Dis Lexics vault of Secrets
Ideas, plot bunnys that won't let go, possible future stories. feel free to pick up the stories if you like them.
And the Vault is now open once again! This time the idea is another answer to DZ2's Friend or Foe challenge, rules below:
DZ2's 'Friend or Foe' Challenge
Plot: For as long as they knew, Hogwarts had been forced to put up with a certain redhead calling himself Harry Potter's best friend, but the truth is that he's nowhere near that level. In fact, Harry made his choice of a 'best friend' a long time ago.
Rules: All affinities are welcome
Harry's best friend MUST be someone that he somehow meets before Hogwarts or - at the latest - over the summer of his first year.
His best friend CANNOT be Ron or Hermione, but they MUST be someone in Harry's year
If Harry met and named his best friend before Hogwarts, he must be smarter (not prodigy-smart, but not-naive)
There must be some reason for BOTH Ron and Hermione to have doubts about the best friend (what happens as a result is up to you)
All pairings are welcome EXCEPT Harems
Somehow, Harry's best friend MUST take part in any adventures Harry has at Hogwarts (and not just the main end-of-year adventures either)
Guidelines: Harry's best friend is a member of a Dark family
Harry/best friend
Harry's best friend are best friends (Twins)
Crossovers
Soul Bonds
Sirius gets his name cleared before third year
Slash
Somehow, Harry's best friend helps Harry learn/master a new magical skill/power NOT taught by Hogwarts (e.g. Parseltongue/Animagus/Metamorphmagus etc.)
Creature-best friend
Forbidden: Ron or Hermione as Harry's best friend
Naive Harry
Harems
If before Hogwarts: Harry can't be meek/naive/dumb
Other than that, it's up to you...
Second idea, this one crossed with Bleach. Enjoy!
A Friend Within
Harry struggled against the ropes that bound him tightly to the Gravestone as Voldemort spoke to his followers, occasionally stopping to inflict the Cruciatus curse on one or another, something that sent a lance of pain through Harrys scar every time. Eventually, the twisted man turned his attention to Harry.
"Now, I'm sure you are all wondering how it is I was able to return, hmm?" said Voldemort. "And it begins - and ends – with my young friend here."
He walked lazily over to stand next to Harry, so that the eyes of every Death Eater in the circle were locked upon the two of them.
"You know, of course, that they have called this boy my downfall?" Voldemort said softly, his red eyes upon Harry, whose scar began to burn so fiercely that he almost screamed in agony, "You all know that on the night I lost my powers and my body, I tried to kill him. His Mudblood bitch of mother died in the attempt to save him and unwittingly provided him with a protection I admit I had not foreseen. I could not touch the boy."
Voldemort raised one of his long white fingers and put it very close to Harry's cheek.
"The Mudblood left upon him the traces other sacrifice. This is old magic, I should have remembered it and I was foolish to overlook it. But no matter, I can touch him now." Harry felt the cold tip of the long white finger touch him, and thought his head would burst with the pain. Voldemort laughed softly in his ear, then took the finger away and continued addressing the Death Eaters, telling them all about his experience as a bodiless wrath and pointing blame at them for not realising he was alive and finding him, all the while making insulting references to the Potters and their sacrifice. Harry hung against the ropes that bound him to the stone, listening to the twisted creature belittle his parents sacrifice.
"Shut up," he hissed as the Death Eaters laughed at something Voldemort had just said.
"What was that Harry?" purred Voldemort.
"I said shut the hell up," growled Harry, lifting his head and glearing at Voldemort.
"Oh, it looks like Harry still has some fight in him," mocked Voldemort, "Come on then Harry, lets see what you can do. Untie him Wormtail and give him back his wand!"
The Rat like man hurried to obey, before scuttling back into the circle of Death Eaters as Harry glared at Voldemort with eyes full of hatred and anger.
"You have been taught how to duel Harry Potter?" said Voldemort softly, his red eyes glinting through the darkness, "First, we bow to each other.."
Voldemort gave a mocking bow, keeping his snakelike face upturned to Harry so the boy could see his twisted grin.
"Come, the niceties must be observed, Dumbledore would like you to show manners. Come on, bow to death, Harry."
