House of Black
Twenty Fifth February Nineteen Ninety-Four – Hogwarts: Library
"Why are you living in a juvenile home Harry?"
It had taken her long enough. Daphne had finally summoned the courage to ask Harry about the elephant size question about his past.
Harry smiled. He didn't look up from writing in his journal. He was modifying his runes. They lacked the power they needed. He had to find a way to bridge the gap between them. To eliminate the tunnel through which magic was summoned. It had to be wider. Or it had to be smaller. How to do it?
"Is it a funny story?" Daphne asked drily. Harry was smiling too much.
"I killed my Aunt and Uncle."
He said it with such nonchalance that Daphne didn't believe him. There was no regret, no emotion behind that statement except for the small smile playing on his lips.
"You're messing with me aren't you?" Daphne asked suspiciously. Harry never messed around with his words. But she couldn't help but not believe him. If it were true, Harry wouldn't be at Hogwarts. The Ministry could not allow it even if they wanted to.
Harry shrugged.
Slow horror began to rise in her. It didn't feel like Harry was lying. "You really killed them?" she whispered.
Harry didn't reply. Instead, he frowned at his notes. He pulled the Dark Arts tome from under the book on chakras and flipped to the page about runes. Blood is the most powerful catalyst, it said. Harry thoughts began to turn in a new direction.
"Harry?"
"Yes," Harry replied absently. He was too focused on his runes. Daphne was beginning to disturb his thoughts. "Now keep quiet," he added.
Daphne on the other hand felt her mind spin out of control. It couldn't be true could it? It just wasn't possible. Or maybe it was. Maybe it was why he was the way he was. He was a murderer. Just like her.
Emotions that Daphne had long supressed rose dangerously high and she felt like throwing up. "I gotta go," she said queasily and left the library.
The silence of her absence made Harry sigh in pleasure. He didn't fully understand why he put up with her. But anyway, that was not important. Nothing was as important as it was to perfect his runes. To see his vision for magic made real. He dreamt about it now. Every time he slept, he could see himself. Standing on the largest sand dune in an endless desert. Feeling the scorching heat on his back while magic reigned supreme. Testing the endurance of witches and wizards.
But first. He had a new catalyst to test.
It was almost eight in the evening. One hour till curfew so it would be easy to sneak out. Lately Harry was seeing aurors randomly coming to Hogwarts to make pointless patrols. Prefects making double the rounds at night. Even teachers who patrolled through Hogwarts looking for troublemakers.
The Weasley twins had their work cut out by rebelling against the cage closing around their freedom. Prank attacks were happening more often than ever. Parts of the castle were creatively redecorated at night, leaving teachers to attempt to sanitise the decors for the rest of the day.
Harry began to suspect there was something going on. He had noticed the red cores of many children taste of fear. But he had dismissed it without a thought. They didn't concern him. The late night security, on the other hand, did. He had a secret and he didn't want eyes prying. He didn't want to share his dream. It was personal and he obsessed over it day and night.
His feet had taken him towards the secret exit to the Great Hall but then he remembered the Entrance would still be open so he could leave from there. He turned right instead of left and walked face first into a taller boy.
He stumbled back, almost losing his balance and the Void screamed in anger.
Harry looked up with furious eyes and was met by amused grey.
"Hello Potter," the boy drawled.
His voice sounded familiar. Grey eyes, high cheekbones, silky blonde hair falling over his eyes. His robe had the Slytherin crest and his skin was almost pale white.
Harry controlled the Void and manoeuvred to walk past him but the boy stuck an arm out stopping him.
The Void bubbled inside him.
The colours of the wall and the boy in front of him came in focus. His tunnel vision of thought broadened and he noticed another girl with the boy. Her funny upturned nose looked distinctively familiar. The remaining light from dusk was retreating from the corridor and the candles were magically lighting their flame.
"Get out of my way," Harry said coldly.
Draco Malfoy slowly withdrew his hand. "Don't you recognise me Potter? I didn't know you suffered from memory loss."
Harry had enough. The Void lashed out and Draco was slammed into the wall. He cried out in pain as the back of his head struck the wall hard.
Draco felt darkness creep into the shadows of his eyes and he forced himself to stay conscious. Pansy moved to draw her wand but he gestured with his hand which was free to move to stop her from doing anything.
Harry closed in and the Void crawled around Draco's neck. Harry observed the boy's colours and noticed something odd.
"You're not afraid," Harry whispered. His eyes glinted with the urge to squeeze the life out of Draco.
"Go ahead," Draco hissed, his voice half choked. "Kill me Potter. Finish what you couldn't do last time!"
Harry frowned and took a step back. His colours were different. He remembered now. This was they boy who had challenged him to a duel. He couldn't colours back them but it was obvious something had changed within the magic of the blonde before him.
