Don't Anger Harry Potter » by Loki Palmer
An angry Harry Potter is a deadly Harry Potter. Anger him at your own peril. A response to ChAOtiC ReApEr's Joined Souls challenge. HP/HG
Harry Potter, T, English, Humor & Supernatural, chapters: 34, words: 62k+, favs: 1k+, follows: 1k+, updated: Feb 23, 2013 published: Aug 31, 2011, Harry P., Hermione G.
Chapter 1
"Don't Anger Harry Potter"
By Loki Palmer
Author's Note: Harry Potter and all related characters are the property of J.K. Rowling. A big shout out to ChAOtiC ReApEr for his Joined Souls challenge, to which this story is one reply. I've decided to take Harry down the evil route; the abuse of Vernon Dursley is just too much to ignore. [Evil, manic laughter.] Somebody's getting some comeuppance … [cue the Star Wars Imperial March] Enjoy!
The Challenge
It should start with Vernon almost killing a young Harry which results in both his and Voldemort's souls joining to save his life.
Harry must gain all of Voldemort's knowledge of the dark arts and of the wizarding world.
You can have him being super powerful or you can just have him with all the knowledge and intelligence.
Requirements for evil Harry
His Animagus should be a Dementor, a Nundu and whatever else you want.
He should not be in Gryffindor.
Also, you should have Harry listen to some heavy metal band like, for example, Deicide or Cradle of Filth.
Requirements for good Harry
His Animagus should be a basilisk and whatever else you want.
Do not make him remorseful like Dumbledore; he should want to take down the Death Eaters.
He should not go into Gryffindor.
Chapter 1
What an odd day it had been for Harry Potter, age 7. After school, his cousin, Dudley was running after him with his gang in a game they would call "Harry hunting." Participating in games like this had only taught Harry that he had to be fast to outrun these boys, because if he lost, the boys would beat the living snot out of him, maybe even break a bone or two. Fortunately for him, he had a winning record streak against these boys, not to mention Dudley's added weight made it hard for him to keep up. No, Harry would not lose a game for anything in the world. He already had enough problems at home.
"Home, sweet home," so the saying would say. Harry never knew the meaning of that saying, as his home life was anything BUT sweet. He was an orphan left on the doorstep of the Dursleys, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Instead of treating him as a family member, they would treat him as a miniature slave, having him do chores such as gardening, cooking, cleaning – you name the chore, he did it. He was given barely enough food to eat, and his room was a cramped little cupboard under the stairs.
All of this Harry could endure. Yes, he could endure the scarce food he was given, even though Vernon and Dudley looked like an overfed walrus and whale, respectively. He could also endure his cramped living quarters. What took the cake, though, were the beatings. Whenever he would do something wrong or freakish, he would be beaten with a belt and tossed into his cupboard with no food for a certain period of time. It was a constant surprise to him each morning that he did not starve to death with this treatment, but, by some unexplained miracle, he lived to see another day.
On this particular day, though, he had been running, as usual, from Dudley's gang, when he found himself flying up to the rooftop of a building, safe out of harm's way. This freaked out Dudley so much he went to tell the teacher, who wrote up a note for Vernon. Naturally, when Harry made it back home, Vernon gave him the worst beating with a belt he had yet given him, tossing him into his cupboard for good measure and locking it securely, hoping the boy would be dead by the next morning.
Sure enough, Harry was dying. What he was not expecting, though, was to hear a voice in his mind say, "Kid, can you hear me?"
"Who are you?" asked Harry. "Are you an angel? Can you take me to my parents?"
"With the way your living family treats you here, kid, I don't blame you for wanting to see your parents, but no, I can't take you to see them, and I ain't no angel. The name's Tommy – Tommy Riddle. What's your name, kid?"
"Harry. I didn't know I even had a name until I went to school. Before then, I was just called 'Boy' or 'Freak'."
"Madonn', Harry, this situation's looking pretty bad. You want me to give it to you straight?" Harry nodded. "This beating you've received is so bad, your body can't handle it anymore, Harry. You're dying, that's the bad news. The good news is, I'm here to help you out."
"How will you do that, Tommy?"
"Harry, that's simple. I'm going to join my soul's energy to yours. I warn you though, this is going to hurt quite a bit. All I ask is that you stay with me and don't you die on me, do you understand me, Harry?"
"Yes sir."
"Can the sir, there's no need for it, Harry. Now, we have a choice before us – we can either join together and live, or you can go on to meet your parents."
"As much as I would like to meet my parents, I want to live so much more. I can always meet them later – preferably much later."
"That's the spirit, Harry. Never give up and never surrender. Are you ready?"
"Bring it." The next few minutes brought some of the most intense pain he had ever felt, all centered in the area of his scar. When it was over, he heard Tommy say, "That took a lot out of you, didn't it, Harry? Well, you're not going to die now, you're all healed up. How about you get some rest?" As Harry did so, Tommy muttered darkly, "The next time we see Vernon Dursley, he's not going to know what hit him ..."
Chapter 2
"That bastard. That no good, motherloving bastard!"
"Tommy, what's the matter? Who's the bastard?"
"Oh, Harry, you're awake! That's good news. Had a good sleep?"
"Yes, Tommy, but you didn't answer my question."
"Oh, who's the bastard? Your Uncle Vernon, for almost killing you, he's a bastard, all right, but there's another person I had in mind when I was saying this – Albus Dumbledore."
"Forgive my curiosity, but who's Albus Dumbledore?"
"Harry, there's nothing wrong with being curious – WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN, WHO'S ALBUS DUMBLEDORE? YOU DON'T KNOW WHO ALBUS DUMBLEDORE IS?" Harry didn't respond. "I'll take that silence as a no. Albus Dumbledore is the Headmaster of a wizard's school called Hogwarts, for special people, like us wizards."
"Us wizards, Tommy? You mean to say, I'm a wizard?"
"Yes, Harry, you are, and I'm not surprised, knowing who your parents were."
"You knew my parents?"
"Eh, no, not personally. I went to Hogwarts almost some 50 years ago. They came through Hogwarts about some 20 years later. They were magical people, for lack of a better term. These idiots you live with, on the other hand, are Muggles – people who can't use magic."
"That makes sense. How come I didn't turn Uncle Vernon and Dudley into frog spawn or something similar?"
"Harry, at this stage, your magic is still too unstable for you to be able to control it. The main times it will strike out and do something is if you're under some heavy emotional stress, like, say, if you're angry or scared. Your magical core – the inner part of you that enables you to interact with magic – doesn't stabilize until you're eleven years old. That's when you'll be going to Hogwarts, if you so choose."
"So, what can you tell me about my parents?"
"Like I said before, Harry, I didn't know them that well, but what I could piece together about them was this: your father, James Potter, was born to magical people. His family, it seems, had been magical for many generations, so he was what some people would call Pureblood – meaning his family tree was untainted by Muggles or Muggle-borns. Lily, on the other hand, was a Muggle-born, and my followers hated her for that very reason. There's even an impolite name for such people – Mudbloods. It implied that somehow, their blood was dirtier than everyone else's."
"Exactly how many generations of magical people are required before a magical person can claim to be a Pureblood, Tommy?"
