The Mind of Harry Potter
by Roff
THREE
Saturday was a Hogsmeade Weekend day and Harry was going with Ron and Hermione to visit the small wizarding town.
After breakfast, they made their way to the carriages and Harry did his usual thing of saying hello to the thestrals that pulled the carriages. He always had to say 'hi' and pet them for a little bit. The first time he did it, his friends thought he was even crazier than he acted.
Later they found out that there really were magical animals pulling the carriages. They were just invisible to anyone who had not seen death. Harry had seen his dead relatives when he was six so he had been able to see the thestrals since he first arrived at Hogwarts.
Ron and Hermione always joined in and gave the thestrals a pet as well, even though they couldn't see them. Sometimes a few of their other friends who tagged along with them would do the same. Only Luna Lovegood so far had mentioned that she could see them too. She had quietly tagged along with the trio when she saw them leaving the castle and caught up with them while they stopped to pet the thestrals.
Everyone knew that Luna was a bit sweet on Harry.
"Hi, Harry."
"Hi… Luna, going to… Hogsmeade too?"
"Yes. Come on. Let's go," she said holding out her hand.
Harry took it and the both of them climbed into the carriage. Ron and Hermione just shrugged their shoulders and hopped in behind them. They all got out once they reached Hogsmeade.
It was weird to see Harry and Luna communicating. You would swear that they could talk together non-verbally. As Ron and Hermione followed behind the two of them, they noticed neither one was talking but occasionally they both would look at each other, then suddenly both started laughing together. Ron and Hermione just looked at each other in wonder.
They walked around for a bit and took care of their shopping while they were at it. When it was time for lunch, they went to the Three Broomsticks and found a table. They were almost done eating when they heard several pops of apparition and some screams outside. People were rushing toward the door and windows to see what was happening.
Ron, Hermione, and Luna started to get up but Harry stopped them.
"Wait! Stay here! I'll be right back."
Then Harry disappeared. They heard no sound when he left except for people screaming about Death Eaters. He was just gone. Luna was sitting next to him so she felt around where he had been sitting but he wasn't there at all.
"He's gone! How did he do that?" she asked.
"That's a new one for us too," answered Hermione.
"He must have gone outside with the Death Eaters," Ron stated.
The three of them got up and went to see if they could find him. They looked out the window to see the Death Eaters who were all casting spells at the poor villagers and students running for cover. Suddenly they all stopped what they were doing and looked up into the sky.
Ron, Hermione, and Luna went through the door quickly and looked up as well. Regardless of the danger, others followed them so they could see what stopped the Death Eaters cold.
About 40 feet up over the street stood Harry. He was standing on nothing but air. Suddenly, he burst into flame and huge fireballs began to rain down on the Death Eaters. Several of them were killed when the fireballs hit them. Some were just set on fire when they were too close. The rest were running for cover.
However, the townspeople and students who came out to see what was going on started shooting spells at the Death Eaters, preventing them from getting into any of the buildings. Some were hit by the spells while some put up shields as they ran as fast they could to get away from the fireballs.
Harry then extinguished his flames and floated down to the street while magically grabbing the fleeing Death Eaters. It looked like there was invisible hands reaching out and grabbing them before pulling them backwards to one spot.
He secured them in the middle of the street. The ones that were taken down by students and villagers, he did the same and pulled them over to the middle of the street with the others. The invisible hands then seemed to press the Death Eaters to the ground and hold them there.
Apparently, two managed to get away via portkey but the rest of them were all laying in the street unable to move. Close to 30 Death Eaters had attacked the village. Harry had the dead and the live ones all gathered in one area when the aurors arrived. He just had to remove his spell before the aurors could take them to the Ministry.
Kingsley Shacklebolt was leading the squad of aurors who had arrived on scene. He didn't have to talk to many people before it was apparent Harry was the main one who stopped the Death Eaters and secured them. However, every time he tried to question Harry the young man seemed to be too distracted. He kept running off and seeing to the injured.
What was amazing was he showed everyone just how much he had learned from Madame Pomphrey over the years. Before any healers could arrive, Harry had just about all the injured sorted and healed. If they needed hospital stay then he had them very comfortable and pain free, well on the way to recovery by the time a portkey could send them to St. Mungos.
There were two villagers and one student who were killed right after the Death Eaters arrived. The dead each received a moment of silence from Harry as he checked on each one after the injured were handled.
Dumbledore and some of the professors had arrived just minutes after the aurors appeared. Kingsley decided to talk to Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione, and Luna instead of trying to get Harry to stand still long enough to question him. Even then, he wasn't sure how much he would get out of the conversation. The professors began rounding up and sending the students back to the castle once the aurors cleared them.
