Connie! This is amazing. I love how you write the characters, they are all very canon and you really understand how they would be feeling.
Can't wait for your next chapter but have a safe trip Also, I'm very sorry for your loss but she sounds as though she lived a very full life. RIP.

Obi-Wan K'Lari: Hey K'Lari, in answer to your statement about being surprised Ginny didn't finish Hogwarts; she did. She finished her 6th and 7th years and played for the Harpies for 2 years. Harry was gone for 4 years. ya think? (I don't think it took your super sleuthing skills to figure that one out.) Not at all. He is waiting for 2 reasons. They will be given a little later. Thank you K'Lari

Miss Evi3e <3; Hey Eviee, Your thoughts alone speak volumes. Thank you

ThePureBloodPrincess: Hey Jazz Thank you very much for your well wishes in traveling, and your sympothy. She was wonderful, and yes she did live a very full life. Also thanks for saying my story is amazing.

Thanks to all my readers for reading and for those who have expressed sympothy to me. We're visiting reletives with Internet, so I'm able to post this chapter. I can't say when I'll be able to get the next one posted, but I will as soon as I can, or first thing when we get home. Chapter 4 is titled, 'Fabrication Of The Truth"





Chapter 3

Looking Back

Harry watched the sky and thought of the first year and a half into his quest. He was away from home and very much alone. He’d been traveling all around the world. He was sorely tried and tormented by the nature of his surroundings. Three times, he was tempted to give up and return home. However, he persevered and ventured on.

It was during his sixth week that he came to realize he was going to be fine and could make it as long as he needed to so long as he had faith in what he set out to do. He then was able to enjoy some of the comforts he brought from home, and took them out each day for his use and pleasure. He traveled and accomplished many great things, although finding himself or his purpose was not one of his accomplishments. One evening he was extremely tired from his travel and getting through the events of the day. He sat resting on the muddy bank of a river against the trunk of a tree reading a book by the last light of the day. Suddenly a great anaconda was upon him and he rolled to his side just barely in the nick of time. Harry felt the scales of the thick snake rub hard against the side of his body. He swiftly jumped to his feet as the snake tried to clear its head from bashing it into the tree instead of a mouthful of Harry. “STOP!” Harry shouted.

The snake moved his head slowly but steadily towards him, and spoke warily. “How do you speak to me human?”

“I am a wizard who is able to speak to all snakes.”

“Why do you keep me from my meal?” It asked as it came slowly but with intent at Harry.

“I am on a very important quest of my own, which has nothing to do with being your meal.”

“You sit in my home uninvited and think I cannot eat you because of your quest?”

“I sit in your home not realizing it is yours because I’m tired from my days travel and tribulations. I do not intend to keep you from your meal, and yet it will not be me you eat.” Harry waved his wand and pointed it to the ground in front of the giant snake. A small hyena lay unconscious in front of it.

“This is the hyena that was trying to get a drink when you struck him. It would have been your meal if the other hyenas hadn’t started biting at you. They all got away, but finally this one dropped from his injuries. The others were waiting for it to die so they could eat it. I saw the whole thing as I was hiding behind a bush nearby. Now, it is yours again. Please take the poor thing before it wakens and sees its death coming.”

The snake took the young beast greedily and lay in silence with its head towards Harry.

Harry laughed heartily. “Yes, I know what you’re thinking. In your lust for the animal’s life, you didn’t think of what would happen after you ate. Here you are now with your meal eaten, and here am I knowing you are vulnerable. You can’t hope to defend yourself if I decide to kill you.” He sat back down against the tree and picked up his book to read. He opened it up to where he was before he was so rudely interrupted. “I’m not going to kill you if you allow me the hospitality of your home for a short bit. After I rest I will move on to a different spot to sleep for the night.”

The snake moved its head up and down. “What is that you have there? It doesn’t smell like anything tasty to eat.”

“This is a book called, “Folklore of the Dark Continent” by Shorty Tailz. A little over two years ago, I was with a friend when we came across some creatures called, Inferi, which terrified me. They are animated bodies of dead humans that evil wizards command and they stay in cold water where wizards place them. If you touch the water, they come at you and drag you under until you drown. I thought that if I faced my worst fear that I would feel better about myself. So, I went to this special place and since I knew how to defeat them, I thought I’d be ok. I stirred them up and they came so fast I wasn’t prepared. My fear started to defeat me. They took hold of me and then drug me across the sharp rocks and into the water. I gathered my nerve and was able to overcome them by creating a ring of fire around me, and drove them away from me, just as my friend had done. I looked at my wand and wondered how I had been able to do that so easily. Then I caused the same fire to burn the whole lake, and I got rid of them, all of them.”

“And did this change the way you felt inside?” The snake asked him.

Harry shook his head. “Not at all; what I found out was I was a complete idiot for trying to do something like that. The use of all that magic drained my strength. I was as vulnerable as you are now. Thankfully, I didn’t have any enemies around. So, after I rested enough, I returned home worn out, more than I had ever been in my life, and not knowing what else to do, I decided to go on this quest. I think my quest has something to do with Zombies, hence the book. I’ve read and reread this many times hoping to be able to identify and eliminate them when I see them. I have yet to see a single one. Anyway, I said good-bye to my friends and left the next morning at noon. I’ve been gone now for nearly two and a half years near as I can figure it. I’ve been studying, and learning, and at times, I lived with tribes of people in lands I’ve never dreamed I’d ever be seeing. Nearly all this time I lived in Jungles such as this. There has been so much knowledge waiting for me to learn. I did learn, and I’m still learning. I’ve done and accomplished so much and still I haven’t found out who I am, and what my purpose is.”

