A/N: Once more, into the fray! I hope you all enjoyed the roller coaster that was Chapter 12. It was a hell of a ride for me, writing and rewriting various scenes and trying to capture the thoughts of my characters. But man, I really hope I did it justice. We got to explore a darker reality of the Gamer life. Letting Quests and past memories control Harry's life and how Harry must deal with the fact that pursuing the wrong Quests in the wrong way can absolutely open a Big. Giant. Steamy. Can of shit.
Review answers below. I'll try to keep them a bit shorter as there are more than usual which is a fantastic feeling!
Frankieu: You're in luck! That's the entirety of this chapter. Thank you for the review!
7: Really glad you liked the fight! It wasn't written in the same style as the one in Diagon or the Chamber and I worried about that a bit. Thank you for the review!
SorayukiChinatsu: The fallout will definitely be felt for people other than Harry, but this chapter only focuses on Harry's struggles with it. I'm not sure if Fleur will be a potential match for Harry but I will take it under advisement! Thank you for the review!
Adrian King1: Tracey saw what made sense to her, and drew her own conclusions to Harry's action. Daphne makes an appearance in this chapter, but only for a moment. This one is short, mostly focusing on Harry. Thank you for the review!
Beccasullivanwrites1: Even Merlin would struggle with hormonal teenagers. Thank you for the review!
Mzkbogle3544: Ginny will be a bit interesting when she fully steps into the story. Harry hasn't forgotten about his life-debt with the girl. Thank you for the review!
TheGreatBubbaJ: As always your reviews are awesome to read. Harry does some deep thinking in this chapter and I think you'll enjoy reading this one. Thank you for your constant support!
Slocuautla: Lord Greengrass definitely set himself up for failure. The press makes their thoughts known, and the blowback for Harry is featured heavily in this chapter. He will certainly be a busy little Hero once he gets through this! Thank you for the review!
Phineas Garcia-Shapiro Flynn: You, dear reader, are sharp. I love hiding tidbits in my stories that come into play later, and you picked that one up quickly. You'll love this chapter, I hope! Thank you for the review!
Time313: Wow! Thank you so much for the reviews! Okay yours will need to be a little longer. No, resting does not autosave and there's a reason for that included below. Levelling does not heal in my story, unfortunately, cause Fate always likes pulling the rug out from under Harry. And no Harry does not have Magicka potions. He almost made them but was rudely interrupted by a feisty spider. Since then our Hero has not thought to go back and finish his Gathering in the Forest. He's kinda been all over the place and that catches up to him in this Chapter. Good catch though!
Kairan1979: Thank you for the review! We get to see ickle Ronniekins do a little growing up in the chapters since your review so I hope you like how I portrayed him in his brief appearances. Thank you for the review!
And away we go!
Chapter 13: Fallout Part 1
Harry stared blankly at the photo in the special edition of the Daily Prophet. He was ensconced in his Study having finally gone there after staring at the fireplace for a long time in the wake of Tracey's departure. Dobby had dutifully delivered the paper as was the Elf's norm when it arrived. The Daily Prophet had wasted no time in rushing out a special edition headline detailing the duel that Harry had in Diagon in explicit detail. The photo was what kept drawing his attention. It showed the moment that Tracey had hugged her best friend in support, normally a sweet moment, but from the angle it also showed Harry smiling at Daphne and taking a step towards Daphne and not Tracey. Rita Skeeter had outdone herself taking the situation and grossly misinterpreting it.
The Iron Mage Lays Claim to the Greengrass Daughters!
The Iron Mage. That's what they were calling him, for some ungodly reason, after his stunts with the iron basilisk Transfiguration and the iron balls. The article detailed Harry's power and skill, but implied that his reason for doing it was to claim the Greengrass daughters as his own personal mistresses. They were 13 and 11 for Merlin's sake! It also implied a sordid affair between Daphne and Harry behind Tracey's back, with Harry's relationship with Tracey an excuse to get close to Daphne. Almost any hope he had of explaining things to Tracey were wiped out with the racy article. At some point in the last hour both girls upstairs had fallen asleep as Harry had been notified by Dobby. Harry's face was a blank mask of stone. Just 3 hours ago he had been begrudgingly walking with Tracey through Diagon helping the girls shop.
Harry had numbly brought Dolly into his service as promised, and sent Dobby off to the Ministry with the necessary paperwork, his Lord's Ring that he sent with Dobby ensuring there would be no trouble. Dolly fussed over the girls upstairs and meandered around unsure of what she should be doing as Harry had yet to give her any orders or instructions. What a day. Just that morning he had reached an amazing accomplishment and now he had nothing to show for it. He had spent his Skill Points, his Stat Points, lost his girlfriend, and now had to care for two girls that he barely knew and who were basically the same age as him.
It had all felt so fine in the moment but Harry realized after the fact that almost every action since he threw that glove at Lord Greengrass had been damage control. It was only in hindsight that he was able to see it. His hand had hovered over the Load Game feature a few times in the hours since Tracey left but that would send him back in time to the moment before he had started his final run and finished the Quest in the Chamber. Weeks, hundreds if not thousands of interactions and exchanges, would be completely undone and Harry would almost need to start over from scratch. And for what? A 2 month relationship with a girl that he couldn't share the reasons for his actions with? And how would he even be able to put himself through all of those actions again? The level of detail and planning needed was simply incomprehensible. And each redo, each action that he forced himself through again would feel fake and empty. Would Harry be able to recapture the magic of the night in Spain? Would he be able to go through his Birthday Party again with the same energy? No. And it suddenly made sense to Harry why the Game only had Save Game locations at Instances.
