Number 12 Grimmauld Place…
Harry looked out the window of the library at Number 12 Grimmauld Place and felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was used to the feeling. What he wasn't used to was the gaping hole where his heart had once been. It was the summer between his sixth and seventh years and Voldemort had been dead exactly three weeks.
If Voldemort had been the only death, then Harry might have been out celebrating like the rest of the Wizarding world. But his hadn't been the only death. Dumbledore, Ginny and Bill Weasley, Tonks, Remus, Flitwick, Fudge, a third of the student body of Hogwarts, the entire Malfoy clan. The list went on and on.
The final battle had lasted all day and it had pitted every Ministry Auror and every member of the Order of the Phoenix against the Death Eaters. Harry sighed and fought to keep the tears from flowing again. He had cried once, and only briefly, when he had stumbled upon the body of Ginny Weasley. She had been one of the two women who loved him for who and what he was, rather than the legend he had become. He had knelt next to her broken body and shed the only tears in public since he was a child. He was used to crying alone, although he fought that as well. He loved her, so much so he had intended to marry her.
Well, that's not going to happen now, he thought bitterly.
Harry lifted a silver chain and placed it around his neck. Attached to the chain was his shrunken warlock's trunk containing multiple compartments, all his possessions and all of his money. He had emptied out the Potter and Black family vaults earlier in the day. He had known days ago that he would be doing this, and he had been preparing since Ron and Hermione had left Grimmauld Place.
He was tired, dead tired, and he needed to go someplace where no one knew him or of his fame. He had come up with an idea. He wasn't sure if it would work, but he knew there could only be two results. Either the spell would take him to a place were he could be free, or it would kill him.
In the summer of his fifth year, when his Mage abilities began to emerge, Dumbledore had started to teach him about the nature of magic. It was that training that gave him hope for a peaceful life somewhere.
"Hedwig," he called softly.
Hedwig ghosted in from the kitchen and landed on a nearby table. He stroked his owl fondly, then handed her a note.
"Take this to Hermione, and then stay with her. She'll take care of you from here on, girl. Be good for her, for my sake, please?"
The large snowy white owl trembled under his fingers. If she could, she would have wept. Hedwig knew exactly what Harry had planned and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Her wizard had set himself on this path since the death of his mate.
With a mournful hoot, Hedwig bobbed her head once and flew out the open window.
He donned his cloak, pulling up the hood, and took one final look around. He then traced a series of complex runes in the air and a rift appeared in front of him. On his side was Grimmauld Place, on the other, total blackness. Harry summoned his staff and stepped into the rift. There was a sucking sound and then the rift closed up behind him, leaving only silence in the Noble House of Black.
The Burrow…
The Burrow was a much more subdued place these days. The deaths of Ginny and Bill had hit the Weasley clan hard. They had rallied around each other, taking comfort and strength from the survivors, but the joy, the merriment and sure knowledge of love, family and security had been shattered.
Molly was a changed woman. The deaths of two of her children had affected her deeply. She had dropped weight and had lost her loving smile. Shortly after the final battle, she had confronted Harry, who still lay in his hospital bed, and accused him of not trying to save Ginny. Arthur stopped her immediately, but the damage had been done. When Harry had finally been released from St. Mungos, he had refused to come to the Burrow. Molly came to her senses eventually, but the breech was wide and would be a long time in healing.
Ron and Hermione were now staying at the Burrow. They had left Harry a week ago, against Hermione's better judgment, but Ron had insisted. After all, they had a wedding to plan for and the planning would go a long way to healing the surviving Weasleys. Hermione tried to convince Harry to come to the Burrow, but he refused outright. He told the two he had things to do and they were preventing him from doing them, then ushered the pair to the floo.
They were just sitting down to dinner when Hedwig flew into the kitchen and landed in front of Hermione and she hesitated to take the letter the owl carried. For the first time in her life she wondered if she didn't have a little bit of Seer in her, as she suddenly felt a cold wave of fear wash over her. This letter, she was sure, wouldn't be good. With shaking hands, she reached out and took the letter. Free of her burden, Hedwig sprang aloft and landed on Hermione's shoulder.
"That's strange," commented Ron with a frown. "If she were waiting for a reply, she would have stayed on the table."
Hermione opened the letter and started to read. As she did, her eyes filled with tears and her hands began to tremble. When she finally put the letter down, she stood carefully as to not upset Hedwig and quickly walked out of the kitchen.
From the living room the entire family could hear her sobbing.
Perplexed, Ron started to reach for the note when Mr. Weasley snatched it up and started to read aloud.
My dearest family,
They say life is a journey. Well, it is time to end one journey and start another. I find myself alone in a world that considers me either a type of god figure or a dangerous freak. Few know me for what I am, and fewer still are willing to learn who I am. The hole that exists where my heart once was is raw and deep and it will never heal as long as I remain here.
I have loved two women in my life. I lost one to the war, and I gave up the other so that my brother would have his own happiness. Ron, treat Hermione with love and respect always. Life is fragile and your loved ones can be ripped from your life if you aren't careful.
Dearest Hermione, I must confess that I felt more for you than simple brotherly affection. I never acted on those feelings because, as much as I loved you, I also loved Ron. He's a good man, Hermione, one of the best, and he deserves your love.
Fortunately for me, I met a wonderful girl who captured my heart and gave me happiness. Ginny filled my heart like you could have. I have been blessed to know both of you. What can I say, except that is has been fun. Please care for Hedwig and have fun. Break some rules, play a prank on someone. Live, Hermione. Live richly, and hold tight to those around you.
By the time you read this, I will have already attempted a cross dimensional transport. Dumbledore spoke of it often during the final days of my training. I think, even then, he was priming me for what I had to do. This will either work, or I will end up being with Ginny tonight. In either case, I'll welcome the results.
I have left instructions with Gringotts. They are holding the deed to Grimmauld Place for Hermione. Fix it up and live in it, or sell it, I don't care. I have also opened an account in the name of Ronald and Hermione Weasley. I'm sorry, Ron, I know you hate charity, but please, accept this money from your brother. The ten million galleons will go a long way to buying a house and your own Quidditch pitch. I've also placed another ten million into your parent's vault. Since I'm gone, they, and you, can't give it back. Use it well.
May your future be filled with peace and love.
Harry Potter
Molly sank heavily into a chair, buried her face in her hands and sobbed. The war had just claimed another member of her family, another one of her sons. There would be no time for her to mend the breech she had created, no way to help heal the hurt she had caused.
