Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter J. K. Rowling does. I am using a few lines from the first book but that is not my work that is hers.
A/N: Italics mean Parseltongue, mail, Voldemort speaking to Quirrell, and/or lines form Philosophers Stone. Bold Italics are Fate speaking to Deaths mind.
Slytherin Common Room
A group of five seventh years huddled in the corner of the common room; plotting on how they would accomplish their plan to rape the cute fifth year Ravenclaw, Penelope Clearwater. Their plan had changed from their original intended victim when they saw her talking amicably with another girl; they had decided to attack her on the fifth floor.
Death looked on impassively; with a sad shake of his head Death melded back into the shadows. Deciding that it was time to explain his interference to his young apprentice and remind him of the upcoming event.
Ravenclaw Boys dorm
Harry was just brushing his teeth when he felt the temperature drop around him. He looked in the mirror and saw the door lock behind him. He quickly washed the toothpaste from his mouth then said. "I know it's you Death; my question is why are you so interested in me? What have I done to deserve so much attention?"
Harry watched as a black fog began to form into a hooded figure.
"To answer your question, young Lord Potter, we have a similar goal. The Dark Lord you defeated all those years ago still lives. However, he is weak and is only a spirit. Voldemort's real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle. He was like Draco Malfoy once, a naïve, young boy. As a young man he discovered a way to cheat me. The method he used is relatively unknown, but well documented. A Horcrux is part of a vile branch of dark magic; to create one forces the creator to kill an innocent soul, normally a child. That individual's soul is then split into two pieces, thus allowing a piece of the soul to be transferred into an object. This object acts as an anchor keeping a person in this world even if the body has died. Now these items could be anything,." Death thought for a moment.
"It is unfortunate that we, as divine beings, are not allowed to interact physically, otherwise I would have destroyed what he had created. Be that it may they exist and I cannot destroy them myself, but in time you will have to step in." Death paused to collect his thoughts weighing in how much to reveal.
Harry noticed that Death seemed to be having an argument with himself. He did not want to show any disrespect to the entity that could click his fingers and end his life without a second thought. Suddenly he heard Death talking again.
"Now, where was I? Oh yes, as long as a piece of the soul is not destroyed an individual can remain 'alive'. This makes the person 'immortal'. That is how Tom survived all those years ago." The temperature seemed to drop when Death said this. "While I do not know for certain, but I believe Dumbledore knows how Tom survived those years ago. So be wary of the old man. I suspect Dumbledore will try to test you." (that's the best I can come up with as alternative)
Later that evening
Penelope Clearwater was making her way along the fifth floor back to the Ravenclaw dorms. Normally she would have taken the direct route to her common room through the second floor however she had this feeling that she needed to take the longer route around. As she walked past an alcove the last thing she heard was someone muttering "Stupefy."
Harry was making his way through the grand staircase, as he was just about to make his way up to the fifth floor landing when the stairs began to move. Harry gritted his teeth, he sent a silent plea out to Hogwarts. The castle's reply startled him.
"I am sorry, milord, I have no control over them; something is stopping me from taking control. I can tell you the boys already have Miss Clearwater. I have tried to contact the headmaster but he seems to not be interested in this."
"Lady Hogwarts, send the ghosts, hell, anything to try and stop them. I know! Peeves, come here right now!"
The poltergeist appeared in front of Harry. "You called, my Lord."
"Yes, go to the fifth floor; a group of Slytherins are about to rape student. Give them hell. As the owner of Hogwarts I give you permission to use any force needed to stop them or hold them up till I get there."
Peeves smiled. "It will be done, milord, you can count on it!" Peeves zoomed off cackling with glee.
Harry sighed, "Lady Hogwarts seal the headmaster in his office."
A blinding flash of light stopped him in his tracks. When he could see again there was a majestic phoenix hovering in front him. It was looking at him almost pleading with him to take its outstretched leg. Hogwarts provided a name for the bird: Fawkes. Taking the offered leg Harry was lifted into the air with no effort at all, and as he travelled he started studying the noble bird taking in every aspect of it he could. This form along with the basilisk would be a serious boost to his animagi arsenal.
As Harry landed on the fifth floor landing he could hear commotion of someone screaming, "Get lost, you crazy ghost!"
Harry sighed in relief, for the briefest of moments Harry let rage fill his heart as he blew the door off its hinges. Before the boys in the room could see who had spoiled their fun they were stunned and bound from a few quick flicks of Harry's wand. Harry quickly made his way over to the distraught fifth year. He knelt down next to her with Peeves behind him. Harry turned to Peeves and congratulated him on his deeds. Harry went even further to use the word 'noble' to describe the poltergeist's actions.
Peeves just blinked in response before he bowed. "It was an honour, milord."
Harry helped Penelope to her feet and walked her back to Ravenclaw common room. Before he left he used a sticking charm to pin all the attempted rapists to the wall in the classroom. He then removed all their wands and snapped them. Once back at the common room, Harry handed Penelope over to their fellow housemates, and stormed towards the headmaster's office. There was going to be hell to pay once he got through with the senile bastard.
Headmaster's Office
Albus was confused as Hogwarts had insistently warned him verbally about a group of Slytherins about to sexually assault Miss Clearwater, but he kept telling the castle they would stop once they realized what they were about to do was wrong. About five minutes into the argument Fawkes flashed out of his office looking mighty annoyed. What could have angered such a peaceful bird?
He was snapped out of his mental calculations by the sound of his proximity alarm. This simple little charm allowed him to make it seem that he was consciously aware of people's arrival at the entrance to his office. Before he had the chance to bid the visitor entrance the door was flung open. Albus scowled at the angry look on young Lord Potter's face. Did that boy really think he owned this school? As if the brat really held that kind of power, ha!
