A1/N: 3 Reviews came in while writing this chapter and I'd like to say Thanks to all of you.
On another note, I am sorry for asking this of you but the Prologue have been changed to reflect on another change that occurred. So to maintain some plot consistency, I'd ask you to re-read both Prologues… At least, to those of you who is here when this chapter was posted.
I was going to try and put this Author's Note at the bottom but this is a pretty important announcement. For anyone interested, I'd like to welcome a friend of mine who has agreed to work with me in writing this fanfiction. We will try to coordinate our work but it might be a bit rough at the start. They weren't satisfied with my earlier work so they have taken to editing them. By the time this chapter is published we will have completely finished editing Prologue P1 and P2 . You might want to check it out again because it will be updated. In any case, I'll allow them to introduce themselves. And I refer to myself as A1 from now on.
A2/N: I am the co-writer of the fan-fiction. I focused mainly on the details: conversations, actions, character development in the fan-fiction rather than the main plot. You could think of it as a backup vocalist.
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Chapter 1: Revelations
Moaning in agony from the painful session, Harry gingerly laid himself beside a wooden box.
"Honestly, Potter. You've got to do better," Edward grinned, crouching in front of him, his voice a teasing lilt to it, "You seemed to perform worse than yesterday."
"Piss off, Edward," Harry groaned, getting off from the ground, accepting the hand Edward had lent him.
"Such a sparkling personality," His mentor dryly remarked, sarcasm drenching his words, "and watch your mouth, boy."
Harry flinched, his demeanour shrinking into that of a meek boy, "Sorry," he muttered.
"Now, again," Edward ordered as he rose, his gaze hardening as he backed away.
Mustering up determination, Harry rushed towards Edward, his hand shaped into a fist. He feigned a left jab, followed by a right hook. However, Edward sidestepped with ease, backhanding Harry and using the boy's momentum to trip him.
"Again."
Reluctantly, Harry rose to face his mentor, fists raised in aggression. He attempted a series of feints, kicks, and punches. Edward blocked and countered with a front kick, sending Harry sprawling into the wall.
"Is that really all you've got?" Edward sneered. "Spent my time training you, and the result I'm expected to see is this?"
Wincing in pain, Harry dragged his failing arms up, gazing at the man he had met a month ago. In a final attempt, he limped towards Edward, face scrunched up in agony, and launched a weak punch.
Edward caught the punch with his palm, shoving the boy away. "Come on, Little Harry Potter. We're in an abandoned warehouse. You've got no one. No one to save you from me, no one to pick you up. What are you going to do about it? Weep like a baby? Or are you going to fight me like a man?" He mocked, his expression almost a cruel mask.
"I'm an eleven year old, you know," Harry feebly pointed out,
The man raised a singular eyebrow at his mentee, "And does your family care about that?"
Harry grimaced, "... No. No, they don't."
Edward sighed, his gaze softening as he helped Harry to his feet. The abandoned warehouse echoed with the distant low rumbling sounds of Surrey's impending storm, creating a stark contrast to the intense training session that had just unfolded.
Edward clapped Harry on the back as he led him outside of the warehouse. The boy, limping and wincing in pain all the while. They proceeded to Harry's house in silence, the night air enveloping them. They left the echoes of their training behind in the warehouse.
Watching the boy's retreating back into the abusive household, Edward made to leave but paused midstep.
"Hey kid, in all my life , never have I ever met someone with this much potential," Edward praised, something Harry rarely received from anyone.
"I'm surprised you still want to come to these sessions, despite my harshness." Edward admitted.
Receiving a pained smile from Harry, "I've got no one else."
And just in cue, a shrill voice shrieked from inside the house, "BOY! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"
Sighing, Harry went inside to face the music as Edward stood outside the house, alone yet again.
–(O^O)–
Grunts and the sounds of fighting permeated through the abandoned warehouse, now a welcome place to visit. At least, that's what Harry thoughts described it as, the physical strain he experienced was certainly taxing, but no less satisfying as he slowly caught up to Edward's standards.