Hermione explained from beginning to end to Kingsley and Dumbledore what had happened and what they saw Harry do to the Death Eaters.
"He did what?" asked Kingsley who then shook his head to clear it. "You said he disappeared from your table inside the Three Broomsticks and appeared in the air outside above the Death Eaters?"
"Yes," answered Ron while Luna just nodded. Ron had been distracted trying to keep an eye on Harry while they spoke to Kingsley and Dumbledore. That's why he let Hermione do all the talking.
"The Death Eaters just stopped what they were doing and looked up into the sky at Harry? How high up was he?"
"Not sure," replied Hermione. "He was maybe 30 to 40 feet up?" She looked over at Ron for confirmation who nodded in agreement. So did Luna. Kingsley continued.
"Other than appearing in the sky, did Harry do anything else to draw their attention?"
"We didn't see that since we were inside," answered Hermione. "We came out after they all stopped and looked up. When we walked out far enough to see what they were looking at and we could see him, he definitely got their attention then."
"That's when he… burst into flame, you said?" asked Dumbledore.
"Yes Professor."
"Then he started raining down huge fireballs on them?" asked Kingsley who was writing all this down.
Ron, Hermione, and Luna all nodded.
"They were coming from his wand?"
"No, Harry never uses a wand," answered Ron offhandedly.
Kingsley looked at Dumbledore.
"Is anyone even going to believe this report?"
"It is what it is Kingsley. I'm sure your aurors are getting the same eyewitness account from the others being questioned. Harry is different, plain and simple… and extremely powerful," Dumbledore replied then paused for a second. "The good thing is that he's on our side."
Kingsley just nodded, deep in thought.
While Kingsley was talking to Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione, and Luna, Harry was finishing checking on the injured and dead. He had just conjured a blanket to cover the last dead villager he found, when a large black dog came up to him and huffed at him. Harry covered the body and stood back up to follow the dog.
The dog led him to the outskirts of town where he found an unconscious and bound body of a short pudgy man named Peter Pettigrew. Harry waved his hand and cast a strong Notice-Me-Not spell on the whole area where they were standing.
"You… can change… back now… Sirius."
The big dog suddenly changed. In his place stood Sirius Black, Harry's godfather. He had been on the run and in hiding since he escaped from Azkaban. The only way it was safe for him to prove his innocence was to find and bring in the real culprit – Peter Pettigrew. It looked like things were shaping up for him.
"Thanks, pup! I was hoping to see you today and then I noticed all the Death Eaters arriving. You were something else I'm telling you. What you did was amazing."
Sirius patted Harry on the back.
"Anyway, Wormtail here was doing his normal stuff and staying away from the fighting. When you shut them all down, he decided to make his getaway. He just happened to head my direction. I got him when he transformed back into himself and before he could portkey away. I also made sure he can't transform back into a rat."
"Good."
"I see that Kingsley is still here. How should we handle this?"
"Follow me, Sirius. No one… will see you."
Harry waved his hand at Sirius and placed an illusion over him so no one would be able to see him. With another wave, Wormtail was floating beside Harry as they headed back to Kingsley and Dumbledore. They saw Harry coming back floating a body next to him. They waited for him to reach them and noticed it was Peter when Harry placed him on the ground in front of them.
"Peter Pettigrew?" asked Kingsley.
"The one in the same, Kingsley," replied Dumbledore. "You captured him, Harry? Sirius will be pleased."
"No. Sirius… did."
"Is Sirius nearby, Harry?" asked Hermione.
"Yes… close by."
Harry waved his hand so that only Kingsley, Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione, and Luna could see Sirius just as he could. Their eyes all widened temporarily, as Sirius suddenly appeared right there with them.
"Let me know when it's safe to come into the Ministry and I'll be there. I figure that will be immediately following the moment you get Peter's confession with Veritaserum," Sirius informed them.
"I'll… be going with… Sirius… when he goes to the Ministry… just to make sure he gets… treated fairly. No one will see him… until it's safe."
"Thanks, Kiddo," replied Sirius as he ruffled Harry's hair with his hand.
"That's a good idea Harry," said Dumbledore. "I'll be sure and tag along as well. I have a feeling the Wizengamot is going to need some help dealing with the fallout from all this."
"Who else can see Sirius, Harry?" asked Kingsley looking around.
"Just… us."
"That's amazing, Harry. Can they hear him?" Kingsley asked.
"No."
"Quite the talented young wizard, wouldn't you say Kingsley?" asked Dumbledore.
Kingsley just nodded his head.
