Aeternum: Chat Group Chapter 95: Time Displacement Mission (Harry) I
Harry Potter, a young man nearing twenty, let out a sigh tinged with a slight ache. His left forearm was planted firmly on the ground as he exerted a little force with his right hand to his feet. His glasses had fallen off the floor from the jolt of being transported. Not that he needed them to see properly, but they possessed certain useful enchantments, so he picked them up carefully as he stood.
Thanks to his trained senses and spiritual power, he could clearly sense everyone around him. He had been lively until he had fallen from the sky into this place, through a portal of all things. The excited voices had dwindled to confused murmurs before everyone fell silent until a new voice sounded; it was older and carried a seriousness that few could imitate.
Harry had his back to the owner of the voice, but he would recognize it anywhere, anytime. Then, carefully adjusting his glasses, he used a finger to push them a little closer to his eyes. Slowly, he looked at the walls and the tables arranged neatly side by side. The young people—boys and girls—were seated, their eyes fixed on him. Some weren't dressed the same, but they all shared the same expression of curiosity and a certain wariness.
"I'll ask again! Who are you?!"
Harry turned toward the voice, noticing a glass in the center of the tabletop, behind which sat a table with several people and an old man with a long gray beard. The bright eyes behind the lenses of those glasses regarded him with caution and seriousness.
"Of all the places I could have ended up in the world transfer, I appeared here," Harry thought before letting out a small sigh of annoyance.
"Right where this whole adventure began, in the same year, and with that tournament about to start," Harry felt like shouting at the situation, but he had to remain calm and explain things as best he could. Lies would be told to keep the group's existence a secret, but if the mission he'd received was any indication, help would be needed in this timeline, different from his home world.
Harry looked Albus straight in the eye and answered the headmaster's question.
"It might be hard to accept. More difficult to understand, and perhaps even to recognize me. However, I'm telling you the truth when I say my name is Harry Potter from a different timeline," Harry said seriously, noticing the murmurs cease and the Great Hall fall into a complete and awkward silence.
"Harry Potter, you say?" Albus asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. Actually, in his mind, such a thing didn't seem so far-fetched. There were things like Time-Turners, and he also had information about time-related research in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic. He already knew that people had been sent to the past, but with serious repercussions.
Albus tilted his head slightly to the side, noticing the surprise on the face of a woman with red hair and green eyes. The woman, who was sitting at the staff table, stared in shock at the man who called himself Harry Potter.
Across the room, Albus also noticed young Harry, who was looking at his supposed counterpart with an expression incredibly similar to the woman's.
"What evidence could possibly prove what you're saying is true?" Albus asked. His wand was in his right hand, knowing that prevention was better than cure. He didn't know this man's objectives or reasons for coming here.
Harry sighed as he ran his hands through his hair, causing it to become slightly disheveled and a strand to jump lightly over his forehead.
"My father is James Potter. My mother is Lily Potter, née Evans. My family was attacked about a year after I was born, and I received a scar from the Dark Lord. Hmm... that might not quite fit," Harry replied, but ended up muttering aloud as he looked down at the floor. Then he continued speaking, seemingly oblivious to the eyes staring at him.
"I don't know if the events unfolded in the same way as my years at Hogwarts, but I think they are similar to some extent. You can verify that, Albus."
"In my first year, a troll appeared that was actually brought in on purpose by someone. The danger you warned about that same year were security measures to protect a certain magnum opus that your professor asked you to safeguard. That same year, I fought the culprit behind everything that happened."
"In my second year, the Chamber of Secrets was the main topic of conversation in the castle. Also, that beast was actually a—"
"Enough, I believe you," Albus quickly interrupted Harry. He didn't want to sow panic about the basilisk.
"Professor? You believe him?" Minerva stood up, looking at the headmaster. Her expression was skeptical as she asked.
"Professor? Do you believe him?" "He knows things, Minerva. Besides, time-related magic already exists. Or have you forgotten about Time-Turners? Dangerous objects, but wonderful for allowing travel to the past."
"Could you come to my office, young man? I think it's best to discuss this carefully."
"Of course. I understand the repercussions of this," Harry nodded easily.
Albus nodded, a little more relieved that this Harry Potter seemed easy to handle. However, he still hadn't let his guard down. He needed to expect anything from now on.
After Albus let out a small sigh he hadn't realized he'd been holding in, he looked at Lily Potter.
"Lily, I think it's best if you come with me. You too, Minerva."
"What are you two doing? Headmistress Maxime? Headmistress Karkarov?"
"I'll follow you, Headmistress," Madame Maxime replied, curious about this development. Besides, she had to ensure the safety of her students.
Karkarov simply shook his hand, refusing. He didn't want to get involved in Hogwarts' problems. Besides, he had other important things to think about. The slight pain in his wrist was enough to make him avoid many things and focus on only one.