No, Harry was stuck with his actions and it hurt. He had felt something for Tracey. Had it been love? Probably not. But it could have led there. But even if Tracey came back and apologized for the accusations the damage had been done on both sides. And were her accusations true? Did he like Daphne? He certainly had risked life and limb for her, including the entirety of his House. But that had been confidence that he would triumph over Lord Greengrass. Hubris more like. Hubris from the ease of being able to dump points into a Skill he had no true need of at this stage of his life. His Game. Merlin, it felt like an empty existence when he thought of it like that. No, he couldn't honestly say that he either liked or disliked Daphne and thinking about it too much just hurt.
"Master Harry, there is an Albus Dumbledore at the front door" Dolly called quietly through the doorway of his Study. The Elf felt like she might possibly overstep her bounds by popping into the Study.
***Break***
Albus Dumbledore observed the roaring Gryphon fountain idly. It was a wonderful piece of art with the water catching the sunlight in sparkling beauty. Past it he viewed the Wards barely visible to his practiced eyes in the distance. Albus had honestly been surprised when the wards admitted him as their strength was very intimidating for such a young building, but also appreciated that it made his visit today much easier.
Harry Potter had been an object of his thoughts since the beginning of Summer. The boy had fled the Dursleys to get emancipated, changed his electives to include almost all subjects, made waves in Diagon and the Ministry Press Conference looking and acting like a completely different person, had snuck onto Hogwarts grounds and even into the Castle itself on multiple occasions, briefly resided in Hogsmeade under little to no protection, disappeared from sight for almost a week, bought land and built a home, was spotted in Spain of all places, launched a party that bridged House boundaries in a way that had not been seen for some time, then was spotted in Northern Scotland Blacksmithing, and all over Muggle London looking like a picture of fitness. These were all startling developments in their own right but paled, literally paled, to the Duel that had been fought today.
Albus was honestly at a loss as to what had changed. The man had wanted to leave the boy alone in the wake of the events in the Chamber of Secrets which had surely been a traumatizing experience. But now he wondered as to the wisdom of that decision. Was it the Horcrux? Had he missed something when Harry returned from the Chamber? With the variety and almost… recklessness of Harry's actions since the end of term it was hard to tell what it was. But one thing was for sure, Albus needed to see for himself just the kind of boy he was allowing back into Hogwarts. He would check for warning signs that he had ignored with Tom and take necessary action if needed.
The door opened behind Albus and brought him out of his musings.
***Break***
Harry had somehow pulled himself up out of his Study and went to the door. He had no idea how he was going to navigate a talk with the Headmaster after the crazy day. It was an interaction that Harry had been avoiding for the entire Summer and here it was staring him in the face when he was at his most vulnerable. A brief thought was spared to the idea of sending the Headmaster away but Harry knew that it would probably just make it worse and he couldn't run from it forever.
Seeing the man standing on the other side of the door was a strange experience with Dumbledore portraying the same wizened grandfather look that Harry so remembered that was so familiar yet so… disorienting to see when the freshest memories Harry had of the man were between seeing the man look so old in the Hospital Wing after the Chamber and so serene both in his fall from the Astronomy Tower and resting in his coffin at the funeral. Harry's eyes teared up against his will and instead of saying anything to the man he simply left the door open and headed to the seats on his back porch. He needed fresh air or he was going to suffocate.
***Break***
"Harry my b-" Dumbledore had started his customary greeting when Harry had shockingly teared up in front of the Headmaster and walked away.
Dumbledore was shocked seeing the boy for himself after the crazy descriptions of the boy's Summer. The shocking red hair so like Lily's, subtle changes to the boy's face but still unmistakable James, and even looking defeated, indeed, looking like the world was too heavy for the boy he still walked with a confidence and assuredness that had been missing from the boy he had left in the Hospital Wing some 2 months ago.
The old man followed Harry at the unspoken permission to enter the home, and cast his gaze across the house as they walked. The entryway was immaculate yet homey with a warm rug under their feet. The walls were sparse with no magical portraits in sight but there were still some artwork on the walls to provide life to the room. The stairs were a rustic hardwood construction with whole planks clearly hewn from a tree to form each step with the bark still on and facing the lip of each step and a fine varnish to give it a shine. Then they passed through a hallway that Dumbledore looked up and down. 7 doors, leading various places, were in the hall but no other details could be gleaned except, yes, there was a faint hint of Potions just under the smell of the home.
The sitting room was quite cozy in Dumbledore's opinion and well decorated. The fireplace had the same slate stone construction as the exterior and Dumbledore idly noted the sword above the mantle. Not the Sword of Gryffindor, surely the blade above the mantle looked absolutely plain in comparison to the ancient sword. The two people were not in the room for long with Harry stepping out into the slowly cooling air of the late August summer afternoon.
