The light was to bright, the noise of his dorm mates waking was to loud, and his head felt like it had been crushed once again
A.N.: Hey everyone sorry it took so long to update writers block and all! Lol Anyways this is unbeted as always so forgive grammar errors and the like! Tell me how you guys like it and ideas are always welcome! Read and review please as I've said the more reviews a story gets the more I update! I just need the motivation! ;
Chapter 4: Hogwarts, Tinkerbell and Life-Debts.
The light was to bright, the noise of his dorm mates waking was to loud, and his head felt like it had been crushed once again. Damn Morgan and her double-edged gifts! Harry wiped the blood from his nose once again before downing a sip from his silver flask at the bedside table.
He'd gotten the gift to accept him like he knew he would, but what he didn't know was the price he'd be paying in taking it. Magic was extremely possessive when it came to things like that and Morgan had failed to mention the drawbacks of taking something he had no rights to. Pricilla had a truly powerful gift in her magic sight but she when she cast it from herself it had been poisoned.
Harry had touched that accursed book two years ago and some days he really despised his naivety in his rushed decision. It was a price he paid every time he used what he had taken. Oh, the sight opened many doors for him and helped him grow in ways that would take most years; however the pain that came after made him curse it at times.
Whenever he used it the pain in his head would sometimes reach the point where he'd pass out for hours from it waking as he had today with the headache from hell and his nose running with blood. That was why he had limited himself to using it only when it truly would help with what he was trying to discover or accomplish.
Harry glanced at his desk gaze caught on the innocent looking book with the initials T.M.R. elegantly scrawled on the cover. A part of him had always been fascinated by that enchanted tome and had been drawn to take it that day on Knockturn Alley. But he had always wondered why…and today he'd finally exhausted everything short of writing in it to discover the reason.
Desperation had driven him to using his sight to see what magics had been placed on it trying to find some clue about the man trapped inside of it. What he had seen had only added fuel to his desire to know and brought more questions then answers. The dairy was connected to him somehow he'd seen it there was something inside of him that linked the object to him in ways Harry had never heard of.
There was no avoiding it now there was only one way his questions would be answered Harry would have to risk enchantment and write in the book. However, he'd learned his lesson with the last cursed book he'd tangled with Harry wasn't about to go in unprepared. And he already had an idea on how to do it.
Sighing as his potion took effect and the grinding pain in his head died out into an ignorable ache Harry got up to get ready for the day. The last three years had been spent wisely on his part, cultivating allies, learning everything that he could and mastering his skills.
No one was as dedicated to learning as Harry was even in this prodigal school, spending hours in the extensive library, taking extra classes, learning as many languages as possible, and excelling in everything he put his mind to. In fact he become somewhat notorious around the school for going beyond many of his already powerful peers in terms of knowledge and skill.
Harry stepped up to his bookshelf to take down an apple wood box and sat on his bed to open it. His first Christmas Gabriel had given him an egg at the time Harry had no idea what it had been for as it had been clear crystal blue and had nothing inside of it as far as he could see.
However, when Gabriel had returned with the rest from his holiday he'd taken him aside and explained what in fact he'd given him. The Vixi were strange little creatures they laid their eggs at the bottom of enchanted lakes and they weren't able to even hatch until someone fed it enough magic to trigger its growth.
The Vixi looked like fairies really, small human bodies with dragonfly wings but the one blaring difference between them was their intelligence. Where fairies were dumb as a doorknob Vixi were extremely cunning little creatures and made for great pets. Gabriel had given him this egg that first Christmas and in a few days it'd finally be able to hatch.
Vixi eggs were rare and very hard to get a hold of if you weren't a water elemental that is. Harry placed his hand over the glowing egg and wondered briefly if the little thing would be a boy or a girl. Secretly he hoped for a girl so he could name her Tinker bell just like in his favorite story when he was young.
All in all the Vixi would be very valuable because he had fed it nothing but his own Magic it would be extremely loyal to him alone. The little things were dead useful like all magical creatures it had special properties that made it priceless in his opinion. For one it could flame travel like Phoenixes, they also had the healing tears though not as potent but damn close.
They helped restore your energy if you needed because they sucked up any excess magic like little batteries. Not only that but the eggshell he could use for one of his potion ideas that he was tinkering with. After making sure he'd fed the egg more then enough magic he set out to get ready for the day.
Brushing his longish hair, placing his in his multiple earrings besides Suzie's which he never took off as he promised, then his uniform and arm bracers under that to cover his scars. Idly he anticipated Fourth year when they were allowed to wear what they wished uniforms where just for the lower years after all.
After third year they just had to wear a coat to signify what year they were in and those were much more appealing then the dreary gray. For fourth years they had a nice tailored brown coat, fifth got tan, Sixth got emerald, Seventh got silver, eighth got deep blue, ninth got a blood red, and Tenth got to pick their color though it had to have a gold trim.
The coat itself never changed its cut only color, it was a fitted battalion type jacket that cut off at the hips and had a long spilt tail that reached your ankles. It had three rows of buttons that were silver; a high stiff collar and it gave its wearer a dignified look.