Tommy was about to answer, then he stopped, and thought for a few moments. "Whoa, Harry, that is an excellent question to ask. I've never really thought about it before. To be honest, I don't know the answer to that question at all. In fact, who's to say who's Pureblood or not?"
"I'm glad I got you thinking, Tommy."
"Yeah, that's a melon scratcher, Harry."
"What did you think of her?"
"In spite of the fact that she was a Muggle-born, Harry, she was also quite the brilliant witch, from what I've heard. This caused even more consternation for my side."
"Your side?"
"Harry, there's no easy way to say this, but your parents and I were on different sides fighting against each other."
"This was because you were the leader of a Pureblood supremacist movement?"
"You got it, Harry. You're a fast learner."
"And something else tells me this all goes back to Dumbledore. Was he the Headmaster when you were at Hogwarts?"
"No, the Headmaster back then was Armando Dippet. Dumbledore was the Transfiguration Professor back then. You're right again, though, Harry, this does go back to Dumbledore. He was the leader of a movement called the Order of the Phoenix, and they were devoted to the fight against me, who had taken the name of Lord Voldemort."
"So, what happened between you and my parents?"
"I must warn you, Harry, this is going to be a hard confession for me. I tried to convince your parents to join my cause – yes, even though Lily was a Muggle-born – but they refused me, citing Dumbledore's goodness and the righteousness of his cause. They faced me on three separate occasions, managing to escape me with their lives still intact. That infuriated me so much, and then, one night, one of my servants told me of a prophecy, about a boy who would be born at the end of July, the one who would one day defeat the Dark Lord, presumably myself. Neville Longbottom was one such boy – I sent a few of my followers to deal with him. However, I decided I would personally deal with the other one – you."
"What happened to Neville?"
"I don't know what happened to him, Harry. My followers must have wanted to wait for me to finish with you so I could help them deal with Neville and eliminate both threats that way. It didn't work out like I expected."
"Okay, so what happened on your end?"
"One of my people, Peter Pettigrew, told me where the Potters were hiding. When I found out about Dumbledore's Fidelius charm he placed on their house to hide them, and that Pettigrew was their Secret-Keeper, I was surprised – I always thought it would have been James's friend, Sirius Black, they would trust with this secret. As soon as I received this precious nugget of information, I knew it would be now or never. It was Halloween night when I came to their little cottage in Godric's Hollow. James fought bravely, only for me to kill him. As for Lily, she bravely stuck herself between us. I told her to move aside, that it was not necessary that she die. She refused, and I killed her. Her sacrifice formed a protective shield around you, and the shield bounced the Killing Curse back at me. Harry, you are the only one to have survived the Killing Curse – normally, when it hits a person, he or she dies. That's it. End of story."
There was some silence on Harry's end. When he got the strength to speak again, he said, "Even though you wanted to kill me, you still saved me when I was about to die. I don't know whether to yell at you for killing my parents or thank you for saving my life."
"Yeah, you've gotta appreciate the irony there, eh, Harry? If it means anything to you, I'm sorry about your parents, but what's done is done, and I can't change it. What I can do, however, is help you survive, and together, we're going to take down the monster I've become. In the process, we will also create a new order for the world, a better one than the original I had in mind, using all weapons at our disposal. The darkness within you is awakening, Harry, and it needs to be fed. Your emotions of anger and hate will be key to tapping into the Dark Side, as well as your thirst for vengeance against all those who wronged you. With me at your side, Harry, no one will dare to trouble you, much less make you angry. If anyone is crazy enough to try, believe me, once you're done with them, they won't try again. So, what do you say?"
Harry smiled to himself and said, "Let's do it, Tommy. Together."
He could imagine Tommy steepling his fingers and saying, "Excellent. Now, Harry, another thing that Dumbledore's done to us, is to block off a large portion of your magic."
"Why would he do that?"
"Keep in mind that it's a common thing for parents to block off some of their child's magic so their outbursts of accidental magic don't cause too much damage. On the other hand, however, they will slowly take off the blocks so the magical core has some room to grow. What Dumbledore has done, however, is to cap off your magic at 25% and left it there. I don't think he ever plans to take it off."
"This is quite some news, Tommy. It's not good, is it?"
"Not good at all, you're right about that. If you arrive at school with a 25% capacity, you'll be a weakling compared to others. As to surviving a magical battle – I'm sorry, Harry, but the only way you'd stay alive or win would be by pure dumb luck."
"So why don't we take off the block? You know, one move, like a Band-Aid, it's off!"
"I'm way ahead of you, Harry, but it's not quite that simple. If we were to just rip off the block, like a Band-Aid, the surge in magic would cause an explosion that would make an atomic bomb look like a firecracker in comparison."
"That would be a good thing, right?" asked Harry, imagining the scene of the Dursleys being blown sky-high. Tommy replied back with, "No, it wouldn't, ya meathead, because we'd be dead too! I ain't willing to take that risk! Didn't you hear what I said? Parents remove the block gradually, pay attention!"
"I thought it would be a funny scene."
"Yeah, it would be funny, but the Ministry and the mop would be all over us like Italians on a piece of gabagool."
"What's gabagool?"
"It's an Italian meat dish, very tasty. You oughta try it sometime."
"Okay, and what's the mop thing?"
"I meant to say MOP – it stands for Manipulative Old Prick. Catchy, isn't it?"
Harry gave out a mental chortle. "It's funny as well, Tommy. You really are a funny guy."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, I'M FUNNY?" Harry couldn't help laughing more. "What do you think you're laughing at, Harry? Am I a clown to you, is that it? Am I here to amuse you? COME ON, TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK IS SO FUNNY ABOUT ME, YA MEATHEAD!"
There was an uncomfortable silence. "Tommy … i-i-i-i-i-i-i-it was just a joke ..."
"HA, HARRY, I GOT YOU, YA STUTTERING MEATHEAD!"Tommy was roaring with laughter. "You were scared I might hurt ya, right, Harry?"
"On a more serious note ..." – Tommy stopped laughing – "exactly how gradually are we taking the block off of my core?"
"Good question, Harry. We're going to up your core five percent at a time. I'm giving you about a month to fully adjust to your new power level before we up it any further. In about a year – hopefully less than that – your core will be at full power. In the meantime, I suggest you take good care of your body – you know, stay fit, make sure to eat plenty of food as well as plenty of sleep."
"I don't have a problem with staying fit, seeing all the running I do ..."
"I'm sensing a 'but' there, Harry. What's the 'but' about?"
" … but Uncle Vernon won't give me enough food."
"Harry, don't you worry your unkempt head about the fat walrus. When we're through with him and his family, you won't need to worry about any more mistreatment from them, trust me. While we're stuck here, I'm going to help you get in touch with your magic, and afterwards, we're going to bust out of this squallid little cupboard and get ourselves a better room ..."
Thus did the two plot all through the weekend. Vernon Dursley left Harry alone, assuming he had died. Naturally, he had no idea of what was coming to him when the weekend was up. A storm called Revenge was coming, and it would have no mercy!
So, without further ado, let's peek into 4 Privet Drive to see what happens to Vernon … [evil laughter].
"You do not know the power of the Dark Side ..." – Darth Vader, Star Wars
Chapter 3
"Okay, Harry, here comes the whale … beached whale coming up in three … two ..."