***Break***
Harry took deep breaths when he stepped outside. The air had a hint of smoke to it being carried with the light breeze from his forge down the way. The aftermath of his party was long gone but Harry looked around and remembered that day, such a good day, where everything had been simpler and fun. Dumbledore stepped out with him and looked over the impressive yard. The Headmaster noted the lake, the lean-to building that smelled of smoke, the shed to his left whose function he was not sure of at the moment. Off to his right he could see 3 rings of the Pitch that occupied that portion of the yard. It was a splendid home, that must have cost quite a bit, but Dumbledore could see the reason for buying it after just his short walk. The house was a home, magical both in it's modern charm and rustic beauty. Not overdone yet clearly selected with care and thought to let you have the dual feel of being in the home of a Lord but also knowing that you could take your shoes off and relax. Not an easy feat to achieve.
Declining to air his thoughts, Dumbledore observed the boy in front of him that had stopped at the top of the stairway that led to the lake and who seemed to be taking deep calming breaths. Dumbledore noted the varied very Muggle wicker furniture that decorated the back porch and took his time selecting one that was the right height and orientation. Cushioning Charms subtly worked into the chair made the seat a delight and Dumbledore actually found himself with an urge to get comfortable. The place was very disarming to those who were on guard.
After a minute of letting the summer breeze roll over them both it was clear that Harry was ready to talk as his shoulders firmed up and he stepped over to select a chair of his own. Finally seated Harry was able to look at Professor Dumbledore full on.
"Hello, Professor" Harry started off simply but there was a hint of sadness still in his tone. No tears in his eyes anymore but Albus still deduced that Harry would prefer to be anywhere but here at the moment.
"Harry my boy, you have a wonderful home. This chair is simply astounding" Albus used his grandfatherly charms to try and bring the tension out of the boy's shoulders a bit before they got down to brass tacks.
Harry smiled wanly, "Thank you Professor, Dobby selected it. But I'm much too tired to dance around this. I'll sit here quietly and you can say your piece. I'm sure you have a lot you want to talk about"
Shock colored Dumbledore's face for a moment. The words and tone were not cold, or even dismissive, but wholly accepting. It was the poorly veiled undercurrent of challenge to Albus's typical beat around the bush style that shocked him. Most people didn't hurry him along in any form or fashion and none of them were less than thrice Harry's age. It made Albus reassess the redhead in front of him yet again. Clearing his throat, Albus tried to figure out where he wanted to begin.
The beginning, like always, felt like a good start and Albus got right down to it. "You made a lot of people today very scared, Harry. You displayed shocking skill today that I'm sure is not part of the Hogwarts curriculum. Now there are two girls without a home, without a father. A lot has changed for you this summer and I did not want to intrude upon your privacy even though I must still advise against this whole emancipation business, there is still time to undo that and I could help you, but to take the Greengrass girls into your home and ruin their father? Was there no other way, Harry?"
Harry reeled. There it was. Not delivered in typical Dumbledore fashion thankfully but it was there. A hint of 'Please return to the Dursleys' with a sprinkle of 'You scare me' along a dash of 'Let me help you' all mixed together into blame, worry, and thinly disguised distrust. Carefully iced with grandfatherly wisdom and platitudes. And for him to use the words, the same words, that Tracey had used against him. If not for his reassurances that his Gamer privileges protected his mind he would have assumed there was some Legilimency at some point. Clearly the Headmaster didn't get it. Harry was not in the mood for games, present life excluded, and some life returned to his eyes as his desire to lash out at someone surfaced.
"Let's get some things very clear, Professor. I am no Voldemort. I have no desire for domination, or bloodshed, or violence of any sort. Are you going to sit there and vilify me just like this rag?" Harry tossed the Prophet onto the glass-top table between them only just realizing it had still been in his hand.
"Are you going to condemn me for finally showing talents you were unaware of? For doing what I thought was right? Lord Greengrass was abusing Daphne." At this Harry rose to his feet and started to pace, the arguments that he wished that he had been able to say to Tracey finally coming to the forefront of his mind as clear as the sky above.
"And it could have been anyone. It could have been a complete stranger. But it was not. And when I saw what was happening I acted the best I could to protect someone. You may feign ignorance, Professor, but I know that you know about the Dursleys. I have been on the other side of that fence and the grass is not green. It is dark and lonely and not something I would wish on anyone! So think that I am evil for fighting against an injustice that everyone else seemed so PERFECTLY CAPABLE of ignoring all that you want! I could have killed that man! I know that! You know that! And the law would have been on my side! But I did not! I COULD NOT! I didn't force his hand to fight the Law of Rightful Challenge! I did not make him destroy his family! I put down an offer to stop being a BLOODY SHITTY FATHER and took measures to put his daughters into the safest environment I could think of in the HOPE, the naive HOPE, that he would see the error of his ways and I could release them from my Wardship! I hate myself enough for how this all turned out, and I tried my best not to make it so, but the alternative was to leave 2 girls under the harsh care of a man who didn't give a DAMN about his own flesh and blood! And I would hate myself all the more if I had just STOOD BY AND DONE NOTHING!" Harry's chest heaved as he finished his outburst, nostrils flaring and fight or flight instinct on full blast.