Looking at the diary once more Harry couldn't help but think that it was going to be a long year.
--x--
Albus Dumbledore was not having a good year, not at all, and it hadn't even started yet! The owls that they had sent out with young Harry's letter had all remained unanswered and some owls didn't even make it back! The ones that did were confused and dazed making them useless for the time being.
Really he was getting desperate, Lilly and James had been hounding him all summer to bring them Harry they just didn't stop. Then there was Minerva who kept snidely reminding him she hadn't wanted Harry left there in the first place and that he should have been with his family from the start!
It was enough to give him a splitting headache and downing lemon drops by the dozen. He hated to admit it but Albus was getting desperate if he didn't answer soon he would have to go look for the boy himself. An hour later that was exactly what he was doing as he could take one more minute of Lilly's rants on wanting her baby back, NOW!
He hated muggle suits they were so bland and constricting really but it was needed, as it was the middle of the day in a muggle neighborhood. Sighing he searched futilely for some distinguishable landmark to tell him which was number four they all looked exactly the same really, right down to the last blade of grass! It was getting ridiculous.
After what seemed like hours he found number four only to have the sinking feeling he had lately deepen as he saw the for sale sign on the manicured lawn. A short round man that looked disturbingly like a beetle was hammering it into place and mumbling something he couldn't quite make out.
Though it did sound like, 'damn those annoying bastards' and 'saddling me with the haunted house…'. Albus cleared his throat to catch the man's attention making him spin around almost falling. The salesman looked at him with beady little black eyes before he gave a surprised yelp.
"Did you want to see the house sir?! It's really a steal! At a third of the regular price and a fine neighborhood, wonderful people really. Would you like a tour of the house?! It's no trouble no trouble at all!" He rambled on not letting Albus speak a word as he tried to usher him into the house.
"I'm sorry I haven't come to look at the house I was looking for a few acquaintances that lived here. Would you be so kind as to tell me when they moved?"
The beetle man suddenly looked very pale and somewhat frightened. "Oh, terribly sorry about that mate. But don't you know?" The realtor looked at Albus in disbelief as if he had grown a second head or preformed magic right in front of him.
"Know what? If I may ask?"
"The family that lived here didn't move…" he trailed off ominously like he really didn't want to be the one to tell him.
"Then where are they?" Albus asked pleasantly but his insides were twisting in foreboding.
"They were killed…about six years ago. They're in the ground now sorry about being the one to tell ya mate."
The color drained from his face and Dumbledore felt like he was going to pass out in horror of what he just heard. Getting himself together he forcibly scanned the man's mind looking for answers to the questions he had. There, he sighed in relief, only one child was found Harry might still be alive yet.
There was so much to do and so little time. He needed to search the orphanages, gather clues on who had killed the Dursleys, and the most daunting if all… find a way to tell Lilly. He rushed out of the house leaving the man dazed and crumpled on the floor. Simply too much to do and not enough time.
Albus was sure though he would find Harry Potter and he would defeat this evil that he knew was coming after all it was all for the greater good.
--x--
Harry muttered the incantations carefully as he watched the pool of molten metal swirl and stir with his words glowing with his power. Runes began to take shape in the silvery liquid shining the deep emerald green that was his magic before vanishing in the molten metal once more.
A few more words and the liquid rose into the air a swirling, floating, twisting to take the form he wanted. First it formed a straight line before it curled in on itself forming a ring the size of his wrist. Harry hummed the last few lines his magic taking its direction from that and condensing down to for a tight ring.
The ring would just fit his thumb and with one last sung word it illuminated his room before falling harmlessly into his hand. This was not the first time Harry had tried his hand at making a talisman but it was the first time he was sure he had succeeded in doing what he had set out to do.
Sighing he tiredly slipped the ring onto his right hand thumb before he let himself fall back onto his bed in relief. It had taken many goes but he had done it. The ring would be worth the effort in the end, pure platinum had been hard to find but with a little help from Morgan he had found a secret vane of it just a two hours walk from the palace.
With it Harry would be able to write in the dairy without fearing the consequences, it also would shield him from the hottest flames (something very useful when you're friends with a fire elemental) and would block lower level curses coming his way. It was not without its drawbacks though; the most obvious one being it took a lot of magic to create, and a lot of time.
However, Harry had always been a slave to his curiosity now was no different and he would finally be able to sate this particular one. He wouldn't be able to cast another spell for an hour but it was well worth the trouble of feeling weak if this worked.
He got the book and a quill quickly somewhat eager to see this mystery solved. Harry paused his quill a hair breath away from the open page suddenly nervous, what should he say? Harry had never been good at meeting new people, in fact most of his allies had introduced themselves besides Cleo but she was different.
Rather anxious he decided it was best to be blunt and barrel through his unease to rid himself of it.
Hello my name is Tristen. How did you come to be trapped inside a dairy?
Hello Tristen my names Tom Riddle and I'm not trapped I'm a memory.
A memory?