Ron stood shakily and walked into the living room where he embraced Hermione. He tried to be strong for her, tried to support her in her sorrow. But the knowledge that, in this life, he would never again see his best friend, his brother, broke his resolve. Tightening his grip around the woman he loved, his grief rose in him like a living thing and he wept.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…
Albus Dumbledore sat drinking a cup of tea with his Deputy Headmistress in her office. In just a week's time, students would arrive to begin another school year at Hogwarts.
"So, Minerva, do you think you might manage to get your lions to win the house cup this year?" Dumbledore said teasingly.
"I can hope, Albus, but you know as well as I do that I have more than my share of…" she paused as the castle echoed with a soft tone, then shook gently.
"Albus?" Minerva asked in alarm.
Dumbledore stood and stared at the ceiling in confusion. "Something powerful has breached the wards, very powerful. And what ever it is, Hogwarts is recognizing the intruder and accepting him or her. This is most strange… Minerva, alert the staff and let's search of the castle from top to bottom."
The search was quickly called off when one of the castle ghosts reported a student in the Great Hall, where no student should yet be.
Dumbledore led the staff into the Great Hall. Up near the head table was a young man wearing a hooded cloak and kneeling on the floor. From the sound of it, he was weeping. The Headmaster moved closer to the young man, but he sprang to his feet before Albus could reach him.
In one hand he held a sword, in the other, a staff! An unknown shield snapped into place around the young man and his eyes glowed brightly under his hood. The skylight charm shimmered in response to the waves of magic pouring off him.
"Stand and identify yourself," hissed the young man. The staff pulsed and Dumbledore could feel this man preparing himself for combat.
Albus knew that this young man, whoever he was, held extraordinary power and he had to be very careful in dealing with him. Straightening to his full height, the Headmaster waved his wand, bringing up the lighting level in the hall. "I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts. And you are?"
The green eyed man swayed for a moment, then the sword vanished from his grasp. "Dumbledore! Thank Merlin" he whispered. "It worked!"
"May I enquire as to what worked?" pressed Dumbledore again.
The man straightened himself out and pushed back his cloak. "Albus, I am a dimensional traveler."
Dumbledore arched an eyebrow at the announcement. "Indeed? There has not been a dimensional traveler for nearly two hundred years. Might we know your name, Sir?"
"I am Lord Harry James Black-Potter, Chief Warlock of the Order of the Phoenix and Battle Commander, three time winner of the Order of Merlin, first class, a Founders Heir… Damnation, I hate those enchantments!" he muttered.
Dumbledore nodded, letting a small smile slip, while behind him, one of his teachers fainted and another looked ready to join her.
"Minerva, Sirius, please see to Lily. I can quite agree with you, Mr. Potter. When I received my Order of Merlin, the enchantment period was five years, not the single year it is now. My colleagues seemed to enjoy asking me my name because of it. Now, however, it would seem we have some important issues to discuss. I think, perhaps, it would be best if we sat at the table and you told us your story, or what you can of it."
Harry nodded and waited for everyone to sit down. Sirius and Minerva carefully helped the woman, Lily, to a chair. Harry gasped when he got a closer look at her. It was his mother! He ruthlessly pushed that emotion back and walked over to her. She was awake and eyeing him in disbelief.
"Lily Potter?" he asked in a whisper.
"Lily Evans-Potter," she whispered back, then she nodded, tears forming in her eyes. Harry's own eyes grew moist.
He reached out to touch her, then pulled back his hand as if in denial. He closed his own eyes as a wave of emotional pain washed over him. "I think we'll have much to discuss later," he offered with a sad smile, then he turned back to face Headmaster Dumbledore.
"Headmaster, one quick question before I begin please… Is Voldemort alive in this dimension?"
"No, he died when the spell he cast on you as a baby backfired, killing you both."
Harry breathed a silent prayer of thanks, then sighed with relief and nodded, acknowledging the older wizards words. He tapped the floor with the butt of his staff, and then released it. The staff hovered, waiting for his hand to retrieve it.
"In my dimension, Voldemort has been dead for just over three weeks. He died in the second battle of Hogwarts. That battle resulted in the deaths of nearly everyone I loved, including the girl I intended to marry.
"In my universe, the night Voldemort attacked my parents and cast a killing curse on me, he was torn from his body and I survived. It was prophesied that Voldemort would return and I would have to kill him. Return he did, and I fought him to a standstill several times before he became corporeal again at the end of my fourth year.
Since it's late, I will only touch briefly on what happened. I'm sure in the days to come we can sit down and compare histories."
Harry told them of his parents death, and his being sent to the Dursleys to live. Lily gasped and shot a hateful glare at Dumbledore for that. He touched on each of his years at Hogwarts briefly, omitting a great many details. Then he explained how Sirius died, after only a few short years of freedom. Finally, his voice flattened out, becoming monotone, as he described his sixth year, the war and his training, the first battle of Hogwarts, and then, just two months later, the second cataclysmic battle.
He kept shooting looks at Lily and Sirius, both of whom were shedding silent tears during his story. He wanted nothing more than to find someplace quiet where he could finally weep for those he's lost.
When he finally stopped talking, Dumbledore stood. "Mr. Potter, tomorrow we will have to test you under Veritaserum, but I daresay I… we will do everything in our power to help you rebuild your life here. Since you were sorted into Gryffindor, we will make arrangements for you to complete your final year as a Gryffindor. We will also have to register your presence with the Ministry. Every dimensional traveler is registered, as I'm sure you are aware.
Now, however, I think it's time to retire. It's after ten, and I daresay you have two family members here who would like to speak with you.
"Lily? Do you have any objections to him staying in one of your guest bedrooms?"
Lily shook her head. She kept staring at Harry and finally stood and walked to him. Offering him her hand, he reached out shyly and took it. She looked at Sirius, arching an eyebrow in silent inquiry.
Sirius shook his head. "No, Lily. Tonight I think you should get to know your son. There will be time for his Godfather tomorrow, a whole lifetime of tomorrows."
Lily beamed a smile at him and nodded. Then, ignoring the murmur of the staff behind her, she led Harry to her quarters.
She opened the door and held it open long enough for him to enter, then followed him in. The short corridor opened up into a cozy living room with a couch in front of the fireplace. Harry gestured and his staff returned to his dimensional compartment. Then he removed his cloak and turned to look at Lily.
Lily examined this young man, a visitor from another dimension; yet somehow of her own flesh, as well. He was broad in the shoulder and moved with an economy of motion. He had a wicked scar on his forehead and another that began on his neck and went below the collar, which looked new. His eyes rarely stopped, as if he was looking for danger. He seemed to be well built, leanly muscled, as if built for speed instead of strength. He was dressed in Dragon hide from head to toe. He had apparently made his jump thinking he might end up in a fight when he arrived.