And as if Harry had been talking about the weather, Dumbledore sat there. The serene picture the Headmaster created in the face of Harry's outburst snuffed the anger out like a candle. Harry felt the energy from his rant leave him and collapsed heavily into his seat once more, tears shimmering again as the gravity of it all was laid bare only this time in his own words. Tea and scones appeared on the table between them signifying the return of Dobby from the Ministry and Harry clutched the cup like a lifeline to avoid drowning.
With Harry's downcast eyes he was unable to see the turmoil on Dumbledore's face. The rant had been furious, raging, in its intensity but Dumbledore did not once feel like Harry was trying to hide a darkness he had feared was in the boy. Instead Dumbledore saw a lot of himself in the young Lord across from him. In his century of life Dumbledore had come to understand injustice more than most. Had seen across his years as Professor and Headmaster countless young faces scared to go home for the holidays and summers and treating the Castle they all loved so much as the home they wished they had. Often Dumbledore found himself deeply regretting being unable to do anything more than provide a safe haven for them at Hogwarts, his mind flashing to a young and talented Potions Master currently in his employ. And Albus had battled against his fair share of injustices in his time, when he was young and full of talent much like Harry was. He vividly remembered an argument gone wrong that had resulted in the death of his dear sister Ariana, an unintentional and unfathomable consequence.
Dumbledore finally sighed and realized that no, he could not in good conscience fault Harry for his actions. He understood power, the temptation to use it to further your own cause and means, and knew from a few collected memories that Harry had power, immense power, for his age. That power needed guidance however, guidance and restraint lest it do more harm than good. There was a fine line between righteous judgement and villainous tyranny and it all came down to what your limits were. He had seen it in the memories of the duel that he was able to procure with skillful use of Legilimency. Harry had not been out to kill Lord Greengrass, indeed even in the face of Lord Greengrass's clear attempts to kill Harry the boy had not responded in kind. But Harry needed to understand the consequences of rushed decisions and using his power to interfere with other's lives. It had been a hard lesson even for Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.
"I understand, Harry, I… I did not intend to imply that you were wrong in your actions. I have known for a short while about Lord Greengrass and his… less than favorable treatment of his daughter. It is an all too common occurrence in old families that look to groom their children into their version of a perfect person. I would never defend such treatment" Dumbledore paused a moment to make sure that Harry was listening.
"But I have known Jackson Greengrass for a long time. I can still remember when the stoic yet witty young boy put on an old Hat to be sorted into Slytherin. I also worked with the man for many years in the Wizengamot after his graduation and that man was not the same one that lost to you today. He's different. Lost. About 12 years ago now he changed abruptly. A steadfast advocate for Muggle rights and ringleader of a large conglomerate that actually did a lot of good in their time. What I share with you will not be repeated by me past this day." Dumbledore had the Elder Wand in his hand without Harry even realizing where it had come from and the heavy weight of magic fell over them both. Harry focused on the slight glimmer in the air and to Dumbledore's amazement the boy's eyes glowed for just a moment. Harry had Mage Sight! Such a rare and wonderful talent!
Privacy Ward, Muffliato, Anti-Animagus Ward, Sound-Cancelling Ward, Eavesdropping Deterrent Ward Unlocked!
Warding Skill Unlocked! It is now 1!
Harry ignored the Notifications and focused on the Headmaster again. Albus knew that the surfacing of the talent went a fair way to explaining some of the changes he was noticing in Harry but he got back on track and his face hardened at the thought of what he was about to reveal to Harry. Normally Albus would have waited before telling Harry about the harsh reality that was life. Harry was immediately drawn into the gifted storytelling of the Headmaster.
"12 years ago Jackson Greengrass was in love. He had just had a daughter, just saw the successful returns on some bold ventures, and had just won a string of close votes in the Wizengamot earning him praise and adoration from the Muggleborns Britain-wide. But his wife had 2 loves. Allisandra Greengrass was in love with Jackson but she was also in love with a Muggle. A normal man. One who did not have a fancy job or a high society upbringing. Just a normal, run-of-the-mill Muggle man. And Tom caught wind of it. So Tom orchestrated the very change that turned Jackson Greengrass into Lord Greengrass, the cold uncaring man that you saw firsthand today. It was a clever trick and not the first time that Tom had used it. He set up Allisandra, and orchestrated Jackson to catch her and the Muggle man in the act of adultery. It tore Jackson's heart apart. But the love was still there and to Tom's immense displeasure the two remained together. Indeed against all odds they even became closer after the act. It was this renewed closeness that brought into being Astoria Greengrass. Things were looking up once again for the couple but Tom did not like the idea of love winning the day. He poisoned the birth. Tricked Lord Greengrass into seeing features from the Muggle man in his newly born daughter Astoria. Subtle, and so very like Tom. Lord Greengrass was furious. And in that blind fury he killed Allisandra who was weakened from her recent exertions. And the act signified 2 deaths. Allisandra and Jackson Greengrass both died that dark night. It was only a few years later when Astoria had shown signs of carrying the malediction that was only present in those of true Greengrass lineage that Jackson realized he had been wrong. But the damage was done, and from that string of events the flawed broken man known as Lord Greengrass was to be forever tormented by his actions" Dumbledore let his last words echo off into the early evening, the sun setting on one of the longest days in Harry's young life.