Yes, I put myself here my sixth year at school.
Did you attend Hogwarts then? Or somewhere else?
Hogwarts! Of course it is the best school around after all. Are you at Hogwarts now?
No, I've never attended Hogwarts and don't ever plan to it's not up my standards.
How old are you? What is up to your standards then?
I'm eleven. My current school is adequate for now but I plan to learn more on my own.
What school do you attend?
I don't think you've ever heard of it if you went to Hogwarts it's likely you weren't up to our standards after all. Only the best are chosen to attend Noctiluca after all.
I beg to differ how can you be the best if you're obviously a new school, Hogwarts is the most ancient prestigious school in the world.
Noctiluca isn't new its older then Hogwarts in fact. Didn't you know?
How can I know of a school I've never heard of?
Right, but where did you think the founders learned it all? Did you think they taught themselves? (Harry smirked at that)
The founders went to your school?
Of course as I've said we only accept the best. Unlike Hogwarts we're a private school not just ANYONE can get in after all Hogwarts doesn't have many standards they after all allow MUGGLES to know about them!
You don't like muggles?
Who would? I've made it a point in life to find some way to rid the world of them, filthy creatures that they are!
Are you a pure blood then?
No, unfortunately I'm a Half blood…
I am also though I share your hatred of the filthy creatures.
What did they do to you?
Who said they did anything to me?
The hatred had to come from somewhere; I know I hate them for what they've done. (Harry couldn't seem to stop from writing about himself…though he reasoned no one would ever know after all it was just a dairy with a memory. Right?)
What have they done to you?
Nothing you need to be concerned about.
I suppose.
What happened to your magical family?
They were dead before I was even a day old.
At least yours are dead I still have to kill mine.
What? Why would you want to?
They abandoned me…they left me with my dirty muggle relatives who didn't want a freak in their house…I had thought they were dead but I found out I was wrong they are very much alive.
Why did they leave you with them?
I don't know probably something foolish like the war.
What war?
The war with Voldemort…though by then it was 'over' they should have retrieved me so that's no excuse.
Who won?
No one, Voldemort disappeared, some say he's dead I know better you don't get as powerful as that to just die by the hand of a child.
Child?
Yes some foolishness about Harry potter the Boy-Who-Lived. Voldemort was said to have gone after him cast the killing curse that somehow the baby survived killing him instead. I think that's a load of rubbish though I'm sure he's out their waiting for them to relax so that he can take them down all the easier.
Why do you have such confidence in him?
I don't. Voldemort was very powerful he had to have had a plan and he wasn't known for rushing into anything where it could lead to his demise. He was clever and manipulative it stands to reason that he could manipulate something like that for his own ends. Not that it matters, I'll be greater then him one day…be greater then them all…
How do you think to manage that?
I've already started to gather allies and made a reputation for myself at school. I'm powerful, not that I'm cocky, I just know how strong I am after all one has to know all ones strengths to know what ones weaknesses are. One day I'll reshape this world and purge it of all it filth. It's all about patience really and maybe I'll join Voldemort should he ever return.
You want to join him?
Everything is a means to an end Voldemort will serve his purpose after all I have no desire to rule this world just remake it. My goals are similar to his in many ways after all but then again we have some differences.
How are your goals different?
Muggle-borns for one; I don't think they should be killed we hardly have any magical people as it is why limit ourselves more. We should just take the ones that show magical ability from the parents and give them to more deserving magical ones. Power is power after all that is what matters. Besides once we wipe out most of the muggle trash they wont be such a problem.
Most of the Muggles, why not all?
Because the vampires need their food and they would serve a purpose after all just as house-elves do.
How do you purpose to rid the world of MOST of the muggles then, send in the giants?
Not so foolish really until the tide is tipped we still need to work against exposure. Why not just turn them on each other first? Start suspicions, muggles are so quick to turn on each other after all, make them resort to warfare that doesn't affect us by taking out their bombs. They'll kill each other and when they've weakened enough we can start picking them off from the shadows they'll never even know we're there until it's too late!
Brilliant I admit but something like isn't easy to achieve.
Nor anything worthwhile ever easy. After all where is the fun if there isn't a challenge?
True.
Sorry Tom, I must be going I have class in the morning I'll speak with you later.
Harry was greatly disturbed with himself he just couldn't understand what had come over him when he wrote. He knew it wasn't the diary he had taken the steps to insure that he wouldn't fall to its enchantments so it must be something else entirely. This was an utter first for him he never before opened himself up so freely before.
Growing up Harry had been meticulous in keeping himself distant from everyone and everything around him. It showed in everything he did, his careful avoidance of another touch, his past he never even eluded to anyone and how he never let anyone close to him.
No one could truly say they knew who he was and how he thought he was his own council relying on no one. Sure there were people who knew some things and people who he allowed to guide him in his learning…never though had he been so open about his plans.
Morgan knew he was accomplished and sought revenge she knew nothing of the details. Suzie knew his quirks and how he reacted to certain things she didn't know him though not truly. Grace, his snake, he enjoyed his verbal sparring with her and her fierce loyalty. No one else had ever come as close as these three to knowing him…the true him.