"I cast the spell so Wormtail can't change back into a rat but it would be best if the cell you keep him in is also set that way," Sirius told Kingsley. "He's a slippery little rat, and very dangerous."
"I'll see to it myself, Sirius. In fact, Madame Bones and I will be questioning him right away when I take him back. I suggest you get somewhere safe until we call you in."
"I guess that's my cue to leave," said Sirius.
"I'll take you so… I can remove… the illusion… before coming back."
Harry raised a hand into the air where Flynn appeared above them.
"Grab… a tail feather."
Sirius reached up and suddenly he and Harry were gone in a flash of fire.
Harry and Sirius arrived via phoenix fire to the foyer of Grimmauld Place. The portrait of Sirius' mother began yelling obscenities just like the first time Harry had visited. This was only his second time to be there. He waved his hand at Sirius cancelling the illusion he had placed on him then turned with determination to the portrait that was right next to him. Sirius was already moving quickly so he could try to get her to shut up.
Before Sirius could reach the portrait however, Harry waved his hand and the portrait went quiet just like that. Sirius looked at his mother in the picture and saw nothing but a face at peace with the world. She appeared to be happy and content.
"What did you do, Harry? We've been trying to get her to stop or remove the picture or something for the longest but nothing worked."
"I… fixed her."
Sirius just looked at Harry for a moment then looked at his mother's face again. He then turned back to Harry.
"Good enough for me, Kiddo. Do you have to leave right away? Do you have time for one butterbeer? Maybe catch up a little?"
"Sure."
They sat in the kitchen drinking a butterbeer and snacking on fresh biscuits. Flynn sat on the back of a chair watching them. Sirius was still trying to get Harry to engage in conversation with him, without much luck.
"So, how are things at Hogwarts besides the occasional Death Eater attack?"
"Good."
"Are you enjoying your classes?"
"Yes."
"Still getting along alright with your friends? Hermione and Ron, right?"
"Yes."
Sirius sighed. "You're not a very big talker, are you?"
"No."
"Well, just remember that even though I screwed up when I went after Peter instead of staying with you that night many years ago, I've learned my lesson. I'm sorry you had to go through so much and I wasn't there to protect you. I promise I'll do whatever it takes to help you. I'll always be here for you for as long as you want me. Okay?"
"Thank… you."
"You don't have to thank me Harry. I'm your godfather, I love you, it's what I'm supposed to be doing, and it's what I should have been doing for the last fifteen years. I'll try my best to never let you down again."
Harry nodded as Flynn began singing creating a calmness that permeated everyone and everything. When he finished he warbled something extra. Harry turned toward his familiar.
"Right… Flynn, time to… go."
"Okay, Harry, I understand you need to get back. Take care of yourself and stay in touch. Let me know if you ever need anything. Use the mirror I gave you if you ever need me for anything while you're at Hogwarts."
"Bye!" Harry told him.
With that, he grabbed one of Flynn's tail feathers when he hovered above Harry's head and flamed away.
Sirius just shook his head. He was at a loss as to how to help his godson. It made him sad to see him like that, but he would never let Harry know that. The kid deserved better.
Harry and Flynn arrived back in Hogsmeade where the aurors were starting to wrap everything up. The Death Eaters were all taken away and the injured were all being cared for at the hospital. Dumbledore was still there and explained that Kingsley had already taken Peter back to question him. He suggested Harry head back to the castle since the Hogsmeade visit was officially over. Ron, Hermione, and Luna had already gone back, he said.
Harry walked back with Flynn riding on his shoulder. They were in quiet conversation together the whole way. When he arrived back in Gryffindor tower, Ron and Hermione were waiting.
"Harry, are you okay? How did you apparate from our table to the middle of the air? And, how did you do the fireballs? How—"
"Hermione!" Ron interrupted. "Breathe and stop asking so many questions. This is Harry, remember?"
She stopped and turned to Ron.
"Right. Sorry, Harry. Sometimes I get excited and my mind goes into hyperdrive."
"I'm… fine, Hermione."
"Can you explain how you did the fireballs?" she asked. "That would be good to know."
Harry thought about it for a second, looked at Hermione then at Ron. He then looked down at the floor before looking back up at Hermione.
"No."
Hermione's whole body deflated while Ron just smiled at his friend.
"See?"
"I know, Ron."
"What do you want to do now, Harry?" asked Ron.
"Homework."
Hermione smiled while Ron groaned.
"Let's get our books," Ron suggested reluctantly. It was the weekend after all and he had to be best friends with the smartest kids in the school.
"Good idea, Ron," said Hermione happily.
"We'll meet you back down here, Hermione. Come on, Harry."
