THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
Chapter 11: I am a much more than that
September 1st 2002
Hogwarts
Neville stared at professor McGonagall in silence, his mind having trouble understanding what his head of house had just told him. The beginning of the school year was turning out to be something, he had found revelation after revelation, each one being more surprising than the other. For one, Dumbledore had not been at the welcome feast, it had been McGonagall who welcomed the first years and give the opening speech. Apparently, the headmaster had been called on official business and would not be coming back in time for the feast.
And then she had gone ahead and announced that Snape won't be teaching at Hogwarts this year due to some personal issues he was dealing with. The great hall had practically exploded as all tables except for Slytherin celebrated, it was obvious what the majority of the students thought of the greasy-haired man and very few were going to miss him. He had instead been replaced by Professor Slughorn. An old man who apparently used to teach at Hogwarts and had been called back from retirement to fill in for Snape for the time being. Both as Potions Professor and Head of Slytherin.
The man's eyes had kept sweeping over the Gryffindor table throughout the entire meal and Neville had a pretty good idea who he was looking for. Nearly everyone was as well. When he wasn't actively avoiding people, Harry was pretty hard to miss given his size and just who he was. Neville was aware that if Harry didn't want to be found, he could literally be standing right next to you and you wouldn't notice him, one of the many mysteries that made up the boy. Harry was very smart, Neville had known that but it also became apparent when the results for last year had come out at the end of the school year and he had been leagues ahead of Hermione who was in second place.
Neville hadn't been surprised like the others. Harry may appear to be very lazy, often dozing throughout the lessons, but Neville knew the other boy spent the time he wasn't sleeping in the library. Not that anyone would ever find him while there as he kept himself hidden in order not to be disturbed. Either way, Neville believed that of everyone at the castle, he was the one who knew Harry better than anyone. Not that he knew much but atleast compared to the others, he was more informed. Atleast he thought he did, but from what McGonagall had just told him, then he was doubting himself.
When he hadn't seen his friend on the train, he assumed that he was somewhere sleeping and just didn't want to be found. When he didn't find him during the feast, he had started getting worried. Harry usually had his meals in the kitchens but not even he could miss the beginning of the year feast. When the feast ended, Neville had rushed to the dorms to check if he was there but he hadn't even found Harry's trunk. And so he had told Hermione who in turn suggested they talk to Professor McGonagall. They had never, in their wildest dreams expected to hear what their head of house was telling them.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Mr. Potter will not be returning to Hogwarts." McGonagall repeated patiently.
"But...but why?!" Neville looked to be on the verge of tears.
"He had his reasons, reasons that after having given them serious consideration, I realized were valid and it would be best if he did not return." She explained.
"And you're just okay with that?" Hermione asked.
"I'm not happy that one of my most promising students has left the school, Ms. Granger." McGonagall said. "However, while I'm not happy with the decision he made, I agreed with it and gave him my support."
"Does it have something to do with Snape." Neville asked and Hermione stomped on his foot.
"I'm sorry but Harry's reasons were his own and if he feels like explaining them to you, then he will do so." She said with a finality in her voice indicating that the conversation was over.
"Where did he go?" Hermione, it seemed didn't get the message. "Did he go to Durmstrang, or beauxbatons? Or did he go to the States?"
"Ms. Granger, Mr. Potter said he will contact you when he is ready, and you can ask him whatever you want then." McGonagall said in a clipped tone. "Now it's getting late, I suggest that you go and get some sleep, I believe you have my class tomorrow morning."
Hermione opened her mouth, clearly still wishing to argue but this time it was Neville who stomped on her foot. "Thank you, professor. Have a goodnight."
She thankfully kept her mouth shut untill they were out of her office. "Why won't she just tell us?!"
"Maybe Harry asked her not to." He said. "It's obvious he didn't want us to know, otherwise he would have told us himself."
"But why didn't he? I thought we were friends."
Neville just shrugged, asking himself the same question. Nearly everything he had now was because of Harry. He was more confident, he had friends in Gryffindor and even other houses and most importantly, he had his parents back. Granted they had not recovered completely but they were progressing steadily. He had witnessed the changes in them first hand, having talked to his lucid mother for ten minutes straight. And all that was because Harry had become part of his life, and now, the boy had disappeared as abruptly as he had entered it and quite honestly, Neville didn't know how he was to proceed with his life from here on.
