Tales of Singularity
WARNING! This is an Eerie Tale, On the morbid side
Death of Soul
It was a chilly night on Privet Drive, and for the most part the neighborhood was dark, and silent. Most people preferring to be either asleep or indoors, and for once Harry Potter could be counted amongst the normal. He wasn't asleep like his relatives or "Aunt Marge", nor could he be said doing what Dudley was doing (playing on his Super Nintendo). He instead was busy doing something that was abnormal for him: reading.
The why was rather shocking. He had been confronted by his Friend Hermione at the end of last year. Gazing out his window and staring at one of the street lights he thought back to that moment.
"Harry?" A rather tentative voice called.
Harry turned from the chess game with his friend Ron and looked at his recently depetrified friend.
"What is it?"
"I need to talk to you. It's important." Hermione whispered.
Harry glanced at Ron who merely shrugged, and at that Harry turned and nodded at Hermione.
"In private." She added in an even quieter voice.
"Is it that serious?" Harry's emerald eyes widened in shock.
Hermione simply nodded weakly.
"Okay, we'll find a classroom or something." Harry whispered.
"Thank you." She smiled faintly.
A few minutes passed as the duo headed out of the common room, and made their way to an unused classroom outside of Gryffindor's common room.
"Harry...I've constantly urged you to study right?" Hermione said in a no nonsense tone.
Harry nodded curiously.
"Well, I realize I've gone about it the wrong way several times but...This time I need you to really think about this."
"What do you mean?" Harry's head tilted slightly.
Hermione's eyes stared deeply into his own for a long moment.
"You have faced death how many times here at Hogwarts?" She suddenly asked.
Harry blinked in confusion before frowning thoughtfully.
"Well...once...twice...three times...four...five...five times I can think of." He finally decided.
"Five times in two years. An average of two point five near deaths every year. You're in danger Harry. I'm not saying you should study all the time or even like I do. But if you had known the self levitation charm when you were almost knocked off your broom...Or if you had known about Devil's Snare... What if I hadn't been there?"
At that Harry paled. The Devil's Snare would have killed him and Ron.
"What if you knew about those giant spiders and what if that car hadn't rescued you?" Harry's pale face turned whiter still as he realized how lucky he and Ron had been.
"And what if Fawkes hadn't poked out the eyes of the Basilisk?"
"I'd have died..." Harry whispered.
"And your parents would see you far too early. Harry, you're my friend. I don't want to lose you. So, please remember: what you don't know can kill you. Learn defensive magic, charms, and what things can hurt or even kill you. Please." She suddenly began sobbing in his shoulder.
"If I lose you...I...I don't know what I'd do." She cried, tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Hermione...I promise. I'll learn everything I can so that I might be able to survive even if my luck doesn't hold out." He whispered as he held her.
Suddenly he felt a wetness roll down his face.
"I...I'm crying too? I...I can't believe it...I haven't cried since I was four..." Harry muttered.
"What...? You've never cried since you were four?" Hermione tears doubled at that and she whispered in his ear.
"I'll mail you right away. Harry, you'll be staying with me as soon as I can manage it." She managed to choke through her sobs.
And that was what led to Harry's current position. He made a promise to his friend to study so that he could survive better. Currently he was reading about Hinkypunks.
The days passed and while Hermione sent her letter inviting him over, he was banned from going by both the Dursleys and the Headmaster. They said that it wasn't proper and Dumbledore claimed that it was 'too dangerous' but didn't tell him 'why'.
It infuriated Harry but he at least continued to study to make Hermione proud and to gain personal confidence.
Several weeks passed and before he knew it he was back on the train to school.
He made his way into a compartment hurriedly, and with a thought opened up a book he had managed to buy via owl order the week before.
It was a book on basic defensive moves that Aurors used. If anything would keep him alive Harry figured it was that.
He was later joined by an odd blond girl with almost dazed blue eyes, a first year with sandy blond hair and brown eyes, and a fourth year Slytherin.
Harry immediately tensed.
"Easy Potter. I don't care about you one way or the other right now." The black haired girl glared at him with icy blue eyes.