WHAM! The cupboard door opened so quickly, it knocked Dudley out cold onto the ground. "Oh, good morning, Dudley. I didn't see you coming," he said with a smirk.
"You didn't see him coming? Oh, that's priceless, Harry! How could you not see him coming? I say we call Greenpeace and toss him back in the ocean!" Tommy was having too much fun with this, Harry noticed, but then came the warning: "Fat walrus coming in right behind you."
Vernon was stunned. "You're still alive? I don't believe it!"
"Oh, you'd better believe it, Uncle Vernon," said Harry, looking at him with an evil smile and a Kubrick stare. His normally green eyes didn't just darken to black, they also started glowing red with a terrifying fire. "It's good news for me … but I'm afraid it's bad news for you. Now, how about some breakfast?"
"Freaks like you don't deserve – " began Vernon, only to start choking as he fell to his knees. Harry came up to him and hissed in his ear, "Vernon, Vernon, Vernon … how would you liked it if I called up Child Services on you? I bet they'll love to hear about how normal your family is … how they abuse and neglect a minor! Or how about I call up the police? I bet they'll love to take you in on the charge of attempted MURDER OF A MINOR?" he finished by bawling into his ear. Using his magic, he felt out for Vernon's nerves, and, locating one, commanded his magic to overstimulate it, then moved around to do the same to other nerves. The combined effect was one of intense pain for Vernon, like his nerves were dipped in hot sauce, and the screams were such that even Tommy was impressed. "Whoa, Harry, you've pulled off a wandless, wordless Cruciatus curse!"
"Need I be worried about the Ministry and the MOP?"
"Not if you use wandless magic. It's when you get your wand that you should worry about them. Besides, I think it's best you develop your skill with wandless magic, because it gives you an unexpected weapon in the case in which you lose your wand. Just go easy on how long you apply the Cruciatus, because you don't want him going insane, now, do you?"
"Good point, Tommy. Thanks." Harry then turned on Petunia and applied to her the same treatment …
~DAHP~
One school day, after school, Harry came upon Dudley and his gang, who were picking on a young girl with brown hair. She was crying as they were tossing her book around, not letting her get it back.
Harry noticed such anger rise up in him, he could hardly even think as he thundered, "HEY! LEAVE THE GIRL ALONE AND GIVE HER BOOK BACK!"
"That certainly got their attention, Harry. Now how do you plan to rescue the damsel in distress?" asked Tommy.
"Or what, Potter?" asked a large boy, Piers Polkiss.
"Piers, don't mess with Potter. It's a bad idea," pleaded Dudley.
"What's the matter with you, Big D? Have you gone all soft on us or something?" asked Piers.
Dudley looked at Harry, and holding his hands up in surrender, said, "At least I tried to warn them, Harry. They're all yours." He carefully backed away from the scene.
"So, Polkiss, are you going to listen to Big D's warning?" asked Harry. "I really don't want to hurt you, but, if you leave me with no choice, I will. Do the smart thing and give her book back … I won't ask you again."
The boys all laughed at this, only to have it broken by the sound of Piers howling in pain, for a wandless Bone-Breaker hex had broken his kneecap. The other boys looked back up to Harry, only to wet their pants in fear of the dark color of his eyes. The boy who was holding the girl's book handed it back to Harry, trembling as he did so, and they ran away.
Harry walked up to the girl and asked her, "Are you allright?" She stood there looking at him in awe, not sure how to answer, so he asked again: "Miss, are you allright?"
"Y-y-y-y-y-y-yes, I'm allright."
"No need to be afraid, miss. I don't bite. My name's Harry Potter. What's yours?"
"Hermione Granger. Thank you for rescuing me from those bullies, Sir Potter."
"It was my pleasure, Milady." Hermione blushed, and Harry thought, "Wow, she is cute ..."
"Hey! Earth to Harry! Wake up, meathead! Don't you still have to return her book to her, ya numbskull? I agree that she's cute, but you have to pay attention to what you're doing!"
"Oh … your book … 'Lord of the Rings'?"
"And whatever is wrong with 'Lord of the Rings', Harry?"
"Nothing at all! I have a friend who has read through it, he recommended it to me, and I enjoyed it … great work."
"You're welcome."
Hermione extended her hand to Harry.
"You're supposed to kiss it, ya lunk."
He did so, she smiled, hugged him, and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you again, brave sir knight. I hope to see you around."
Harry was so stunned he could only croak out, "That you will, Hermione, that you will." Merlin, he could look at her smile all day, he thought. After she left, Tommy spoke up again: "Wowee, have you got it bad for her, or what?"
"I do not!"
"Yes, you do, don't deny it. You know it and I know it. Your pulse was racing during all that time that you spent with her. She's cute too, at this age. Just wait until she grows up fully, and she'll be a knockout, I guarantee it! I even sense your magic calling for hers, and vice versa. She's very attracted to you, Harry, as much as you are to her. Now, you may still be too young to get your giggity on, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't know something about the birds and the bees."
"The birds and the bees?"
"It's an expression for the talk kids get about human reproduction ..." With this statement, Tommy launched into a talk about magical human reproduction, which, for the record, isn't that much different than Muggle reproduction, with the exception of Bonds becoming involved – that is, the magic of two people mixing together in such a way that they literally are Bonded together as one, and this does not even involve intercourse. Tommy didn't know much about Bonds, except for the general theory. Harry's face felt beet-red through the entire discussion. As far as Hermione was concerned, Tommy promised that he would look into the possible situation between these two – he suspected there was a Bond starting to form, but he wasn't entirely sure...
Chapter 4
"Tommy?"
"What's the matter, Harry? You can't sleep again?"
"Nope. The butterflies in my stomach are still acting up."
"You still can't get Hermione out of your mind, am I right?"
"Yeah … she's just … so … I don't know how exactly to describe her ..."
"I think the words you may be looking for include angelic and beautiful, among others. I told you that you have it bad for her."
"You're right about that, Tommy. Out of curiosity, have you ever been in love?"
"No, Harry, I never have. I thought of love as a weakness, and so, I was never interested in it. My hatred and anger were all I had going for me."
"Even during the time when you were still young, charismatic, and good-looking, you weren't interested?"
"Nope."
"Didn't you have any parents to tell you about love?"
"Like you, Harry, I was an orphan from a young age. My mother, a witch named Merope Gaunt, died giving birth to me. As for my father, a Muggle named Tom Riddle, he abandoned her while she was still pregnant with me. I never knew either of them."
"So, where did you grow up?"
"I grew up in a Muggle orphanage. They treated me okay, but I hated it. I hated the other kids who lived there. They would pick on me in so many ways because I was so strange to them. Then, one day, Albus Dumbledore came to see me. He explained everything about me being a wizard, someone special. So, up to Hogwarts I went."
"What's Hogwarts like?"
"That question can be answered in so many ways, Harry. What's Hogwarts like? It's like no other place on earth. It's an ancient castle built up in the highlands of Scotland, dating from the Middle Ages about 1,000 years ago. Being ancient, it's full of so much magic, it almost seems to come alive. It has one of the best libraries available in all of Magical Britain, the food is to die for, and the classes … you'll learn so much in the classes! You won't learn anything of the Dark Arts, except as far as countering the Dark Arts goes – that's what you learn Defense Against the Dark Arts for."
