Hey everybody, hope you're doing alright, that's your weeks been good. Anyway, thank you for the everlasting support but now without further ado, on with the story!
Flashbacks
How It Should've Been
Chapter 4: Away We Go
It had been hardly a week since the death of the Potters and yet Alex and Sirius were already at the others' throats, arguing.
"Do you think I give a crap!?" Sirius cried outraged. "You're leaving him!"
"I told you from the start that I wouldn't always be here! That I had my own life too!" Alex shouted back.
"He should be top priority!" Sirius yelled.
"Maybe for you! But remember, this is not my home! New York is! I have a life there and people to help! I have to deal with my own problems!" Alex countered.
"He needs your help more!"
"No, he doesn't! He's not fighting a battle of life or death right now! My friends are!" She shouted.
"And what happens if you die?" He demanded.
"I don't plan to."
"If you go, don't bother coming back." He told her firmly. Alex's jaw clenched and her eyes flashed with power before she vanished in arcs of electricity.
The three vanished in arcs of electricity.
They reappeared sprawled on the floor of the living room of the Potters home. Alex, who was flat on her back on the floor next to where the coffee table was groaned before flipping over onto hands and knees and standing. Harry who was laying on his back through the wreckage that once was the coffee table, groaned before rolling over and pushing himself upright. They shared a look before looking around the room. The girl from the Diagon Alley landed upside down on one of the leather sofa's. They watched her as she righted herself and stood.
She stared right back at them, not the slightest bit worried that she had just hiked an uninvited ride or that they didn't look particularly thrilled.
"You're like me." She said bluntly, with no preamble.
"Well why else would we have been in Diagon?" Alex remarked.
"You aren't a witch." The girl commented looking at Alex. Alex and Harry shared a glance.
"How'd you know?" Alex questioned curious.
"I presume the same way you knew I wasn't merely a witch." The girl answered and when Harry raised an eyebrow she continued. "Your eyes glowed emerald green for a second." She directed towards Alex. "And your eyes had wisps of fire in them." She told Harry. "As I assume mine held electricity." She finished.
"As they reflect the power you hold. You nor my friend here are full Masters. But rather partials." Alex commented.
"And yours flashed your iris color. Because you are a master." The girl finished.
"Why'd you chase us?" Harry demanded.
"Why'd you run?" The girl countered.
"We're incredibly rare to begin with, imagine how insane it would seem to see another in a wizarding alley, today. Also, you are as much as a threat as we are. Had no idea what you'd do." Alex answered.
"I chased because you intrigued me." The girl also answered. "I'm Luna." She introduced herself. Alex's eyes widened for a split second.
"Alex." She followed suit before sharing a look with Harry, who was still in his disguise. She nodded. He reach up and tapped his dogtag, causing his short and spiky jet-black hair to came back as well as his emerald green eyes.
"Harry." He followed after the other two. Luna's eye widened.
"Why'd you reveal yourself to someone you don't even know?" She inquired, curious.
"Well there aren't many of us so we have to stick together, right?" He answered. Luna nodded in response. Sirius entered the room seconds later. He looked from Luna to Alex and then to Harry.
"Should I be worried?" He asked.
"Nah." Alex answered. Sirius nodded.
"Harry, can I speak with you in the study?" He asked and turned leaving the room not waiting for an answer. Harry looked to Alex before leaving the room behind Sirius. Alex turned back to look at Luna.
"So, how much do you know? "Alex questioned.
"I know the world if that's what you're asking." Luna answered.
"How? Is someone in your family a full master?" Alex demanded.
"No, a friend of mine who's aunt's cousin is a one though."
"So, your friends, aunt's cousin is a master. Have you met them?"
"Yes, he taught me about the world when he saw the same thing that you saw today. He taught me how to control my power and use it with my magic." Luna spoke. Alex nodded in acceptance.
"You go to Hogwarts?"
Meanwhile
"Harry, I haven't been exactly honest with you." Sirius started once the two were in the study.
