Blessed Chapter 3: The Intruder
Author's Note: I apologize for the late update guys! I'll do my best to be faster from now on! I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!
Disclaimer: I own nothing expect the original plot of this story. I do not own Harry Potter or Final Fantasy 13-2
3rd Person P.O.V
As soon as Hope's body fully materialized in front of the structure, the foggy sphere's shine began to putter out and the spiraling stripes of metal that circled it came to a halt; the magic was over. As soon as his levitating body set foot on the Great Hall's cobblestone floor, the trance that had temporarily possessed all who had watched him arrive dissipated as well.
"Levicorpus," commanded the strong voice of Albus Dumbledore. Just as the young man had touched the ground he was once again lifted into the air, but this time he found himself upside down as if he was being dangled from his ankle. A swarm of teachers circled Hope and among them Harry saw Severus Snape point his wand threateningly at the intruder's throat to stop the captive's struggles.
Harry could not stand idly by. Dumbledore was making a mistake and Harry wouldn't allow them to take Hope away before he got to learn the answers to the many questions plaguing his mind.
"Don't hurt him!" Harry yelled as he prepared to run to the scene but before he could he felt a large hand clamp firmly on his shoulder. The teachers' heads immediately snapped around to identify the voice that spoke out for the man who had infiltrated their castle and they weren't surprised to see it was Harry. They waited a moment longer to hear the usual chorus of approval from the boy's friends yet the sound never came. His friends stood just behind him but no one seconded Harry's concern. After all, they too were wondering why Harry would possibly defend this stranger.
"Harry, is that you?" questioned the intruder as his face began to redden due to the blood rushing to his head. All heads turned to the strange man.
"I think it's about time we go." Hagrid remarked frantically as he gathered Harry and his friends and began to push them towards the exit.
"There'll be no need for that Hagrid," Dumbledore ordered his wand arm still outstretched levitating the prisoner. "You may leave Mr. Potter here but please escort everyone else to their Common Room."
Without another word Harry's friends were whisked away but not without confused and outraged looks overtaking their features. Harry tried to mouth 'I'll tell you later' but Hagrid had already made them turn in the opposite direction before he had the chance.
"Mr. Potter, do you know this man?" Professor McGonagall questioned beckoning Harry towards her.
"I saw him in a dream." Harry admitted.
"A dream?" Dumbledore asked his voice becoming hoarse. "Harry, you do know having dreams like that is dangerous. This man could have tapped into your mind."
"You're not taking this boy seriously Headmaster?" Dolores Umbridge demanded.
"Yes." Harry sighed cutting Umbridge off. He was starting to realize how irresponsible his behavior would seem, but he was also growing a slight annoyance with his professors, they weren't there, they weren't the ones that had been told that their lives were in danger once again. Despite being in constant danger, the genuine spark of panic that had formed in Harry's heart had felt worse than what he had experienced before, maybe this was because it came from an evil he did not yet know. Yet Harry had also somehow instantly trusted Hope, a trust perhaps forged between two people who shared an amazing gift. "But that isn't the point right now!"
"Then what is?" Snape scowled as he pressed his wand harder against the intruder's throat.
"That you're in terrible danger, Harry!" Hope wheezed his face flushed and wet with perspiration, he wouldn't be able to stand being hung upside down much longer.
"Silence." Snape's voice commanded his words cutting through the air like a knife.
"What did this man tell you?" McGonagall questioned.
"He told me that his name is Hope Estheim and that's he from another world. He said that we have some kind of a gift that putting us in danger. He wants to help me." Harry answered suddenly becoming strangely aware of how crazy he was beginning to sound.
"You seriously cannot be that naïve." Umbridge remarked shaking her head in disbelief.
"Quiet Dolores," Dumbledore ordered raising his free hand to silence her. "Severus give the man some room, I think it's time to ask him a few questions." When the black-haired Professor finally lowered his wand from the prisoner's throat Dumbledore spun Hope to face right side up much to the man's relief. "Get the veritaserum."
"Accio veritaserum," muttered the black-haired wizard. Within only a few moments a flask came flying through the air only to land perfectly in the caster's outstretched palm.
"What is that?" Hope asked becoming concerned. "Harry?" he called searching for some assistance.
"Nothing of consequence, dear." Umbridge assured with a shrill giggle. Before the young man had any time to object he found his mouth being forced open and a strange liquid slowly making its way down his throat; burning his esophagus like acid.
"Well that was foul." Hope blurted out as he attempted to spit out the excess serum. He normally wasn't so impolite, even in a situation like this. Hope was usually more prone to reversing his judgments.
"Glad to see the serum is working." Snape remarked.
"What do you mean working?" The intruder demanded the pitch of his voice raising an octave. "What did you give me?"