September 1st 2002
Spinner's End, Cokeworth
England.
Cokeworth had once been a mysterious town, while not heavily populated, it had an average number of people and usually bustled with business and noise from playing children. But that was long ago, now it was a dark town, with rarely any people and those that were there were people that sought quiet and solitude. It is a town with several streets of identical brick, terraced, houses and is located near a dirty river, the bank of which is strewn with litter. The days seemed to be shorter than nights here as it seemed to grow darker much faster than normal.
And once it became dark, everyone would be by himself. People walked with a unified determination, each in a rush to reach their home behind closed doors and thick walls. The streets left to those that seeked to prey on the weak. However, no one would dare attack another's home, especially the ancestral home of the Princes. It was one of several brick houses along Spinner's End, and was sarounded by a sense of foreboding that drove away even the most brave of the town's occupants. It was in this home that the man known as Severus Snape now lived.
Having lost his job at Hogwarts, Snape was forced to return to his childhood home. He was not wanting for money, Hogwarts paid quite handsomely and there was even a chance that he could have his job back but that did not change the fact that McGonagall had gotten him fired, even temporarily. But Severus knew who was really responsible, the Potter brat. McGonagall had not given any reasons, only giving Albus the ultimatum that either Severus resigned or she would, and when she did, she would inform the whole of the magical world that Severus had been responsible for the attack on the Potters.
Only Albus knew about what happened on that night when he had overheard the prophecy. Albus and the brat who had seen his memories. Severus had obliviated the Potter spawn, atleast he thought that he had, and yet McGonagall somehow knew what had transpired between him and the Dark Lord. With that much leverage, Albus had been forced to cave to her demands. He had no doubt that if she went to the press, all the sheep in the magical world would believe her without a second thought.
And once again, a Potter had ruined his life. And yet even after that, the brat had not deigned to return, apparently having run off to Merlin knows where. Finding him however would be child's play, and find him he will. Once he did, the brat would pay for Severus' humiliation, he cared little for the prophecy. The Dark Lord could have the magical world if he wanted, for his part, when he got his hands on the Potter boy, the little brat was going to wish that he had never been born.
"My, my, such hatred." Severus jumped to his feet, his wand appearing in his hand in the next instant. "I can practically feel it from all the way here."
The man inside his house was seated on the couch on the other side of the sitting room with his legs crossed.. he was wearing a dark suit with a black and white scarf around his neck. His green eyes were watching Severus with undisguised amusement.
"How did you get in?" The wards around the house may not be Hogwarts level but they were certainly nothing to scoff at either. They should have notified him of the other man's presence at the very least.
"Your crude wards are no match for a god, I barely noticed them." The man replied, leaning back in the couch. "You, and I seem to have quite a lot in common. Which is why I'm going to offer you only one chance to help me willingly. Take it and you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams, refuse and you will help me anyway but suffer the entire time."
Severus was not a fool, he had been in the presence of the two most powerful wizards of his time, he was familiar with their presence. Despite their differences, Dumbledore and the Dark Lord had a similar feel to them that reduced anyone before them to their most basic instincts, flight of fight, with the former being the most prominent. The man before him exuded the same, only it seemed to be multiplied five times over and Severus was most certainly a smart man.
"And what exactly do you want me to do for you?" He asked, lowering his wand.
"To make Harry Potter suffer." The man declared and his smirk grew at seeing Severus' surprise. "Like I said, you and I have quite a lot in common."
"And how do you plan on going about that?"
The other man stood up and walked towards Severus. "Well, for starters, you are going to help me resurrect your former master."
Severus felt dread pool in his stomach at the other man's words as he wondered what he was getting himself into this time.
Gryffn Academy
Lakewood , Los Angeles County
California
In the boys dormitory at Gryffn academy, Harry was preparing for bed in his room when a gentle pop announced the arrival of a wizard in his room. Unlike at Hogwarts, all the boys had their individual rooms which gave them enough privacy from the others. The school was not actually very large, only having one enormous building with three different wings, the one on the left housing the boys dormitory the middle one having the classes and offices while the one further left had the girls dormitory.