"This is because the Dark Arts are forbidden knowledge?"
"Yep … the Ministry doesn't want anyone to learn about the Dark Arts. There is some info available on the Dark Arts, but it's in the Restricted Section of the library. Madam Pince, the librarian, is a vulture about the books and will go batty on you if you so much as mutilate one of them, not that you'd ever do that, right, Harry?"
"Of course not. Tell me more, Tommy – I'm enjoying this."
"So am I, Harry. Where was I? Oh, yeah. There are four Houses in Hogwarts: Gryffindor, for the noble and brave, Hufflepuff, for the hardworking and loyal, Ravenclaw, for the intelligent and studious, and, last, but not least, Slytherin, for the cunning and ambitious. Guess which House yours truly entered?"
"Slytherin."
"Hey – that's right! How did you know?"
"Gryffindor wouldn't have suited you, Tommy, because even though no one could accuse you of being a coward, you probably thought of them as being the brainless types who were reckless in the face of danger. Hufflepuffs may be loyal, but there does come a point where loyalty can blind a person. That leaves it between Ravenclaw and Slytherin, and it seemed you would go into Slytherin, given your cunning and ambition."
"Indeed. I was also a Slytherin for another reason – you see, my family on my mom's side was descended from Salazar Slytherin, and, because of this, I had the gift of Parseltongue – the ability to talk to snakes. When the Sorting Hat was placed on my head, it only took two seconds before it shouted that I belonged in Slytherin."
"Didn't any girls show any interest in you then?"
"There was one, and she was a prettty Muggle-born in Ravenclaw. She was smart as a whip. Come to think of it, she could be distantly related to Hermione."
"Why do you say that?"
"Her name was Ophelia Granger. Wow, it's funny – seems the family likes the Shakespearean names."
"What happened to her?"
"Well, some of the Slytherin females must have thought I was in love with her, or something similar, despite all my protests to the contrary. All I felt for her was a great admiration, and, who knows, over time, it may have turned into love."
"Were they jealous?"
"Eh, perhaps they were, or I think they just didn't like the idea that I could sully my blood with a Muggle-born, of all people. I didn't have any such prejudice back then – I didn't even know about my family until later. Either way, they didn't like the situation, and so, they cornered her … and they tortured her into madness!"
At this point, Tommy started weeping. When he was done crying, Harry asked, "So, what did you do to them?"
"I was so angry I could have killed them right then and there for what they did to her, Harry, but I didn't kill them. Regardless, my vengeance was so terrible, they ended up in St. Mungo's beyond any hope of recovery. Harry, you won't let the same thing happen to Hermione at Hogwarts, will you?"
"Most assuredly not, Tommy. I'll protect her with my life if I have to."
"I'm glad to hear that, Harry. At least, you are able to love and be loved, something I was never able to do."
"You never had the opportunity, Tommy, but had it arrived, you would have taken it, right?"
"I don't know if I would have or not, Harry. We can't know what might have happened if things had been different, but to this day I regret the fact that I let such a thing happen to Ophelia. Even though I claim that I never loved and was not interested, I think that was the closest I ever came to it. I was never the same man afterwards. Get yourself some sleep, Harry. You can't let your inner Casanova out to play if you're yawning, now, can you?"
"Good night, Tommy."
"Good night, Harry. Sweet dreams."
~DAHP~
As Tommy had guessed, there was an attraction between Harry and Hermione, and it grew day by day between the two kids. One day, Hermione asked Harry, "Harry, how would you like to meet my parents?"
"Your parents?" Harry's mind started to go into a panic, as he thought, "Tommy, what now?"
"Relax, Harry, you haven't done anything wrong."
"Harry, are you allright?"
"Sorry, Hermione, your question just threw me off balance, that's all. Are you sure your parents would like me?"
"Of course I'm sure they would like you! I don't see why they would not like you, Harry. You've been a very brave young boy and they want to meet you, considering that you saved me from a gang of bullies. How did you do that, by the way?"
"Do what?"
"Well, one moment, you commanded Piers to stop and return my book. He didn't listen, so the next moment, he's on the ground howling with a broken kneecap. How did you do that?"
"It may seem like I'm evading your question with my response, Hermione, but it leads somewhere. What if I were to tell you that the Force from Star Wars actually exists?"
"Without proof, I would have a hard time believing you, although I think it does make sense that way."
"Well, the Force does exist, but it's known by a different name: magic. There are some people, like the both of us, who are born with the capability to interact with magic, and others who are not able to interact with it."
"What do you mean, the both of us?"
"Has something ever happened to you that you couldn't explain, Hermione? Especially when you were angry or scared?"
Hermione's eyes lighted up in understanding. "Yes, a few such things have happened. That's magic?"
"To be technical, Hermione, it's called accidental magic, and it's one of the first signs that a person is what would be called a magical person – a wizard or a witch. There's a special school for us, called Hogwarts, but we won't be going there until we're 11 years old."
"I take it whatever hit Piers was controlled accidental magic – the odds of you hitting that very spot by chance alone are astronomical."
"Yes, but the accurate term for it is wandless magic. This is magic that is not focused through a wand, but focused through the body by way of intent, as well as connection with the magic within the magical core."
"Can you teach me how to cast magic like that? How do I start?" asked Hermione.
"Yes, I can, Hermione," said Harry with a smile. "Now, to start, relax and start focusing on your breathing … in … out … in … out … keep going, just relax …." Harry waited a bit while Hermione started to relax, and continued, "Very good, Hermione. Do you feel any kind of an electrical pulse within you?" She nodded. "Good … in your mind, follow it to its source, and you'll find your magical core. To connect with it, just reach out and touch it."
Hermione did so, as at the same time, her body and eyes started glowing, and Harry had to shield his eyes. "Santo Merlino, Harry, she's powerful!"
"Hermione, how are you feeling?"
"Wow, Harry, such power! Is this your magic I'm feeling around my magic?"
"Yes, I believe it is, and your magic's swirling around mine as well."
"Harry? I'm not the only one who's glowing here … it's like our magics are trying to merge with each other."
"Harry, it looks like my suspicion is confirmed. Follow the connection between the two of you, and this Bond will complete with your first kiss. Meanwhile, I'm going to bunker down here in your mind and brace myself … I've never considered myself religious, but here I go … Ave Maria, piena di grazia, il Signore è con Te. Tu sei benedetta fra le donne, e benedetto è il frutto del tuo seno, Gesù. Santa Maria, Madre di Dio, prega per noi peccatori, adesso, e nell'ora della nostra morte. Amen ..."
During Tommy's desperate prayer of the Hail Mary, the distance between Harry and Hermione decreased until, drawn by the increasing attraction, they kissed. At that moment, a large wave of black and golden magic flowed forth from the two of them, knocking the wards off of 4 Privet Drive and stunning the Dursleys. At Hogwarts, the wave shook the castle, and a set of instruments in Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's office exploded with such violence that even his great power could not save him from a coma of two months!
~DAHP~
"Harry? Harry, are you still there?"
"Oy … my head … you still there, Tommy? You sounded scared."