And no one was ever supposed to see him as he truly was that was something he'd been so cautious in protecting. However, this diary…this Tom…he felt such a deep and strange connection with him it frightened him to some extent. But he had to admit it had been uniquely liberating to finally voice some of his ideas on what the future held for him.
Before he had been suck in a sea of people surrounded but alone in this vast nothingness that he'd grown accustomed to. He had grown alone, he kept his thoughts to himself and his plans were never openly discussed with anyone. It was sound advice for someone like him to live and remain alone in his existence.
But it didn't work well for him he realized, Harry had tried all his life to rid himself of his meaningless emotions never succeeding in shedding that weakness. Now here was just one more piece of evidence to that fact, he was lonely, after a lifetime spent alone one would think he had moved past that.
It didn't seem so, his loneliness still haunted him and this sweet darkness was his only comfort in this pain of being forever alone. The darkness was his friend, when he had been younger he had whispered to it and Harry believed that his love of dark things that made him excel in anything dealing with the Dark Arts.
It didn't seem though now, that the darkness was enough Harry wanted someone who could match him in intelligence and strength…someone worthy of his trust. And gods…he was lonely. Perhaps that is why he had poured himself a little into that diary and conversed with that memory of someone.
Nonetheless a memory of someone was just that a MEMORY Tom could never be real for him, never be someone whom he could call a friend. But since he refused to allow himself such weakness around anyone living maybe it wasn't so bad to keep talking with his shadow of a person.
Maybe he was just being foolish once again but Harry decided he would allow himself to be revealed to Tom only to Tom for he wasn't real anyways. The relief he had felt to say everything that he had bottled up had been far to delicious to throw away because he felt exposed to this shadow man. Tom was not real and Harry would let himself be with him if no one else.
With that in mind Harry laid down to get some rest tomorrow, he felt, would be a long day.
--x--
James held his wife as she wailed and rocked with her in his arms. They had trusted Albus they had put their faith in him and now he comes to them to say Harry has disappeared! Their baby boy could be anywhere sure they had followed Albus' advice last time to keep him safe but it was different now.
Harry was supposed to be with them now, live with them and grow with his brother not just disappear from the face of the earth! James glared at Albus who sat dejectedly behind his desk watching Lily have her break down with sorrowful eyes and James almost snarled at him.
All this was his fault if he'd just let them have Harry from the beginning they wouldn't be here now grieving for their lost son and wondering where he was. Albus turned away from the sight of the broken parents a little uncomfortable with this, after all it wasn't supposed to be this way it wasn't a part of his plans.
There was one thing he had yet to try and he was wary to ask it of Fawkes, phoenixes were rather proud animals after all. Heaving a great sigh he resigned himself and spent the next hour trying to convince his familiar to carry the acceptance letter to Harry in hopes that where the owls had failed Fawkes would not.
Eventually he had succeeded in persuading him but by then he was just so glad it was finally over with he didn't even notice when Fawkes flamed away.
--x--
Harry stared, the phoenix stared back neither blinking nor daring to move as they stared each other down. "I'm not taking it." He said once again to the stubborn bird that refused to leave until he retrieved the letter from its leg. Harry swore he saw it narrow it eyes into a glare before stretching out its leg once again in his direction demanding he retrieve the thick acceptance letter for its leg.
They'd been this way for the last hour ever since Harry awoke from the burst of flame that signaled this annoyance's arrival. It had blocked his door and kept him from leaving he was already late for his class so he'd resigned himself to missing the day. Not that he was going to give into this thing…ever after all for all he knew to letter could be cursed or have some sort of compulsion web on it.
The phoenix screeched with impatience and didn't stop until Harry took the letter from it (making sure to use the hand with the his enchanted ring on it just in case). Afterwards Harry wished he hadn't the damn thing looked so smug…but it didn't leave. Sighing in frustration Harry decided it was best to get this whole thing over with fast and be done with it.
Taking the time to actually see what the hell was in his hand Harry sneered at it realizing it was for Hogwarts, how utterly predictable. He was eleven after all now and they expected him to go to that pathetic school, well he'd put an end to that now. Taking a quill and some paper he wrote his quick response: To whom it may concern I, Harry James Potter, have no intention of ever attending one Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. I would extend my thanks for the thought but will have to decline on the fact that I'm already enrolled in a satisfactory school. Sincerely yours, Harry James Potter.
Sealing it Harry tied it back onto the indignant bird's leg and it finally flamed away leaving him to his peace finally. Just as he was about to leave for the day to join his classmates it felt a familiar tug that called to his magic. Startled he made his way quickly to the apple wood box placing it on the bed and opening its lid to watch this new tool is born.
The light that had filled up the previously clear blue egg was very bright now and when he looked closely he could see the hairline fractures already forming on its surface. There was a SNAP and a CRACK as the eggshell started to break apart Harry waited eager to see his newest companion.
