Fate and Destiny
A Life Changing Event
I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the related characters. The Harry Potter series is created by JK Rowling and owned by Warner Bros. This fanfiction is intended for entertainment only. I am not making any profit from this story. All rights of the original Harry Potter story belong to Warner Bros.
Harry Potter cut a disconsolate and lonely figure trudging down the seventh floor corridor, he just needed to get away. As far away as possible, the Boy Who Lived thought desperately. Grief was closing in on him, a feeling of loss so profound that breathing hurt, his godfather Sirius Black was dead. It was ridiculous thinking about it, to have such strong feelings for a man who you've spent little more than a few days in the company of. A thought intruded through that veil of grief.
it's not entirely for Sirius you know, the dream that he would take you away from the Dursleys has been sustaining you for two years now, that dream suddenly ripped away is what you're grieving for.
Seeing the truth of it and feeling the weight of shame on his shoulders young Harry stopped in front of the portrait of the unfortunate Barnabas the Barmy who misjudged the effect of trying to teach several trolls to dance. Harry thought that if he was made to wear a tutu he might decide to club someone too. In fact there were several someone's he would quite like to club, even without the tutu.
Turning around Harry looked at the bare stone wall that was the door to the fantastic room of requirement.
"Three passes then."
Harry Thought desperately that he needed to go, to get away, away from the staring, pointing muttering students; the wizarding sheeple that have not had an original thought since they were in school; the fickle wizarding press who lambasted him one day and loved him again the day after just to turn a quick galleon. But most of all to get away from the prophecy; the thrice damned completely unfair yet utterly unavoidable prophecy.
The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ...
It was enough to send a man loopy, all that pressure. What is the power the dark lord knows not? What is the power the dark lord knows not? What is the power the dark lord knows not?
A door appeared, Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment, he pulled his wand and held it against the paper, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." The parchment blossomed with lines unfolding itself showing an intricate floor plan of Hogwarts castle and the location of every magical being in it.
Harry found himself and looked at the corridor he was in and the ones leading up to it, no one there. He looked for several specific people and found them far from his current location or not even on the map, "Good, mischief managed."
Tucking the marauders map away, Harry reached for the door knob, pushed the door open stepping into-
"A field? Grass is the power the dark lord knows not? What am I meant to do? Kill him with hay fever?"
"No young one."
Harry spun around crouching down and whipped his wand out in a smooth practised move. The spell 'lacer' on the tip of his tongue. Harry noticed the door behind the figure had no walls attached to it, just an open field as far as the eye could see.
"Wonderful speed, such potential. That is not the power Voldemort knows not, I just like the smell of freshly cut grass."
She paused slightly tilting her head to the side,
"I am sorry about your godfather Harry. Sirius was a bright light in a dark time when he came to Hogwarts."
"You shouldn't sneak up on people like that."
Harry slumped and dropped his wand hand to his side.
"I don't really want to talk about him."
The woman offered him a kind smile and nodded gently.
"Which spell were you going to cast?"
"Lacer, where did you come from? How do you know Sirius?"
Harry stepped back and glanced around again.
"Nasty, a rather grey slashing spell, why not diffindo? It's not just Sirius, I know about everyone who has spent time inside these walls."
"Takes longer to say, has a more convoluted wand movement, harder to repeat and requires more accuracy. Who are you?"
"I am the Guardian."
"What do you guard?"
"I protect you. I protect Hogwarts, and all who reside in her, the lake, the forbidden forest and Hogsmeade. I know of the prophecy Harry, and just to let you know how important this is, although many have seen me, no one since the founders even knows I exist."
Harry licked his lips; all thought of running away instantly left his mind.
"What do I call you?"
"Katherine, I have had many names but this is the one I like at the moment."
Katherine met Harry's gaze without guile, her eyes sparkled with humour. He glanced down at her form and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand.
"How many names?"
"Too many for you to be interested in the whole list."
Katherine wore a long white dress that clung to the curves of her body, it fell to the grass and concealed her feet. Long light brown hair framed a face which was heart shaped with a slender nose to match slim lips, and large bright light blue eyes, the colour of the sea best seen from the shores of a small tropical island. The most beautiful woman a soon to be fifteen year old boy had ever seen.
"As to your question Harry Potter, I am. Or rather this room is much more than meets the eye. You see, even the house elves have barely touched the abilities of the come and go room, and Thomas Marvolo Riddle has only ever heard of it, he was not allowed in here even as a child."
Two deep comfortable looking chairs appeared just behind them, Katherine sat graceful, and serene curling her legs beneath her, briefly revealing bare feet.
"Have a seat Harry."
Harry sat slowly, he didn't even look behind him.
"How can it help me?"
"You have within you the potential to be the greatest sorcerer of at least the last thousand years, you have slightly more power than Tom did at this stage in his education-"
Harry interrupted her and she raised an eyebrow at him.