Harry looked at his mother. She was older than she appeared in his photo album. There was gray mixed here and there in her brilliant auburn hair. Her clothing looked to be frayed slightly, which surprised him. It was not something he had expected. She moved closer and he wondered what she was doing. When she reached out to touch him, he flinched slightly.
Her eyes widened at his reaction. "I'm sorry."
"No, it's alright, really. I just… well, except for Mrs. Weasley and Ginny, no one ever wanted to touch me," he whispered back, his eyes filled with pain again.
"I know you're not my son, but in a way, you are. I can't give you back your childhood, but we both lost something a long time ago. And you being here, now, gives us both a chance to recapture a little of what we lost."
He nodded, his own eyes filling with tears to match hers. "Mum" he said softly, tasting the word, trying it out.
Lily choked and grabbed him by the shoulders and, despite being a good six inches shorter than he was, pulled him into a tight embrace. That was the breaking point for both of them. Harry let out a soft cry of anguish and began to cry in her arms, while Lily cried in his.
How long they stayed like that, neither could say. Eventually their weeping stopped and they both heard a cough behind them. Harry looked up to see a black haired green eyed girl staring at him. She was nearly the same height as his mother, and dressed in pajamas decorated with little snitches.
Lily released Harry and held a hand out to the girl. She couldn't have been more than thirteen. "Harry, I want you to meet Althea Lily Potter, your sister."
Althea looked at her mother as if she were insane, while Harry stared at the girl who could have been a carbon copy of Lily, except for the hair.
It took Lily a while to explain to Althea, but she finally caught on, then she sized Harry up and down. "Dang Mum! Are you sure he's my brother? He's a hottie!"
"Ally, stop teasing your brother," Lily said absently as she bustled about making tea for everyone.
"Yes, Mum," replied Althea, then she giggled looking at Harry again.
"Mum? Where's dad?" asked Harry. He loved the idea of having a sister. He had a family, at last!
Lily looked at her son and sighed. "I guess for every piece of good news, there's bad to go along with it."
Harry looked at her, concerned. He barely noticed when Ally grabbed one of his hands.
"Harry, when we lost you, your father and I started having trouble. When I became pregnant with Ally, two years later, things got better for a while. After Ally was born, he up and divorced me. He blamed me for your death because I was muggle born. He disowned Ally, but Albus managed to prevent him from making that legal. I kept my married name, but that's all I have from the Potters, except for Ally, and now you.
"He died in a broom accident a year later, and the Potter fortune was split among many distant relatives. Anyone who could claim any relation to the family got a share, except us."
Harry could hear the bitter resentment in his mother's voice and, scowling, his aura flaring. Both women in the room were shocked by the amount of raw power he was displaying. He wasn't sure if his mother resented being made a pauper, or his dad's attempt to disown Althea.
"He left you with nothing? I thought it strange you are wearing frayed clothing. I'm going to fix that tomorrow. Tomorrow we're going to Diagon Alley."
"Harry, we're doing alright. Maybe we don't have enough money for everything we want, but we get by. My job…"
"Your job is worthwhile and a good thing, Mum, but with dad gone, that makes me head of the family. In my reality, I was head of the Black and Potter families, to name a few," Harry said angrily. Then he removed his Warlock's trunk and placed it on the floor. He traced a set of runes in the air with a finger and the trunk expanded to enormous proportions. Then he touched the correct set of runes on the trunk. There was an audible click and the lid popped open. Harry threw the lid open to the shocked gasps of Lily and Ally.
"Harry, how much… where did you get…" Lily stammered.
"I told you, I was Lord Potter, and Lord Black, where I came from. I suppose I'm just Lord Potter here, what with Sirius still alive. I brought everything that was in our vaults with me, just over two point eight billion galleons. One of the other trunk compartments holds all the heirlooms," Harry answered softly. As he spoke, the rings of the two families, and the rings of the four founders, became visible on his hands.
Lily and Ally stared at him like he had three heads. "I'm not saying we go crazy Mum, but I want my mother and my sister wearing good clothes. I want my Mum to teach because she enjoys teaching, not because she needs to put food on the table. Come Christmas, we'll go house hunting and buy us a home we'll be proud of. A place where, someday, you'll be able to play with your grandkids."
Turning to Ally, he grinned. "Something tells me my little sister would probably enjoy owning a new broom as well," he said, eyeing her pajamas.
Lily smiled broadly. Harry's return would have farther-reaching effects than even she could imagine. A house, she thought wistfully, a house would be so nice to have again. Maybe even a garden.
Lily awoke a few hours later. The previous night had been an emotional roller coaster for her and she still wasn't sure if it wasn't just a wonderful dream.
Unable to control the impulse, she got up and did something she hadn't done in years. She threw on her robe and went to check on her children. Althea slept soundly like she always did. Opening the door to the room where Harry was sleeping, she was startled to discover there was a silencing charm on the door.
Stepping inside, she watched Harry thrash about in the throes of a nightmare. His brow was beaded with sweat and he rolled from one position to another without a moments rest, moaning and saying names over and over. Then she jumped when he bolted upright in the bed screaming.
"Ginny! NO!" he shouted, then broke down crying. He wrapped his arms about his knees and rocked back and forth on the bed. His weeping tore at Lily's heart. It was the sound of a man who had lost everything.
She couldn't take it anymore and rushed over to his bed and swept him into her arms. This may not be her Harry, but she didn't care. Her mother's instincts took over. He stiffened at first in her embrace, then he relaxed and wept on her shoulder. A moment later another pair of arms joined her, holding Harry. Lily glanced over through her own tears and smiled in gratitude at her daughter. She wondered if Ally's abilities as an empath would be able to help Harry. But that was a question for another day. For now, it was important to get him talking to them.
The two waited until he had finally stopped crying. He leaned back from them with a surprised expression on his face.
"Thank you. No one since Ginny has done that," he whispered.
"Ally, put a pot of tea on for us and then come back in here. We need to talk about this," Lily said softly, searching Harry's eyes.
She reached over and tried to straighten out his hair, but it was a futile attempt. A few minutes later, Ally entered carrying a tray with some tea and biscuits.
"Harry, would you tell us about Ginny?" Lily asked softly.
He jerked as if he had been slapped, then placed his cup of tea on the nightstand. "Ginny entered my life the summer I caused Sirius' death in the Department of Mysteries. Or, I should say, I first noticed her at that point. Before then, she was just the little sister of my best mate."