"Scared? OF COURSE I WAS SCARED! I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE SLIGHTEST CLUE WHAT A BOND WOULD DO TO US!"
"Well, you're allright, Tommy, so what is there to worry about?"
"Harry? What's going on? Who's the other person here talking to you?"
"Hermione, this other person is my mentor, savior, and father figure, Tommy Riddle."
"Correction, Harry … I am your father ..." said Tommy in a voice like Darth Vader's, complete with the mechanical breathing.
"I take it you're also a fan of Star Wars, Tommy?"
"You bet, Hermione. Star Wars is just awesome."
"Hermione? You still up for having me visit your parents?"
"Of course, Harry. Let's go."
~DAHP~
As Harry and Hermione entered her house, she called out, "Mum, are you there?"
Emma Granger came out of the kitchen into the living room. "Hermione, I'm glad to see you're back! And who is this dashing young man you've brought home with you?"
"Harry Potter, ma'am. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintence," said Harry, bowing to her with a heart-melting smile on his face.
Emma smiled. "You're really quite the charmer, Harry. My name is Dr. Emma Granger."
"Medical doctor, dentist, or professor?" asked Harry.
"My husband Dan and I are both dentists, Harry."
At this bit of news, Tommy started cackling in glee. "Oh, Harry, this is just excellent! I've heard about how terrifying dentists can be to their patients … with a slip-up about how Vernon's mistreated you and a simple dental appointment, we'll just need a bag of popcorn for a night of wonderful entertainment!"
"Harry, what did he mean about Vernon mistreating you?"
"I'll explain later, Hermione," thought Harry to her.
At that moment, Dan Granger entered the house. "Good afternoon, Emma … Hermione … and who be this young fellow, eh?" he asked, putting forth his hand in a handshake position.
Harry, not one to miss a social cue, grabbed the hand and shook it, saying, "Harry Potter, sir. I'm a friend of Hermione's."
"That's quite the firm grip you have there, Harry," said Dan, smiling. "My name is Dr. Dan Granger. I'm quite glad to hear that Hermione has finally made one friend … she's seemed so lonely before she met you."
"Thank you, sir."
"You may call me Dan, Harry. Emma, I'm sure there should be enough food for all four of us, if Harry wants to stay for dinner?"
"Of course, dear."
"That's settled, then. Would you like to stick around, Harry? We would like to know more about our daughter's young friend."
Harry smiled … he had never known such welcoming Muggles in his life. "Of course, Dan. It would be my pleasure."
~DAHP~
The dinner went very well for the four people involved, with laughter ringing all around the table. As the meal ended, Dan decided to say, "Well, Harry, what can you tell us about your family?"
"I don't know that much about my family, Dan, but what I do know is this: my father, James Potter, and my mother, Lily Potter, are both dead, so I have had to live with my Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia."
"We're so sorry to hear that, Harry," said Emma, as Hermione gave him a hug. "Do they at least treat you well?"
"I don't know why I never thought of it before, Harry, but Muggle law has severe penalties for child abuse. Tell them … I have a sense that they're on our side."
"No, they didn't, Emma. Vernon Durlsey once beat me so bad, I almost died."
This bit of news was quite the shock for the Grangers to hear. Both Enma and Hermione surrounded Harry in a hug, and Dan's eyes darkened in anger, much to Tommy's amusement. Trying to stay calm, but with his anger coming through nonetheless, Dan asked, "Why would they do that to you, Harry?"
"They're afraid of me, Dan, and they hate me because I'm what would be called a wizard – a person who is able to interact with magic. You've seen Star Wars, I assume?" There were nods around the table. "That's the easiest way I have to explain what magic is – it's like The Force from Star Wars. Some people – like myself and Hermione – are able to interact with it, and others – like the Dursleys – are not. The latter are called Muggles."
"How did you survive the beating? You said you almost died, Harry."
"To answer that question, I'll need to call out a friend of mine … hold on." Harry thought to Tommy, "Are you ready to come out, Tommy? Are you sure this can work?"
"I'm ready, Harry, but know that I won't be entirely solid. At least, I'll be able to communicate this way."
Magical energy started to flow out of Harry to form the figure of a sixteen year old boy in Hogwarts robes, with jet-black hair and dark eyes. "Good evening, Dr. Granger. My name is Tommy Riddle."
"Tommy, what goes for Harry goes for you as well. You may call us by our first names. Out of curiosity, what are you? A ghost?"
Tommy smiled. "No, Dan, I ain't a ghost. A certain Dark Lord named Lord Voldemort was the one to kill Harry's parents, and he tried to kill Harry as well, but failed. A piece of his soul – namely, yours truly – attached itself to Harry. When Harry was about to die, I had to do something to save him, so I joined myself to him, saving his life and healing his body. I've been alongside him ever since. I've been teaching him and training him so he can survive, as well as helping him take these blocks off of his magical core – the part of him that enables him to interact with magic. The reason for blocks on a child's magical core is to keep down the damage from any bouts of what is known as accidental magic – magic flaring out due to strong emotions and a fluctuating core. As time goes on, the parents will slowly take the blocks off to give the core room to grow. The problem is that a certain Manipulative Old Prick by the name of Albus Dumbledore – excuse my French, ladies – blocked Harry's core at 25% and left it there. If he was to go to Hogwarts in that state, he would be a weakling, and the only way he would survive would be by sheer dumb luck!"
There were gasps all around the table. "Is he crazy or something?" asked Hermione. "What could he possibly be thinking?"
"I don't exactly know his plans, Hermione. Maybe he plans to have Harry die, maybe he plans to be looked on as Harry's hero or something, but I don't trust that MOP as far as I could throw him! There is some good news though, Hermione. As soon as I found out about this, I made a plan to slowly take off the blocks, about five percent at a time, giving him about a month to adjust to his new power level. When Harry first met Hermione, I sensed that their magics were wanting to Bond together. In other words, they were attracted to one another."
"Love at first sight – is that it, Tommy?" asked Emma.
"If you want to call it that, sure. I only know the general theory of what are called Bonds. When Harry helped Hermione discover her magical core and connect to it, she noticed the attraction and followed through by kissing him. Not knowing how this would affect me, I was scared. They are now united with each other by their magic, and when Harry takes up his lordship at age 11, Hermione will become his Lady. I know this is a lot to take in, Dan and Emma, but consider that you now have a son-in-law who will do all within his power to protect Hermione, not to mention you'll have the next few years to REALLY get to know him."
For a few moments, the atmosphere was so quiet that the only thing that could be heard was the chirping of crickets. Harry was quite nervous, not sure how the Grangers would react to Tommy laying all the cards on the table like this … would he be thrown out? Would Hermione be thrown out with him? His fears proved to be entirely unfounded, however, when he heard Dan say, "Harry, I hope you aren't scared of hugs, are you?"
"I'm slowly getting used to them, Dan. I won't have a problem with one if it's warm … why do you ask?"
Extending his arms as if to welcome Harry, Dan said with a smile, "Come here, Harry." Harry did so, and Dan picked him up in a hug, firm yet warm. "Harry, Emma and I are going to make sure you never have to go to the Dursleys again … we promise it. Welcome to the family, son."