His red was full of anger and strong. He had barely any orange and his green was a dark colour. He was like Daphne, Harry realised. Dominated by the thoughts of revenge. He recognised the pattern now. And it looked like the boy harboured hate towards him. Suddenly Harry felt something new as he analysed the boy's colours. A different kind of excitement. This boy wanted to hurt him. He wanted to make him suffer. Harry didn't know why. He wanted the boy to try.
The Void retreated with the thrill of future anticipation and Draco collapsed to the ground. He coughed and rubbed his throat before shakily standing on his feet.
Draco laughed hoarsely. "That's right," he spat. "You can't. My father's the Minister now and if you touch me again you'll be in Azkaban faster than you can blink."
The boy was threatening him. A smile tugged at the edges of Harry's lips and his eyes darkened with challenge. He could kill him but he knew well enough now, he couldn't give Dumbledore an excuse to expel him. Harry needed Hogwarts.
Draco's eyes turned wary at the sight of Harry's smile but he steeled himself and sneered back. Drumstrang had been hell. And now he was back at Hogwarts as the son of the Minister for Magic.
"I'll be seeing you around Potter," Draco said and brushed past Harry. Pansy sneered and followed Draco.
Harry giggled. That boy was going to try to hurt him. And when he did, Harry couldn't wait to retaliate. Self-defence was allowed after all. He continued towards the Entrance feeling energised. The last few months at Hogwarts could prove entertaining.
It was night now and outside Harry could see the faint traces of brooms flying about the Quidditch ground. Some team was practising. A cool breeze lifted bits of snow past him and Harry drew a rune of warmth on his palm with his wand. Instantly his body warmed against the biting breeze.
He saw a couple walking up from the lakeside and drew a rune of invisibility on his forehead. He shimmered out of view just as he came into their line of sight.
The girl was startled. She thought she had seen someone but the figure had disappeared immediately. "Did you see that?" she gasped.
"No," the boy murmured. "It's just shadows Penelope."
"Maybe," she said doubtfully.
Harry walked towards the forest and once a little deep in, he rubbed out the rune from his forehead and shimmered into visibility.
The magic of the forest melted around him. Welcoming him. Embracing him as one with the forest. The sky above darkened, showing the stars above with greater clarity. A wetness hung in the air, as Harry went deeper into the forest. Guided by magic and familiarity with his destination.
He couldn't sense creatures around him. They had learnt over the course of a few months that he was an even more dangerous monster. A monster who could use magic at a whim to slaughter them.
Green eyes roved around thick tree trunks, scouting for danger. His last trip into the forest had led to an encounter with a strange mist. It looked like a part of the rest of the mist in the forest but this one's colour was different. It was almost black. It was dangerous. Harry had skirted carefully around it but a strand had ended up touching his arm and pain had exploded in his nerves. He felt white hot knives plunging into every part of his body and the flesh where the mist had touched him began to melt.
Harry had barely escaped. His rune of healing had halted the advance of the foreign magic and he was forced to go to the hospital wing and explain to the Nurse it was a flesh eating slug that had attacked him.
The nurse didn't believe him but healed him none the less.
The encounter had taught Harry how dangerous magic could be. Later he was glad he had found the mist. It had given him the idea of spreading his runes in a similar fashion.
An hour later, Harry walked into a spacious clearing that looked out of place in the thick of trees.
It was an acre wide open space that seemed like a divide between two forests. There were strange stone structures that were monoliths arranged in what seemed to be patterns. Parts of the dry land were spaced with small pools of sand. Magic was thick in the air.
Harry closed his eyes and spread the Void, feeling the welcome touch of magic around him. It was blissful.
A half-moon dimly illuminated the land and glittered against the sand. It didn't matter to Harry. He could see well enough in the dark. Colours of magic was his light.
The night was silent as the dead.
And in the midst of it Harry slowly raised his wand and carefully drew it along his left wrist, splitting the skin in two. Dark red began to spill out and drip to the ground. Then he lowered himself to his knees and began to draw.
The sound of his finger softly tracing in mud scratched against the silence. Harry finished a moment later and healed his wrist with a quick trace of the rune for healing using his blood.
The skin closed without leaving a mark and Harry pushed the Void into the rune diagram.
The rune began to glow a soft red. It began to pulse, brightening with every interval, casting a hellish glow through the treeline.
Harry had to shield his eyes when the rune suddenly burned bright as the sun. He felt magic pulled through the source and gasped when it felt like his energy was suddenly taken away.
He fell to his knees, his body reeling with shock and felt soft sand instead of a hardened ground.
The light cleared and Harry stared around in amazement. He was panting with exhaustion but the result was magnificent! The pool of sand was usually a couple of meters in radius but after using his blood the result was a good twenty meters all around him! The rune had even taken down one of the monoliths which seemed to be resist to the magic of the rune.