"But Sirius isn't dead," exclaimed Ally.
"Hush, Ally. Sirius is dead where Harry came from. But let him talk," Lily said gently. "Go on, Harry."
Harry nodded and began to speak again. "That summer was the worst of my life. Vernon would make up reasons to beat me. They rarely fed me, and I felt I deserved the beatings because of what happened. But by the third week of the holiday, I gave up," he said in a monotone. His fingers traced scars on his wrists.
Lily paled at the sight of the ugly scars, but held her tongue.
"Mad-Eye Moody was on guard duty that day. He got me away from the Dursley's and took me to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Poppy healed me, but I didn't care. I didn't eat, couldn't sleep, refused to talk to anyone, not even Ron, Hermione or Remus. It was purely an accident that they left Ginny to watch me one day. She had had a crush on me practically her whole life. When I saved her from Voldemort and his Basilisk in her first year, she decided that I was what she wanted. She… she slapped me, hard. It shocked me and we started fighting. It ended with her holding me while I cried for Sirius. Then she got me eating and talking to everyone else again. It wasn't easy, it hurt, but she loved me and helped me in more ways than I can count.
"You would have liked her, Mum. She was a red head, like yourself, and a whiz with charms and potions. She was also a practical joker. We started dating. Even when half the school was afraid of me because of my abilities, she stood by me. She nursed me through my injuries from the first battle of Hogwarts. I asked her to marry me then. Not long after that, we became lovers. She made me feel complete. She's the one who taught me what real love was, something Dumbledore and the Dursley's tried to deny me all my life.
"When the second battle of Hogwarts started, everyone was surprised. No one expected him to attack again so soon, or in such numbers. He came at us with Giants, Trolls, Vampires, Werewolves and nearly two hundred Death Eaters.
"Ginny…," he shuddered a few times and choked back a sob. "She wasn't supposed to be out in the battle at all. Her station was in the infirmary. I didn't see how she died. The final battle is… all disjointed… like pieces of my memory are missing. I remember starting the fight with Voldemort and I remember standing over his body and watching his followers shriek as his death caused theirs. Then I wandered around the field for a while, wounded. I saw Dumbledore, Bill, Minerva, Filius… so many dead.
"I think the healers found me kneeling next to Ginny," he said finally, ending in a whisper. He was struggling not to cry again.
"Harry," Lilly began, "finish your tea and rest. Ginny wouldn't want you making yourself sick over her. And that's exactly what you're doing. Tomorrow we're going to talk about this and other things."
Harry nodded and curled up on his bed. Lily gently stroked his hair and soon he was asleep again.
Ally looked at Lily curiously as she ushered the younger girl out of the room. "Mum, did he say he tried to kill himself?" she asked in a hushed tone.
Lily nodded and, trying to keep her composure, she reached out and pulled her daughter into a hug. "Your brother has had a lot harder life than we have, Ally. He's going to need our love and support. He came to us from his world, hurting and looking for family to help him heal. That's exactly what we're going to do."
Ally thought about it for a moment then nodded. The two women went back to bed. Tomorrow would come soon enough.
The next morning Lily awoke to the sound of someone knocking on her door. Throwing on a robe and rushing out of her bedroom, she opened the door to her quarters and found herself facing Dumbledore, Sirius, Professors McGonagall and Snape, and Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"Ah, my apologies for waking you so early, Lily. I know you probably had a very late night last night but, if possible, can you wake up Harry and bring him to my office?" asked the Headmaster.
"I'm already awake," came a voice from behind Lily.
"Excellent, Harry. As you know, we have to register you as a dimensional traveler, which is why Mr. Shacklebolt is here. I thought we might get the veritaserum out of the way early, so that we might get to more important matters, like enrolling you in your final year here at Hogwarts?"
Harry nodded. "Very well. Coming, Mum?" he asked softly.
Lily placed a hand over her heart in surprise, and then nodded, smiling with pleasure. "Of course. Albus, if you would just give me a minute?"
A short while later, in Dumbledore's office, Harry sat in a chair facing the Headmaster's desk. Fawkes trilled a welcome to Harry as he entered the room, then glided over to land on his leg when he sat.
"'lo Fawkes," Harry said softly, smiling and stroking the large bird. "I've missed you, my friend."
To the amazement and amusement of everyone, Fawkes trilled a reply to Harry, then sprang aloft and glided back to his perch.
"He always was a talkative bird," Harry said in way of an explanation. "Before we begin, Albus, here is a copy of my Hogwarts records, including medical and academic. You'll also find records of the various citations in there, as well. You'll need these to place me in the school," he concluded, passing over a folder with a thick sheath of parchments.
Dumbledore accepted the thick bundle without comment. Then Harry turned and nodded to Kingsley.
Kingsley pulled out a vial of veritaserum and placed three drops on Harry's tongue. After a few minutes wait, his eyes glazed over.
Dumbledore leaned forward against his desk. "What is your name?"
"I am Harry James Potter, Chief Warlock of the Order of the Phoenix and Battle Commander, three time winner of the Order of Merlin, first class, and a Founders Heir."
Sirius and the others shook their head in disbelief. That someone so young could have achieved so much…
"Are you from this universe?"
"No."
"Why did you come here?"
"I had no one, no reason to stay where I was. I… wanted to find a reason to keep on living… I wanted peace for once…"
Lily paled and sagged in her chair, hearing him articulate what she'd only suspected. Sirius placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him gratefully.
"Did you defeat the Dark Lord in your universe?"
"Yes, I killed him, several times in fact. But now he's dead and will stay that way."
"How were you able to kill him?"
"I am a full Elemental Mage. Voldemort didn't know that and I used those powers to crush him."
Dumbledore glanced around the room. In all of recorded history, there had been Mages and there had been Elementals, but never an Elemental Mage. Mages were extremely powerful wizards. Dumbledore was currently the only living Mage in the Wizarding world and he was only a fifth order mage.
"What order Mage are you, Harry?"
"I'm not sure."
Dumbledore frowned at that answer so he refined his question. "Why are you unsure of what order Mage you are, Harry?"
"Albus Dumbledore tested me himself. He said that if the results were correct, then there were six orders of mage, not five, and I would be a mage of the first order. I think he was trying to imply that I had more power than what a first order mage would have had."
Everyone in the room was shocked to hear this. Harry was basically saying he was the strongest wizard the world had ever seen.
"And your elemental aspect?" asked Dumbledore. The old Headmaster was becoming very excited. Harry offered an opportunity where he'd be able to help train the greatest wizard since Merlin.