"A truth serum." The Headmaster answered simply.
"There's nothing to be afraid of, unless of course you have something to hide." Dolores Umbrige smiled a little too widely.
"We're going to ask you a few questions. If Mr. Potter is willing to remain quiet he will be allowed in listen in on your questioning. Is this not fair?" Dumbledore proposed sending a pointed look at both the intruder and Harry.
"Yes, of course." Hope nodded regaining some of his composure. "But you wouldn't perhaps want to put me down now, would you?" he requested although he knew the answer.
"I'm afraid not." Dumbledore said shaking his head, a slight smile tugging up the corners of his mouth. "Mr. Estheim was it?"
"Hope Estheim, yes." He replied.
"Why have you come here? Did you actually come here from another world as Mr. Potter told us?" Dumbledore asked beginning the questioning.
"As I said earlier, Harry is in grave danger. I needed to come here from my world, yes another world, in order to prepare him for what is coming"
"What exactly do you think is coming?" Umbrige interjected crossly.
"We believe that someone from my world is going to come here to kill Harry." Hope informed them slowly in attempt to drop the load lightly onto the wizards.
"What would anyone in your world possibly have against Harry?" Dumbledore questioned the anger clear in his voice.
"Harry posses a special gift. One, which until recently, I thought impossible. He's – he's a time-traveler." Hope confessed, allowing the knowledge to flow freely.
"That is absolute nonsense! Headmaster I demand-!" Professor Umbridge yelled pointing an accusing finger at the mysterious intruder.
"Dolores, please." The Headmaster said cutting the Ministry official off. "Continue Mr. Estheim." Dumbledore insisted.
"That place we were in during your dream is called the Historia Crux. You can use it to travel through the flow of time." Hope began to explain to the adolescent but he soon realized Harry wasn't listening.
"How-how can this be happening?" Harry asked himself in disbelief. "You must have the wrong person Hope. I've never done or seen anything like this in my life. I mean when I found out I was a wizard I could at least do things but-"
"You had that dream, didn't you?" Hope provided gently.
"But that's-" Harry objected.
"It starts off with the dreams then it…. then it escalates." Hope explained trailing off.
"Is that what happened to you, Mr. Estheim?" Dumbledore said continuing the interrogation despite Harry outbursts. He should have excepted Harry to disobey his orders in a situation like this anyhow.
"No. A good friend of mine started off like that; Serah. She's back in my world, travelling through the timeline." Hope elaborated giving more detail than he would have liked thanks to the truth serum.
"Why can we have these dreams?" Harry asked, slowly coming to terms with this new information.
"We were blessed by a Goddess called Etro." Hope replied. On his way to this world he didn't know how he was going to explain Harry's situation but the truth serum seemed to produce the words for him; all he had to do was let them out.
"A goddess he claims! Are you all going to sit here while this intruder shoves rubbish down our throats?" Umbridge cried in outrage.
"Let me remind you Miss Umbridge that "this intruder" is under the effect of veritaserum. Continue Mr. Estheim." Snape volleyed in his usual monotone drawl.
"Harry when you were a baby your mother sacrificed herself to save your life, correct?" Hope questioned.
"How did you-?" Snape asked quietly to himself wondering how a person who claimed to be from another world could possibly know about Lily's death.
"Then when the killer went after you the spell back-fired and you obtained your scar?" Hope asked for clarification.
"Yes," Harry agreed hesitantly no quite sure where this conversation would lead.
"I'm afraid it wasn't your mother that saved you…" Hope admitted as he observed Harry. The look that soon overtook his face; one of sheer disbelief and a deep unforgotten pain, is the one that he imagined himself to have worn when his own mother died.
"No… that can't be…." Harry whispered as he began to lightly shake his head.
"When the goddess saw the sacrifice your mother made, she intervened and saved your life and that's how we believe you were blessed with the gift of time travel." Hope blurted out, not only was the serum causing Hope's words to be truthful, it was also forcing them out of his mouth against his will. He didn't want to have to continue this story but he didn't have a choice in that matter. He had planned to tell Harry all of this information slowly and with tact but that plan had clearly been blown out of the water. Now the young wizard was forced to hear all of this astonishing news all at once.
"Why did you decide to come here and tell us all this?" Professor Snape demanded his tone holding a slight edge.
"My colleagues and I aren't the only ones who know about Harry's gift in my world. The Seeress, someone who can see into the future," Hope amended, "saw Harry in a vision, that's how we found out about his gift. But, the Seeress's guardian, Caius, wants Harry dead."
"Why, does my gift affect your world somehow?" Harry asked his voice trembling; he couldn't imagine having two powerful murders targeting him.
"The Seeress, Yeul, is cursed to have these visions of the future whether she wants them or not. She is doomed to see the future no matter how horrible it may be. This is why Caius wants to save her."