A giggle bubbled in his chest. Harry burst into chuckles. This was brilliant. This was progress! His dream was one step closer.
His laughter echoed around through the trees and Harry turned his head up to look at the moon. His eyes glowed under its light.
Then he took a deep breath and brought his wand to his left wrist again. He wasn't done yet. The night was still young.
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First March Nineteen Ninety-Four - Thirteen Grimmauld Place, London.
It was the first meeting in seven years that hosted all the members of the Order of the Phoenix: A secret society of Magicals who put the needs of greater others before their own.
At present the magical world needed them most. A force of good and justice. In this era, Albus Dumbledore was chosen to be its leader. He was chosen by a phoenix, a phoenix who was now his familiar, during his battle with Dark Lord Grindelwald.
"Welcome friends," Albus said softly, seated at the head of a large rectangular unpolished oak table. The dining room was well lit with three candle chandeliers casting a warm and welcome glow over all.
Albus looked at the seven people around him. Emmaline Vance, Minerva McGonagall, Alastor Moody, Dedalus Diggle, Elphias Doge, Nymphadora Tonks and Sirius Black.
"Firstly let us welcome Sirius and Tonks to our ranks. I can confidently say they will uphold the values of our order. To be a pillar of support and justice when all else fails."
Tonks was blushing. Sirius was scowling.
"What's the alert Albus," Moody growled. "Surely it's not about those idiot muggleborns. Starting a goddamn civil war. Fucking punks," he spat.
Tonks giggled and was instantly glared into silence by McGonagall.
"They're fighting for their rights Moody," Vance said severely. "Don't judge them."
"I'm not judging," Moody retorted. "I'm just saying the world is a big place. If they got no rights here then go somewhere else! Believe me, if they saw what's out there they wouldn't ever come back and live like the shit stains inside my commode."
"You certainly have a twisted way of saying you're not judging Alastor," Vance spat back. "This is their home! And don't tell me you don't care about that. I've seen the wards you have around your own. And I've helped you win court cases over ownership of your land."
"You helped me?! Give me a break," he laughed sarcastically. "And I have no problem leaving if the situation calls for it. My situation doesn't, theirs does. There's a difference Vance. Buried under all those prophecies you seem to a have lost that voice of reason in your head as well."
"Ladies," Dumbledore interrupted. His words timely and firm. His raised his hands placatingly. "I actually called this meeting to discuss Lord Voldemort moving into Malfoy Manor."
"Oh just fucking great," Moody sighed. "Well haven't we just dug ourselves the perfect grave. The dark lord under the protection of the Ministry!"
No one countered him. They all stared at Dumbledore in shock. Even Vance.
"The recent abolishment of the Wizengamot to establish the Minister of Magic as the voice of authority for all Britain was his move."
It had happened three day before and the stress of change finally broken the ministry. With the new power of control and decision making, there were mass resignations in the Ministry protesting the move. But the decision was final and already battle lines were being drawn within the Auror department; the most powerful department in the Ministry. Amelia Bones was rallying Aurors to her side as she openly prepared to oppose Lucius Malfoy after she was sacked and replaced by Pius Thicknesse.
"If I may interrupt, headmaster," Tonks said hesitantly. "I have news concerning the same."
"You can call me Albus now Tonks," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Okay. Albus," she stressed with a smile. "If Madam Bones does not leave her office tomorrow, the Minister has ordered her to be arrested. Shacklebolt sent me a message in Hogwarts." Amelia was barricaded in the Auror office with her closest supporters.
"She will run," Vance said grimly. "She has no choice. The families of Aurors are already being threatened to fall in line or else face bad consequences. Bones knows this. Our best move right now is to recruit her into the Order before she joins Ted. If she joins Ted then you can guarantee this war is going to turn bloody. So far it's been relatively clean."
"There is a reason why we didn't recruit her the first time around Vance," Doge said softly.
"She is a loose cannon and very aggressive. Remember how she went after that girl in school? She is an investigator who chases down every possible lead with guns blazing. She lacks the subtly our Order needs."
"The Order must stay pure," Diggle agreed with a squeak.
"Okay," Sirius laughed upon hearing that. "Beginning to sound like a pure blood there Diggle," he joked. "Albus. You told me I'd be making a difference here. Dedicating myself to the cause of others. Basically you wanted me to get off my ass. Now so far I haven't heard anything constructive. Just secret society gossip."
"We share news Black," Moody growled angrily, not liking the insinuation Black was making. Voldemort would have won a long time ago if it weren't for the Order. "We have to talk, exhaust ideas, before making big decisions. "You joining us should have been a decision that should have been talked over." Here Moody glanced at Dumbledore with irritation.
"We need people Moody. Half our numbers were cut down during the last war and I fear this time we're going to need more."