"Meaning?" Harry asked, skeptical and cautious. Sighing, Sirius reached in a desk cabinet and pulled out the letter from Gringotts. He handed it to Harry. Harry opened it and was about to comment but his mouth closed when he saw the new paragraph. His brows furrowed and he read on. His eyes widened as he read. Finishing he looked up at Sirius.
"Why?" Harry demanded.
"I didn't want you to worry about it at the time." Sirius told him sadly.
"Alex. How long has she known?" He demanded.
"Just earlier today. I showed it to her and she told me I had to tell you. That you deserved to know." Sirius admitted.
"She shouldn't have had to tell you that! You know! You know that I can handle it! That I deserve to know!" Harry cried out.
"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I wanted to find a way out of this but I couldn't. I floo'ed Minerva and a friend in the ministry. I think we came up with a compromise."
"Which is?"
"You go to Hogwarts not just to take the exams but for you sixth and seventh years, even though you've already graduated. If you agree to do that, the ministry will allow you to go under your alias. Nobody has to know you're really Harry Potter. Everybody can see you as Ryder Cage." Sirius answered.
"I don't have much of a choice here, do I?" Harry said sullenly.
"I'm sorry." Sirius said looking down.
"It's not your fault. You just wanted to protect me. And I should be thanking you for what you managed to do. Not having to do it as Harry might be easier." Harry admitted. "I guess I have to be on that train on September 1st, hm?"
"More than likely. Remember you have to just play the part of a transfer student that's just trying to get through the year. No unnecessary attention. Alex can take you to Diagon later in the month for what you need. Minerva said she'd send a list in a few days." Sirius assured him. Harry nodded in response. Harry turned to leave the study and when he was about to open the door and leave, Sirius called out to him. "Oh, and Harry, you shouldn't reveal yourself unless absolutely necessary. You'll know if it is or not." Harry nodded and with that he left that study going back to the living room.
Entering the living room, he saw Alex and Luna were still there. They hardly even moved.
"Looks like I'm going to be spending the next two years at Hogwarts." He said with resignation.
"The new law." Luna assumed. Harry looked at her and nodded.
"Luna, when you see me there. My name is Ryder Cage, and I look how I did when you first saw me, okay?"
"Okay Harry Potter." Alex and Harry shared a look.
"So, I was thinking. Just because you're at Hogwarts doesn't mean you shouldn't still be training. And depending on how good Luna is maybe you could help each other out. And I can pop in like once a week or something." Alex suggested.
"Where would we train and not get caught? How could you even get into the castle?" Harry asked.
"Your mother told me about this room. Apparently, it could be anything you needed. She said it was called the Room of Requirement, it was on the seventh floor." Alex answered.
"The elves call it the come-and-go room." Luna added.
"And nobody could find us?"
"Nope, once we're in the room and close the door, it disappears again." Alex told him
"And you have to pace three times in front of the painting, thinking about the room you want to be able to get in." Luna told him.
"Okay, training will definitely be taking place then. Luna, what can you do?"
Over the next three weeks, the two of them met with Luna regularly to find over what she was capable of. During this time, they also get to know the girl and become friends. Harry knew he'd at least be going into this with one friend.
After donning his necklace, the time came for Alex and Harry to go to Diagon for Harry's school supplies. The only things he actually really needed was the robes and the books. He already had everything else. His chosen electives were Ancient Runes and Arithmancy as none of the other elective courses were that helpful to him. He'd already taken Warding, Martial Arts, Tactics, and Offensive Casting at Prodigal Institute, the school he went to in New Zealand but at Hogwarts they didn't have any classes like those.
He already had a wand, his wand he's used since he was 9 as that was the age schooling starting in New Zealand, it had a magma core, and was comprised of an onyx and firestone shell with imperial gold infused into the onyx.
They first stopped to get robes and nearly a half hour later, they were leaving and going to get books.