"Which one?"
"You have more than one aspect?"
"Yes. Fire, earth, air and water." Harry replied groggily, then he shook his head and his eyes cleared.
"Mr. Shacklebolt? Do you have enough information to register this wizard?" asked Dumbledore, his tone gleeful as Harry shook off the effects of the drug.
"I believe so, Headmaster. I can't promise there won't be a follow up investigation into his claims, but there is sufficient evidence to register him as a dimensional traveler. Do you also wish me to file those adoption papers as well?"
Harry raised an eyebrow and looked over at Dumbledore. "A mere legal formality, Harry. Lily is your mother and yet isn't. By allowing her to adopt you, you can legally claim kinship, despite your being an adult."
Harry nodded and smiled at Lily, who returned it.
Kingsley looked at Harry for a moment and then offered to shake his hand. "I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Potter. I hope you'll find the peace here that you sought."
Harry gripped his hand firmly and forgot for a moment that he wasn't talking to his friend and one time mentor. "Thanks, Shack," he muttered, blushing.
Shacklebolt beamed him a dazzling white smile, then nodded to Dumbledore before stepping into the floo and vanishing.
"By noon, Harry," Dumbledore said, catching his attention, "you'll be registered in our world. I'll work up your enrollment papers. I think it's best for now, however, if we keep most of your abilities secret. The fact that you are a mage will be leaked, as it is a matter of public record. And since I'm on the subject, besides being the only Elemental Mage on record, are there any other things you'd like to share with us?"
Harry sighed and nodded. "In my second year, people were afraid of me when they discovered I speak parseltongue. In my sixth year, they were even more afraid when they learned I was capable of traveling in shadows. But I'm only a partial shadow mage. Shadow-travel is one of the few aspects of that skill I've been able to develop. I don't need a wand to cast magic and my magic will take steps all by itself to protect me, if pressed."
Dumbledore nodded and stared at Harry, his eyes twinkling brilliantly. Harry felt that vague sensation of his mental shields being tested.
Harry sighed again. "Headmaster, I would really prefer you ask me your question instead of trying to invade my mind. I have several automatic defenses set up and would really hate to see you get hurt."
Dumbledore smiled and Harry could feel his probe quickly retreat. "And an accomplished Occlumens, I see."
Harry nodded in affirmation.
"Mr. Potter, might I ask, what house were you sorted into?" Professor McGonagall asked, forgetting what he had told them last night..
"Well, Floppy wanted to put me into Slytherin, but I convinced him to put me into Gryffindor, Professor."
"Floppy?"
"Ahem… Harry, you promised you'd never reveal that name," said the sorting hat, startling everyone.
"I'm sorry, Floppy, I couldn't help myself. Have you been well?" asked Harry with a grin.
The hat frowned at him. "You do realize I have to sort you still, don't you, Harry?"
"I could always tell everyone what you wanted to be called. And don't blame me for the name. Rowena named you, not I," Harry said with a smirk.
"Oh, very well, Harry, be in Gryffindor if you want. But I still think you would have done well in Slytherin," the hat declared, then it fell silent. Everyone else in the room sat in stunned silence. The hat never spoke outside of the sorting ceremony!
"Albus," Harry said in a serious tone, breaking the Headmaster from his bemusement. "I'd like to go to Diagon Alley today, with my family. Are there any problems with that?"
Dumbledore looked at Harry in confusion. "Why would I have a problem with that?"
"Well, let's just say that the Dumbledore I knew had control issues and it took me threatening his life before he backed off and became more reasonable," he replied, scowling.
"I can assure you, my boy, you have a mother to see that you do the right thing. Besides, according to your records, you are an adult. The only thing I'm going to ask of you is that you let me help you develop your skills further."
"That, I can live with, Albus. But for now, I'd like to get to Diagon Ally. I learned last night that my deceased father left my mother a pauper and I intend to correct that. Oh, that reminds me!" Harry reached up and pulled one ring off his hand and passed it to Sirius. "I believe this belongs to you now. I don't want to be Lord Potter-Black anymore. Especially since my Godfather is still alive," he said softly.
Sirius looked at the ring in shock. He hadn't seen it in years. His family vault was off limits to him since his mother had disowned him, but with the ring, he'd be able to access the vault again, despite her wishes.
"Headmaster, do any of the Weasleys still attend Hogwarts?" Harry asked suddenly.
"I have two of them in my house now, Potter," said Snape. Severus was unsure how to treat this young man. The abilities he claimed to hold meant he could be a powerful ally or a powerful enemy.
Harry scowled. "In Slytherin, you say? Ron and Ginny?"
Snape nodded and Harry's frown deepened. "I must tell you, Harry, that even though Voldemort had been dead many years, there is still a strong prejudice against all who aren't from pure blood families," added the Headmaster in a serious tone.
Harry scowled at him. "They'll get over that feeling mighty fast with me around, Albus. I won't stand for it." His tone was laced with a hint of power and many in the room felt the urge to flinch away from him.
Dumbledore looked grim. "I understand the power you hold within your grasp, but please do not abuse it."
"I have no intention of abusing it, Headmaster," Harry said stiffly, "but by the same token, you cannot expect me to stand by and watch some muggle born be tormented strictly because of their birth status. I won't put up with it. And Merlin help anyone who tries anything against me directly."
Dumbledore stared at the young man over his half moon glasses and finally nodded in acceptance.
"Albus, one final thing. Has anyone opened the Chamber of Secrets recently?" asked Harry.
"The Chamber of Secrets? No, Harry, no one has managed to find it again. I'm beginning to wonder if it exists at all. And I was present in the school when it was supposedly last opened, " replied the Headmaster, his smile slightly condescending.
Harry frowned and gestured with his hand, causing his staff to appear. Holding the staff vertical, he brought down the end with a sharp crack against the floor of the office. The light in the room dimmed and his eyes glowed with power. The fist sized emerald mounted in the top of his staff began to glow brightly.
"There are a total of four secret chambers, Albus," murmured Harry. As he spoke, a three dimensional image of the castle appeared above his staff. "The room we call the Chamber of Secrets is just one of the rooms created by the four founders as a private sanctuary. In three cases, these rooms are benign." The image of the castle rotated and Harry highlighted four rooms.
"The room that Godric created, Gryffindor's Sanctuary, contains a live Griffin that has been sleeping since his death. The other two sanctuaries no longer contain the living totem of their creators, having died long ago. Slytherin's sanctuary is the problem. In my world, it contained a Basilisk that I fought and killed in my second year. Tom Riddle was responsible for releasing the beast that killed Moaning Myrtle. The entrance to the chamber is in the second floor girls bathroom."
