/
AUTHORS NOTE
Alright dear readers, I'm afraid that I must rant at you for how much effort i put into this chapter. I had to write this chapter twice. I was writing this chapter on my iPhone then the application I was using crashed on me causing me lose like a 4000 word chapter. Hopefully no more set backs this story we'll just keep our fingers crossed.
/
CHAPTER TWO
Harry was lost. He had been traveling blind for hours. A sensation of perpetually apparating but having no destination to greet him. The centrifugal force of his spinning creating a tube like feeling pressing him in.
He couldn't remember from where he started his journey nor why he left. He just really wished he would get there already. He felt like his limbs were stretching as the pull got even more intense, he cried out in pain but their was no sound. Lost in the endless tunnel.
Just as he felt his battered body would give out and he would simply die in this never ending trip, he felt himself hit some resistance and then like a battling ram he hit some sort of wall. A flash of incredibly intense green light blazed through his vision. So bright that he thought he may lose his vision forever.
Then he was quite violently reintroduced to solid ground. Feeling pained and quite irritable at his trip he feebly right himself into a more dignified upright position. A quick wave of his wand and the dirt and his aches faded away.
He shook his to clear his vision and looked around. Tall dark trees dominated the view, thick and twisting each tree looked more foreboding than the last. Looking too his feet he saw dark and rich soil, soft as though it was recently churned by heavy animal traffic.
After a moment of contemplation he realized that he was in the forbidden forest. He looked around vigilantly in hopes of seeing some sort of light to indicate his proximity to the castle. Seeing none he was left to contemplate his situation.
"How did I come to be by Hogwarts?", he began slowly and aimless walking through the forest. "How was I even able to apparate into the forest? The wards should have prevented me from even coming close?". After having about a mile without any real direction he decided to head towards the castle. He took his wand placed it into the center of his palm and whispered, "Point me!" It landed 45 degrees clockwise from his current heading.
Following the direction his magic pointed him in and allowing his thoughts to drift away from his impromptu arrival on the school grounds the events of the party swelled unbidden to the forefront of his mind.
Teddy had been his last real link to his humanity. The one thing he used to distinguish himself from Voldemort. For him to cause such anguish is just to much to bare. He had done all he could to raise teddy. He had stood by His grandmother Andromeda whenever she needed him. Even as his illness really began taking a toll on him and his marriage was falling apart he always made time for the boy. He practically threw money at Andromeda for his schooling and their living arrangements. All he's ever done was make sure teddy was well looked after. Rage taking hold of him he cast a particularly nasty curse at the nearest tree causing it to wither and die in seconds.
Feeling much better after lashing out he calmed down enough to notice a bit of fire light ahead in the distance. The desire to see his childhood home began filling him with unimaginable need. He picked up his pace slightly, moving faster than he had in over a decade.
See the edge of the forest at last he strode out of the forest and noticed at once he was at the edge of the lake. Looking across the serene water that reflected the light off the castle perfectly he saw the only place he ever considered home.
Whether the memories were Voldemort's, his own, or some mixture of both; Harry always thought fondly of Hogwarts.
Finally allowing his gaze to wander from the castle he noticed a few things were missing.. First he noticed a missing hut from beside the forest. "Has Hagrid moved without writing to me about it?"
Looking around he noticed there was no whomping willow, and Dumbledore's grave was gone. Now that he was truly looking even the castle looked smaller in parts like very small areas had been removed.
Feeling an incredible anger for not being able to figure out what was wrong he closed his eyes and raked his brain for ideas.
"Perhaps this is an incredibly strong illusion over the entire grounds!". Pointing his wand towards the castle he began chanting a very old disillusionment charm. Tendrils of light erupted from the end of his wand shooting out erratically in every direction before dissipating shortly after.
After several minutes of this with no effect he gave up on the possibility of an illusion. He looked upward at the castle bewilderment in his eyes and said, "What on earth am I missing?"
"STAY WHERE YOU ARE", the shout came from behind him. The voice was sharp and feminine grating on his nerves like a nail on a chalkboard.