Harry did not know what to say to this, but this offer of a loving family was so overwhelming that he wept as Dan comforted him in his arms. Even Tommy's eyes seemed moist as he said, "Thank you, Dan, Emma, and Hermione, for your warm and loving hospitality, and, since I'm with Harry, we both will accept it with all our gratitude. Hermione, you'll be pleased to know that the Bond shattered the blocks on Harry's magic, so it's now at full capacity. Also, the wards – or shields – around 4 Privet Drive, have also been blasted off of the house, so I'm hoping that will make it harder for the MOP to interfere. So, Dan, Emma, tell us, I bet you have something awesome in mind for the Dursleys?"
The smiles on the faces of Dan and Emma were manic, cold, and feral, as they both said, "The Dursleys will be going away for a long time!"
"Excellent ..." said Harry, Hermione, and Tommy in unison. Everyone laughed.
Meanwhile, at 4 Privet Drive, Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley looked with fear at the thunderstorm that had brewed up in the area, and they shivered, feeling as if someone had walked over their graves ...
rt?" My answer to that question is yes and no. I know that sounds a bit ambiguous, so let me explain: Tommy is good in the sense that he wants to help Harry (and doesn't have a general problem with Muggles and Muggle-borns). He also wants to get rid of Lord Voldemort, recognizing him as a bad guy. On the other hand, he isn't good in the sense that he is willing to lead Harry to the Dark Side, and use it as a means to his end. In fact, he's willing to use all means at his disposal. He's not entirely good, and yet he's not entirely evil either. To minerdude, I guess Tommy couldn't really fit Ophelia Granger into his conversation; maybe he thought it may be a touchy issue. We'll have to wait and see if it comes up. :) And dbzgtfan2004, give yourself a Pat on the back, because you correctly guessed who's the actor to play Tommy's voice! WOO-HOO-HOO-HOO! You know, it is a funny coincidence that the two characters (the Goodfellas one and Tommy in this one) have the same first names! I just like Joe Pesci … great actor, hands down! BOO-YEAH!
"I used to be a loudmouth … remember me?
I'm the one who burned your house down … well, I'm out now!
And this time, I'm coming back to blow your house up,
And I ain't gonna leave you a window to jump out of!" – Eminem
Chapter 5
"Harry, I must admit, you make a nice pillow."
Harry woke up to see Hermione directly on top of him, her bushy hair blocking his view. He mentally responded with, "And Hermione, you make a very warm blanket. Wow, a bloke could get used to this ..."
"Yeah, I can imagine how much better it's gonna be when puberty hits for the two of you lovebirds. I bet you two slept well?"
"Very well, Tommy."
"Agreed, Tommy. What's on our agenda for today?"
"Excellent question, Hermione. First, we need to look at our finances, then we have some shopping to do."
"Shopping?" The word set off alarm bells in Harry's head. "What kind of shopping are we talking about Tommy? Clothes?" Tommy didn't respond for a bit. "Tommy, what's taking you so long?"
"Hold on just a minute, meathead, I'm thinking! Madonn', I'm afraid I just about walked into a friggin' minefield here … it wasn't exactly on the itinerary, but I guess we could stop for some clothes, both wizarding and Muggle. How can you expect to look respectable wearing the fat whale's castoffs, Harry?"
"Excellent point, Tommy. What do you think, Hermione?" Hermione, for her part, could hardly speak … in fact, with a squeal, she pounced on Harry and gave him a resounding kiss.
"Oh, before I forget, Hermione, there will be a stop at a bookstore involved as well." This got Harry another kiss, and Harry thought, "You're really enjoying this, Tommy, aren't you?"
"Naturally, Harry. The endorphins secreted by all the pleasure you share gives me an amazing high. Go ahead, Hermione, plant another one on us." Hermione complied with a smile. "Oh, yeah, that's the stuff ..."
~DAHP~
"Good morning, Harry … Hermione … did you two have a good sleep?" asked Dan and Emma.
"Wonderful, thanks," was the response.
"So, Harry, what's the general plan for today?" asked Dan.
"After breakfast and tea, Dan. I'm not entirely myself until I've had breakfast and tea."
This was soon taken care of, and Emma repeated, "What's the general plan?"
Harry said, "Dan, Emma, we're gonna need to head out to Gringotts to check my finances, then, we have some shopping to do."
"I never heard of Gringotts before," said Dan.
"That's because it's a wizard's bank, Dan," replied Harry. With a wave of his hand, he transfigured their clothes into wizarding robes. "This should help us blend in. There are also hoods to hide our faces, which should be helpful for me, guessing that I'm some kind of celebrity there."
"These are kind of cool, Harry … but how are we getting there? Do you know where we're going?"
"Tommy knows, and he'll be guiding us as we Apparate out there. Simply put, Apparation is a form of magical transport in which a magical person can project the body a certain distance away. I do warn you that it can be uncomfortable the first time, so I'll be Apparating out to an alley nearby."
"Harry," asked Hermione, "are you sure you can transport all of us in one go?"
"Yes, Hermione, I am sure. Now, everybody grab a hold, and whatever you do, don't let go!"
The next moment, the group disappeared into a black and gold cloud.
~DAHP~
The black and gold cloud moved along at a phenomenal speed out to London's Charing Cross road, where it revealed two magical people and two Muggles in an alley. The two Muggles looked a bit green in the face.
"Dad! Mum! Are you two allright?" asked Hermione.
"We'll be allright, pumpkin," panted Dan. "Just give us … a chance … to breathe ..."
A few minutes later, the green color receded as Dan and Emma felt better.
"Thank you for warning us about the possible nausea, Harry … you were right, it can be unpleasant at first," said Emma.
"You're welcome, Emma. Hoods up, everyone."
"Harry? Hermione? The two of you are going to be taking the front position and clearing the way for Dan and Emma. Direct some magic toward your eyes until they start to glow … yes, that's it, bravi! Onward to The Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley!"
"Dan, Emma, follow us, and don't look too … touristy," said Harry with a smile. "Let's go."
~DAHP~
As the four walked into the bar and hotel known as The Leaky Cauldron, the patrons were naturally curious about these strangers with hoods. Upon seeing two pairs of glowing eyes, one green, the other brown, the crowd that would have gathered parted like the Red Sea before Moses, giving the four more than enough room to maneuver towards the brick wall at the back. Harry reached out with his magical senses and, sensing the bricks to touch, sent a small amount of magic to lightly touch them. When he did so, the wall opened up to reveal Diagon Alley, the academic shopping district of Britain's Magical World. The four were amazed by the sights and sounds, but there was business to be done. With a little direction from Tommy, they made their way to a large marble-white building named Gringotts.
Harry stopped the group and turned to them. He said, "Okay, Tommy suggested we stop for a few pointers on etiquette. The bankers of the Wizarding World are these short creatures known as goblins. They are to be treated with a great amount of respect, for there have been plenty of wars between wizards and goblins over this very issue. When greeting a goblin, the custom is to bow as a sign of respect. Goblins value honesty, respect, and, of course, politeness, so, showing these qualities will help us and give them more reasons to look upon us with favor. Smiling is okay, but do not, under any circumstances, show your teeth when you smile, because they consider that a sign of aggression. Last of all, they will defend themselves with extreme prejudice if provoked, so don't give them a reason to do so. Are there any questions?" Everyone shook their head in the negative. "Oh, just one last tidbit about the goblins … they're serious about their security. Tommy tells me anybody would be crazy to try to rob the place. Also, we might as well take off our hoods before we enter … "
~DAHP~
Entering Gringotts, Harry, Hermione, Dan, and Emma walked up to the nearest Goblin teller they could find. As the group bowed as a unit, Harry spoke up. "Master Goblin, may your gold flow and prosper."
