tracy. Tonks is searching the library and Daphne is in the Great Hall." She stepped in front of Harry, kneeling. Looking into his eyes, she saw outright fear cross them.
"What happened?" she asked, sitting next to him. Harry gave a cold laugh.
"Everything. I don't know what the books say my life was like, but I can guarantee it wasn't like that." She frowned, placing her arm around him. Soft clanking behind her told her someone had arrived. She glanced quickly, surprised it was Hermione, the shy Ravenclaw who sometimes hung out with them.
"The Dursly's, that's their name. I was sent to live there when my parents were killed." He chuckled darkly. "I wanted to die. So many times I wanted to die," he murmured. Tracy, and Hermione, gasped. How could a kid as nice mannered as Harry want to die? Surely people must love him?
"My aunt, she never liked my mother. Called her a freak, an abomination. I guess that hate she had for her sister was just moved to me. Vernon, her husband, and Dudley, the child, picked up on that hate." He rubbed his arm, Tracy looking at it. She had noticed early on he rubbed it when he was stressed or worried, or after going into one of his fits.
"In short, and you Hermione should know, being muggleborn, I was abused." Hermione gasped. While being only eleven years old, her parents never tried to turn her away from knowledge. An excursion to the library had informed her on the horrors of child abuse.
"From as soon as I could walk, I was beaten, burnt, worked like a pack animal. If I didn't have my magic, I would have died several times over. It took days to heal, but any injury would be gone. When I was 6, I spilt eggs for Vernon's breakfast on the table." He shuddered, gripping his arm tightly.
"He... he held my arm... over fire. Burnt it to the bone," he sobbed, tears spilling. Hermione had long since sat down next to him and leaned against him, while Tracy had her arm wrapped around.
"Again, it only took a few days to heal, where I was put back to work," he continued, body shuddering every few breaths.
Shortly before I turned 11," he continued, somewhat calmer. "A goblin came to the house. That was the last time I was in that house," he muttered, staring at the grate beneath.
Tracy, without warning, dived into a full blown hug. "I'm sorry!" She chanted that a few more times, letting the first year savior cry into her shoulder.
"We- we shouldn't have p-p-pressured y-you in-to running," she cried. Hermione, while not having such an attachment to Harry, still got into the group hug.
"Don't worry, I'll write to my parents. They might be able to cause some trouble with them," she replied. Harry smiled faintly.
It took several minutes, but Tracy finally had to state the obvious. "Listen, Harry, you haven't eaten for a while. Let's head down to the hall. You get something to eat and I'll tell Daphne and Tonks what you told me, Kay?" Harry nodded, feeling emotionally spent.
A moth passed, and the group of friends were entering March.
After having explained to Daphne and Tonks the situation with Harry and how he grew up, they immediately felt guilty. For several days, Harry only had the company of Tracy, and sometimes Hermione, when she didn't have classes with the 'Puffs. When they did come to apologize, Harry countered.
"No, it was my fault. I should have just told you," he relented.
"No, we shouldn't have pushed you into telling us," replied Daphne, embracing him outside the great hall. Tonks replied in a similar fashion, hugging him as well.
With the group back on track, they had spent the month laying down plans to track Quirrel and find out what he was doing. Those culminated to what he was doing now.
The professor, purple robes and Turban, was walking down the hall with a purpose. He displayed none of the usual habits everyone saw, instead walking tall and proud. Harry was beneath his invisibility cloak, stepping quietly in his socks, to minimize noise.
Harry almost yelped when the wraithlike figure of Severus Snape, the head of Slytherin, charged out through a door near the end of the hall. Wasting no time, the Professor grabbed Quirrel by the robes and slammed him against the wall.
"Severus!" squealed the professor, recoiling at the presence of the man. "I – I thought-"
"Silence," commanded Snape. Harry wasn't sure how he did it, but he could silence an entire room with nothing but a glare.
"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrel," he continued. Harry was confused. Just what were the two professors going on about?
"W-what do you m-mean?" stuttered the professor. For some reason, he had reverted back to his mannerisms from before.
"You know perfectly well what I..." The professor stopped, looking around. To his horror, his gaze settled on Harry's invisible form. He slowly reached out, hand almost touching the fabric. It recoiled, now being used to jab an index finger in Quirrel's face.