Albus decided it was best this way. Having Karkarov around might not be ideal, but he had to ask out of courtesy and a sense of responsibility. But now, seeing who would follow him, he turned toward the students.
"We never expected an incident like this, but rest assured, students!" Albus said confidently.
"Besides, I'm sure you'll be very curious. Once we've finished discussing this, you'll hear from us." When he finished, Albus stepped down from the staff table and gestured for Harry to follow. Minerva and Lily trailed behind, their eyes fixed on this new Harry Potter.
As for Harry, his expression turned nostalgic, even a little sad, as he looked down the corridors. Grand stone corridors, dimly lit in the night, with large windows letting in the moonlight. Staircases that moved on their own and ancient portraits. Even Peeves, who had appeared and disappeared for a moment.
At that moment, as he walked near the three of them, he didn't notice them watching him as he gently traced his fingers along the walls.
"No matter how amazing the journey between universes is. Or even the wonders you'd find in other places. In the end, home is still home," Harry thought fondly, but his heart ached as he remembered two special people in his life.
"Daphne... Hermione... are they alright?"
Lily couldn't help but frown at Harry's expression. She knew he wasn't her son, but she couldn't help but notice the similarities in their appearance. Besides, that sadness that flickered in Harry's eyes for a brief moment couldn't help but cause a little fear in Lily's heart.
"You look older, maybe 18?" Albus decided to start a conversation as they slowly made their way toward the headmaster's office inside the castle.
"19, actually," Harry replied.
"Then you should have finished your studies by now."
"I finished them when I was finishing my fifth year. I traveled and learned things after that, for at least a few months, until I was offered a position as a professor at the castle."
"You were a professor at Hogwarts?" Minerva asked, clearly surprised.
"I taught Magical Theory."
"Magical Theory? It seems there really might be differences. Because there isn't such a class here," Lily decided to join the conversation.
Harry smiled as he answered, "It was a new class the headmaster wanted me to teach because of the fields I delved into. I taught the theories of how magic formed, where it originated, and the dangers and benefits of various types of magic. We reviewed some laws as well."
"So you research magic?" Albus asked, purely curious.
"Yes. From its history to how each branch might function in the world."
"Did you end up here because of research into time-related magic?"
Harry nodded, but didn't answer verbally. He didn't want to say too much about it. He wanted to finish this mission as quickly as possible, but he knew it would take time. The good thing was that time stood still in the world he was in. And at the same time, Rias had a similar mission.
He still remembered the information he'd been given on the mission.
[Mission: Time Displacement]
[Description: Timelines and parallel worlds are complicated things within a multidimensional universe.] Some are very similar to others, with only slight changes, almost indistinguishable. One of them is in danger of being eliminated; you must solve the problem.
[Task: Eliminate Lord Voldemort (Tom Marvolo Riddle) forever]
[Relevant information: Harry Potter does not contain a part of Voldemort, so his fate has changed and there is no prophecy]
[Reward: 50,000 PC, ??]
Harry understood that, since there was a Harry Potter without a part of Voldemort, there would be no prophecy. At least, not one tied to the end of the Dark Lord. Harry knew there were two types of prophecies: those that didn't actually cause important events and therefore didn't need to be fulfilled, and those that did have significance, those destined to help something or someone, or bring about something or someone.
He hadn't thoroughly researched prophecies, but they existed thanks to the Information Dimension. Prophets, in a way, could access this dimension, but only in one way, and it was spontaneous and uncontrolled. If Harry could obtain information through his Elemental Sight ability, prophets could take a tiny bit of future information to accomplish something. But because that information was so small, it resulted in words that could be interpreted in different ways.
Harry didn't know why something like prophets and prophecies existed, but they certainly had to be connected to something important.
"We're here," Albus's voice interrupted Harry's thoughts. Glancing at the gargoyle, he waited for the password to be given before they could enter. The stairs were still the same, as was the interior of the office. Harry even smiled when he saw Fawkes standing on his perch.
"You can sit down," Albus said with a small smile.
"You can call me Henry if you like. I understand how confusing all this can be."
"Henry?"
Harry shrugged and replied as he sat down across from Albus at the table, "There have been Henrys in the Potter family. You can even call them Harry. It's the closest thing to my name I can accept being called."
"I understand," Albus said, taking his seat and looking more closely at Henry (A/N: this name will be used occasionally, at least when he's not narrating his own thoughts or other things). He was wearing an elegant black suit. In fact, all his clothes were black, even the garment draped over his shoulders. His hair was neat and styled. His skin was more delicate than Harry Potter's in this world. And his green eyes sparkled behind his glasses. Albus also noticed a pair of gloves in the pocket of his trench coat.
"I'd like to know what you'll do now. I mean, falling into a different timeline must be difficult. You're far away from friends and family."