"Yes, Lord Potter, is there anything I can do for the owner of our fine school?" Albus did not try and hide his agitation with his action. If he could get Harry to fly off the handle he might be able to use this as proof the Greengrass' were treating him "improperly" and he could then get the boy under his thumb.
"Knock it off Headmaster Dumbledore. I know for a fact that Hogwarts warned you about an impending rape, and that you did nothing about it."
The rage seething under Harry's voice was intense. Minerva who, was behind him, looked absolutely livid, and before Albus could ask her anything Lord Potter started in on him again.
"Why was I, an eleven year old noble, the one who had to answer Hogwarts' cry for help? Why weren't you doing your job headmaster?"
"I swear to you, Lord Potter, those boys meant no harm to Miss Clearwater." Albus said in his most grandfatherly tone hoping this would assuage the young man.
"BULLSHIT!"
The usually reserved McGonagall only nodded at this outburst.
"I saw more of Miss Clearwater than I ever intended to see, sir!" Harry then turned to Minerva. "Professor McGonagall, if you wouldn't mind contacting the Aurors I would like those 'boys' off school grounds before dawn. I have opened the Floo network blocks on the fifth floor to make it easier for them."
"I am afraid you do not have that authority Lord Potter," Albus said this with more sternness than he had said in any of his previous years.
"Wrong again, Dumbledore!" This time it was Minerva who responded not the annoying brat.
"As Lord of this castle he has the right to open the Floo network to the authorities, and I find it appalling that you view the threat of a potential rape as something so trivial."
With that Minerva turned on her heals and flooed Madam Bones.
"Minerva…"
"Don't even think about stopping her Professor Dumbledore. If you will remember the new rules state that such an event is instant expulsion and arrest."
Dumbledore glared over at the young man expecting to see a smirk plastered on his petulant face, but the stern gaze that was on the young man's face was almost frightening.
"Harry, think of their future. They are young, and if they…"
"Went to Azkaban, Miss Clearwater could sleep peacefully at night. Yes, I know this professor, and if you think I should be worried about their lost 'youth' you're wrong. They damn near stole the innocence of a young woman, and that, sir, in my book is a crime of the highest caliber." Albus' blood was boiling at being cut off.
"Well said, Lord Potter." The voice of Madam Bones cut Albus off.
"I am glad that you are here. With you and Professor McGonagall looking out for the students I don't think I need to worry about my niece's safety. The Aurors should have those boys off school grounds before the hour is done, milord." Harry grinned at the news.
"Thank you Madam Bones, you are truly a testament to what the head of office should be." Harry nodded his head in her direction. "If you will follow me I will let you know what I discovered once I arrived on the fifth floor."
As the group left his office Albus kicked his desk, and he could hear Death's voice in the back of his mind.
"Pawn to E5,"the laughter that followed was bone chilling. In his mind Albus could see a miniature version of himself move across a chessboard.
Minerva's Office
"So you're telling me Dumbledore knew this was going to happen, but did nothing?" Madam Bones' voice was laced with rage, and her monocle looked ready to crack.
"Yes, ma'am." Harry said as he looked at the head of the DMLE with respect and a slight twinge of fear. Sure he was Lord of Hogwarts, but he was not about to get on the wrong side of this woman. "His former familiar, Fawkes, flashed over to assist me in getting there before the actual assault could go any further. I don't want to pin this on the old man, but none of the stairs seemed to work properly. I had to get Peeves to go stall for time till I got there."
"If you had told me this kind of thing a year ago I would have told you that you'd gone 'round the twist." Professor McGonagall said with a sigh. "I think there may be more victims of this kind of attack than we're aware of."
"I think you're right Minerva. I will start a full investigation into Dumbledore's actions over the last few years, and see if I can find any victims of his incompetence." Madam Bones let out in a huff. "I think I will bring this before the Board of Governors, and see if I can't get him removed as headmaster."
"No, don't." when both adults looked at him Harry simply smiled. "Well, I believe in an old muggle phrase 'If you give a man enough rope…'"
It was Professor McGonagall that finished the phrase. "…They hang themselves." All three of them nodded in agreement.
Divine dimension
Death sat at his chessboard. He just moved Albus Dumbledore's piece. "Three more moves and you will be in checkmate."He was pulled from his thoughts by Fate suddenly appearing before him.
"What can I do for you Fate?"
Fate sat down opposite Death and picked one of the pieces on the board. "Just came to let you know, that I have just changed a few things for the future. Of course I won't tell you what they are, just in case you decide to interfere once more."
Death tilted his head to look at Fate. "So it wasn't you who took control of the stairs, preventing Harry from saving that fifth year."
Fate glared at Death. She knew he thought that she was a bitch, but would he honestly believe she would enjoy watching someone getting raped.
"I have no idea what you are talking about; I have been too busy weaving young Potter's future. Plus, do you really think I would prevent someone from stopping a crime such as that. I may be a bitch sometimes Death, but I am not evil."
Death carried on looking at Fate; as he wasn't sure if he believed her or not, but decided to change the topic altogether.
"I trust his future is the only one you have changed?"
Fate raised her eye brow. "Of course, Daphne will still get her prince charming, and they both shall live happily ever after. They would live until they were 200 years old, but you making young Potter your apprentice puts a stop to that. I assume you are going to allow Daphne to become the queen of Death as well?" She asked with sarcasm
Death growled. "You know full well there is no such title. However I do have a plan to make her immortal. When he becomes the master of death. I take it you won't tell me about the changes you have made?
Fate shook her head. "Sorry, dear, the boy has had an easy life up to now. It's time he was challenged a little. You will just have to wait and see to what I have cooked up for him."
With those last words Fate vanished leaving Death to continue his move on the board.
A/N:There you go. Chapter ten complete. Again a Big Thank you to my Beta HowlnMadHowie.