The building was large enough to house all the students, not that they were very many as the school only admitted the most gifted students, most of which ended up working in one of the many corporations owned by the owner of the group of schools, Bronwen Gryffn. Harry didn't plan on that, infact he was only here to complete his remaining years of high school, after which he would go ahead to pursue other things.
"Hello, Professor." Harry greeted the old man calmly, yet inwardly he was panicking. He had ran across continents to escape from this man and just a day later he had found him. "How did you find me?"
"If you really don't want to be found, you should ward yourself against scrying, otherwise, all your efforts would be a waste of time." The man said, his eyes twinkling. "It is a simple enough spell and just as easily to block."
Harry regarded the man. "Are you here to take me back?"
"No, Harry." He shook his head. "I was only concerned about your wellbeing when I heard that you had left your Aunt's home. There are people out there that wouldn't hesitate to harm you and that is the last thing I want."
Harry just kept staring at the man.
"I'm sorry that you felt you needed to run away from me, Harry." The man continued. "Contrary to what you seem intent to believe, I'm not your enemy and I only wish the best for you. Perhaps my methods leave alot to be desired but the truth is that I only want you to be safe."
"Why are you here, then?"
Dumbledore reached into his pockets and retrieved a ring. Which he placed on the reading table. Harry recognized the ring, he had seen it on his father's finger throughout his life at Hogwarts and thereafter. He had wondered if he had been buried along with it.
"This ring belonged to your father, like the cloak, it is a family heirloom that is worn by the heir and later lord of house Potter not only as a sign of their position but also to protect its wearer from such magics as scrying and even poisoning." The man explained. "I had not thought you would need it while at Hogwarts or under the protection of the wards over your relatives' house, having planned on giving it to you at seventeen when you are ready to take your Lordship. But you have taken the decision out of my hands."
"Wear it at all times, Harry and it should protect you from scrying or any surprise attack long enough to escape and if possible recover and defend yourself." He said as he prepared to leave. "I wish you the best, Mr. Potter, and hope we can see each other again under happier circumstances. And remember, Harry, I'm not your enemy."
And with that, the man spun on his heel and disappeared with a gentle pop.
Harry stared at his father's ring. He waved his hand over it, trying to find any traces of Dumbledore's magic but whatever was reflected back to him felt familiar, like it was a part of him. He carefully picked it up and slipped it on his finger where it resized to fit perfectly. He could feel the ring resonate with his magic like it was happy to be reunited with him and with a smile on his face, Harry slipped into his bed and fell asleep.
Adjusting to the American education system was easier than Harry had expected. Then again, the method of teaching at Gryffn seemed to be an amalgamation of both the British and American systems, though it leaned mostly towards practical that was favored by the American system. Now that he was among people that were just as smart if not smarter than him, Harry found himself actually enjoying the competition.
Especially against Shevaun as the two had developed a rivalry despite becoming friends. The girl was bright, even brighter than Hermione and she had a confidence about her that was on par with Harry's. And while she did not often show off, she took every chance she got to show him up whenever she could, only Harry didn't give her many such chances. He actually respected her as an equal and when he had trouble understanding something, he would go to her and she would willingly explain and vice versa.
As the days went by, Harry opened up more, he had already gotten used to living without his misdirection magic all the time during the summer and so even knowing that he was free to use magic he rarely used it to hide himself away. Preferring to mix up with the rest of the students even though he was usually seen around Shevaun. By the time the Christmas holidays came around, most of the other students thought that the two were a couple though the idea had never even crossed their minds. Not that they did anything to stop the rumors as they helped to keep away any admirers.
Shevaun was a pretty girl, with an athletic build, beautiful auburn hair and green eyes, not to mention she was clearly the smartest in their class and so she was not short of admirers that under other circumstances would have kept bugging her. However, the mere fact that Harry was her 'boyfriend' was enough to dissuade them from approaching her. Despite his generally quiet nature, everyone knew better than to cross the other boy, while being a freshman, he was almost as tall of most seniors with an equally well built physique.
He rarely ever got in a fight, the two times a couple of seniors had tried to bully him having made it clear that he would not stand for such. The four boys had spent over two weeks in the hospital and when they came back made it a point to avoid being in the same room with Harry. Either way, everyone at the school knew not to make an enemy of him. His reputation on the other hand seemed to be attractive to the girls at school and that was where Shevaun came in.