The image expanded, showing the chamber and its entrance. "The images you see are not something from my memory. Hogwarts is creating this map, using my staff to project it," he murmured. Then he lifted his staff and the map faded from view and the lighting in the room returned to normal.
Dumbledore exchanged a concerned look with the other teachers. "Thank you for this information. Do you know how to open the chamber?"
"You need a parselmouth to open it," Harry replied softly. "It might just be best to seal the entrance and wall up that bathroom. I'd rather not have to go kill that beast again. I would have died the last time, had it not been for Fawkes."
Fawkes trilled at him, preening and puffing up his chest, Harry smiled fondly and muttered, "You silly bird. You're such a show off."
Dumbledore blinked, then smiled again. "Thank you, Harry. I'll discuss the situation with the staff and the Board. In the meantime, you should be able to go get what you need in Diagon Alley later today. Professor McGonagall will give you the book list for a seventh year student. Looking over the records you have given me, I realize that you can probably take your NEWTS early, so we'll endeavor to make sure that you are challenged this coming year."
"Thank you, Albus. I'll return to my mother's apartment for now."
"Please, Harry. I need to discuss the information you've given us with the staff, that includes your mother."
Harry bowed his head in acknowledgment and walked from the office. The staff watched his retreating back for a moment before turning back to Dumbledore.
"So? Comments?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling like mad.
"Headmaster, I need to know what classes the boy has been taking," Professor McGonagall asked politely.
Dumbledore handed McGonagall Harry's transcript along with additional notes made by his counterpart in the other universe. She took one look and frowned. "Albus, he's been trained by Nicholas Flamel, as well as a half dozen other experts in their fields."
"Yes, I noticed that myself, Minerva. It seems that young Harry is something of a prodigy. It also appears that he is rather modest about it. His abilities would probably have not been revealed to us without the veritaserum and our direct questions."
"Merciful Merlin," exclaimed Minerva, "he's been awarded his Mastery in defense and an apprenticeship in Runes without even taking his NEWTS!"
Dumbledore nodded and smiled slightly. He had no doubt that young Harry Potter was going to provide for an interesting coming school year. He turned to Lily. "I realize that even a single year here at Hogwarts for a second student will put an undue financial burden on you, but I'll try to…" he stopped talking when he saw Lily smiling and holding up a hand.
"That won't be a problem anymore, Albus. Please don't think I'm not grateful for what you've done for myself and Ally. But Harry brought with him the entire fortune of the Potter and Black family vaults from his world. He's already told me that he's paying for everything from here on and that, come Christmas, we're going house hunting. He wants a real home." she said softly.
"Black Family vault? He brought my family's money with him?" asked Sirius.
Lily nodded and turned back to Dumbledore.
"This is all well and good, Headmaster, but what can we possibly teach this boy? I'm sure he's going to be nearly as much trouble as his father was in school," sneered Snape who had been looking over his records.
Dumbledore, looking up from a parchment he had been reading, frowned. "This," he said, holding the parchment up, "is a letter from myself, to myself. It's been charmed so that Harry wouldn't notice it.
"It seems that I had been instructing Harry in the art of dimensional manipulative magic, which is what he used to travel here. I seem to have anticipated that Harry would wish to leave his world behind and I ask myself to look out for him. Due to mistakes in my decisions regarding Harry, I was afraid that he would become another Dark Lord if he didn't learn to love, something which I apparently denied him," Dumbledore said with an unhappy expression.
Lily looked unhappy. "He did learn to love, Albus. But she was killed in the battle in which he killed Voldemort. I'm not positive, but I think he was in love with Ginny Weasley."
"My word. One of my Lions in love with a Snake?" asked Minerva.
"I don't think so, Minerva. His description of 'his' Ginny is nothing like the Ginny Weasley we know. I wouldn't be surprised if 'his' Ginny had been a Hufflepuff or even a Gryffindor." Lily frowned in thought for a moment. "The real problem is, can he learn to love again? Will he risk it?" she asked seriously.
"Only time, a loving family and friends can help him with that," replied Dumbledore as he placed the parchment down on his desk and looked up at his staff. "Here is what I propose. I suggest we all spend time evaluating where Harry stands in his studies for each of your subjects. Then we can address how to help him. In the meantime, given his grades and his abilities, I think we should seriously consider assigning him as Head Boy.
"I suspect that Harry is about to turn this school on its ear and we have one of two choices. We either fight him every step of the way, and lose, or help him. His attitude concerning blood issues is correct and we all know that."
"That will pit him against Pansy Parkinson. She's head girl this year. I wish we could have given it to Miss Granger, but she is too intimidated by the pure bloods," murmured Minerva.
"The purebloods walk around like they own this school. If Harry can put a few in their place, I won't complain all that much," Sirius said with a grin.
Lily looked up from the records she was examining in concern. "Do we want to put him in the position of having to fight like that?"
Dumbledore nodded. "You make an excellent point, Lily, but I don't think we have any choice. You heard him. He will not stand for any sort of bullying. His record suggests that Mr. Potter has a sense of responsibility that is quite strong. From his file, every recorded rule he's broken has been either in defense of this school or in defense of a student. He's prime Head Boy material, in my opinion."
The others shared a look, and then nodded to the Headmaster, who leaned back with a smile. "Excellent. Now that that's settled, we have the business of Professor Sprout requesting to open another greenhouse…"
Diagon Alley…
Lily, Ally and Harry exited from the floo in the Leaky Cauldron and Harry picked himself up off the floor, grumbling about floos and the crazy ways wizards traveled.
After brushing himself off, he looked at his little family and smiled to himself. Family!
Lily caught his smile and, though she was unsure of its cause, she shared it with him. He put an arm around her shoulder and hugged her gently, then motioned with his staff to move to the back of the building.
They entered Diagon Alley proper and he turned to the two of them. "I think the first stop should be Gringotts to open several accounts."
"Several accounts?" asked Lily.
"Yeah, I thought it was strange also, but when you're as wealthy as we are, multiple accounts becomes a better way of handling things."
He led them to the large marble building and into the lobby. There he stopped a passing goblin. "Excuse me, kind sir, but can you direct me to the new accounts manager?" he asked in flawless Goblinese.
The goblin blinked in surprise and grinned broadly at them before he pointed to a lone Goblin sitting at a table.
"Thank you, sir, may your ancestors be at peace," Harry replied in way of thanks.