"We'll have another chat soon... when you've had time to decide where your loyalties lie." Snape twirled away in one direction, leaving the defence professor to shake. What Harry thought was odd was he shook his head, as if trying to rid himself of something. Apparently finished, he stood up and bolted away down the hall.
Harry watched him go, instead deciding to see what Professor Snape was doing in that room. Glancing down the hallway, he made sure he was the only one there. Satisfied, he walked in, the door creaking like the devil's string band.
It was a classroom, abandoned, covered in dust, with chairs and desks piled in the corner. Long windows let in blue moonlight, illuminating the only object of value.
A large mirror, with a heavy brass frame, age showing near the edges. Script was emblazoned across the top, looking strange compared to English. Harry slowly walked up to it, looking into the depths.
"Mom..." he uttered, the sound barely more than a whisper, quiet enough that the old man in the corner did not hear. For in the mirror, Harry Potter saw his family.
Two people, standing side by side, holding each other lovingly. The woman had dark red hair, fair skin and brilliant green eyes. The man, looking much like Harry, albeit younger, had messy black hair and brown mischievous eyes. His mother's hand was on his shoulder, but when his real hand went to touch it, all he felt was his shoulder. He glanced up at the engraving, making sense of it.
I show not your face, but your hearts greatest desire.
"The Mirror... of Erised," intoned a voice. Harry spun around, seeing the figure of Dumbledore.
"It shows us, not as we are, but what we hope to be," he continued. Inwardly he was smirking. All he had to do was figure out what the boy saw, then he could play events better to his favor.
Harry didn't fully trust the Professor. With multiple reasons to distrust him, a few from Ollivander, one from the Hat, he kept his guard up.
"So, it shows us our greatest want?" he asked, hoping to sound simple, like the Gryffindor he wanted. Pleased that Harry answered as he did, the headmaster continued.
"Not quite. You see Harry, it shows us our heart's greatest desire, the one thing we want above all else. Only in rare circumstances can this desire actually come true. As it stands, it can devour even the most sane and selfless wizard insane, trying to get lost in those depths." Harry glanced back at the mirror, seeing his mother and father standing there. His eyes furrowed when he saw, far behind them, a smoky outline.
"Perhaps you should be going back to class Mr. Potter?" asked the aging Headmaster. Harry nodded, looking once more at the mirror. Still looking at it, he threw the cloak around him, stepping outside and heading for the Slytherin common rooms.
Dumbledore stood in the corner, smiling, a twinkle in his eye. "Perfect," he spoke.
When he arrived back in his room, having slipped past the portrait, he was tackled by three first year witches. Tonks crushed him first, her hair a vibrant green color. Daphne struck second, throwing the mass to the left, while Tracy toppled them towards the bed.
"Oww," muttered Harry, having been impacted three times.
"So, did you find anything?" asked Tonks, her hair shifting to a deep blue.
"Well," began Harry, his voice becoming suave and enticing... for an 11 year old. "Quirrel is not the nervous git we all think he is. Apparently he and Professor Snape are at odds ends. My best guess is Quirrel is hiding something. Doesn't hurt to mention my scar hurts whenever I'm near him." The girls looked at him thoughtfully.
"We could ask Hermione about it. She's good with information, perhaps she could pull something up?"
"Perfect!" cried Tracy. "We'll talk to her tomorrow." With that agreed, Harry hopped into his pajamas and got into bed. Tracy hopped on his left, Tonks on his right, while Daphne claimed being on top of him.
Hermione was reading a book at the Ravenclaw table. It was something interesting, involving wolfsbane theory and development. She was pulled from her reading when Harry Potter sat down across from her. There were few kids in the great hall, so nobody took notice.
"Hello Hermione," smiled Harry. Hermione greeted him back.
"I was wondering if you could do something for me," began Harry.
"Oh, what do you need help with?" she asked, closing her book. Harry quieted down, leaning in close. Getting the idea, she leaned in, her ear close to his mouth.
"I need you to assemble a report on Professor Quirrel. I want to know everything from when he was born up until what he had for breakfast today. The girls and I have a hunch that he's hiding something. Hopefully we can use this to find out what." Hermione looked thoughtful. On the one hand, it was probably illegal, even in wizarding courts. On the other hand, she did owe Harry for saving her. Well, him and the others.