"I'll just wait a while. I need to do some more research to find a safe way back to my timeline. I think the most time-consuming thing might be getting the right materials."
"Do you need any help?"
Harry shook his head and said, "No. I can manage on my own. The only thing I'd like to ask for is a room where I can live for that time."
"You can have a room in the castle, Henry," Albus agreed without much fuss.
A moment of silence filled the office. It was awkward. However, Harry decided to speak.
"Have the champions been chosen for the tournament?"
"Not yet. The delegations just arrived tonight, so the selection is expected to be made tomorrow at dinner. Was there a tournament in your world as well?"
"Yes," Harry replied with a small smile. "It was... fun."
"Henry. I'd like to know something important."
"Shoot."
"Seeing your age, I might jump to some conclusions, but... was there a war in your world?" The atmosphere in the room turned serious with the question. Everyone knew what the headmaster meant.
"Tom?"
"So you know..." Albus sighed.
"Well, that was sorted out pretty quickly. The idiot was far too ambitious and arrogant, to the point where his own desires destroyed him."
"What do you mean?" Minerva asked, staring at Harry in shock. She thought the Dark Lord was too powerful, perhaps his own cruelty surpassing his power. Everyone knew how cunning and intelligent he was. So Harry's words surprised her, as they did Lily and Albus.
"Creating a Horcrux is foolish. Making several borders on mental deficiency. After all, even if it serves its purpose, it's still deficient and dangerous. Even magic has its limits."
Albus leaned forward, with far more enthusiasm than usual. This Harry seemed to possess solutions and knowledge that could be crucial to the problem they were facing. He already knew from Severus Snape that the mark was returning and causing some pain, so the thought of Voldemort's return was not at all far-fetched.
Harry sighed slightly before beginning his speech.
"The soul is an important part of magic, Albus. The soul, or psyche, contains things like how we behave. Well, it's more than that, but it's easier to understand this way. The thing is, thanks to the soul, you can create the connection necessary for magic to be generated. It's a connection between the soul, the body, and the outside world."
"A Horcrux literally splits the soul. It's mutilation. By creating a Horcrux, you could continue to exist after the body dies, but you would end up losing things you once possessed. Slowly, you would become more and more insane, some of your emotions would disappear, as would the connection that creates magic within a person."
"The interesting thing about Horcruxes is that they maintain a certain connection with their fragments. In that sense, one already fulfills the original purpose for which this magic was created. Anything more would simply be suicide. If someone finds one and destroys it, that connection will cease to exist."
"In short, eliminate the Horcruxes and the part of the soul that remains in the body will erode until nothing is left."
Silence enveloped the office once more, but this time with astonishment and a glimmer of hope. Harry could sense it.
"Do you know what they are?" Lily asked immediately.
"It depends. If they're the same as in my world, then yes. I suspected Voldemort might not create these things in this world, but seeing their expressions, he really did create Horcruxes."
"I think they can already obtain two of them, if not three."
"Really?!" Lily asked excitedly. He didn't want his son to continue being haunted by a Dark Lord, so of course he was happy to find a way to solve this problem.
"Sirius's locket should be in Slytherin's house. If the Harry here destroyed a diary in his second year, then they've already gotten rid of one. Another one is in this very castle, inside the lost and found; it's Ravenclaw's Diadem. There's another one in Gaunt's hut, but be careful with this one, there are traps."
"Well, that's assuming they're the same ones."
"That's great..." Albus murmured, his eyes fixed on the table. Honestly, he'd just heard the best news in years. Ever since Tom Riddle's perforated diary had fallen into his hands after everything that had happened, he'd started to suspect something. Now, not only had his suspicions been confirmed, but also the solution to such dark objects.
"Hmm... You're celebrating prematurely, that's not good," Harry commented calmly.
"You're forgetting that even if Voldemort dies, there will still be people loyal to him. Blood supremacy is something these people use to make themselves seem superior to everyone else. Nonsense, if you ask me, but still worrying if the remnants of the group end up forming a completely new group."
"He's right, Albus," Minerva said seriously. "Although these people's way of thinking is foolish, their drive is not insignificant."
"So this problem won't even be solved in the future?" Albus asked, a hint of sadness in his voice. But he raised his eyebrows at Harry's proud and contented smile. He was remembering Aeternum Research College.
"What happened in my world was pure chance. But the wizarding world was left completely exposed to the rest of the world by a dragon attack."
The three professors' eyes widened almost comically at this news.
"But I think it's best not to talk about it. It probably won't happen here," Harry shrugged.
"I think it's best to stop here for now," Albus massaged his temples with his fingers as he closed his eyes. The good thing was that he had found a solution to a certain problem and understood that this Harry Potter wouldn't do anything wrong.
"Right... tomorrow will be a busy day," Harry chuckled a little, knowing that some people might approach him to talk.
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