The sound of shattering glass was heard and Harry could finally see his Vixi emerge from her cocoon to join the world for the first time. She was still small only about two inches tall a baby by all rights still, her hair was a short spiky sky blue and her wings were curved transparent like a dragonfly's.
He could see the two thicker spikes that fell on her face that twitched every so often, these were her antennas but they were disguised well blending in with her hair. Her tiny ears were pointed and she looked about four years old in human development.
Harry smiled faintly looking at her, "Hey there, Tinkerbell, finally decide it was time to come out?" The Vixi blinked for a moment opening her eyes for the first time to look up at him, they were a deep blue and shone with adoration when they landed on him.
She made a jingle that sounded suspiciously like the tinkling of a small bell before she flew up from the eggshell to attach herself to his noise. He almost went cross-eyed trying to look at her, sighing he noticed she was still naked from her birth and he needed to dress her.
He held out his hand and said, "Come here Tink I need to get you dressed." She seemed happy to obey him and immediately landed on his hand waiting for more orders. His faint smile remained as he conjured clothes onto her; she got a strapless green dress that cut off just below her knees and a pair of green slippers with white puffballs atop them. In all he gave her almost the exact same outfit as the Tinkerbell he'd seen in the book.
Harry couldn't help but feel some childish smugness to think he'd gotten himself a better Tinkerbell then Peter had…even if they were both fictional! She was going to be prefect he'd see to that. Right now though she seemed tired so he put her inside the breast pocket of his robes before turning to collect the remains of the egg.
The rest of the day past quickly but Harry stayed in his room, the letter from Hogwarts had affected him more then he thought it would. His parents, they had left him there with those filthy muggles and they wanted him to go to this Hogwarts. He wouldn't ever go there, not to learn anyway maybe one day he would go but to burn it to the ground.
That night his nightmares came back, things he wished to forget but never could came back to haunt him there.
(Dream)
Harry huddled in the corner of the cupboard frightened; he'd been bad today he'd made a noise when that woman from Aunt's book club had come. He knew he would be punished by Uncle when he got home he was a freak he wasn't supposed to make noise not supposed to exist.
He refused to cry though it would only make him happy to see his pain, no he would never cry for them. Suddenly the door opened and a meaty fist grabbed him by the throat tossing him across the room. He slammed into the wall of the kitchen and felt one of his ribs break.
"You FREAK, what have we told you about making noise!" Harry just stared glassy eyed at his tormentor knowing that to speak would just make his punishment worse. He forced himself not to curl into the fetal position as the kicks came. WHACK, CRACK, his arm broke as his Uncle stomped down cackling madly.
The laughter was something he would never forget, how he hated to hear someone laugh. Pain soon took over his thoughts as Vernon lifted him up by his throat tossing him down the flight of steps to the basement below. Then the real freezing fear came, no not again, was all he could think as Vernon kicked him viciously across the floor.
Harry knew what he was expected to do but he'd die before he did so willingly. Tallying up the injuries so far Harry thought briefly that maybe this time he'd finally die, his arm, wrist, the fingers in his left hand, five ribs, his left ankle and right foot all broken.
He could feel the sticky flow of blood where the back of his head had hit the floor and his stomach gave a larch when he saw Vernon go for his 'tool box'. He hadn't eaten in a few days so he could only dry heave when Vernon's foot connected with a sickening thud as he tried to get up.
"Strip down boy, fast if you know what's good for you!" He screamed as he advanced on him with the iron rod this time, and Harry felt so dirty when he complied knowing not doing so would mean something far worse. CRACK the iron met his back as he kneeled on the floor, naked, biting his lip so hard he drew blood to keep himself silent.
The beating lasted for another hour before Vernon left him there broken, bleeding, naked lying on the floor feeling as worthless as they had told him he was. Harry mind though wasn't on the pain, no it was on the things Vernon had said during the beating that had frightened him to the core.
He had said he was almost 'old enough' to 'pay them back' for everything he'd racked up in 'dept' for living here. He was only five but something about those words, the way he had leered at his broken bleeding naked form as he had left made Harry more afraid then he'd ever been.
He woke up screaming in the middle of the night, thanking his foresight in putting more silencing charms on his room then protection wards. Though he never voiced his pain out loud in real life these dreams always seemed to break through his barriers and tear those screams from him. His throat felt raw and his eyes remained haunted as he pushed all thoughts of the 'before' to the dark recesses of his mind.
It was over now, he had killed them and they could never send him back there now. He was safe here; he was dead and couldn't hurt him anymore. Sighing Harry forced his face back into its serene blank expression that it usually bore not the twisted scared one of his nightmares.
Silently he noted Tink was awake and staring at him looking very frightened/worried. Grace was curled around his right arm used to his bouts of fits from their three years together but still trying to comfort him. "It is alright Tink I am fine." He stated picking her up to place her atop his head as he got himself up knowing he wouldn't sleep any more tonight.
Looking at his blank walls he decided this would be his new project, taking out his various art supplies Harry got to work painting a forest on his bedroom walls. It would take him a while to finish but Harry prided himself on his patience he was very good a waiting.