"How does he plan to do that?" Dumbledore asked hesitantly although he didn't want to hear the answer.
"Caius is attempting to stop time in my world by transporting it into a realm called Valhalla. It wouldn't be past him to try to kill Harry if Caius feels it will help Yeul. Perhaps he will try to send your world to Valhalla as well." Hope provided grimly.
"What is Valhalla?" Professor McGonagall asked her eyes wide and her face ashen.
"Valhalla, sometimes referred to as the Unseen realm, is a world untouched by the flow of time. Time simply doesn't exist there. If Caius were able to send our worlds to Vahalla, Yeul would no longer have to be plagued with visions of the future, because their simply would be no future to see."
"Is Caius really that strong that he could send a whole world into this dimension?" Dumbledore questioned the open air. "What do you suggest we do?" He questioned meeting Hope's deep green eyes with his own tired stare as he tried to search for the deeper personality behind the mysterious man.
"Brace yourselves for the worst I suppose. If you will allow me I may be able to predict when Caius will arrive. I will also do my best to prepare Harry for what is to come." Hope proposed as he met Dumbledore's gaze with as much sincerity as he could.
"Tell me just one more thing Mr. Estheim…. Why is it that you care? Why would you even bother to help us?" Dumbledore pressed as he stared mercilessly at Hope's face this time his glance accusing.
"How could I possibly let something as terrible as that happen when I knew about it and could do something to stop it? My world was almost torn at the very seams; I know what it's like to feel true fear! I overcame it and I would never let that happen to anyone-!" Hope yelled. He stopped himself. It took every bit of his strength not to say anything more but he couldn't tell them that; not yet. The memories were too painful, the wounds too raw. He was getting too emotional.
"I see there's more to that story than you're willing to admit Mr. Estheim." Dumbledore remarked. Hope remained silent, determined not to say another word. "All in due time I suppose…. you said that you could predict Caius's arrival?"
"Yes. But I'll have to get close to the gate first." Hope said letting himself hope that he may soon touch solid ground again.
"Fair enough." Dumbledore replied. "Can we trust you enough to let you go, Mr. Estheim?" There was a greater meaning behind these words. What Dumbledore was really saying is; can a trust you enough to help me? Will I be able to rely on you? But most importantly; can I entrust Harry's safety to you?
"Yes." Hope answered truthfully letting his eyes drift over to Harry who gave him a brief nod of approval. The Headmaster slowly began to lower Hope; who now touched the floors of Hogwarts this time not as an intruder; but as a guest.
"Wait just a moment Headmaster!" interrupted Dolores Umbridge. "You're letting him go? You do know I wouldn't let this stand! I'll report it to the Ministry immediately!"
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Hope recommended. "I'm the best source of information you have. If you want your best chance against Caius and for Harry to live, you need me. You can't afford to have me sent away" The stout women merely narrowed her eyes.
"What makes you such an expert?"
"The fact I am an expert." Hope explained. "I work for an organization that specializes in technology including that of devices involved with time travel. I had been studying these gates and tracking Caius for quite awhile before I figured out that I too possessed the gift of time travel." Umbridge refused to reply and decided to instead put her hands on her hips and turn away from the conversation. Despite her reluctance, Hope knew he had silenced her; at least for now.
"Oh really?" Dumbledore smiled at the young man's shift in personality. He could tell that Hope was a competent young man from the way he talked but he was admittedly quite relieved that he possessed knowledge of what they would be facing. The Headmaster thought he would have to dig for information on this new enemy with Hope's knowledge as mere clues, but perhaps that wouldn't be necessary. "How about that gate then?"
"Not a problem." Hope answered as he begun to take his tablet out of his pocket. "I'll just have to run a few test with this-" He explained producing the device. He was about to further explain the process when he noticed the people around him giving him the strangest look. "What?"
"I'm afraid that wouldn't work here." Professor McGonagall warned gently. "Technology doesn't work at this school, there's simply too much magic here."
"You're kidding me…." Hope trailed off in disbelief. When the Head of Gryffindor House nodded gravely at him he knew that this was no joke, he would really have to rely on magic again. He hadn't done that in a very long time.
"Speaking of magic you seem to know quite a bit about it. When we lifted you into the air you didn't even question it." Albus Dumbledore remarked almost as if he could read Hope's thoughts.
"That's because I can also use magic." Hope blurted out. He was starting to get quite annoyed with this truth serum. "But I haven't used it for quite a long time." He amended his gaze becoming downcast and his voice soft.
"I have a feeling there's quite a lot we don't know about you yet Mr. Estheim." Dumbledore commented the corners of his lips quirking upwards.
"All in due time." Hope volleyed repeating the wise man's words.
~END CHAPTER~