It had been weeks since that particular day, and Edward had taken to stopping his harsh lessons in favor of the tamer ones.
After this particularly tiring spar, Edward had treated him to a local ice cream vendor who had eyed the boy warily but accepted the payment regardless.
Looking for the nearest vacant bench in a local park, Harry had already devoured his chocolate ice cream and had to return to the vendor as the boy sheepishly requested for another, this time the one similar to Edward's.
"So, Harry, tell me more about yourself," Edward idly questioned, as he relaxed himself upon the rusted iron bench, relishing his vanilla ice-cream.
"I don't know what you want me to say," Harry frowned, his own ice cream melting slightly under the rays of the sun, "There's not much I can tell you."
"Well, for one, we can get straight to the elephant in the room," Edward suggested, "Where did you learn such a dangerous ability?"
Harry flinched, his fingers fidgeting, his eyes darting around as he shrunk into himself, "I.. I don't know..what you're.. talking about," the boy stuttered.
"Look, Harry.. It's alright if you are uncomfortable to answer. I completely understand where you're coming from and hell.. I'd be acting the same if I were in your shoes." Edward smiled, seemingly coaxing Harry.
"I mean… your attempt at Legilimency against me was hardly subtle", Edward amusedly added.
"Legilimency? What's that?" Harry asked, confused yet curious. Some part of Harry knew that the 'Legilimency' that his mentor had mentioned was the special talent he had possessed.
"You can stop pretending now Harry," Edward frustratedly ran his hand through his slicked back, wavy hair, falling to his shoulders, framing his face perfectly.
"No, I am serious, Edward. To be honest, I'm just guessing that this Le… Legilimency is reading other people's minds. " Harry admitted with a small voice, "I just thought I had this talent since I was born when I discovered it at school. I can just… sense…. people's feelings you know? Like a mind reader, I guess."
Looking straight at Harry's solemn eyes, Edward thought maybe it was time to explain to the 11-year-old boy… regarding the 'other' side of the world he was bitter to talk about.
Edward sighed, "Alright, kid. You may want to get comfortable in your seat for this. It's quite a… complicated story."
Complying to the request, Harry stared inquisitively at the man.
"It's a hard topic for me to talk about," Edward began tentatively, "But what do you think about… magic?"
Squirming slightly, "A fairytale? There is no such thing as magic." the boy denied.
Chuckling slightly, Edward shook his head, "No, my dear boy. That's where you are wrong. Have you never had… irregular things happen around you? Things floating, maybe hair colors being changed?" He trailed off, at a loss for examples.
"Maybe…" was the skeptical reply he had received.
"The best example of this, of course, would be your ability to read other's emotions and thoughts," Edward thoughtfully added.
The boy remained speechless.
"You aren't even denying it anymore," Edward smugly commented, "Have you ever wondered why you were different? Why do strange things just epkeep happening around you?"
The reply he received was an evasively mumbled yes.
"You are a wizard, Harry." Edward's blunt statement was delivered with a deadpan stare.
Harry stared at his mentor for a long time before intelligently replying, "Huh?"
Grumbling at the boy, Edward repeated his statement, along with a brief insight into magic, the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts and the Statue of Secrecy.
"So… you are saying that I am a wizard?"
"Yes"
"Someone who can do magic?"
"Yes"
"And there's a hidden school full of students who have and study magic?"
"Hmm… Yes"
"Well, that sounds like bollocks," Harry declared, after a moment of silence, "You must have gotten off your rocker old man."
Cuffing Harry on his head, Edward grumbled, "Stay serious Harry."
" Oww.. not my head," Harry winced, as he instinctively covered his head.
"That'll justify my seriousness into you"
"Alright then.. Show me….the… the magic you keep insisting that exists," the boy huffed.