"How do you know that?"
"The wards have a line across the main doors of the castle which measures the current power of every person that passes through them, recording them all down in a tome permanently stuck to the lectern in the headmasters' office, have you noticed it?"
At Harry's nod she continued.
"A very useful education tool, measures an individual's progress through each year and across the seven year education. Tom Riddle is recorded as having a potential spike between fifth and sixth years; Albus suspects the first ritual was performed during this period."
"So, how can this room help me, training? Knowledge?"
"Yes, of course. They will be factors, big factors but your biggest obstacle is time. Tom Riddle has fifty plus years of experience on you, this is where this room comes into its own. There is a powerful set of time dilation runes embedded throughout the room. Six days in here is six seconds outside, and eight hours to recharge the runes."
"Wow, er, Katherine, why me? I mean, if I'm that powerful, why aren't I at the top of my year? Why doesn't anything come easier?"
"I said potential Harry."
Katherine laughed.
"You need to focus more and work harder. The power blocks on your core don't help, blocks placed by both your parents and the headmaster, most powerful children need only one. They will disintegrate the second you turn fifteen, but there are things you can be doing before that. As I was saying your coming was foretold, a vision seen by Godric Gryffindor caused him to persuade the most powerful sorcerers of his day to build Hogwarts on this location. He also persuaded me from my lake to take my place here as Guardian. This room is the whole purpose of this school, they made it the only Wizarding School in Britain just to ensure you came."
Katherine sighed.
"All this being said, only if you are willing Harry, you will put yourself through so much for it not to be your choice. Will you let me help guide you in preparations for the challenges ahead?"
"How will this work?"
Harry chewed his bottom lip and wobbled his head from side to side..
"Is that a yes?"
"It's a maybe, how did you know that's I'm the one?"
"You mean apart from the prophecy you broke? Godric told me to watch the great hall for the Thunder child; I have seen many children, all unique, but only one marked by fate."
"Yeah, fate."
Harry groaned and rubbed his forehead.
"Okay, I'm in, how do we start?"
"We already have, in a manner of speaking. I had thought this would have taken longer, so I activated the runes, we have just over five days and twenty three and a half hours to start with. So while I come up with a training schedule and syllabus that I think you will find suitable. You can get to know Master Chen here; a Shaolin monk I believe."
As she said the word 'monk' a short Asian man in an orange sleeveless vest, baggy black trousers and a tonsured head appeared on top of a large padded fighting mat, Master Chen bowed and gestured to the mat in front of him.
Okay, what have I just agreed to? Thought Harry as he stepped on to the mat, as his back foot left the grass Harry was suddenly barefoot and wearing a sleeveless black vest and baggy trousers which was tight enough to not get in the way and loose enough to allow free movement. Harry looked at Master Chen, who bowed and started to speak.
"Harrysan, I am Master Chu Chen, you will address me as Master. I would test your reflexes and speed. Hit me."
Harry stared at the little man a bit nonplussed.
"Hit you?"
The bald man nodded.
"Yes, if you can."
_Scene Break_
Harry collapsed onto a chair and he dropped his head onto the table which caused the cutlery to jump slightly and misalign. The eight seat mahogany dining table, complete with candelabras, gold plated cutlery and diamond encrusted salt and pepper shakers looked out of place in a never ending field of grass.
"Urgh."
"Master Chen has pronounced you have learnt enough to begin training."
Harry sat up and stared at Katherine in horror.
"Begin?"
It was at the end of the last day; Harry had spent his days on the mat, dined with Katherine at the table and slept in the two bedroom cottage he had thought of. He'd spent a lot of time with Katherine and he had enjoyed their time together immensely. She had also helped him grieve for Sirius, sitting with him in the dead of night while he sobbed away the pain.
The field had grown a semi-circular forest with all kinds of wonderful creatures inhabiting it from the more common Sniffler to the pair of deer that hid amongst the trees. A stream running through it to a two metre high waterfall fed a sunken pool, which coincidentally was just the right temperature to bathe in.
"Lightening quick reflexes, decent fitness and a suicidal bravery against impossible odds? Definitely. He recommended a regime of intense strength flexibility and fitness training first though. With that in mind I've borrowed a Royal Marine training squad from the British army to get you fitter, a yoga instructor for your flexibility and this Firebolt so you can do a pastime you enjoy."
"Quidditch?"
"No silly flying, even I who have never flown can tell how much you love it."
An impish grin appeared on Harry's face.
"That sounds like a challenge."
He got up and walked round the table towards her seat.
"What?"
For the first time since he'd met her, Katherine looked uncertain.
Harry's grin turned wicked.
"I'm going to teach you how to fly."
"Erm, what, no you're not, I forbid it!"
Katherine stumbled up from her chair backing away from him.