While not as feared as Harry given that she was generally a friendly girl, her father on the other hand was something else. He was Bronwen Gryffn's partner and the two had equal shares in the school which meant they had a direct say in who gets to stay or leave the prestigious school. Shevaun had no reservations at waving this fact in the faces of the other girls. It was no secret in the school that the man dotted on his daughter and would go to great lengths to please her. That alone was enough to keep other girls away from her 'boyfriend'.
"So, I heard you are not going back to England for the holidays." Shevaun started as the two walked around together. It was only a week to Christmas and the school would be breaking off tomorrow. Students who did not wish to go back to their family were free to stay for the holidays and Harry had put his name down as well.
"No, I'm not." Harry said, kicking at the small clump of snow in front of him. There was barely any snow around here, a contrast to the piles of snow he was used to, back in England and at Hogwarts. "I have a family friend I plan on visiting during the holidays. She lives in Los Angeles, about twenty three minutes' ride from here."
"Well, why don't you come and stay with us then." She said, surprising him. "Dad has a place in Beverly Glen and it's where I'm going to stay this Christmas. I can have someone drive you over to Los Angeles to meet your family friend."
"I wouldn't want to intrude on your family time."
Shevaun snorted. "Trust me, you have nothing to fear about that. I barely see him at all, always busy with his work. If he didn't want to meet you, I probably wouldn't get to see him at all throughout the holidays."
"Wait, he wants to meet me?" Harry asked, startled. "Why?"
"Who knows why he ever does anything." She shrugged. "He keeps an eye on all the schools under the cooperation, maybe he realized that you are the second smartest student at our school and wants to recruit you to work in the company."
Harry hummed in thought, that was a surprising development. He knew very little about his friend's father, only that he was very rich, one of the heads of a multi billion international cooperation and one of two directors of the Gryffn Academy. He knew that the two directors often hand picked promising students from the schools and interned them at one of the companies they owned untill they were old enough to become full time employees. It seemed he had gotten the attention of one of the two directors.
"The second smartest?" Harry asked, with a smirk and Shevaun stuck her nose in the air.
"But of course." She drawled. "We both know who holds the top position."
"Yes we do." Harry laughed and she joined him soon after.
"So..." she asked once they had stopped. "Are you coming or not?"
"Well, it seems like you are in for a very boring holidays." Harry teased. "I wouldn't be much of a friend if I left you to go through it by yourself."
"My hero!" She exclaimed, 'swooning' with eyes full of wonder. "Whatever would I do without you in my life. You're the greatest thing to ever happen to me, I'm so lucky to have you!"
Harry rolled his eyes and just walked away.
"Wait for me you imbecile!" She called as she ran after him. "You can't just leave your damsel in distress!"
December 24th 2002
Haldane Mansion
Beverly Glen, Los Angeles
Harry ate slowly, savoring his meal as he thought back on the days since he arrived here at the mansion. He and Shevaun had been picked up from the school in a limo accompanied with four guards and they had been driven straight to the mansion. Harry had found himself gaping at the ridiculously large house, it was literally a small castle along with a small army of guards protecting it. Shevaun had told him that this was not always the case with this many soldiers but her father had started getting paranoid of late.
The soldiers were only outside though, and barely made any noise and so once inside the house, Harry barely saw them. He however met some four regulars who trained Shevaun every morning and afternoon. He had asked to watch, and while Shevaun offered for him to join her in her training, he had declined, not wishing to expose his abilities. However, even from just observing, he was learning quite a bit and so never missed the training, some times arriving even before the others.
He was impressed with Shevaun's fighting skills as she easily kept pace with her trainers, some times taking on two of them at once and a few times even winning the spars. When he asked her how she had gotten so good, she told him to thank her father for that as he had ensured that she started training as soon as she could stand on her feet. It didn't take long for Harry to do just that as the man himself arrived at the mansion a day before Christmas.
Ranulph Haldane was an imposing man, being in his presence, Harry couldn't help but compare him with Loki. In place of Loki's arrogance, the man had a cold calculating intensity to him that made Harry wonder just what kind of man he really was. Otherwise, they had almost the same physique though Ranulph was slightly more built than the Norse god. His penetrating gaze made Harry feel like the man was seeing right through him as he stared him down.