They both sat for a few moments, letting the facts and revelations run their course before Albus spoke once more, "I tell you this, not to garner pity for the man. He reaped what he had sown even if the seeds were not entirely his own. I tell you this so that you can understand the man. Every action, no matter how good or how vile, no matter how very opposed to your viewpoints has a reason. The path you must walk, that everyone must walk, will be full of trials just like the one you faced today and so many decisions. Decisions that are shaped by those reasons one way or another. Each path is unique in the obstacles it presents. You will stumble. You will fall. And you will find times where you lose that path and the way is not so clear. Power, in all its forms and inherent in each and every one of us, often forces these paths to collide and what we do for, with, or against Power shapes the path that we walk. And you will have to answer the questions that you must ask yourself every time you aim your Power at another. Is it worth it? Is there another way? Is this action, whatever the reason, who I am? Can I live with what I am about to do? And you must choose… Choice, that is the great equalizer. You will never have all of the answers. You will never have all of the facts. The only thing you can do is decide for yourself what you are going to do and live with the choices you make"
At that Albus stood up and walked to the door, pausing for just a moment with his back to Harry, Albus sighed from thoughts clearly still heavy on his mind, "I came here today to let you know that Lord Greengrass's path is now certain, and he has been found guilty of High Crime and sentenced to a life in Azkaban. That is the Choice you made today with your Power."
Albus walked through the door. Behind him Harry stared at nothing and everything, his mind absorbing the knowledge that had been shared with him today. After a short while Harry moved to his study to continue his self-reflection.
***Break***
Warding Skill has increased! It is now 2!
Warding Skill has increased! It is now 3!
Harry sighed as he put his wand into his holster. He had just practiced with the Wards he learned from observing Albus's casting and left strict instructions with Dobby and Dolly not to bother him unless Daphne or Astoria woke up. At the thought of the two girls Harry hesitated and reached into his pocket to pull out the shrunken portrait. The woman, who Harry now knew to be Allisandra, was set into a box on his desk and the lid snapped shut.
The chair behind the desk was eyed for a moment but Harry decided that sitting still was not worth the attempt. Instead he paced. Professor Dumbledore had hit him with some hard truths and nuggets of wisdom. What he knew of the man from his alternative life's memories shed truth onto the words and their sincerity. Albus had not condemned Harry for his actions, no, he had armed Harry with the tools to condemn himself. And he paced. The actions and reactions since the day that he came back as the Gamer were at the forefront of his mind. His methods with dealing with the Dursleys. His time in Diagon, in Hogsmeade. His days with Hagrid. His time in the Chamber. His interactions with Lord and Lady Davis. With… Tracey. With Daphne, Hermione, Ron, the Weasleys, all of the students. And he paced.
It was through this self-reflection that Harry realized that, somehow without even realizing it, he had changed. At the start of this Summer he had been Harry James Potter, a freshly revived Hero excited for a second chance at life. Then he had become Lord Harry Potter the Gamer. A bratty rich kid with a near God complex who wandered around willy-nilly doing whatever struck his fancy at the time, consequences be damned. And it was the Gamer aspect that had truly been the catalyst for everything. And he paced. Every interaction, every piece of knowledge, every iota of experience in and out of the Game had shaped him in extraordinary ways. And he paced. He had taken lives in the Chamber, and for what? A Quest? Every action he took could be traced back to one of his Skills, and why? Because Harry had rushed into his decisions like a stupid Gryffindor. It was right there on his Character Sheet. Every point he spent or earned, every Feat that he chose, hell even the Perks that he had been so excited about had changed him. And he paced. Puberty=Truck? It had made him a hormonal mess without him even realizing it. He had thought he would notice, and be able to adjust accordingly, but just because he could see it on his Sheet didn't mean that he could truly see it in his life. And he paced. Etiquette points? They had made him more formal, more snobby. Crafty Perk, sent him to Northern Scotland and made him tangle with Acromantulas. Linguist, he now spoke Spanish and French having picked up the French just because he could. And he paced. Flirting! What an idiotic thing to put points into when he was getting absolutely ravaged by his Puberty=Truck Perk. This Character Sheet was indicative of his current level and skills but it was also indicative of his entire being. And he paced.
Albus had been right. Power, and what we do for, with, or against Power shapes the path that we walk. Unlike most people whose Power only extended outward, Harry had a Power that extended inward. And he paced. When Dumbledore had talked about asking yourself the hard questions when aiming your Power at another, Harry had realized that he had to ask himself those questions when he made a choice on his Character Sheet because he was aiming his Power at himself. Is it worth it? Is there another way? Is this action, whatever the reason, who I am? Can I live with what I am about to do? And he paced. What would happen to him if he maxed out Dark Arts? Would it change him? Would it control his choices? And he paced. He remembered the thought crossing his mind during the duel of using Sectumsempra to end it and choosing not to not because he was above that but because of what others might think of him. And he paced. That wasn't Harry Potter. That wasn't him. Or was it? Harry had no idea. And he paced. He only knew that he was himself. And then Albus's last words came to him.