Turning to his mother and sister, he chuckled at their confusion. "Whatever you do, never smile showing teeth to Goblins. It's a mortal insult," he warned then he motioned for them to follow him.
Approaching the lone Goblin, he waited politely to be noticed.
"Yes? Step forward! I haven't all day you know!" snapped the Goblin.
"Good sir, I wish to open an account with multiple vaults," Harry said in English.
"Name?"
"Lord Potter, Harry Potter," he replied, then sighed in relief. Albus had shown him a way of counter acting the charm from the Order Of Merlin so he didn't have spout all his titles any more.
The goblin looked at him closely for a moment. "You're that dimensional traveler they're talking about, eh? Well, we'll be able to handle your banking needs. Just let me know how much you're depositing and what kind of vaults you require."
"I need two class C vaults. One will have fifty thousand galleons and will be made out to Althea Lily Potter. This will be a trust vault and she will be allowed to withdraw a maximum of fifty galleons per month without family approval. Withdrawals beyond the fifty galleon limit will require the approval of Lily Potter, until she is sixteen years old. Then the monthly limit shall be increased to two hundred galleons a month. Once per year the vault will make an automatic deduction for her Hogwarts tuition.
"The second vault will be assigned to Lily Evans-Potter with an initial deposit of one million galleons, no restrictions on it.
"I also require one class A, high security heirloom vault, as well as one class A, high security money vault."
The Goblin blinked in surprise. "Just how much money will Lord Potter be depositing today?" he squeaked.
"I'm unsure of the exact amount, but it's a hair over two point eight billion galleons."
The Goblin gulped loudly and excused himself from the desk for a moment. Minutes later, several Goblins appeared at the desk and the three of them were ushered into a back room.
Harry removed his trunk from around his neck and expanded it until it was big enough to walk into. Opening it, the Goblins began levitating the money to counting stations.
All three of them watched in awe as the money was counted and placed into special carts to deposit in the vaults. Thirty minutes later, Harry was given a complete accounting of the money. The Goblins presented Harry with three keys, then they proceeded to remove the items to the heirloom vault.
By the time they were done, Harry had also obtained three Gringotts debit cards, which were good in wizard or muggle society. Harry and his family were ushered from Gringotts with much bowing and scrapping. Ragnok himself had come down to introduce himself to Gringotts newest and largest single depositor. He promised to provide any help to Harry should he require it.
Directing his mother and sister to Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions, he followed them into the store, then handed Madam Malkin his Gringotts card with instructions to outfit them both. Dress robes, new school robes, casual wear and even more private wear. Harry sat nearby, commenting occasionally, but mostly reading the article about himself in the Daily Prophet and grumbling about how the Ministry couldn't keep secrets in this world any better than they had in his.
While his family was busy shopping for clothing and enjoying a girls outing, Harry stole away for a trip to Quality Quidditch supplies, where he purchased a new Nimbus 2002 for Ally.
Ally spotted Harry entering the store while she was being fitted for dress robes and she nearly fainted when he showed her the broom, saying she could have it when they got back to Hogwarts.
Lily frowned. So far they had spent nearly five hundred galleons on clothing, then he went and bought a broom worth thousands for a thirteen year old. "Harry, you shouldn't spend your money so freely. She has a perfectly good broom, a Cleansweep five, I think," she said, trying to soften her tone.
"Mum, I have nearly eighteen years of no family to make up for here. I have a little sister for the first time in my life and I've missed out on thirteen of her birthdays. This one gift isn't going to spoil her," Harry replied mildly.
Lily scowled for a moment before relenting. "Oh, alright, but that's it."
Harry nodded and winked at Ally, who hid a smile behind her hand and winked back at her big brother.
Malfoy Manor…
Lucius sat in his office, considering his options. Before him on the desk was a copy of the Daily Prophet and its headline proclaiming the arrival of a dimensional traveler who also happened to be a Mage, although it was unclear as to what order of Mage he was. That the boy was also of the house of Potter was disturbing. The Malfoys and Potters had never gotten along.
Lucius needed at least a forth order Mage to further his plans. Voldemort had been such a Mage and Lucius had been able to control him with ease. The man's ambitions and petty ego had been easily stroked. When Voldemort had died and Lucius brought up on charges, it had been pitifully easy to convince that idiot of a Minister that he had been under the influence of an Imperious curse. No one knew that the last Dark Lord had been under the control of the House of Malfoy.
Lucius owned a very special talisman. With it, he could command extraordinary powers. The downside of the talisman was that it needed a Mage nearby to power it. Eventually, with the right Mage, the talisman would drain the power into Lucius, turning him into a Mage.
Few knew that Lucius, thanks to Voldemort, had increased his own powers until he was at the border point of crossing into being a fifth order Mage. Now, if he could get close to enough to Potter…
Hogwarts Express…
Ally sat across from Harry in the compartment. She was nervous. It was the first time on the train for her, but the Headmaster had insisted that she join her brother. Brother, she thought and smiled at the idea. She and Harry had danced around each other slowly, feeling out the other, trying to figure out where the relationship began. It took a trip to Hogsmeade and an obnoxious local shopkeeper who didn't want to sell to her because she was a half blood to cement their relationship.
"Do you have any bar chocolate?" Ally asked the clerk behind the counter at Honeydukes.
"Go away, you filthy half blood. I don't sell to your type," snarled the clerk.
Harry, who had been browsing one of the displays near the front of the store suddenly appeared next to the clerk, holding his sword to the man's throat. He raised the sword slowly and the man raised up on his toes in fear.
"You will sell to my sister and smile while doing so, or I will challenge you to a Wizard's End duel and your widow will be crying over your remains tonight," Harry said in a low monotone. The building rumbled with the magic radiating off him. "Now, what's it to be? Sell to my sister and smile while you do it? Or do you have a death wish?"
"I'll sell! I'll sell!" choked the man.
Harry stepped back and the sword vanished. He handed Ally a 10 galleon coin. "Don't forget to get something for Mum, Ally," he said with a smile.
Ally started to pile items onto the counter. "That's my big brother. He could probably make me a hat out of your entrails and level the building without thinking about it. He's really a nice guy, but he hates it when people think blood is important. He says that the only importance of blood is to keep you alive. Of course, he's seen plenty of his enemies bleed. You wouldn't want to be one of them, would you?" she asked, her eyes wide and innocent.
Harry shook his head and laughed. Somehow she had managed to say all that in a single breath and still spend time piling the counter high with sweets. The terrified clerk merely shook his head, pushed her purchases into a bag and handed it to her.