Turning around slowly he was greeted by an elderly witch. Tall and slender with a face that was heavily wrinkled. All in all Harry guessed she could be somewhere in her late 70's but magic always made it hard to tell. Despite her age she expelled a certain amount of strength. She certain seemed confident in herself to hold her wand so steadily up at him despite his hooded appearance.
Once she was comfortably 15 feet away, the ideal distance for firing a spell against an unknown opponent. She posed her self in a very neutral but recognizable dueling pose and then confidently asked, "Who are you and what business do you have at Hogwarts at this time of year?"
After a moment of inspecting his current 'company' noticed the Hogwarts seal just above where her heart. She must be a professor he did not know.
Speaking in his most innocent sounding voice he said, "I am sorry Professor but I came to be on school grounds through a mistake in apparating and a bit of nostalgia. But do forgive me for being rude. My name is Harry Potter.". He waited patiently for the praise, or the apologies, or at the very least a bit of prodding to prove he was who he said he was.
What he didn't expect was for the woman to snarl at him and fire a mild concussive charm at his feet. While he he didn't flinch from her attempt to intimidate him, he certainly did not appreciate her thinking that she could treat him as such.
Holding his wand openly down at his side so that she may see it he asked in his deadliest whisper, "What is the meaning of this? You fool of a woman!"
Leveling her wand pointedly at him she growled out, "I professor Galatea Merrythought have been a teacher at Hogwarts almost fifty years. I know these grounds like the back of my hand. Therefore I know your story of accidental apparation is a farce for there isn't a apparation point for miles without the headmasters permission. I've also taught three generations of Potter's and am very close with the current patriarch of the family and I have never heard of a HARRY POTTER!".
Completely taken aback at the woman's statement he stood dumbfounded for several minutes while he analyzed what she said, 'Merrythought? Wasn't she a teacher in the the 40's ' he thought somewhat worriedly. Looking back into her eyes he asked a question, "What year is it?"
Looking highly irritated Merrythought responded, "What kind of question is that? Today's date is July 1st of 1943.". Seeing the vague feelings from her mind through eye contact he was able to discern that not only was she real but she believed herself to be telling the truth.
Thinking briefly about his options he decided that above all else he wanted answers and he wanted them now. Raising his wand quick as lightning he bellowed, "LEGILIMENS!". The women was so taken aback by his sudden and vicious attack that she failed to defend herself properly from the brutal connection he had just made into her mind.
He brutally tore down any form of defense she put forth. He relentlessly began sifting through her memories looking for any form of memory manipulation or hallucination charm.
After search through memory after memory he was about to release her from the spell when a blast of heat forced him from her mind and a fresh wave of pain shot up from his shoulder. Staggering back from the force of the curse he saw that a good portion of his robes had caught aflame.
Seething with anger at her blatant attempt to disarm him, (literally and figuratively) he raised his wand to the witch as she staggered back to her feet. He felt a cold anger swell up within him. His need to punish her was beyond his control.
"How dare you!", he whispered out. "How you, you worthless cow, curse me!". Just as soon as the professor regained her footing she fired a disarming charm at him. With a wave of his hand the spell dissipated before it even hit him.
Finally at the climax of his anger he shouted the first spell that came to his mind, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" his voice echoed throughout the school grounds. The green curse hit her square in the chest her body flew backwards from the force landing noisily into the lake.
Looking down at the women. The only person he had ever intentionally killed he felt nothing for the woman. No sorrow, no remorse, he felt somewhat satisfied knowing she had suffered the price for her audacity this evening.
Looking down at the corpse he watched as it began to drift outwards towards the center of the lake. Making a quick gesture with his wand he cast a silent sinking charm on the body. He turned towards the castle with childlike curiosity, making a vow to himself. "I will find out what is going on here!"
With that last look at the castle decided it would be best if he took his leave. He wanted to avoid notice until such a time he could figure out this new development. He made for the front gate quickly and quietly lest he have to kill again.
He walked quietly down the path outside the gate once he was well and clear of the apparition wards he was gone off to the only place that may have answers for him.
Authors note
Alright this is a second draft to what I originally had. The first time around this was much longer. But this time I decided it would be easier to do short chapters like this. Not a whole bunch happened in this chapter, but you did get a timeframe for where this story is going to take place. I hope to have another chapter out shortly. Alright read and review.