Harry did not bow. He would not bow to this abomination, not now, not ever.
"I said, bow," Voldemort said, raising his wand.
Harry felt a pressure on his spine as though a huge, invisible hand was pressing into his back and attempting to force it to bend. Harry tightened his spine and refused to allow his back to bend even a few inches. Voldemorts smile slipped slightly at Harrys apparent lack of reaction, but straightened up.
"Very well, if you will not observe the niceties, we will begin," said Voldemort softly, "And now you face me, like a man, straight-backed and proud, so unlike your Father who coward before me."
Harrys hands clenched tighter at the dig at his Father that he knew for a fact to be untrue, thanks to the Dementors last year.
"And now - we duel." Voldemort raised his wand, and before Harry could do anything to defend himself, before he could even move, he had been hit again by the Cruciatus Curse.
The pain was so intense, so all consuming, that he no longer knew where he was. White-hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin, his head was surely going to burst with pain, he was screaming more loudly than he'd ever screamed in his life. Deep within Harry, something stirred and a pair of azure eyes opened, as well as a pure white grin as it saw a chance to get out. Just one more push...
As quickly as it came, the pain stopped. Harry rolled over and scrambled to his feet; he was shaking as uncontrollably as Wormtail had done when his hand had been cut off; he staggered sideways into the wall of watching Death Eaters, and they pushed him away, back toward Voldemort.
"A little break," said Voldemort, the slit-like nostrils dilating with excitement, "a little pause. That hurt, didn't it Harry? You don't want me to do that again, do you?"
Harry didn't answer. He was going to die like Cedric, those pitiless red eyes were telling him so. He was going to die and there was nothing he could do about it, but he wasn't going to play along. He wasn't going to obey Voldemort he wasn't going to beg.
"Oh, nothing to say Harry?" hissed Voldemort with a twisted smile, "Tell me, are you afraid? You're all alone, no one to hide behind. No friends, no family, how can you hope to escape?"
Harry gritted his teeth in fury, his hands clenching, hard.
"I'm going to kill you, Harry," said Voldemort, "Theres no escape for you this time. I'm going to kill you and then I'm going to rule forever."
"EXPELI-!" started Harry, but Voldemort simply sent him flying with a lazy flick of his wand.
Harry hit a nearby gravestone hard enough to drive the air from his lungs and lose his grip on his wand, which went flying off into the night. Harry slid down into a sitting position, gasping for breath.
"Oh dear, is that all you got?" asked Voldemort mockingly, "How can you hope to save anyone if you can't even stand?"
The Death Eaters laughed as Harry gritted his teeth in anger. As much as he hated to admit it, Voldemort was right. He didn't stand a chance. Voldemort sneered as he advanced on Harry, the tip of his wand glowing a sickly green.
"N-no, I can't die here!" thought Harry as he struggled to stand, "I can't! I won't, I won't die, not while I can still fight!"
"Yes, you can."
Harry gasped as he opened his eyes, only to see that the world seemed to have frozen and turned completely grey.
"This is…"
"Hello Harry."
The green eyed teen spun around to see a young woman sat on one of the gravestones nearby. Had anyone seen her, they would think that it was Lily Potter come back to life as she shared many of deceased Mrs Potters features, including her long, red hair, facial features and build from when she was a teenager. However, one look at her eyes would say otherwise as they were blood red and slitted, not unlike the newly resurrected Dark Lord's. She was wearing a black bodysuit with a hood that had white, eyelike markings that, when up and combined with the womans long bangs, made it look like a snakes mouth. Her arms were bare and marked with serpentine tattoos and she had a sheathed katana with a green wrapped hilt attached to her back.
"Its you," said Harry.
"Yep, hello again Harry," said the woman, "So, do you want my help?"
Harry slowly stood and turned to the woman.
"I would love it," he said, "But how can you help me if you won't tell me your name? Even after 3 years of having met, you still won't tell me."
"But Harry, I have told you my name," she said, "Its *********."
Harry shook his head.
"I still can't hear you," he said.
The woman sighed.
"That makes me sad Harry," she said, "Especially now. In the past, you managed to get through your battles with sheer luck and determination, but this time is different. There is no Phoenix, time traveled version of you or anything to come to your aid. If you won't hear me, you're going to die."