--x--
Albus was panicking, Harry had responded just not the way he had expected. He had declined his offer for schooling at Hogwarts, James was still mimicking a fish in his shock and Lily had stopped crying for the moment. "WHERE THE HELL IS HE OLD MAN!!" James shouted at the end of his rope.
"I don't know…" Dumbledore had long since lost the twinkle in his eyes the note from Harry still lain crumpled in his hands.
--x--
Harry looked around the common room in the dorm for a moment gazing out at the allies he knew everything about and he could tell they trusted him. Each had been hard in their own way to win over to this degree but he had done it they hid nothing from him now.
He knew their weaknesses, he knew their strength and he had their loyalty something he prized above everything. It was their loyalty that would bring him far, not their unending awe of his power, or their fear of his temper. They had all only seen him angry once and it was enough to shock them to the core and they would never forget it.
In their second year a group of girls had cornered Ophelia and had torn into her for some foolishness about a boy. When Harry had come across them with the others after they had gone to search for her what he had done still shook them to remember. His normally stoically calm face had twisted into a terribly angry scowl, he had thrown the whole group across the room and had started to curse them hissing parseltongue.
If a teacher hadn't come along they probably would have died, and to the surprise of them all, the Headmistress had suck by Tristen and he hadn't been expelled. Needless to say from that day on no one had dared so much as look at them funny it was all quite empowering actually.
As Harry sat there in his usual comfy armchair, sketchbook in his lap, he studied each of them analyzing them looking for anything that could be troubling them. The twins were perhaps his most loyal allies and he hadn't figured out why until they had confessed to it accidentally.
For them growing up with a mirror image had been hard, identical to the core it was hard for them to define themselves as an individual. Even their own mother couldn't tell them apart, so they had created there own little world where only they knew whom was who and only they mattered.
They had even started a game of it never letting anyone play with them unless they could correctly guess who was Flora and who was Fauna. It had worked well, still worked well, but now they had another in their world. Harry could see them, he never messed up and called them by the wrong name and he always saw the person inside. It was that which had insured their undying loyalty and love, really it all seemed so foolish to him not that it mattered once he had gotten it.
Cleo and Ophelia had both been bullied his 'saving' of them had just insured that they wanted to do anything to please him; he was their 'savior' after all. Really it was more that he hated seeing anyone be bullied it made him uncomfortable and brought up discerning memories so he put a stop to it.
The boys were a little harder to win over but not by much. Alex was won when he had offered himself as replacement to his cold meals, easy enough and appreciated enough in his society that he had gained their gratitude. Logan was another one that was somewhat easy all it took was showing no fear when he had transformed into his wolf that had done that. His beast was grand though, pure white and powerful it was defiantly a canine to the core however.
All it had taken to tame it was a good scratch behind the ears and showing no signs of anxiety. Gabriel was one of the hardest; he was quiet and shy like him almost just with a weaker will. It had taken hours of dedicated time studying with him and helping him to improve his self-esteem to gain his trust.
After that it had been easier to secure his loyalty Gabriel just needed someone to actually listen to him for that to happen and Harry was an excellent listener. Leon he was still unsure about, he had gained his trust and his friendship Harry just wasn't sure he'd gained his loyalty. He would work hard on him to get that, it was only a matter of time to be sure.
Just then Cleo decided to sit on the floor by his feet careful not to touch him though knowing how uncomfortable it made him feel. "Tristen, what are you doing?" she asked curious to what he was doing with the notebook in his lap. Harry turned his calculating eyes to her for a brief moment before returning to his page.
"You know how Voldemort had marked all his followers with his sign?"
"Yes?"
"It got me thinking of making a sign of my own." He said quietly attention still fixed on his page not noticing he'd gained the entire rooms attention. It wasn't often Harry spoke so freely with them and so they listened when he deemed it right to speak.
"What are you doing that for?" The twins asked simultaneously.
Harry was too focused on his work to really pay attention to what he was answering; he was reaching a breakthrough in his work after all. "I wanted to make a mark that would protect the barer, if my research and calculation are correct that is this would be very beneficial. It would tie the wearer to me, letting me know it they are hurt, it has some minor healing abilities, should be able to summon them through any wards and other things…almost done."
They looked at him wide-eyed they knew Harry was a prodigy from the start, everything they had struggled with he just seemed to grasp so easily. But this was a whole other level, what he was talking about was such a combination of knowledge and power it was really astonishing. To be able to do what he was talking of would take most grown wizards years to grasp the basic theory of and that was with the healing ability alone.
Cleo, however, just heard the part about binding the barer to him and tuned the rest out. "Tristen, may I take your mark?" Harry turned to her surprised for a moment causing him to pause; he hadn't thought that they'd ever ask for his mark more like he would eventually offer it. "Sure Cleo once I'm finished I'll give one to you."
The twins quickly said together, "US TOO!!"
"Me also," Ophelia said firmly leaving no room for argument.