All three went up to their dorms to collect their books. Then returned back down to the common room to work on their homework. In the end, Ron still had a good time because it was always nice to spend it with his two best friends. He had to admit that his own grades were good but it was all because of who he hung around with. It just rubbed off, he guessed.
The next day, on Sunday, no one was allowed to return to Hogsmeade and many of the students were trying to talk to Harry about what he did. They were trying to be all friendly with him when in the past most of them just talked about him behind his back and made fun of him. He had a few friends that were nice but they all knew not to crowd him. The students bugging him that day were the ones whose minds changed with the wind.
Harry was really good at ignoring them. He knew what their motives were. He and Luna were spending some time together in the library when several of them would come by and try to talk to Harry. Madam Pince would have to shew them out of the library when they became too loud trying to get Harry to respond. He never did though.
Sometimes they would call him a name when he ignored them and usually insulted Luna as well. After a while, Harry and Luna grew tired of the interruptions so Harry put up an illusion so no one would see them sitting there. They noticed a few would come around their table and looked confused when they didn't see anyone but no one disturbed them again while they worked.
After they finished, they left the library to meet up with Ron, Hermione, and Neville to go to lunch in the Great Hall. While they were walking down the hall, three seventh year Slytherins stopped them.
"Potter, how did you do that yesterday?" asked Bole with a sneer on his face. "That was pretty impressive for a stupid Gryffindor."
Harry just stared at him. After a couple of seconds, he took Luna's hand and led her to go around the three rude boys. But they all moved back in front of them blocking their way.
"Are you guys really that stupid after seeing what Harry can do?" asked Luna. "Get out of our way," she said tiredly.
"Shut up you stupid bint!" responded Vaisey with malice. "What makes you think you can even talk to us?"
"Looney Luna Lovegood. You're as crazy as your good for nothing father," added Derrick.
Harry quickly looked over at Luna and saw her holding back tears, her eyes glistening with moisture. He slowly turned back to the three Slytherins, let go of Luna's hand, stepped in front of her, and changed into a twenty-five foot tall giant who had to stoop to keep from hitting the ceiling. He leaned forward more toward the Slytherins and roared his displeasure.
The three boys quickly turned and ran down the hall screaming. They were certain they could hear heavy footsteps following them all the way back to the dungeons.
Harry turned back to Luna.
"What did you do, Harry?" she asked wiping at her eyes.
"Made… them think… I… was an angry… giant."
"Thank you, Harry," Luna said kissing him on the cheek. Then she grabbed Harry's arm and leaned into him as they started walking again.
"Welcome."
For the next three days, all three of the Slytherins, at random times, would hear extremely heavy footsteps coming up behind them. They would turn to find nothing. Their friends were beginning to think they had lost their minds.
"Did you hear that?" asked Derrick as he turned around quickly.
"Hear what?" asked Malfoy.
"Those heavy footsteps. I heard them right behind us."
"I didn't hear anything. Are you alright?"
"Fine. Just forget it," he said rolling his shoulders to help relieve the tension.
They all three decided to never mess with those two again. About a week later, it happened one more time as a reminder to all three then never happened again.
Following the incident, Snape went to Dumbledore and insisted that Harry had been torturing some of his Slytherins with his mind manipulations. He demanded that the Headmaster do something about it and reign him in. To placate his dour potions professor, Dumbledore promised he would speak to Harry about it. He called Harry to his office to question him even though he doubted it would do much good.
Harry surprised him during his visit and did something he didn't know Harry could do. When he asked about the three Slytherins and why, instead of speaking Harry waved his hand and presented the scene to Dumbledore right in the middle of his office without the use of his pensieve.
He showed the three Slytherins confronting them and insulting Luna followed by the very believable illusion of the giant that only the three Slytherins could see evidently, evidenced by Luna's question as to what Harry did. When the scene ended with Harry and Luna continuing on their way after the boys left in a hurry, Harry removed the scene and turned to Dumbledore.
"I see," said the Headmaster, "and that was a very neat trick being able to show the memory like that without the use of a pensieve."
Harry nodded.
"Sorry, Harry, but I have to ask. Was that the actual scene that took place?"
"Yes."
"You didn't change it up some for my benefit?"
"No."
Fawkes trilled behind them.
"I understand Fawkes. I know Harry is telling the truth, but I have to be thorough in my investigation to satisfy all the parties involved."
Fawkes warbled back and Harry laughed.
"You know, Harry, sometimes I wonder if you have two phoenixes instead of one," he deadpanned.
Harry smiled at Dumbledore and gave a grin to Fawkes. After a second or two of thought, Dumbledore turned back to Harry.