Upon entering the shop, Harry promptly ran into someone, causing them to nearly fall backwards if he hadn't caught her. Though he hadn't managed to catch her books. She was flush against him as he held her. Releasing her, he bent down and helped her pick up her books. When they stood they just kinda stared at each other.
"I'm sorry." Harry apologized.
"It's fine." She assured him quietly before walking past him and then past Alex before leaving the shop. Harry turned as she walked and looked after her. Alex noticing his gaze, looked to where he was looking.
"What?" She questioned.
Shaking his head, he replied, "Nothing." They turned back and walked further into the shop. They moved along the aisles, picking up what they needed along the way.
Less than ten minutes later they were at the checkout counter paying for the books and leaving. With the needed sixth year texts in hand, they left Diagon and exited the Leaky Cauldron, walking to the alley beside it. Once there, they made sure no one was watching before Harry apparated away and Alex disappeared in small arcs of electricity.
Days later it was time to board the express. Sirius and Harry had to say their goodbyes at home, and Alex went with the disguised teen to the platform. They both went through the barrier, luckily Alex could because of an old friend. Wishing each other well and saying goodbye, Harry checked his pockets. He had his trunk shrunk and in his pocket. It was 10:50. He went straight to the train and boarded.
Walking through the train, he looked through the open compartments to find one. Most had at least three or four people in them. He didn't want a crowded one, so he continued on until he found one with only one person in it. She was standing with her back to him as she put her trunk up.
"Mind sharing?" He questioned, drawing her attention as she turned around to face him. It was the girl from the bookstore.
"All yours."
"Thanks." He entered the compartment, closing the door behind him and sat opposite her. "So, I never did catch your name."
She looked at him as if she was trying to read him. "Hermione Granger. And you?" She beckoned.
"Ryder Cage. Nice to meet you. Again, I am sorry about before."
"It's alright. I haven't seen you around before. What house are you in?" She questioned.
"I'm not in one yet." He paused at her confused look and continued, "I'm a transfer." He explained.
"Oh, I didn't know Hogwarts took transfers."
"Well my father is friends with the deputy headmistress apparently and somebody in the ministry that was able to help him out." He told her.
"Oh." She said before picking up a book from the seat beside and opened it.
"So, what house are you in?" He questioned, interrupting her reading. She looked up.
"Ravenclaw." She put simply, not elaborating just returning to her book. Harry got the message, she didn't want to talk.
When they arrived at Hogwarts several hours later, McGonagall told him to report to the Headmasters office before the feast.
"I figured that you wouldn't want to do your sorting in front of everyone." The headmaster told him after introducing himself. "Place the hat on your head." He beckoned handing him the hat.
"Ah what have we here. A Potter in disguise hm?" A voice in his head said.
"If you could not divulge that information, that'd be great." Harry thought.
"You're cunning, very much so. But you're also loyal and brave. Though you know how to use them all together don't you? You don't run headlong into something like a mindless idiot. You're brave but you're smart as well. So not Gryffindor. Hm, where to put you?"
"Not Slytherin. For this to work, I can't draw attention." Harry told the hat.
"Ah yes, you are very clever and cunning. Hm, it would be a great fit. You are a Slytherin to the heart. But I think it'll be RAVENCLAW."
Harry took off the hat and saw that his robes changed. They were now accented with blue.
"I'm sure Professor Flitwick will be pleased. But now I believe it is time we join the feast." Dumbledore said.
Upon entering the hall, Harry went over to the Ravenclaw table and sat beside Luna.
"Good job." She whispered to him.
"I told you where I'd get sorted." He reminded her as he had told her what house he was going to be sorted into a few weeks ago.
"First I'd like to announce that Professor Snape will be teaching a Defense against the Dark Arts this year while our newest professor, Professor Slughorn will be teaching Potions. Now, LET THE SORTING BEGIN!" Dumbledore called from his chair at the staff table.
Okay so Hermione may seem a bit out of character well as you can already tell by her house she isn't the same. Anyway, as always, hope you enjoyed and Happy Reading! -DS