Edward with his lips frowning, " I can't Harry, you see… I am a special kind of wizard… A Squib."
"Okay… What on earth is a bloody squib?"
Grimacing, Edward answered, "A squib is someone born with magic… but without the ability to exert it on the outside world."
"Great now.. how am I supposed to believe you?" Frustration radiating off of him, Harry had turned Edward's long hair into a buzz cut with a burst of chaotic magic.
A couple of seconds went by before a scream resonated through the park, "MY HAIR!"
Shooting Harry a murderous look, Edward sullenly bit out, "Well… there you have it"
A sheepish smile on his face, Harry ran for his life as Edward chased after him, a melting ice-cream in his hand.
–(O^O)–
Several months of training have passed by, with the abandoned warehouse once again echoed with the usual sounds of training. Harry undoubtedly became physically and mentally adept in the face of Edward's ironfist regimen.
"You've come a long way, kid," Edward praised, a genuine one as he offered a hand to the fallen boy.
Harry accepted the hand, grumbling, "You are just saying that because you want to kick my arse for something I can't control."
Edward adopted a sheepish look before roaring in laughter.
"By the way… Edward, Happy Birthday," Harry nonchalantly added, as he handed his mentor a small opaque plastic bag that the boy had brought with him.
The laughter of the man suddenly stopped, replaced by a solemn expression, his eyes brimming with an unreadable emotion.
"Come here you," as he wrapped Harry in a rib-crushing, bone-breaking, breath-taking bear hug.
Blue in the face, Harry wheezed, "Your.. welc..ome. Can't .. um.. Breathe."
Releasing the boy from his grip, Edward grinned, "Well… let's see what you got me."
The package was removed to reveal an emerald engraved golden bracelet, a tiny ruby sitting atop it, glinting in the evening sun.
"Harry, I can't accept it...It must be very valuable but I really appreciate your thoughtfulness," Edward refused, pushing the gift towards Harry.
"The gift is nothing compared to what you have given me for the past year. Please, Edward. Take it." Harry insisted, all but shoving the present back towards Edward.
Edward chuckled, giving Harry a pat on the back. "You've put more thought into this than I expected. I guess there's more to you than just being a pain in my backside during training."
Harry grinned. "Well, you're not so bad yourself, old man."
"Careful, Potter. I might just put you through the ringer if you give me a headache." Edward warned before they both fell silent, a companionable one.
As the silence lingered, Harry hesitated before breaking it, "Edward, can I ask you something?"
Edward raised an eyebrow, "Well, you just did. But go ahead, shoot."
"Can you… teach me legilimency?"
Frowning, "Harry. You have to understand… I can't use magic. I won't be able to teach you legilimency."
Frustratedly, Harry pressed, "But you stopped me from reading your mind when we first met. How come you knew how to defend yourself against it? You must have learnt it from somewhere."
There was no accusation in his tone, just desperation as Harry pleaded with Edward.
"I was taught in the art of Occlumency when I was very young." Edward admitted.
"Well… where were you when you were taught?"
" Harry…"
"Was it Hogwarts? Please Edward… I need to know." Harry pleaded
"I was taught to it by my family," Edward bit out bitterly.
Harry, seemingly not noticing the tone, pressed, "Well… where are they?"
"6 feet under," Edward sneered, his eyes brimming with hatred, "Better for the world honestly."
Remorse flooded Harry as they fell into an uneasy silence. He had forgotten Edward's bitterness towards the magical world.
"I can't teach you Legilimency, Harry." Edward repeated, getting fed up with the silence as he shook his head, "I've never even practiced it before in my life. I know this means a lot to you but I am incapable of helping you with this."
Guilty, Harry hung his head in shame as he apologized to Edward profusely for his oversight.
"Think nothing of it," Edward had dismissed, a thoughtful look on his face as they exited the warehouse.
–(O^O)–
"You are telling me.. you were discovered?"
The room turned dark, dreary and oppressive as his superior's cold fury was made known to the spy.