The goblin was stunned to hear the politeness in the voice of this young boy, not to mention the greeting, which itself was quite standard in the goblin language known as Gobbledegook, but sounded formal when spoken in human tongues such as English. Smiling, he replied to Harry, "May your anger crush your enemies, young master wizard. How may Gringotts be of service to a polite young man such as yourself?"
"Master Goblin, my name is Harry James Potter, scion of the Potter family, and I have come to Gringotts today to take a look at my finances, please, if it would be no trouble."
"It is no trouble at all, Master Potter. Follow me, please." He led them to a private office, and, as he sat down, said, "Gringotts was sad to hear of the passing of your parents, but we are glad to know that a Potter still lives, because your family has been one of our best customers in terms of monetary value. For the record, Master Potter, my name is Griphook. May I ask who these people are accompanying you?"
Hermione stepped forward, and bowed. "Master Griphook, my name is Hermione Jean Potter, née Granger, the Bondmate of Harry James Potter, and as such, future Lady of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. The other two with us are my parents, Dan and Emma Granger." Dan and Emma bowed yet again to him.
Griphook smiled. "Only one bow is really necessary at the beginning of a meeting, but your politeness and respect is so refreshing to see. Too often have wizards come up to us, acting like they own the place and demanding our service, forgetful of the fact that Gringotts is sovreign territory of the Goblin Nation, and it is only by the Nation's good graces that we even agree to be their bankers, or even let them step foot here." His face turned pensive. "Hmm … Granger … that name hasn't been heard often in Gringotts … it's been a while since we've last seen one here … Mr. Granger, you and your wife are Muggles, if I guess right?"
"Yes, Master Griphook," replied Dan. "Why do you ask?"
"Simple curiosity, Mr. Granger. It matters little to us whether our customers are Muggle or magical, as long as business is being done. And since you are now related to young Master Potter, that gives us even more incentive to treat you with all the fairness we can … speaking of Master Potter ..."
Before Griphook could say anything more, a back door opened to reveal a stately goblin clothed in what could be called the goblin equivalent of royal clothing. Griphook, seeing the newcomer, prostrated himself to the ground. "Milord Ragnok! If I may be so bold to ask, what brings you here?"
"Arise, Griphook. Somehow, the news spread that Harry Potter finally made it to Gringotts to see us, so I thought I might as well meet him and help him out in any way I can."
Ragnok turned his gaze to the quartet, who bowed again. "Lord Ragnok," said Harry, "you grace me and my family with your presence. May I present to you my Bondmate, Hermione Jean Potter, née Granger, and her parents, Dan and Emma Granger?"
"It is my great pleasure to meet all of you, and I must correct you, young Master Potter, it is you and yours who grace me with your presence. Please, sit." They did so. "Master Potter, may I ask how old you are?"
"I am seven years old, Lord Ragnok."
"If it's not too improper of a question, how old is the future Lady Potter?"
Hermione answered with a smile, "I am eight years old, Lord Ragnok."
These answers took Ragnok, Leader of the Goblin Nation, by great surprise as his eyes widened. "Magnum miraculum miraculorum," he whispered to himself in Latin, "iuvenes sunt, et iam sponsus et sponsa!" (Great marvel of marvels, they are young, and already husband and wife!)
Griphook was also shocked. "Milord?"
"Forgive me, Master Potter. It's just a shock to think that anyone could Bond that young, and yet, you are. It's so amazing … now, before we go any further, let's confirm your identity. Just provide some of your blood." Harry and Hermione did so using the knives provided, and two parchments printed out. "Okay, that's good news that your identities have been confirmed as you have said … good … " Ragnok continued to look through the parchments as his face took on a mirthful expression. "Will wonders never cease?"
Harry said, "Lord Ragnok, exactly what are you smiling about?"
"Master Potter, it turns out that between you and your Lady, you own the ancient castle known as Hogwarts."
This news was too much for Harry and Hermione, who fainted on the spot.
~DAHP~
A couple moments later, they came out of their faint. "Dan," asked Harry, "did I hear what I thought I heard?"
Dan nodded. "I have a hard time believing it myself, but it's apparently true."
"How is this possible, Lord Ragnok?" asked Hermione. "I'm just a Muggle-born."
"Milady, to quote your Muggle author Tolkien, 'all that is gold does not glitter.' You are, in fact, the Heiress of Ravenclaw, and Master Potter here is the Heir of Gryffindor by his father's line, Hufflepuff by his mother's line, and he has gained Slytherin by conquest of Lord Voldemort. Together, the two of you are not only the owners, but also the Lord and Lady of Hogwarts."
"Master Griphook, forgive my curiosity, but you said that the name Granger hasn't been heard in a while … who was the last Granger to come in here before we did?"
"Mr. Granger, the last magical person in your family was ..." Griphook looked at the parchment with Hermione's family tree, "your aunt, an Ophelia Granger. Apparently, she was in Ravenclaw, but some Slytherin females turned her mad via torture, unfortunately, so she never finished her education and lived out the rest of her days in a Muggle insane asylum. The females who tortured her ended up in St. Mungo's, the Wizarding hospital, beyond recovery."
"Is she still alive, Master Griphook?"
Griphook shook his head. "I am sorry … she died several years ago. She left a letter to one Harry Potter."
Harry was stunned. "I never knew her! How could she possibly write to me?"
"For all we know, Master Potter, she could have been able to see the future. If you want to read the letter aloud, you may."
Harry took the parchment offered him, and read:
"Dear Harry Potter, I know you may find it hard to believe, but I have seen your sad situation. Fortunately, you have also found my friend Tommy Riddle, who has attached himself to you and he will do all he can to protect and advise you, as well as be a constant source of entertainment when the mood strikes him. If I find him worthy of my trust, so can you. He may not be entirely good or entirely evil, but he will do what is necessary to make sure that you stay safe, happy, and alive.
Tommy, you need not fear that the goblins will harm you should you make an appearance. Your salvation of Harry from what he has suffered at the hands of his relatives speaks much about you. Do what you must to keep him going until he fully defeats Voldemort. On a more personal note, Tommy, as you know I didn't make it to our first Hogsmeade weekend during my third year, I was going to ..."
At that point, Harry choked up with tears and wept for about a minute as Hermione soothed him in a hug, patting his back. "Continue reading, Harry," she said.
" … I was going to confess to you that I had fallen in love with you, and I was hopeful that you felt the same for me. You and I could have had all the time in the world together, but, as you know, things didn't quite work out like either one of us wanted, did it? To quote a particular Muggle song ..."
Harry recognized the song as one that Tommy had sung to him on several occasions, so he and Hermione sang, with Dan and Emma joining in as they recognized it:
"Those were the days, my friend, we'd thought they'd never end,
We'd sing and dance forever and a day!