"So..." He started, his voice gruff but with a teasing undertone. "You're the young man my daughter won't shut up about?"
"I would like to think so." Harry replied respectfully. "I hope she only speaks nice things about me."
They were seated on a large dinning table with the man seated at the head while Harry and Shevaun sat on either side of him. The man had shown up that day out of the blue, after missing for the last few days since Harry and Shevaun had arrived.
"She only sings your praises, I assure you." The man smiled teasingly at his daughter who just kept eating like she wasn't hearing them. "If I didn't know any better, I would think she was smitten with you."
"She does give that impression, doesn't she?"
"Yes, she does. I hear they call you two a couple at school." He turned his penetrating gaze at Harry. "Does this mean I finaly get to give the protective father speech?" He rubbed his hands together in apparent excitement. "Oh, I never thought this would ever happen, get ready to shit your pants young man."
Shevaun rolled her eyes, but Harry could see that she was watching them closely. There was something else going on here, he just has yet to put his finger on it, but he knew that invitation wasn't as simple as it had seemed. When he looked back at Shevaun's father, Harry did a double take. The man was like a completely different person, gone was the happy carefree father and in his place was the imposing man Harry had seen in their first meeting.
He stared at Harry hard, his brown eyes seeming to glow slightly from the lights in the room. His entire composure had shifted and now practically screamed 'dangerous' as he leaned towards Harry.
"You see that little girl over there, she means the world to me, and I would go to hell and back to make her happy." He didn't even look away from Harry. The temperature in the room seemed to grow three times as Ranulph Haldane leaned even closer to Harry. "And I would take anyone with me who threatened that happiness. And trust me young Harry, you do not wish to be in hell. Do I make myself clear?"
Harry nodded, his heart racing. "Hurt your daughter and damn my soul, got it."
The man kept glaring at him and for a split second, Harry thought he saw the man change shape, shifting into a being with red skin and horns but he blinked and the man was back to normal. Smiling even.
"So, how was it?"
"It was...okay." Harry replied, even as the rate of his heart beat started slowing down.
"Okay?!" Ranulph exclaimed. "Just okay?!"
"Well, it takes the threat out of it if the other person knows that he is just being threatened." Shevaun snorted, making her father look like a kicked puppy.
"It wasn't all that bad." Harry consoled him. "It was delivered expertly, but the threat of hell doesn't sound as scary as it is supposed to be especially against someone who may not believe in it."
Ranulph paused, looking at Harry curiously. "You don't think Hell is real?" He frowned. "What then, do you think happens to someone when they die?"
"Dad, that is hardly appropriate conversation for dinner." Shevaun said, shooting her father a sharp look. The man didn't seem to hear her but was rather looking at Harry expectantly.
Harry felt like they were getting closer to why he had been invited over for the holidays. Despite the relaxed air in the room, his instincts were telling him to prepare for a fight.
"I've never given it much thought, I guess." Harry said, glancing at Shevaun. She didn't seem to like where this was going either. "I always imagined that one becomes a spirit and moves on to another plane of existence."
"What if I told you that it is all real, that Hell has a ruler and there is a being that thirsts for your_"
"Dad!" Shevaun exclaimed. "Stop this please."
"Relax, sweetie, we both knew what would happen when you agreed to invite Harry over."
"This is different!" She jumped to her feet. "Harry is my friend, not some prospective recruit_"
"That's enough out of you, young lady." Mr. Haldane said sharply, looking at his daughter for the first time. "Besides, your friend here doesn't seem to mind, do you, Mr. Potter?"
Harry raised an eyebrow at the man. His official records of course have his full name, it was only natural that since the man seemed so intrested in Harry he would look at them. However, Harry could tell it went deeper than that.
"Wait, Harry Potter?" Shevaun asked, staring at Harry open mouthed. "You are The Harry Potter ?"
Harry glanced at Shevaun, noting her shock and seeing that it was indeed genuine. Whatever her father was after, she clearly didn't know about it or atleast not the full extent of it. Harry was quite relieved with that realization, he had gotten to enjoy the girl's company and her betrayal would have been a bitter pill to swallow.
"What do you want from me, Mr. Haldane?"