"Choice, that is the great equalizer. You will never have all of the answers. You will never have all of the facts. The only thing you can do is decide for yourself what you are going to do and live with the choices you make"
And he stopped. Like a wave it came. It had been worth it. Harry didn't need to feel guilt at taking lives in the Chamber, that hadn't been because of a Quest but because the alternative had been to let those men kill him. There had been no other way. He had grieved at that reality and that was the mark of a good man even if he had been unable to see it. Harry didn't need to beat himself up for thinking of using Sectumsempra during the duel, because he had chosen not to use it and instead had chosen a different path with his Power. The action he took had been a reflection of who he was, Gamer and all. He didn't need to beat himself up for challenging Lord Greengrass to a duel. The man had made his choices, the same as Harry had. The difference was that Harry had made choices he could live with.
And he laughed. Sweet, sweet relief flooded his being. Harry laughed in relief until he couldn't anymore and he collapsed into the chair behind his desk. As different as he was now Harry Potter was still Harry Potter. Harry Potter was the Gamer. The Gamer was Harry Potter. The only thing he could do was decide for himself what he was going to do and live with the choices he made.
Outside Harry could see that it was now early morning, he had paced the whole night.
"Master Harry, Daphne has awakened." Dobby stated from where he had appeared in the room.
"Thank you Dobby. Could you have Dolly prepare some breakfast?" Harry said to the Elf with a smile, and Dobby rejoiced at the female Elf finally being given a task. Maybe then she would stop moving around Dobby's bedspreads! They were perfect, despite what she thought was proper! Harry got up to change and get a quick couple laps around the house to clear his head.
***Break***
Songbirds sang their early morning revelries and Daphne stirred in protest. She was warm and she could feel Astoria next to her still dozing contentedly. The two girls often shared a bed growing up, keeping each other company and providing the love that was otherwise absent in their life, so it was not an unusual occurrence. But something was off. Her hand reached blindly around, and she brushed against Balto who had made himself comfortable across the legs of both girls. That was weird. Her father never let Balto upstairs. Then it hit her and the events of the previous day came crashing down.
Daphne shot up to a sitting position in the bed, dislodging Balto who moved to the floor, and looked around. She recognized the room as one belonging to Harry Potter, the same one that she had changed in during his birthday party. The reality of yesterday's events started to set in once more and she felt tears tickle her eyes. Knowing that if she didn't get up she would risk another breakdown she quickly extracted herself from the thick comforter that covered the bed and headed for the bathroom.
She was an absolute wreck. Her make-up, usually so flawless, was smudged and had run profusely during her crying yesterday. Desperately Daphne turned on the faucet and washed her face, scrubbing hard. When she looked up once more her cheeks were a rosy tint from the intense scrubbing and her make-up was gone but already she looked better. Eyeing the shower and then glancing down at her clothes, the same that Daphne had started the day with yesterday, she soon had the bathroom steaming up with hot water. She stripped off the clothes that were stiff from dust, sweat, and what looked to be blood. Daphne shook violently at the thought and was barely able to convince herself to step into the hot stream of water in the shower. The water burned her skin yet the familiar act of bathing was hardly a balm to her frenzied mind, after a few minutes Daphne sat down in the shower and hugged her knees still shaking. Tears hid themself in the water from the shower and Daphne let the emotions take her.
***Break***
Astoria groaned as her mind finally released her from the dream she had been having. It had been a weird dream. She vaguely remembered it involving Harry Potter but she hadn't dreamed about that boy since she was 7 and her sister had read her the Harry Potter story books. Deciding that she had no control over what she dreamed about she stretched out and eased the tension in her arms and legs. A life of being bed bound regularly had made her knowledgeable of the best positions to take to get the best stretches and she rolled around for a few moments. Finally she opened her eyes and was instantly confused. That wasn't her ceiling. She sat up and looked around. This wasn't her room. Where was she? Then she remembered. The urgent packing, the loud noises, the Portkey.
"Daphne?" Astoria called out. Nothing.
"Daphne?!" She called again. Nothing.
Frantically she started climbing out of bed and felt… fur? Astoria looked down, saw Balto, and in an instant she was on the floor clutching the dog. Balto licked at every part of her that he could reach. His human was okay. She was crying, but also laughing as the dog tongue tickled her cheeks. His human was okay.
With her dog her sense of security had elevated quite a bit. That enabled her to stand up and look around. The room wasn't small but it was definitely plain. There was a yellow and brown comforter on the bed, a bookcase that had nothing on it, a desk was pushed beneath the window that had its blinds drawn. Astoria walked to the window and pulled open the blinds, squinting when she realized the sunny way that it was an East facing window. Then she gasped. The grounds were gorgeous! Below her she could see hedges surrounding a gravel circle and at the center of that circle stood a fountain with a brilliant gryphon roaring water into the air. The early morning sun danced along the water. Outside the hedges were marble pillars that rose up almost as high as her window. She could make out a few songbirds tending to nests at the top of the pillars and singing their joy at the start of the new day.
"Oh wow" she said audibly.
"I'm glad you like it" came a voice from the doorway and Astoria screamed in surprise and whirled around at the unexpected intrusion.
In the doorway leaned a tall teenage boy. Auburn hair was messy in an organized way and brought attention to the boy's strong face and fierce vivid green eyes. His lips were full but not in a feminine way and his jawline was well defined. The boy's arms were crossed and he was in a sleeveless v-neck shirt that showed off a well developed chest and arms. His figure was lean but muscular in a dancer or martial artist kind of way. His pants were a simple pair of track pants well suited for running. His feet were bare.