With that Harry shrugged and flipped open his book again. Hermione later joined him, but that filled up the compartment so Ron and the other's couldn't join them.
About an hour into the ride and a blond boy with two large boys that were almost ape like in appearance made their way to harass Harry and Hermione.
"So, you're still here Potty?" Malfoy sneered.
Harry merely flipped a page in his defense book.
"I was talking to you Potty!" Malfoy snarled.
"And I was ignoring an idiot." Harry replied without looking at him.
"You'll regret it Potty!" Malfoy snarled.
"What? Are you going to make me rue this day?" Harry mocked as he memorized the 'wall technique'.
"Shut up Potty!" Malfoy yelled and drew his wand.
The fourth year Slytherin snarled and threw a hex at Malfoy.
"You idiot." He hissed at Malfoy.
Draco glared at the fourth year and after a moment shrugged in disgust.
"I'll just deal with the trash later Alan." Draco smirked at the black haired Slytherin.
The boy apparently named Alan merely rolled his eyes in disgust.
"Just go Malfoy." Alan muttered in a disgusted tone.
A few hours passed in silence from then before the 'it' occurred.
The train slammed to a halt and ice began forming on the windows as the lights died.
"What's going on?" The first year wondered.
"I don't know." Hermione replied.
Ice began to claw at Harry's heart. Fear, True Fear began to fill Harry's being. He shuddered as he felt waves of nightmares fill his existence. Voldemort...he was nothing compared to the abject horror consuming him.
"Hermione...Please..." Harry gasped.
She turned upon him in concern.
"H-help me..." He shuddered in horror.
Images of the worst horrors filled his being.
Lily! It's him! Get Harry! I'll hold him off!
Stand aside...
Please not Harry!
Avada Kedevra!
C'ommon Potty! We've gotta teach you a lesson!
Seal his power...
Obliviate!
Make him forget. He's not supposed to do as good as my Dudders.
Try to escape huh? Well, that's unacceptable...
Then, a figure garbed in a cloak of darkest night appeared. Massive and more terrifying than anything that Harry had ever seen, or even imagined. It's face was formless, as though it emerged from the void...
Harry let out a soundless scream as the figure descended upon him.
It raised Harry to it's maw and Harry felt something tearing at him, more hellish and more terrifying than anything that had happened to him prior.
It pulled on him, his mind and...his soul? It ravaged his anchors to reality and as his mind began to fade an unholy scream rocked through him.
A...true innocent?
Harry didn't understand the voice, nor could he place who's it was. His ties to reality faded and he fell into darkness, blessed darkness...
...
Naturally, while Harry was embracing the land of 'slumber' the train sped on into the night, racing to Hogwarts, hoping that they might be able to save him. Within the next thirty hours Fudge was ousted his position as minister of magic, Dementors were repealed from Hogwarts, and a fury griped the wizarding world. Even the administrators of Hogwarts knew that should Harry perish or should it be confirmed that he was souless then they also would not survive the backlash.
However, it wasn't just anyone who could verify if a slumbering person had lost their soul or not and so they had to call on an expert in soul magic. (Generally classified as dark magic), and since it was thus classified they would have to contact an Amerimage. Nearly a week passed before they managed to connect with a mage named Daniel Kalliser. Who eventually wove enough spells to leave Dumbledore and Hermione stunned before he frowned and made his announcement.
"Harry Potter still lives, and as to his soul...it's strange it's still there, and I can feel a radiance burning within him, but my readings indicate that his soul itself is...scarred? Its as though the Dementor tried to shred his soul instead of consume it."
"Will he wake?" Dumbledore asked in a soft tone.
"He will." The Amerimage nodded.
Well, as to the actual effects...those I won't cover this time ;) I'm evil aren't I? Should I let you know what happens next? decisions...decisions...guess it's up to whether or not you want the 'pt2' of this...(sitting around here...somewhere...)
I'm working on getting Radiant Chaos back on track. However, due to the loss of my old computer...Many notes were lost... T.T I hope that I can recall the entirety of the plot and I'm still tinkering with trying to remember some key events...Don't worry though, I think I've about recalled my ideas for the summer chapters...