"You might want to wear something more comfortable."
Harry tilted his head to one side and grinned when she looked down. There she stood dressed in Ravenclaw quidditch robes and pads, with her hair pulled back in several complicated braids and a scowl that made her look even cuter. Harry's grin showed teeth, she scowled deeper. Harry chuckled, Katherine growled at him. Harry howled with laughter, she snarled at him.
As he calmed down, he thought and another broomstick appeared between them and he changed his clothes to Quidditch robes too.
"Do you know what to do?"
"The basics from books in the library, but teach away Harry. I know how good you are at teaching."
Katherine batted her eyelashes at him, a coy smile playing on her lips. Harry gulped.
Oh, she's playing that game. I'll play but I won't hold much hope of winning.
Harry blushed.
"Ok, hold your hand over the broom, and command it, up!"
Harry put actions to words, the broom slapped into his palm before he finished speaking..
"Up."
Katherine requested the broom rose up stately several inches, rolled over then flopped back to the ground.
"Oh."
Harry tried not to smirk.
"You need to command. Put emphasis in your voice; let it know who's boss."
"Up!"
The iron in her voice was more like steel. The broom shot into the air, slapped into her palm and carried her into the air.
Katherine screamed.
"Stop!"
Harry shouted, slightly unsure if he was telling the broom or the rising, screaming comet called Katherine. He mounted his Firebolt with practised ease, and rose quickly to the panicked woman. The all-powerful Guardian grabbed his robes with her free hand, pulled him closer and wrapped her legs around his waist.
It was at this point she let go of her own broom which dropped like a shooting star and impaled itself through the chair Harry had recently occupied. With both arms and legs wrapped around him, Harry could see nothing but a pair of absolutely lovely light blue eyes, which were currently massive with fear.
Harry felt the very top heavy broom start to roll over; the control and balance charms could not compensate for such a shift in weight. Harry fought for balance, he moved his arms around Katherine to grasp the broom in a more secure grip.
"Just relax, relax your arms, good, now scoot back a bit, swing a leg over, and now turn round. That's it, no don't panic, I won't drop you. Right now you're settled, put your hands on the broom just above mine. Now lean forward ever so slightly, good, not so much. Now lean left, and we're banking, how does that feel?"
"Much safer now, thank you."
She leant back slightly into his chest and wiggled her bum, then peeked over her shoulder to see him blush.
Harry stopped thinking for a second then started again ten times quicker, his heart joined.
Oh my god, I'm only fifteen and she's immortal. I'm a skinny kid, what's she looking at me like that for?
Harry gulped then tilted his head.
Ok not now, let's just teach her how to fly.
The wicked smirk reappeared on his again.
Lets teach her how to fly.
Harry leant back hard, the broom shot skywards at near its top vertical speed. He did a stall turn and sped back to the ground even faster. As they reached about fifty metres from the ground he pulled up again and corkscrewed.
The screaming had started again, this time more thrilled, more excited, although still with the right amount of scared senseless.
"Bloody women and their bloody screaming."
Harry muttered with a thrill in his stomach with the realisation that he made her do that, the next few minutes he indulged his thrill seeker self and performed his catalogue of less dangerous acrobatics, he decided to level out when she started making requests.
Harry banked to the left and pulled for altitude cruising up a few hundred metres above their little glen, and took a good look around.
"Wow, this place is massive."
He sat back on the cushioning charms unconsciously placing his hands on Katherine's waist.
"Hey, Is that a city over there?"
On the horizon a brown smudge could be seen, smoke drifting into the cloudless sky. What Harry had thought of as an endless field of grass became a patchwork of fields, hedges and copses of trees. He could see farm carts moving on narrow dirt lanes winding through the fields.
"Welcome to my world, this is Anora. I am aware of the castle and its surroundings but I live here."
She spoke with an emotion in her voice Harry could not quite place, having no reference to such a thing as love for a home. Harry was awed.
"Did you create this place?"
Katherine's blonde head bobbed in front of him as she nodded.
"I did, I could tell you every thought each of my creations has, but I do not wish to know myself. This story plays out without my directing it other than as a player."
"Can we go and see?"
Harry felt suddenly very excited at the thought of a whole world to explore.
"No Harry."
She looked at him with an understanding almost motherly gaze of indulgence.
"You have to go back now. It's been a few minutes since the wards stopped, time is passing again."
Harry reluctantly guided the broom back to their little meadow and dismounted. He stared down at the inanimate object and felt content for the first time in possibly his whole life.
"I really do love to fly."
"I told you so, now off with you."
She pushed his shoulder and the momentum propelled him towards a door he had not seen in a week. As Harry passed back through the door he felt an old weight settle onto his shoulders, an unwelcome one. Harry glanced left and right, straightened his back and squared his shoulders. He turned and walked back to the dorm tower.