Harry was ready to spring in action. He could just teleport away, but he needed to know what the man planned for him. It wouldn't do to just run away without truly understanding his pursuers, it was what had made him underestimate Dumbledore only for the man to find him just a day after he had ran away from him. And so Harry decided to stick it out, and once he had enough information, only then was he to run.
"Just to see what you're capable of. I know you are more than just a wizard." He looked his daughter. "Go to your room, sweetheart."
"I think not." Shevaun glared at her father, crossing her arms across her chest. "I'm not going to leave Harry for whatever you have planned for him."
"Very well, have it your way."
He suddenly grabbed two of the knives closest to him and threw each at Harry and Shevaun. Despite the speed at which the knives flew, Harry's hand moved by instinct and grabbed the knife half a second before it nearly embed itself in his skull. He turned the knife around and hurled it right back at the man's face with twice the speed it had been thrown at him. Ranulph only moved his head to the side and the knife flew past his cheek end embedded itself into the wall far behind him.
"Impressive." The man mused, looking at where the knife was stuck in the wall.
Shevaun hadn't been as fast as him and her knife hit its target before she could even start to move. Fortunately, hers wasn't aimed for her skull like Harry and she fell back with the knife stuck in her shoulder.
"Shevaun?" Harry called as he jumped to his feet and put some distance between him and his friend's father.
"I'm fine." She panted. "Get out of here, Harry!"
"Even if I were to let him, he wouldn't get very far. The house is sarounded with guards, they would kill him the second he stepped out of the house." Ranulph got to his feet and walked over to where his daughter was lying glaring at him. "There's a temporary enchantment on that knife to keep anyone it stabs in place. After the training you've had, you should have easily avoided that, you will stay that way untill the enchantment wears off. Goodnight sweetheart."
"Dad_" She wasn't allowed to finish as she was surrounded by a red glow and disappeared a second later.
Harry had watched the interaction silently and tensed when the man turned to him. "Oh, you're not trying to run?"
"Getting past your guards would be easier than you seem to believe." Harry told him. "However, I'd rather not live my life looking over my shoulder all the time waiting for you to find me, so let's get this done with once and for all."
"Wise decision." The man smiled and waved his hand. The dinning room rearranged itself, the dinning table sunk into the floor along with the chairs while the carpet on the floor vanished, leaving bare stone. The designs on the walls also disappeared and the two were left in a dungeon-looking room. A very large dungeon-looking room.
"Are you a wizard?"
"I'm much more than a wizard, Harry. Much like you actually." Ranulph said from where he was standing across Harry. "I am a Mage. While not so lucky to be born with magic, I found a way of giving myself the ability and now weld it better than any wizard ever could."
"Did you ask your daughter to befriend me?"
"No, my little girl was just trying to make a friend. I was quite surprised when she actually made one, she has not been very successful in that department." He replied. "So I was naturally intrested to know about my daughter's first friend. And imagine my surprise when I find that it is none other than the savior of the Magical world."
Harry waited to see if the man was going to elaborate further but he instead just kept looking at Harry.
"If you know about the magical world, then you're aware that people will be concerned if I go missing."
"I'm sure Dumbledore will come looking." The man shrugged. "But I own the most elite security force in the world for a reason, I have nothing to fear from a wizard living out of his time. You however, are something to be feared, and I'd rather have you on my side."
"You have a funny way of making allies."
"Oh no, this is just me assessing if you will be a worthy ally." He laughed. "All you have to do is prove that you can be and we shall be friends once again."
"And if I fail?"
"Then you die, and your soul will belong to me." He replied in a sinister voice, eyes glowing an eerie red. "It is simple though, all you have to do is land on me one solid hit. While at the same time trying to stay alive."
"And how do I know that you won't kill me anyway even though I hit you?" Harry asked, preparing himself for a fight.
"I swear on my soul." He replied with a smirk.
"Not enough for me. My life and soul are on the line here." Harry shook his head, taking a stance. For some reason, the man seemed to have an obsession for souls and Harry knew exactly what to do to guarantee his life. "Why don't you swear it on your daughter's?"
The man's countenance shifted for just an instant from relaxed to aggressive before turning back. Though there was a hardness to his eyes that hadn't been there before.
"Very well, I swear on my daughter's soul that if you manage to land a solid hit on me before I kill you, then you get to live." The man regarded Harry for moment before he sighed almost sadly. "My little girl is gonna be inconsolable for weeks."