"Then tell me what I'm doing wrong!" shouted Harry.
"Its simple," said the woman, "The only thing plugging your ears is your own fear."
"What?"
"You fear being different," continued the woman, "After 11 years of being around the Dursleys, the only thing you ever wanted to be was normal and I am just one more thing that sets you apart from the crowd."
"But I…"
"But there's more. You have the potential to become a great warrior, but you hold yourself back because you don't want to lose your friends, not realizing that by doing so you are preventing yourself from reaching your full potential."
"Thats not true," whispered Harry, staggering back.
"Isn't it?" asked the woman, raising one elegant eyebrow, "You can lie to others Harry, but not to me and not to yourself. Until you accept the truth, you will never be able to move forwards and you will never here my name. You shall die here, alone, and Riddle will take over Britain. All because you couldn't accept one, simple truth."
Harry gritted his teeth. She was right. Of course she was, she would know all about him after all. She lived within his Soul, a part of him as surely as his magic was.
"Thats it," said the woman in his ear, appearing behind him and wrapping her arms around him, "You're getting there. Keep it up."
"I have been holding myself back," said Harry, ignoring the woman pressed against his back, "But...I won't do it any more."
He turned his head to look at Riddle, still frozen in place.
"Voldemort is back and I can't afford to be weak. I refuse to hold myself back any more! And if people don't like it, they can kiss my ass! I spent 11 years without friends, I can do it again if it means I can protect everyone!"
"Excellent," said the woman, "Now, you should be able to hear my name."
She put her lips next to his ear and whispered her name.
The world restarted and Voldemort fired his Killing Curse, which rocketed towards Harrys head at incredible speed. However, instead of hitting the boy, the light was instead deflected by a sword that was suddenly in Harrys hands. The deadly curse rocketed straight past Voldemorts ear and hit the Death Eater behind him.
"What the…" gasped the Dark Lord, "How did…"
"Sorry for the wait," said Harry, lifting his head, "But I'm ready now. I'm through holding back. Its time to end this."
"Oh?" growled Voldemort, "You really think you can defeat us all alone?"
"I'm not alone," said Harry, "I'm never alone. Slither Forth, Shinohiko!"
The sword in Harrys hand began to glow and he flicked his sword as it broke apart, transforming into a chain whip that coiled around Harrys body, slithering through the air like a snake.
"You really think you can defeat me with a sword?" snarled Voldemort, "Don't make me laugh!"
"Hes right," though Harry, looking down at the weapon in his hand, "I have no idea how to use this."
"Allow me to help you then," said Shinohiko as her spectral form appeared over Harrys shoulder and rested her hands over his, "Listen well, my Master, and I will teach you everything you need to know in order to use me. Let me guide you."
Harry nodded and relaxed, allowing the spirit to aid him. Instantly, the knowledge of how to use the Zanpakuto entered his head, along with a basic overview of its abilities.
"That is all I can do," said Shinohiko, "It will do for now, but if you truly wish to master me, you will need to train."
"This is plenty, thank you," thought Harry.
He took a deep breath, before he flicked his wrist, sending his whip lashing out towards Voldemort. The Dark Lord scoffed and deflected the tip of the weapon with his wand, causing it to fly off course. As it did, it nicked one of the Death Eaters, who immediately fell to the ground, screaming in agony as blood leaked from the eye and mouth holes of his mask.
"What?" demanded Voldemort.
"What do you think?" asked Harry with a dark grin, "My sword can secrete a rather potent venom that means that, even if I don't get a killing blow, it'll still kill."
The Death Eaters shifted uneasily as Voldemort took an involuntary step back, eyeing the ring of steel that danced around Harry's body.
"So, shall we dance?"
And thats the end of this entry. I think a Zanpakuto works as a best friend when you consider the fact its basically a part of Harrys soul. Or is it? Shinohiko translates out to Flight of Death. Hmmm, I wonder how she came into existence?
Its amazing how off target these can get considering my original idea had Harrys friend be Yoruichi, not his Zanpakuto.
Anyway, this is now done, so I'm gonna sign out. Hope you liked it enough to leave a review, peace!