Astoria took in all of this in a split second after her outburst. Then the bathroom door banged open and Daphne, hastily wrapped in a towel, rushed into the room with water still dripping from her hair.
"Astoria! Are you okay?" Daphne asked breathlessly. She had been drawn away from her sadness at the sound of her sister's scream and older sister instincts had spurred her into action.
"Daphne?" Astoria asked, shocked at seeing her sister like this. It was rare, if ever, that Astoria ever saw her sister in any way not carefully put together.
"Good, you're awake. Dolly made some breakfast. I'll be in the kitchen" Harry said from the doorway, drawing Daphne's attention. The older sister took in the athletic figure that Harry presented in the doorway for just a moment and she gasped.
"Harry! Get out!" Daphne screamed at Harry. She wasn't decent! Her cheeks flared red at the idea of being practically naked around Harry in his home. Sure she had been around him in her swimsuit but that had been a very modest one-piece. And this towel wasn't as large as the beach towel had been. Harry lightly pulled the door closed and tossed a lazy wave over his head as he walked away without a word.
Daphne growled at his casual manners and stomped over to the door that was still slowly closing. She slammed it.
***Break***
Harry groaned as the door slammed shut behind him. That had been unintentional! He hadn't imagined even in his oddest scenario a situation that would make Daphne leave the bathroom in anything less than a fully coordinated look. So when he had gone upstairs to check on them after his run and heard the shower through the cracked door he thought that he was safe to enter. She had clearly been embarrassed and Harry had been forced to be casual as a formal apology would have forced her to stand in front of him nearly naked even longer and only serve to increase her embarrassment. And what a first impression to have with Astoria!
"Stupid Harry" He grumbled to himself. What a great way to start the Greengrass daughter's new living situation.
*Fin*
A/N: Whew. I had to end on a lighter, funnier note. This one was hard to write. A lot went on for such a short chapter. I hope you all liked it! I've gotten a couple PMs about the current Character Sheet so that's included below since this was a short one. It includes all of the bonuses Harry got from his party along with everything that he's gotten since. The Notifications were getting a little cluttered so I wanted to have them kind of detailed off screen. Hope it didn't confuse anyone!
Harry James Potter
Age: 13
Class and Level: Wizard (Sorcerer) 10
Health: 350
Magicka: 625
Stamina: 400
Stats
Strength- 13
Dexterity- 21
Constitution- 17
Perception- 3 (+10 with Glasses)
Intelligence- 21
Willpower- 11 (+5)
Magic- 21 (+15)
Charisma- 22
Luck- 31 (Locked)
Unspent Stat Points: 2
Perks:
Fated Luck: +10 to Luck always, -40 to Luck in certain situations.
Magical Powerhouse: +10 to Magic, +5 to Willpower, +10 to Magicka Regeneration, +5 to Learning when it involves Spells. Magicka now grows at a 1.5 rate vs the standard .8 of most Wizards.
Flyer: +20 Broom Handling, +10 Creature Handling if creature has wings.
Parselmouth: +35 to Parseltongue.
Family Heritage: +5 to Broom Handling, +5 Transfiguration, +5 Charms, +5 Potions.
Puberty = Truck: Puberty is going to kick your ass and put hair in so many places. I won't go into details. Affects 3rd year Summer.
Linguist: +2 to Learning when it involves Languages.
Represent: +5% Reputation Gains, -5% Reputation Losses.
Smithing Apprentice: +5 to Blacksmithing
Unspent Perk Points: 5
Disadvantages:
Poor Eyesight: -8 to Perception without glasses or similar device. +10 with them on.
Chosen One: -20 to Luck in certain situations. +5 to Magic. Certain events are unavoidable. +25% Reputation Gains, +25% Reputation Losses.
Feats
The Wand Chooses the Wizard but the Wizard Chooses the Spell: +3 to Learning when it involves spells.
Magical Aura: +5 Damage Reduction to Spells. +10 to Social Skills against sensitive targets.
Motion of the Potion: Potions no longer require a 3 second Drinking Action.
Crafty: +5 Learning if it involves Crafting or Harvesting Skills.
Mage-Sight: This nifty Feat will allow you to see the folds of Magic if you focus hard enough. 5 seconds of focusing will Identify the observed object. +1 to Perception.
Unspent Feat Points: 4
Magic Skills
Transfiguration – 50
Boon: Size conversion ratio of Transfigured materials increased by 10%
Boon: Animate Transformations are more lifelike and respond to direction.
Animagus Transformation – 1
Herbology – 26
Boon: Flora and Fauna that are Magical will glow in the Player's eyes.
Charms – 55
Boon: Charms Spells cost 10% less Magicka to Cast
Boon: Charm Spells are 10% more potent
Potions – 35
Boon: Splash Radius of thrown Potions increased by 25%
Astrology – 19
Defensive Spells – 33
Boon: Maxima Variant now able to be applied to Defensive Spells.
Care of Magical Creatures – 19
Divination – 10
Ancient Runes – 15
Arithmancy – 18
Dark Arts – 21
Alchemy – 2
Wandless Magic - 6
Silent Casting - 8
Enchanting – 1
Warding - 3
Physical Skills
Quidditch – 11 Keeper, 7 Beater, 24 Chaser, 49 Seeker
Boon Seeker: You are able to track the Snitch more readily! Snitch will give an indicator when it is about to change direction.
