Harry Potter and the Mage's Guild

Chapter 3

Harry and Dee sat on opposite sides of the only unbroken park bench, each of them not too sure on how to start the obviously needed conversation. Harry was itching to ask quite a lot of questions, but did not want to break the moment. Dee noticed Harry's hesitation, smiled, then said.

"Let me guess. You are full of questions, but not sure what to ask first or how to ask, correct?"

Harry smiled sheepishly at having been so obvious and then replied.

"I guess I was kind of obvious, wasn't I?"

"Sort of. I am fairly good at reading people, at least I thought I was. Go ahead and ask your questions. If I do not want to answer, or cannot, I will just say next?"

"Fair enough. Same things go for me then. "

"Your neighborhood, you get the first question."

"Are you magical?"

Smiling wryly, Dee replied.

"Yes, among other things. What about you?"

"Yes, I am. I am about to enter my 5th year."

"Let me guess, Hogwarts?"

Now Harry looked surprised and replied.

"How do you know about Hogwarts?"

"I will give you a bit of background first, it will help you to understand. I was born here in England, but I live in the States, or at least I did. My family and I were over here on business a couple of years ago and we were approached at that time to have me attend there, but we turned it down. "

Harry's eyes grew wide as he asked.

"Turned down an offer to go to Hogwarts? Why, may I ask?"

"For quite a few reasons, actually. My family does not like or trust the headmaster or the British Ministry. The current school curriculum is horribly out of date, Magical England refuses to modernize and accept changes that are happening world-wide. If you compare the average test scores from the fifth and seventh year Hogwarts students against other schools around the world, whose OWL and NEWTS are ICW standard, Hogwarts doesn't even come close. Only two subjects at Hogwarts are taught up to ICW standards, the rest are very far behind and have been 'dumbed' down over the years so that the 'pure blood' masses can get by."

"Okay, I did not know that. Next question: Can you explain what just happened with my cousin?"

"Ah, that. That is a quite bit more…complicated."

"Then tell me what you can or want to."

"Fair enough, where do I start?"

"At the beginning"

Dee laughed a bit, then asked.

"How much time do you have? It is quite a long and very- involved story. "

"Are you a. a….?"

"A what? A mutant, then yes. Is that a problem?"

Dee looked hard at Harry, reading every single line of his body language and his rapidly changing facial expressions, while silently hoping that it was not going to be a problem.

"No, not at all. I think it would explain a quite bit." Harry replied, glad that his initial suspicions were finally confirmed.

Dee visibly relaxed, secretly glad that her new friend did not have 'mutant issues.'

"Bet you were relieved to get that particular question answered" Dee replied, very carefully stretching into a more comfortable position, ever mindful of how she had felt as she walked into the park just a short time ago.

"What things can you do?"

"Quite a bit. That bit I did with your cousin and his co-horts, it was part of what is known as presence attack. It is a combination of a strong physical and mental projection and quite effective on weak-minded individuals."

"And what about magic?"

"That is quite a bit more involved and a story that is best told in a more secluded setting without the chances of being overheard by certain parties. Besides, there are too many 'interested people' in the area."

Harry looked around carefully, trying to see if he could 'spot' his 'watchers' or anyone taking a bit more 'interest' than necessary, but did not see anyone.

"Where are they?"

"They are close, but far enough away as not to be seen by most, but I can sense them. Is there some…." Dee's voice trailed off as she looked around, her eyes narrowed and Harry noticed a now familiar power build up. '

"What is it?"

"Shh…. Something is coming this way and fast. We need to leave now…. And Harry, whatever happens, stay close to me and do NOT draw your wand. "

Nodding in acceptance, Harry stood up from the bench as Dee started moving to the park's entrance at a rapid pace. Harry and Dee moved quickly towards Harry's place of residence as the skies began to darken of their own accord and the familiar (to Harry), cold, cloying feeling of Dementors came closer and closer.

Taking a shortcut that Harry pointed out, Dee and Harry were about to clear the underground, when they spotted Harry's cousin, Dudley collapsed on the ground as the area quickly started freezing over. From this distance, Harry and Dee could see Dudley's form shivering from the cold and he was only semi-conscious.

Harry was surprised when he heard a low growl eminate from Dee's throat and her entire demeanor changed instantly. Harry felt the power build up even more and quickly whispered.

"They are called Dementors. They feed off happy thoughts and make you relive your worst memories."

"Close your eyes."

Sensing the urgency and need in Dee's voice, Harry closed his eyes, hoping that Dudley still had his soul. Even thru closed eyes, he could see a brilliant white light shoot forth towards where the dementors had surrounded his cousin.

What happened next, genuinely surprised harry. The next thing he heard was the unearthly screams as the light engulfed the dementors. The screaming lasted for just a few seconds, then the light that had filtered thru Harry's closed eyes faded away.