Now Ally sat with Harry in the compartment and she found herself liking the idea of having a big brother. Especially one that obviously cared about her. She became even more impressed as she learned about his code of ethics. They governed his life, almost like something straight out of the age of Merlin.
For Harry, coming to grips with having a sister had only one drawback. His sister was a fully functioning empath. That meant she was acutely aware of what he was feeling and she had caught him a few times on the edge of a deep depression. Harry discovered that the women in his life were pushy and refused to accept his standard "I'm fine" as an answer. And Ally's abilities made it impossible for him to hide his pain like he was used to doing. His mother and his sister would confront him over it, and make him face it. It was a slow healing process, but it was a healing process, and Harry had come to love his little sister in a very short amount of time.
Ally sat next to the window and tried to take up as little space as possible. She had heard the horror stories from the other non-pure bloods about what happened on the train. In school, she was protected by the fact that her mother was a teacher. On the train, that meant little. She was very glad to be riding with her brother, but wasn't sure if even he would be able to help her if the pure bloods wanted to make trouble.
The compartment door opened and a girl stepped in. Ally recognized her immediately, and so did Harry.
"Do you have room for one more?" asked the girl in a timid voice.
Harry straightened up in his seat and nodded for her to take a seat. She shot him a grateful smile.
"Hi, I'm Hermione Granger. And you are?" asked Hermione softly.
"Harry, you can call me Harry, Hermione," he said with a broad smile.
Hermione looked back and forth between Ally and Harry, noting the family resemblance, then it dawned on her.
"I've read about you! You're that dimensional traveler they wrote about in the Prophet," she exclaimed.
"Yep, but now I'm just Harry, a seventh year Gryffindor, like yourself," he replied.
"And Head Boy, Harry," added Ally.
Harry shot her a glance, then smiled. "Yes, Head boy as well," he added with a sigh.
"Of course! You were going to Hogwarts in your own universe? Then you probably already knew me. This is wonderfully exciting," Hermione said with a bit more enthusiasm.
"And you're still the smartest witch I know, Hermione," countered Harry.
Hermione blinked and her mood dampened. "Can I ask you why you came here, Harry? You're a half blood."
He frowned. "Someday, Hermione… someday you and I will sit down and I'll explain it all to you. You're probably one of the few people I know who would be capable of understanding it. In the meantime, let me get to know you and trust you again. Please?"
The look he gave her was enough to make both girls gasp. Harry's eyes were alight with magic and a pain that seemed never ending. His expression was clearly a plea and an offer of friendship.
Hermione smiled shyly and nodded at him. Then she rooted around in her bag for a book to read.
Harry went back to looking out the window as the train moved north. A while later, the door to the compartment opened again and Harry was startled to hear a familiar voice.
"Stand up, mudblood!"
Hermione whimpered and slowly stood. Ron Weasley smirked at her. This Ron was shorter than the one he knew, and his expression was harder. It reminded Harry of the expressions Malfoy wore.
"Grab her tits, Ron!" said Ginny from behind him, and then she giggled.
Ron nodded and reached up to paw one of Hermione's breasts. In a blink, Harry was standing next to Hermione and pushing her behind him. He then snatched Ron's hand away from her. He twisted and there was a snapping sound. Ron pitched to his knees, howling in pain and pulling at his hurt arm. Harry released his wrist and stepped back.
Ginny reached for her wand. She froze as the point of the Sword of Gryffindor pressed against her neck and a single drop of blood trickled down to her chest.
"Don't make me do this, Gin," Harry said with pain filled voice.
"You won't get away with this, whoever you are," snarled Ginny.
"You may not know who I am, but I know who you are not. You are not my Ginny," Harry said sadly, his eyes filling with tears.
"Sleep," he murmured and both Weasleys collapsed soundlessly to the floor. Harry shoved Ron into the corridor next to Ginny and slammed the door closed. Then he turned to Hermione. She stared, with huge eyes, at the point of his sword.
Harry grinned sheepishly and the sword disappeared.
"Are you alright, Hermione? Merlin, what makes them think they can get away with that?"
"They've been getting away with that for years. I've been lucky so far. Some of the girls have been raped on this train," Hermione said still watching him with something akin to awe.
He sighed, recognizing her look. "Hermione, I need friends, not worshippers… please?"
Hermione blinked in shock and it took her a moment to realize what he was asking of her. With a jerky nod, she sat down.
"As for their attitude, I plan on putting a dent in that later tonight," Harry said firmly, and then he placed a hand gently on her shoulder and tried to ignore her flinch. "I promise I won't let them hurt you," he said softly.
Word quickly spread throughout the train and no one bothered them for the rest of the ride.
Hogwarts Welcoming Feast…
Harry was shocked when he entered the Great Hall. Ally and Hermione dragged him over to a table before he could go to his usual spot at the Gryffindor table. Instead of sitting by house affiliation, people were separated by blood, with two thirds of the school being pure blood, the rest being mixed bloods. He frowned and sat next to Hermione and Ally. His magic kept flaring as he took in the situation.
Floppy gave his usual song about uniting the school and then sorted the new first years. Instead of going to their house tables, they were sent to a special table until the prefects had time to sort out their blood affiliation later.
Dumbledore stood and a hush fell in the hall. "Welcome! Another year at Hogwarts and I suspect this year will be the start of something truly great. I know you are all hungry so I'll just say a few words. Peach fuzz and Swizzle Sticks! Now, tuck in."
The food appeared on the tables and everyone began to eat. Harry was further surprised to see that the food coming to their tables didn't seem to be of the same quality as what went to the pure bloods and his scowl deepened.
After dinner, Dumbledore arose to speak again. "Now, for some start of term announcements. The Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all students who do not wish to die a horrible death. There is to be no magic practiced in the hallways between classes. And Mr. Filch asks me to remind everyone that the list of contraband objects is posted on his office door."
"We will have a Yule ball this year. It will be held the day before we break for the Yule holiday. And finally, I'd like to introduce Mr. Harry Potter of Gryffindor House. He is Head Boy this year. Some of you might recall reading about him in the Daily Prophet. He is a registered dimensional traveler. Stand up, Harry, let them get a look at you," Dumbledore called.
Harry stood and walked to the front of the hall, then turned to face the head table. As he approached, there came a faint rumbling sound and the castle vibrated in rhythm to his magic.
"Professor Black, as Defense against the Dark Arts Professor, I'll ask you to name your three best seventh year pureblood students," Harry said loud enough to be heard throughout the hall.
"Easy there, Harry," said Sirius nervously. The castle rumbled ominously, so he continued, "As to who the best are, I'd say Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini and Zacharias Smith."