"Yes, I want one as well." Gabriel said in his usual soft willowy tones.
"Don't forget about me, I want a mark too," Logan said heatedly.
Alex looked contemplative for a moment before nodding, "Me as well."
Leon stared at them all for a moment before focusing on Tristen sizing him up for a moment before coming to a decision, "Yes it seems I would like one as well."
Harry for his part was left speechless, it seemed he had more of their loyalty and adoration then he had thought. He smirked inwardly at the thought things were going much faster and easier then planned. Expression still firmly in his blank tranquil mask Harry replied easily, "As you wish" in a quiet breathy way that left them all insanely happy.
They all wished to be closer to him, some more desperately then others but Harry had refused to open up to them. He listen to them, he saw they were all happy, and that they never fell behind the others in anything. They just wished that they could be the same for him; Harry was their rock, and the glue that kept them together.
Mostly they were eager to get his mark as a sort of proof that they indeed mattered to him and that they were his friends. Harry for his part was just pleased that they seemed so fervent to tie their lives to him. Harry shifted and stood ready to retire to his room for the night his mark was almost finished he just needed to add one more thing.
Everyone parted for him not wishing to do something as foolish as touching him and upset him when he seemed like he was in such a good mood. Harry sat on his bed, back pressed against the headboard, letting his mind wander in contemplation before he went back to work.
One legs stretched out before him the other drawn up to his chest to rest his arm against Harry let himself think of his 'family' the sneer that graced his face refused to be repressed. From what little he had learned of himself on Daigonalley he knew one thing for sure, he expected him to be their savior.
This world wished for a martyr someone who they could USE as a symbol, a puppet to their whims and fantasies. That was not something Harry or Tristen would ever let happen. He smirked, looking at his outstretched hand and imagined strings there with snapped lines.
Their puppet had escaped them and become a puppet master it seemed. If Harry could laugh he would have in the irony of it all but he hated laughter so he held himself back. He smiled viciously instead, it was fitting that it was their blind faith in that savior that they had created that would let him manipulate them in the end.
He spotted the dairy and gave into the urge to write in it, the day had been to long it seemed and he needed the relief.
Hello again Tom.
Hello Tristen how was your day?
Long, I didn't even get to classes got trapped in my room by a bloody phoenix.
What?
They could reach me by owl it seemed to invite me to Hogwarts so they sent a phoenix…overkill if you ask me.
Yes, well what did you reply?
I told them I had no intention of ever joining their backwater school.
Need I remind you that I went to that 'backwater school'.
Yes well obviously you were meant for greater they just got to you first.
How do you figure that?
The idiots they produce couldn't have created this journal in their sixth year! Not with the way they teach you obviously were a cut above the rest and they wanted to keep you…probably kept Seline (the Headmistress) from contacting you. I wouldn't be too surprised if that were the case; Dumbledore is a manipulative old bat from what I gather.
Yes, he never let me out of his sight it was truly aggravating at the time.
I imagine it would be; they don't even study the dark arts I'm told…so much for a rounded education.
And you study it at Noctiluca?
Of course we study all forms of magic nothing is kept from us. If I were inclined to I could choose whatever I wanted to study and leave the rest out. They offer a wide range of classes here, light, dark it doesn't matter if it deals with magic you're sure to a least find a book on it here.
That's enlightening; tell what else does this school of yours offer?
Noctiluca graduates tend to keep to the shadows so they have all kinds of classes on politics, and the arts. Most find it very easy to be entertainers so as not to raise suspicions, a lot are in the different ministries but most just choose to travel the world to expand their knowledge. I plan to change that though it is time that the magical world acknowledged their betters.
I see, so why the arts? Why not just politics?
Tongues are looser around performers and suspicions are lower. Most think that entertainers are weak; they let their guard down. Everyone learns to cast by singings or through music we'd be devastating in a war because we can cast whole armies under a spell before they even realize we are at it.
It sounds like your schools planning to take over the world with all the spies and what not.
No, no I think we are waiting not planning.
Waiting for what?
Waiting for the right time or maybe the right cause to throw our lot in with. Noctiluca students learn to depend on each other sure there are some who are rotten but most will stand behind you. I gain valuable allies here, and there are some who I know would die for me.
How so?
Like some, I know the best way to rule is to attack the heart but unlike most I don't go for fear/awe I do it for loyalty. If they love me they will die for me so I handle them with care at first learn what makes them tick and use that to make them devoted to me.
Why would you want their devotion?
Because I know that they would not b easily swayed from my side if they are devoted, if they crave my approval they will do just about anything to get it. I intend to change the world I am not idiotic enough to think I can achieve this alone. Even if they are just puppets they all serve their purposes and do so eagerly.
Surely you don't expect to be able to gain an army with your approach it would take to much time.
I never waste anything especially my time; no quality over quantity in this after all one good soldier can take on ten idiotic ones. I only ever approach ones who will be an asset to me that can become strong and show that they could prove their worth nothing below that is acceptable.
So do you intend to conquer the world then Tristen, to become the cause your school will stand up for?