We'd lived the life we'd choose, we'd fight and never lose,
For we were young and sure to have our way!
Lai lai lai lai, lai lai, lai lai lai lai, lai lai,
Lai lai lai lai, lai lai lai lai lai lai!
Lai lai lai lai, lai lai, lai lai lai lai, lai lai,
Those were the days, oh, yes, those were the days!"
"Harry, she was really a beautiful singer. Great singing, you two."
"Thanks, Tommy. Are you okay?"Hermione asked him mentally.
"I'll be fine, Hermione … it's just … thinking about her makes my heart ache ..." Harry, for his part, couldn't keep the tears from flowing out of his eyes as Hermione hugged him. "It's allright to cry, Harry … I don't think any less of you or Tommy for your sadness."
"Emma, can you finish this?" asked Harry.
"Sure, Harry," she said, taking the letter from Harry. She started reading, "To my great-niece Hermione, I am sorry that I won't get to meet you, but at least I am glad that you've met Harry. What I have to say to you may be less than to Harry or to Tommy, but it is no less important: take care of them, especially Harry. Love will always remain, even when faith and hope are gone. I love you all, Ophelia Granger. P.S., I have left two musical locket necklaces with a picture of Tommy and me in each."
Griphook and Ragnok came forward with the two necklaces, handing them to Harry and Hermione. Hermione tried prying hers open, but to no avail. "Hermione," Harry said, "I think she might have meant for it to be opened by Parseltongue." He then hissed at his necklace, "§Open!§"
The locket opened, and soft music started to play, as if from a music box. Within the locket was a double picture – on one side, Tommy, on the other, Ophelia. Hermione, upon opening her locket, found that she had the same double picture. Closing their lockets, Harry looked at Ragnok and said, "Thank you, Lord Ragnok."
"You're welcome, Master Potter. Ah, Griphook, good to see you're back with the account statements."
"Yes, milord. Here you go."
Ragnok looked through the account statements, and what he saw there turned his face a furious shade of red, as for the next few minutes, he roared out a line of untranslatable and unprintable obscenities in Gobbledegook – a very unpleasant sound indeed.
Harry looked at Ragnok with an understandable amount of fear. "Tommy," he thought, "what did Ragnok just say?"
"Harry, I don't think any of us wants to know, but whomever he's mad at is in a whole heap of trouble. What do you want to bet that he's mad at the MOP?" he asked, quite excited by the prospect.
"I don't know, but I think I agree with you. Hermione?"
"I think Tommy's right as well, Harry. I don't know who else would be the ultimate target, seeing how Dumbledore has already messed up your life."
Ragnok turned a baleful eye on Griphook. "Griphook, you'd better pray you're not the one responsible for this … GET YOUR SUBORDINATES IN HERE IMMEDIATELY, ESPECIALLY ANYONE WHO HAS ACCESS TO THE POTTER VAULT!" Griphook ran out of there like the Devil was after him, as Ragnok explained, "Master Potter, according to these account statements, someone has been stealing from your vault. We at Gringotts take our security very seriously, and whichever goblin or goblins responsible will be decapitated."
"Lord Ragnok, do you mind if I do the honors on interrogation?"
"Be my guest, Master Potter. You have carte blanche to do what you see fit to find the answers we seek."
"Excellent." Harry put on his hood, directed his magic to his eyes, and dived into the interrogation with a fierce gusto, Tommy providing support for any Legilimency, breaking into the minds of these goblins to find the answers, especially with those who were lying or just stubborn. By the end of the interrogation, three goblins were being led off to their deaths (Griphook was innocent), and Harry had come out with one name: Albus Dumbledore.
"Apparently, Master Potter, it seems that a lot of this money has been going to the Weasley family, as well as to the Dursleys, your relatives, for your room and board."
This brought an explosion from Harry. "WHAT? THEY COMPLAINED THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF ME, AND THEY WERE PAID FROM MY VAULT? THEY STUCK ME IN A CRAMPED LITTLE CUPBOARD UNDER THE STAIRS, AND AS FOR FOOD, THEY BARELY GAVE ME ENOUGH TO EAT!"
"Is this true?" asked Ragnok. His face was starting to turn red again.
Tommy decided to appear. "Not only is it true, Your Lordship, that's not the worst of it. His Uncle Vernon looks like a fat walrus, and his cousin Dudley looks like a fat whale. I'm sure they had more than enough to feed themselves and Harry."
"Of course, in a large part due to unauthorized withdrawals from Master Potter's vault," growled Ragnok. "Continue, Master Riddle. I assume this gets worse?"
"I'm afraid so, Lord Ragnok. His cousin Dudley and his gang would chase him around town, threatening to beat the snot out of him if they caught him – fortunately, they never caught him. Whenever Harry would do something wrong or 'freakish', as that fat walrus prick – excuse my language, Your Lordship – put it, he would get beaten with a belt. One such beating was so brutal, he almost died. If it was not for me, he WOULD have died!"
Ragnok's rage was plain to see on his face as he said, "Abuse and neglect of a minor, not to mention attempted murder, all on money provided by Gringotts. There's also ..." a smile broke out on his face, though it was feral, "the matter of neglecting to pay the rent on 4 Privet Drive."
"What?" asked Harry. "Who owns it?"
"You do, as a matter of fact."
"Have them pay the rent, with interest. If they can't pay it, or refuse, throw them out."
"Done and done. What do you want done with Dumbledore and the Weasleys?"
"Claim all properties he bought with my money and any of my property he stole from me. Use the money from his vault to pay the debt he owes me … all the money he stole plus interest. His last gift from me and Gringotts should be a lump sum of 30 silver Sickles. If you want to toss in banning him for life, I will have no objection. As for the Weasleys, stop the payments to them from my vault … that will be sufficient for now. Besides, they haven't harmed me, unlike the Dursleys and Dumbledore."
"There is also a marriage contract written between you and one Ginevra Molly Weasley, however, your Bond has rendered that null and void, so that's a moot point. As far as Dumbledore is concerned, I do plan to give him a lifetime ban from Gringotts, besides all that you've asked. We're also getting your key back from him." A key appeared on the table. "That key rightfully belongs to you."
Harry took the key. "Thank you for all your wonderful service, Lord Ragnok."
"You're welcome, Master Potter. Just one last gift for you before you go to your vault … I have here a communication mirror for you … to contact me, simply say, 'Ragnok' and I'll answer as soon as I possibly can. If I, or anyone else, is trying to call you on one of these, it will simply heat up. The name of the person calling will show up on it and you'll have to press a button at the top to signify acceptance."
"Again, thank you." The group left, went to the Potter trust vault, got some money, and left Gringotts. Out in Diagon Alley, they got a number of school materials, except for their wands, and some other things, like a Pensieve for Harry and a number of magical books. Back at home, Tommy helped Harry extract some memories to put into the Pensieve (a bowl used for storing memories and sifting through them), then sent him in there with a camera to take pictures to deliver to the police. Finally, Harry went out to Surrey's police station to drop off the pictures. The next morning, the Chief Constable, looking through the pictures, decided to gather up a police unit to visit the Dursleys.
All the pieces were falling into place for the Dursleys to take their final fall ...