"They are gone now. It is safe to open your eyes."

Harry opened his eyes and saw the last thing that he ever expected. Lying on the ground around Dudley were two empty dementor cloaks and his cousin was starting to stir a bit from his dementor induced stupor.

"How?"

"Later. We need to get Mr. Lumpy here back to your residence."

"Okay. Can you help me with him?"

Before Harry could bend over and pick up Dudley, Dee had effortlessly lifted him, slinging one arm over one of her shoulders, leaving harry to take the other one. Establishing a swift pace, Harry and dee half walked, half carried the semi-conscious Dudley back to Number 4 Privet Drive,

Pausing at the driveway of Number 4, Dee took a long look at the house, instantly not liking what she saw. It was not the house itself (despite its boring exterior) but what was surrounding and permeating the house and yard. Harry noticed the look on Dee's face and was about to ask a question when she shook her head at him.

As soon as they had reached the front door, it was pulled open and the horse like face of Petunia Dursley stared back at them. She was about to yell at Harry, when she saw that her precious 'duddykins' being half carried between her nephew and some strange girl.

"Dudders! What have you done to him you rotten boy?"

Dee took an immediate dislike to the woman, but kept her voice calm and collected, replying with

"We found him like this and thought it best to bring him back here."

"Are you another freak like Potter?"

Harry saw Dee's posture stiffen and heard a hard edge in her voice as she replied.

"We can either bring him in and settle him on the sofa or we can dump his generous girth here on the doorstep. Your choice."

Petunia stood silently, Harry and Deanna pushed past her, and half carried Dudley inside the house and settled him on the sofa in the front room. Ignoring Harry and the girl, Petunia rushed over to her son's semi-conscious form, exclaiming.'

"What is wrong, Duddy? What did they do to you?"

"Absolutely nothing, lady. We found him like this. He was nearly kissed by a dementor."

At the mention of 'dementor's, Petunia shrieked like a banshee, which unfortunately drew the attention of the other occupant of the house. Heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs, then the ground floor shook as the large man 'burst' into the front sitting room. Vernon Dursley entered the sitting room, already angry and instantly assumed that Potter had done something to his son.

Upon seeing the large, corpulent form of Vernon Dursley, Dee was less than thrilled and even less impressed at what she saw. In the span of less than five seconds, Deanna had a complete understanding of Vernon Dursley and would quite easily and happily end his existence for what he had done to Harry.

Taking a couple steps closer to his son, Vernon was instantly enraged and his face was flushed with anger, his temples began to throb as he loudly yelled at his nephew.

"I know you are responsible for this boy! You will pay dearly for harming Dudley. Just exactly what did you do to him? Did you use this tart to lure my boy into a trap and then use your freakish ways on him? Answer me boy!"

Dee had heard enough. She knew that no matter what was said next, Vernon and Petunia had already made up their minds as to who was at fault and no amount of reasoning would change their minds, short of a complete 'cognitive re-calibration.' Already past the point of caring and in a lot of pain (she had pushed herself too far in a day), dee used that pain to fuel her anger at Harry's relatives. It took a serious amount of self-control to keep her abilities in check. Making eye contact with Vernon, petunia and Dudley, dee said one word.

"Sleep"

At that simple word, Petunia, Vernon slumped into the chairs and Dudley fell asleep on the sofa, which creaked as his weight re-settled on it.

"Let us go upstairs. We need to talk."

Dee followed Harry up the stairs into his very tiny bedroom (if you could even call it a bedroom). Sitting down on his lumpy camp style mattress, dee took a seat at Harry's desk.

"You said you would explain.

"I did but let me secure the room first."

Harry watched, fascinated as dee looked around the room carefully, then moved her hand and fingers in a particular pattern and a brief, soft shimmer of light completely permeated the room, then faded away. Confident that the room was now as secure as possible, dee relaxed a bit more, or as much as she could give how she physically felt at the moment.

Dee could see the many questions Harry was eager to ask, plainly written in the expressions on his face and in his body language. She knew she could completely trust him (as much as she trusted anyone currently) but asked the question anyway.

"Can I completely trust you?"

Harry looked carefully at dee, noting the profoundly serious look on her face and the tense posture of her body as she sat in the chair. He knew that his response would make or break this budding relationship and could halt the change that harry had been feeling all day. Harry came to a decision, was going to take the opportunity that had presented itself and turn the wizarding world on its head forever. Squaring his shoulders, harry looked at dee and replied.

"Yes. I swear you can completely trust me."

A brief flash signified that he had made a magical vow, which went a long way to alleviate Dee's concerns.

"Thank you, Harry. It is a long story, but what do you know about 'superheros?"