Running – 29
Boon: Long-winded! You have a better lung capacity! Just don't drown, ya dunce! (+1 to Constitution Base Score)
Jumping – 18
Weightlifting – 16
Swimming – 50
Boon: Like a Fish to Water. Pressure affects you less, you are less likely to get Diver's sickness from extreme pressures. You also can move more freely in the water and on land! (+1 to Dexterity Base Score)
Boon: Long Winded! You have a better lung capacity! Just don't drown, ya dunce! (+1 to Constitution Base Score)
Acrobatics – 23
Climbing – 19
Sword – 55
Dual Wield: A Sword can be used in either/both hands with no penalty!
Heavy-Handed: The Swordsman life has gifted you with a heck of a swingin' arm! Strikes with a held object deal more damage! (+1 to Strength Base Score)
Archery - 31
Boon: Pin-Point. You are able to easily track your target, and have a greater chance of landing shots.
Cloth Armor – 50
Boon: Regular Clothes Shmegular Clothes. Any cloth is armor! +1 to armor per slot if equipped item is Cloth. Robes provide +2 per slot.
Boon: Flax at them. Cloth Armor provides an additional +1 to armor per slot if equipped item is Cloth. Robes provide an additional +2 per slot.
Leather Armor - 2
Equestrianism - 18
Dancing - 54
Boon: Quick learner. You are able to learn the steps of most dances after watching the dancing of those around you.
Boon: Light Feet. No need to be a clunky double left footed troll. If, and thats a big if, you are unfortunate enough to step on your partner's feet there is a good chance that they will not even notice. Not perfect, but a good feat for the Gamer that doesn't want to pay for foot surgery.
Fisticuffs - 2
Social Skills
Diplomacy – 27 (+5)
Boon: Heir to an Empire. As the youngest Lord in recent years people are eager for your attention. +5% Relationship Gains.
Intimidation – 30
Boon: Flux. You may now consciously flare your magic to those around you. Doubles effectiveness of Magic Aura Feat. Cost 2 Magicka per second. Stops Magicka Regeneration.
Performance – 13
Etiquette – 34
Boon: Now you're forked. Your skill in formal settings is improved! Delivers notification prompts in formal dining.
Flirting – 44
Boon: Lost in your eyes. Making direct eye contact will improve your chances of success when engaged in Flirting. -5 to DR rating of target.
Sense Intention – 31
Negotiation - 73
Boon: Wheelin' and Dealin'. You're able to negotiate down all but the scroogiest of people. Receive a 5% better deal when negotiating costs!
Boon: What's the absolute best you can do on that? More people are open to negotiations!
Chess – 17
Pranking – 24
Stealth Skills
Disguise – 3
Sleight of Hand – 8
Lying – 12
Escaping – 23
Stealth – 34
Boon. Toe-to-Heel. Your steps are now 50% quieter!
Hybrid Skills
Dueling – 75
Boon: Magical Shields are now 10% stronger
Boon: Dancer of Death. Harmonizes your Dancing Skill with your Dueling.
Boon: Hit 'Em Where it Hurts. Boosts your aim tremendously, and we don't use that word often.
Broom Handling – 55
Boon: You have a need for speed and your broom realizes it. +10 MPH to max speed regardless of model!
Boon: While on a Broomstick, gain +10 to Dodge!
Logistics - 23
Mental Skills
Parseltongue – 100
Boon: Snakes have a predisposition of +2000 Reputation when you reveal yourself as a Speaker
Boon: Spells with a 'Sss' sound may be cast in Parseltongue for +5 Difficulty Rating to overcome
Boon: The nuances of Parseltongue make other languages seem easy. +1 to Learning if it involves Languages.
Boon Mastery: May have a magical snake as a Familiar that does not count against your familiar slot.
English – 70
French – 21
Gobbledygook – 2
German – 8
Spanish - 61
History – 45
Science – 19
Mathematics – 36
Harvesting and Crafting Skills
Clipping – 31
Boon: Clipper Proficiency. Yield from plants increased 5%
Skinning – 25
Boon: Flesh-Peeler. Your skill with a knife is noticeable. Attacks with Blades and blade-like Spells are more likely to cause a bleeding effect.
Tanning – 25
Boon: Tanning Extraordinaire. Hide you prepare is produced at a higher quality.
Blacksmithing - 30 (+5)
Boon: Hammer! Your blows hit with an unexpected force. Results Vary. (+1 to Strength Base Score)
Cooking – 52
Boon: Live and Learn. You may recreate most meals that you have tasted or modify it as you see fit. +2 to level of meal benefits
Boon: Eye for Quality. You have a discerning eye when it comes to the freshness of ingredients. Less likely to find or use expired or stale ingredients.
Tailoring - 8
Leatherworking - 25
Boon: Scrappy. Leather Armor you Dismantle returns more of the materials.
Refining (Acromantula Silk) - 2
Trunk Making - 1
Unspent Skill Points: 1
Class Specialization Sorcerer: +10% Exp Gain. +4 Learning. Unlocks Specializations Mage, and Archmage at further levels.