"Alright, I'll do it. When do you want it?" Harry sat aback. He wasn't expecting a yes right away, but he'd take it.
"Hopefully by the end of the month. Thanks Hermione!" With that, Harry left the Hall and a young Ravenclaw to investigate her newest goal.
Harry headed for the exit a good feeling pervading his body. He stopped, walking by a somewhat familiar door. The section was barred, while the door had a sliding lock that looked notoriously rusty and squeaky. Given the librarian's superhuman hearing, it was impossible to get past. It was the Restricted section. Student myths told that the section held all the books that could make assignments easy. Tomes of unspeakable age from the age of the founders.
And he had an invisibility cloak.
"Don't step on my foot."
"Sorry."
"Now your stepping on my foot."
"Keep your feet closer together."
"Sorry."
"Get your elbow out of my ribs."
"Come on people! Be nice or I'm turning this cloak around!"
There were muted replies of 'sorry' underneath the invisibility cloak. Harry was in the center, with Tracy on his left. Daphne was behind him, while Tonks was on his right. It didn't take long for them to reach the door to the hallowed restricted section.
"Alright, so we need to silence the lock. Daphne, you're the best at it, you do it." Leaning over, Daphne pulled out her wand.
"Silencio" A small blue cloud wafted over to the rusty hatch and door, covering it and part of the frame before disappearing. Harry experimentally flicked it, hearing nothing. Tracy grabbed the latch, sliding it roughly open and pushing the door open, hearing nothing.
"Good job," replied Tonks. The four of them stepped inside, closing it and casting an illusion on the lock to make it appear closed.
"Alright, 5 minutes. We practiced the alarm disarm spell, but to prevent any suspicion, let's grab only three books each, max." The girls nodded, fanning out.
When Harry had mentioned the idea of breaking into the restricted section. They had been interested, but preliminary tests made them realize they would need a few different spells to get past. All library books had an anti copying spell, an antitheft spell, as well as a warning spell, should they be taken during non library times.
So, using a spell Daphne's father sent her, supposedly an uber powerful version of the Finite Incantum, they would be able to break those charms. However, Harry's was the most powerful, and he was expecting to be doing all the charm removal, just to be safe.
With the girls off finding three books each of ancient knowledge and power, Harry was left finding something for himself.
"Hmm, dark magic, elemental magic, advanced combat charms... nothing of interest," he muttered, browsing books.
"Hmm, rudimentary blood magic. Looks interesting," he murmured. Casting the spell, he pulled it off the shelf, browsing pictures, instructions, diagrams, and notes. There was everything from blood wards, blood sacrifices, blood runes, blood everything. Pocketing the tome, he continued.
4 minutes later, he had a blood magic book for beginners, users and experts. He also decided to grab a spell book by Nikolai Tesla, and an interesting one on summoning rituals.
When he caught up with the girls, he was surprised what he found. Tonks grabbed three on metamorphous powers. Daphne had a few dark spell books containing dark spells, while Tracy had only two advanced transfiguration books.
Wordlessly, they hopped under the cloak, banishing the silencing charms and heading for the their room. After getting inside the bedroom, he took the cloak off revealing the four first years.
"Hey, you got four books!" protested Tonks. Harry grinned, waving the Tesla book.
"Sneaky Slytherin Tonks." She scowled, but sat down on the edge of the bed and cracked the ancient tome open.
Despite it being late at night, the four students stayed up late, reading their texts. They didn't have school the next day, so it wasn't a complete loss.
[A.N.] There we have it! Chapter 4! Now, this chapter is somewhat of a filler, at least the final part. But I want to express that with the cloak, smarter friends than Weasly, and more ambition what with the Slytherin influence, they can do a great many things not shown in Canon. Now, the books Harry picked out will actually play a roll later on. Especially the Tesla book. Now, since there is now over 100 reviews, the next chapter shall be over 5K words, possibly 6 as a small reward on my part.
As always, I ask that you review for they help. Now, next chapter, we'll move up the plotline. I'm sticking to the idea that the encounter with voldie happens near the end of the ear, sometime in June. I'll have Harry get something to help him during the summer with the Dursly's, if that happens at all.