Derek grimaced at the eerie, apathetic tone the figure used. Looking up, he briefly noticed the spiky black battle armor the Dark Lord had worn before he was grabbed by the throat and slammed against the wall. Brown Eyes met Glowing White.
"I'm sorry,"he wheezed as he struggled for breath. He pawed desperately at the strong hand holding his throat in a vice-like grip.
It didn't help.
"I gave you every magical artifact that you had asked for at your disposal," His superior cooly remarked. "All you had to do was stay hidden. Was it so hard that you could not follow a simple request?"
"I'm… so-rry.. my.. lo-rd.", his face starting to turn blue. This would be his fate, he thought, dead at the hand of the one he had chosen to follow. Suddenly, the Dark Lord snarled and he was thrown across the room, relief and pain flooding through him.
"I have repeatedly told you about the price of failure, Thomason," The handsome face of the Dark Lord had twisted into a cruel visage as he slowly pulled out his wand.
"P- Please, milord, mercy," The man cried as he curled up against the wall he had been thrown against.
The Dark Lord's face now adorned a cruel grin, "Mercy, you say? There is no such thing as mercy in this world, Thomason. My wife found out the hard way and now… so will you."
"MILORD, MERCY!"
"AVADA KED-" The Dark Lord hesitated, as if debating the action, "What do you mean let him live? You know I tolerate no mediocrity within my ranks."
Confused, Derek looked on as the Dark Lord seemingly conversed with thin air before grunting with a displeased expression.
"Congratulations, Derek Thomason, you live for another day."
The spy breathed a sigh of relief, getting up with shaking legs as the dangerous wizard watched him contemptuously. A puddle had formed beneath him but he took no shame in it. After all, this was the Dark Lord that had brought screams and shudders for decades, he was the most powerful Dark Lord the world had ever seen. The only ones that could even hope to compare to him was the Lord and Lady of the Light.
"I- I- If y- you will excuse me, milord." He bowed as steep as his shaking body would allow him as he tried to escape the room as quickly as he could.
"Oh and Thomason?"
Derek stopped, his hand on the door knob.
"My.. Lord?" he quivered, turning back.
His eyes widened as a blue spell careened towards him.
Derek screamed as the spell hit true, feeling his groin freeze under the unforgiving coldness.
The Dark Lord's amused voice rang in his ear as the former spy limped away from the room, "I never said you weren't going to be punished."
Looking at the back of the retreating former spy in disgust, the Dark Lord seethed to the air once more, "You should have let me kill him."
"Was that really necessary?" A feminine voice sounded from a hidden entrance, disguised as a painting. Turning back, a stunning young woman stood, her blonde hair flowing loosely as she stretched her delicate arms, yawning.
The battlesuit on the Dark Lord transformed into a long, white flowing robe, his white irises shrinking as they reverted to their usual color. Shaking his head to clear some of his raven black hair, the man sighed, "No. It was not. But I can't afford mediocrity within my ranks. Is there anything you want for breakfast?"
The woman adopted an abashed grin as she sheepishly scratched her hair, "I'm craving some pancakes."
"Insatiable little shit," The man grumbled good-naturedly.
Melodic Laughter rang through the corridors, "You know me too well… Father."
Comments on Reviews
To michaelc100: She is the Female MC. We are not really trying to hide it but I could always possibly maybe do something :).
To NeoOrario19:
A1: Well… you see… I totally agree with you. But this isn't just a Harry-centric fic you see. The story revolves around both Harry and Evelyn both having significant impact on one another. That is also why I had a 2 part prologue rather than a single one. It's to reinforce the fact that Evelyn isn't just another character. So, I'm technically still on the "make first chapter MC-Centric". Thanks for your suggestion. I really value it and will endeavour to try and stick to Evelyn and Harry mostly.
A2: Hmm..it might be a possible outcome.
To Wreck Hell: Thanks for the review. It means a lot to the both of us.