"So let's talk about potential recruits then," Sirius said quickly before they degenerated into another line of thought and talks. "We certainly could do with some young blood around here," he said and winked at Tonks who laughed and turned her hair red.
"I nominate Severus Snape," Dumbledore said.
Sirius froze. "A force for justice? Him? You've got to be kidding me!"
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Tenth March Nineteen Ninety-Four – Malfoy Manor.
A throne fit for a king dominated the living room of Malfoy Manor. It was placed next to the fire place, casting a red glow on a medium built man with short blonde hair. He was dressed in black robes and was lazily twirling a wand. He was fair skinned and could be called attractive if not for all the rotting skin that was falling from parts of his face and hands. His eyes were crimson red and a black mist was slowly leaving the body from the places of rot.
Lucius sat in a smaller chair with a high back next to Voldemort and couldn't take his eyes off the mist that was leaving the Dark Lord's body.
"Your time is up My Lord," he said softly.
His voice carried to the five men kneeling before them. Each had been tasked to find certain ingredients for a dark ritual.
Voldemort let his eyes observe each one carefully. Reduced to possessing muggles, his anger was always on the boil. And now this body was failing. The enchantments were falling apart. He was reverting to his incorporeal state.
"You had one Month," he hissed furiously. "Why have you returned empty handed?"
The men quivered with unease.
"The ingredients are hard to come by My Lord. We need more time."
Voldemort itched to kill one of them to teach them a lesson. But he didn't. His magic was still very weak. It took all his effort to stay within the body he was inhabiting. He needed them. He hated needing others. His rage only grew because of that.
"How much time?"
"A year."
Lucius thought the man brave for giving that long a time frame.
Magic radiated from the dark lord, compressed with his displeasure. "You have four," Voldemort said. He then stood up and slowly walked to the master bedroom. "Send the next muggle in," he mentioned to Lucius as he passed by him.
"He's in your room, My Lord," Lucius said with a bow of his head. If he had legs, he would be expected to genuflect.
Once Voldemort had left, he turned to the five men. "You heard him, you have four months to gather the ingredients."
"We'll do our best," the man said neutrally.
Lucius knew they would disappear if they didn't find what the dark lord wanted. These men were good at that.
"May we leave?" the man asked.
Lucius smiled coldly. "Of course," he said and raised his hand for a handshake with the intent to seal the deal. It was his gold being spent after all.
The man glared at it but shook it nonetheless. "Come on. Let's go," he said to the rest.
Lucius stared at their retreating backs and then turned towards the fire, his mind deep in thought. After he was sure no one was going to disturb him, he pulled out his wand and carefully removed the invisible layer of skin around his right hand. It was coated in poison. He tossed it into the fire and let his mind get lost within the dancing flames.
He had just betrayed the dark lord. Watching the man take away all that he had worked for left a sour taste in his mouth. It hadn't been easy taking the post of Minister and the Dark Lord had come out of nowhere to take away his crown. And now, with the new regulations thought out by the Dark Lord, the Minister of Magic was slowly being transformed into a seat of unlimited power. Lucius wanted it all for himself.
He glanced up the stairs were the Dark Lord was probably in the process of possessing a new body. It was a race of time now. Would the Dark Lord get the materials for his ritual before he figured out how to destroy him or would he defeat the Dark Lord for good?
His mind wandered to the state of affairs at the ministry. Amelia's departure from the ministry along with half the Auror force was a big blow but the chaos was settling. His position was being cemented. The only thing he was unable to remove was the damned statue in the Atrium. They had tried to close an entire section of the atrium to hide the statue but shockingly it moved and settled in a more visible place. Lucius had put together a team in the department of mysteries to remove it.
There were still things to look forward to but first he had to finally visit the muggle prime minster. He smiled. It was time the muggles were cut out of their world.
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Fifteenth April Nineteen Ninety-Four – Hogwarts
"I found 'im at the edge of the forest," Hagrid said.
Flitwick conjured a stretcher with a flick of his wand and with another flick, Harry was floated into the stretcher.
"Hmm, did you inform the headmaster?" Flitwick asked, his voice high pitched with worry.
"I sent an owl," Hagrid affirmed.
"Very well. Thank you Hagrid. I'll take it from here."
"Lemme know if 'Arry is okay!" Hagrid shouted as Flitwick began to hum and levitate the stretcher to the hospital wing. "He's a good kid!"
Flitwick turned back and waved cheerily.
As they walked into Hogwarts Flitwick decided to cast a diagnostic charm on Harry and was surprised to find the cause of unconscious was blood loss. That was strange, Flitwick thought. There wasn't a single scratch on his body except for the scar on his forehead. Flitwick hummed in contemplation.
"I guess Pomfrey will figure it out," he said and squeaked when he almost tripped over the foot of a suit of armour. "That was a close one," he gasped with a hand over his heart.