"Harry, you are a natural Occlumens," said Dumbledore. "No one can penetrate your mind. I have also come to the conclusion that you are a natural Legilimens as well. How else can you plant those marvelous illusions into people's heads?"
Harry just nodded.
"That is a formidable talent to have both naturally. It generally takes years to master just one."
Dumbledore had figured out what the horcruxes were by now and was trying to get them all taken care of so Voldemort would actually die and leave this world the next time he was killed. On occasion, he would take Harry with him when he needed some backup or just some additional help. He didn't actually need help, at least he thought so when he went to the Gaunt shack, but was very glad he took Harry with him afterwards.
The Resurrection Stone at some point had been set on a ring. The stone had been handed down from Cadmus Peverell to his offspring and eventually made it into the Slytherin family. The Gaunt family were pureblood descendants of Salazar Slytherin. Voldemort's mother was Merope Gaunt, who died giving birth to her son. She named him Tom Riddle after his muggle father. Voldemort took the ring after he killed the last of the Gaunts. He also killed all the Riddle family too, wiping out anyone related to him.
He turned the ring into a horcrux and hid it in the shack where the Gaunts had lived. Dumbledore found it after they made it past all the wards and traps Voldemort had set on the shack to protect his horcrux. What Dumbledore wasn't counting on was the overpowering Compulsion Charm placed on the ring to try it on. Add to that, his knowledge that the Resurrection Stone might allow him to talk to his dead sister, and that just made him more anxious to get the stone.
When he succumbed to the charm and started to put the ring on, Harry was there to stop him. The ring flew out of his fingers and straight to Harry's hand where he quickly wrapped it in an illusion and put it away in his pocket. With a wave of Harry's hand, Dumbledore snapped out of his stupor and looked at Harry gratefully.
"You likely just saved my life, Harry."
Harry just nodded as he pulled Dumbledore toward the door so they could leave.
The next horcrux hunt happened when Dumbledore took Harry to the seaside where some cliffs were. As it turned out, Voldemort had a cave filled with water and animated corpses, known as inferi. There was a small island that was used to hide the horcrux. It was at the bottom of a bowl with a horrible liquid covering it. The only way to get to it was to drink the liquid, Dumbledore deduced.
Dumbledore started to explain to Harry what he had to do to make sure Dumbledore drank all the poison so they could get to the locket, but Harry waved him off and magically pulled an inferi from the water. The inferi stood there staring off into space.
However, when Harry pulled the inferi out of the water, the myriad of inferi still in the water became active and started to come out of the water and onto the island to attack Harry and the Professor. Harry waved his hand again and all the inferi sank back down into the water, leaving the one he pulled out still standing there.
Harry made the one inferi drink the poison.
"Astonishing, Harry. That is a much better idea than mine. I am always amazed at what you can do."
Harry just nodded as he gave the inferi another drink. When all the liquid had been consumed, Harry waved his hand again and sent the inferi back into the water.
"Well done, Harry. Well done."
When Harry pulled out the locket, it was obvious to him this wasn't a real horcrux. Harry handed it to Dumbledore.
"Not… real."
"Let me see."
Dumbledore opened the locket and found a note inside from someone with the initials R.A.B. Apparently this person was a Death Eater who figured out what Voldemort did and took his horcrux to thwart him.
They headed back to the castle and Dumbledore decided to leave Harry alone for now while he figured out where the other horcruxes were, along with who RAB was.
Dumbledore got the idea that since Tom gave a horcrux to Lucius, then he might have given another one to another faithful follower. Who better than Bellatrix he asked himself? Since she practically worshipped her master, he likely gave one to her to keep safe as well. Where would she keep it though?
The trial of Sirius went very smoothly once they had the veritaserum confession from both Peter and Sirius. The ones on the Wizengamot who secretly followed the dark lord weren't very pleased but there was nothing they could do about it.
Just as Harry promised, he and Dumbledore accompanied Sirius to the Ministry. Harry's use of illusions made sure no one but a few necessary ones saw Sirius until it was time to see him during his trial.
Sirius was beyond happy when he finally got his freedom back.
Dumbledore asked Sirius about Bellatrix and what idea he may have if she was given something by Voldemort to keep for him. If so, then where would she keep it to make sure it stays safe?
Sirius was curious as to what Voldemort would give his cousin but Dumbledore was reluctant to bring him into confidence about what the dark lord did to cheat death.
Harry had no compunction to keep it from Sirius and he was quite good with one word expressions, so he simply answered the question and said, "horcrux."
Sirius knew exactly what that was and it nearly made him sick thinking about it.