Without preamble, Ranulph slashed his hand and a smoldering arc of light flow towards Harry just as Harry darted into motion. Two daggers appeared in both his hands and he dived forward, dodging the arc of light while at the same time launching the daggers in a practiced motion towards his opponent. He didn't wait to see if his attack had hit and he rolled to the side and launched two more daggers at the man, just in time too as spikes erupted from the ground where he had just been.
Harry kept moving, letting his instincts take over as he dodged the man's attacks while at the same time trying to return his own. He jumped and ducked, dived and rolled on the ground, every time barely managing to survive. His heart was hammering in his chest, his body practically vibrating from the adrenaline running through it. Despite the fact that he was fighting for his life, Harry was enjoying the fight, the thrill of knowing the next second could be your last.
"Fight me, Harry!" The man shouted, sending a concussive wave of magic at Harry. The boy stopped dodging for a moment and slashed his hand just like Ranulph had done earlier and the wave of magic split in half just before it could reach him and flew past either side of his body.
He conjured a shield to deflect what appeared to be a mixture of lightning and fire, moved to the side and sent back a wave of his own before running right after it towards his opponent. However, unlike Harry the man simply waved away the blast to the side like it was just a nuisance before gathering a ball of fire in his arms, Harry who had been planning on catching him off guard skidded to a stop and desperately threw himself to the side, but he was too close and the fire ball hit his torso, exploding on impact and sending him flying through the air untill he fell on the Stone floor, rolling about three times before he came to a stop.
He panted as he jumped back to his feet, feeling the place where the ball had exploded. It was tender, but thankfully undamaged. He could already feel the nasty bruise healing which was surprising as he hadn't known that he could heal himself automatically. Then again, he had never been hurt like this ever since he developed his tough skin.
"Interesting. Any other person would have died from that attack." His opponent mused as he strolled towards Harry, not even a strand of hair was out of place. "Just surviving that attack would have been enough for me to spare you if you hadn't bought my daughter into this. You have so much potential, it's a pity that you have to die."
Harry was not ready to die, Ranulph was clearly powerful, more skilled than him and certainly more experienced, there was no doubt that the he was going to kill Harry, and he couldnt allow that. There was still alot he had to do, things he needed to understand, and most importantly, he had a life to live, his parents had sacrificed theirs for him to live and he just couldn't give it all up. It would be like spitting at their memory. He remembered his fight with the troll, calling upon his magic had boosted his strength way more than it had any right to be. His magic was special, a part of him that set him apart from other wizards, and it could do anything he wanted, all he needed was the willpower to direct it.
He closed his eyes and concentrated, digging deep within himself, he called upon more magic than he ever had before and he could feel something shift inside him, like he was being transformed at a fundamental level as his magic spread through his entire body. When he opened them, he felt invincible, his destroyed clothes had mended themselves and there were wisps of golden smoke around him.
Ranulph did a double take when he met Harry's gaze and he took an unconscious step back as Harry started approaching, practically gliding across the stone floor. The boy was in front of him before he knew it, and he staggered back, falling on one knee without even being aware, any will to fight being snuffed out like a flame in the wind. Harry towered over his kneeling form and Ranulph could feel his master protesting at his subservient position in front of another.
"You're...not human." He stammered as Harry regarded him, emerald orbs glowing in apparent fury.
"No." The boy...the being in front of him shook his head. "I am a much more than that."
With a mere jerk of Harry's head, Ranulph was sent flying straight into the wall. Harry appeared half a second later and effortlessly lifted him from the floor.
"Does that count as a direct hit?" His voice had an otherworldly quality to it, like anyone would through themselves into the pits of hell if he only asked.
Ranulph could do nothing more than nod once and then like a puppet whose strings had been cut, Harry collapsed and fell over like a sack of potatoes. Without Harry's support, Ranulph fell on his knees and watched the boy as the golden wisps around him and the overwhelming feeling in the room disappeared. It was only then that he realized he was shaking, whether it was out of excitement or fear, he honestly couldn't tell. But one thing was certain to him, Harry Potter was the answer to all his problems.
AN: For those who didn't understand, Harry just tapped into his divine powers, if only briefly, but the tool was too much for his developing body.
And no, I haven't forgotten about the magical world or Sirius.