Perhaps, or perhaps I too am waiting. This conversation has come to an end I don't have much time tonight.
As you wish, goodnight Tristen.
Goodnight Tom, perhaps next time you will tell me of yourself and not try to manipulate me into revealing just myself.
Perhaps…
Harry smiled a little at that, he could get used to this it felt as if a weight had been lifted from him once again. He began to think maybe all he needed to keep those pesky emotions in check was a good rant to Tom, not that it mattered it was going to be a long year he could feel it.
--x--
The next few days were blessedly ordinary no birds blocking his escape from his room, no hatchlings, no new troubles to address and yet Harry couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding. Today was no different and the feeling just increased as the day wore on and he didn't like it one bit.
At lunch the Headmistress came to their table and Harry knew the feeling was just about to come to a head. Surprisingly it wasn't he who she came to see it was Leon and that didn't bode well at all for Harry. Leon was the only one he wasn't sure of and this time could be the day he gained his loyalty or lost his trust.
With that in mind Harry followed them as they left the school grounds and headed to the beach shore, it didn't look good. As a fire elemental Leon had a good grasp on his more extreme emotions because fire was a part of them should he lose that control whole cities could burn to the ground.
Fire wasn't an element meant to be controlled by anything or anyone, ever, so fire elementals were always on a precarious perch in life. Should they ever loose himself to his flame he could burn to brightly, burn to fast and he would die. If the Headmistress deemed Leon at risk of losing himself to take him this far from the school whatever she was going to say would be a hard blow.
She faced him, face grim and magic discretely at ready if she needed to retreat in a hurry should he explode. "Leon, I have some terrible news, your eldest brother Michael has been killed."
"W-what…how…why?" he just looked lost for a moment, "Wait KILLED! Someone MURDERERED my brother?"
"I'm afraid so, he got into a tussle with someone I was told and things got out of hand…"
"MY BROTHER is GONE and all you can say is THINGS GOT OUT OF HAND! HE'S DEAD THINGS BLOODY WELL GOT WAY OUT OF HAND!" The flames started to dance around him, his arms caught first and Seline had already got herself a safe distance away before he gave an anguished angry cry.
Falling to his knees he screamed and his whole body turned into a bright blue flame it looked as it he was made of flames and a pillar of fire rose up from him at his call.
Harry for his part stood frozen hidden behind the tree line watching the display of sheer power going on before him, but a grief-stricken sob drew him back. His brow creased lightly, Harry knew everything about his allies and knew what this could mean for Leon. If he didn't get himself together he could lose control completely and die from his grief.
It only took a moment for him to decide, Leon was to valuable to throw away especially after this display of power. He sent Tink to his room with Grace before powering up his enchanted ring and it glowed a deep emerald green as he cautiously approached the flames.
The sand beneath him had long since turned to shattered glass that cracked with every step he took cutting into his feet and slowing his progress. The heat didn't reach him but the fierce swirling air from it pushed him back it took longer to reach Leon's huddled form then he had anticipated.
By then his feet were like shredded meat and Leon was too far-gone to bring back with simple words. Harry hesitated in the end, a fear consumed him and he couldn't bring himself to touch the crumpled grieving boy. He shook in fear, but he forced himself to kneel beside him not paying attention to the glass cutting into his legs.
Bile rose up in his throat, and he trembled beside him. Harry knew Leon needed contact to pull him back from the edge of despair but his skin crawled at the thought of being touched so intimately. Nevertheless he forced himself to do it and slowly his arms reached around the sobbing boy encircling him in a hug.
Harry couldn't stop himself from trembling but made sure he still offered the comfort Leon needed to get through this, "I will not lie to you, I can't understand your pain. And I don't know what it is you're going through, but I do know from what you have said of your brother that he would not want this for you. Come back Leon, live, if not for yourself then for him live for your brother since he can no longer live for himself!"
The flames slowly died, the fire shaped boy became human looking once more and soon just slow tears of mourning burn their trails down his aggrieved face. "Thank you…" he whispered taking comfort in Harry's arms. Harry held onto him for a while longer before the blood lose got to him and he fell onto Leon in a dead faint.
Leon only had a moment to react catching Tristen before he fell onto the awaiting ring of shattered glass made from his flames of grief. It was only when he was cradling him in his arms that Leon realized two important things. One: Tristen had shredded his legs when he had come to his rescue and Two: Tristen had HELD him, had touched him something he avoided at all costs.
Tristen didn't like to be touched, the most he ever did was in dance class or to grab your hand he never let anyone touch him more then absolutely necessary. Yet, he had done it for him, had offered him something he never gave freely and for that Leon was grateful. Leon also knew now that he would die for the boy in his arms if it ever came down to it, he owned Tristen his life and he intended to pay him back even if it took the rest of his life.
AN: Next Chapter: Ecounters with the Boy-who-lived's brother and Suzie's first year at Hogwarts! I can't wait to write it if I get enough reviews that is! lol holding the next chapter hostage until I see some good reports on this story! lol I know...I suck!! P