“It would have been simpler if your purpose had been to be my meal, and you’d be all done with your quest now.”

“But then I would be dead! What’s the good of that quest?” he laughed.

“You would have known what you were all about, and died happy knowing that you contributed to my humanity.”

“Ah! Yet another plan that involves me dieing. No thanks. Been there done that.” Harry yawned and stretched. “Well Beau, can I call you Beau? It’s been real. Thanks for your hospitality. I rested enough now, I should move on. And you are able now, since we’ve been chatting these couple hours, to defend yourself well enough I think from that other snake that’s been observing us from the bank of the river. My name is Harry Potter. If you’re ever in Emgland give me the honor of a visit, unless you’re looking for a meal.”

As Harry walked off, he heard Beau talking to the other snake. “Why did you hide from me?”

She answered, “I wasn’t hiding from you. I was hiding from the human because I am afraid of his stick.”

I really like this chapter (:
PAMS!

Eviee <33

Hi Connie. Once again, great post. I enjoyed reading it. This whole thing about Harry deciding to go on a quest of coming to himself alone and finding his sense of purpose in life reminds me of the first nations that used to and still do (in smaller numbers) reside in North America (US and Canada). They have this coming of age ceremony called Vision Quest. I remember learning about it in school. It somewhat parallels Harry's journey and if you don't know about it, you should go search it. It's very interesting. By the end, they return from their quest with a sense of spiritual awareness, although in this case I highly doubt it means anything religious to Harry. It is an important duration in his life nevertheless and I'm sure he would be able to take a lot from the experience.

I thought Harry lost his ability in speaking with snakes after the connection between him and Voldemort was broken. But I should say, you made me gasp out loud hearing about this and I'm glad Harry was able to stop it. Now I remember I had a dream about Snakes chasing me last night. Now it's all coming back to me!

Wow such a wise snake. Harry's having a scientific conversation with him. Gotta love Harry (and the snake). This is so fun to read. I love how humans can learn so much from nature and survival in the wilderness. The wild life is very intriguing. Beside all this, wow how daring of Harry to go after Inferi in order to find himself. As he admits it himself, it couldn't have had any productive means.

This made me laugh. Harry is sociable, he just made friends with a Beau which meant to eat him only hours ago and now he's inviting him over (or at least offering) for a visit to UK.

OMG so funny!

Great job Connie. I can't wait to find out what happens next and what may finally bring Harry to his senses and bring an end to his long journey.

oh i like this! great post! i especially like Harry talking to the snake--for two reasons:
1. the books don't really make it so useful towards the end that he can speak parseltongue. the beginning yes, but not really the end.
2. it is funny that Harry has an entire heartfelt conversation with a snake.

PAMS

Oh maybe I read it wrong o_O

hahahahhaha maybe it didn't Really sneaky of him though

grrrrrr. Harry!

hahahahha i love that last line! somehow, this exchange reminds me of the garden of eden and the snake although maybe I'm just matching it to whatever I've heard of with a snake in it

can't wait for more conners!

...
another funny quote......nice post...waiting for more...

Miss Eviee<3: Hey Eviee, thanks so much for reading and your comment. I'm glad you liked the post.

crookchanks kitty: Hey Ava, thanks for reading and commenting. That's interresting about the Vision Quest, I haven't heard of it, but it does sort of go along with what Harry is striving for, (with the exception of religeous awareness. ) I didn't get that when I read the books. Well, in any case, I think it was a useful piece of magical ability, and it's a shame it wasn't made more useful to him in the story. So I did. It came in very handy for him on his quest, and just a little clue, we haven't seen the last of Beau. Harry named him Beau because of him being a boa constricter. Just a little quick wit on Harry's part I threw in. Thanks for your thoughtful comments Ava.

ashfig: Hey Ashley, thanks so much for reading and commenting. You know what? I hate snakes, and it really creeps me out even writing about them. But, I agree with you. And as I briefly said to Ava, I think it was a shame it wasn't used throughout the story somehow. So, I did. Thanks Ashley.

Obi-Wan K'Lari: Hey Lari, thanks for reading and commenting. I know I say that to everybody, but it does mean a lot to me, and I just want to make sure I let everybody know. No, you didn't. That was free information. I danced around the topic when Harry was talking to Molly before he left. He said he wanted to marry Ginny, and Molly interrupted him saying she still had 2 years of school to finish, and then later Ginny was telling Hermione, Ron, and Bill (when they arrived at the Burrow)that she was quitting the Harpies. She had her 2 years of school, and Harry was gone for 4 years, so that left 2 years with the Harpies, assuming she went right in after she graduated Hogwarts. I understand the connection you drew from that, but I didn't have that in mind when I wrote it. However, I did try to keep the background theme going that JK Rowling has in her books; the parellel of Jesus Christ and Harry. Make no mistake about this though, I am not saying in any way that Harry is Jesus, or even compares to Him. I am parelling the events of the two as she does in her books. This is why I have Harry starting his quest alone and unaided by any, "comforts of home" as is mentioned. He does have some help with him available, but he refuses to use it, until he has overcome his weaknesses, (wanting to give in and ask for help, give up and go home ...) This parellels Jesus when He was in the wilderness and was tempted by Satan. Jesus could have called on God or even the Angels to help him, but He didn't.
Thanks Lari.

Harita: Hey Haritra, thanks for reading and commenting. I'm looking forward to your next ff. Hope all is going well with that. I know you are a very dedicated student, and writing has to wait till you have appropriate time to committ to it.

Thanks to everyone for reading and being patient with me for the untimely postings. I am back from Ohio, and settling back down to my old routien. Next Friday's chapter is, 'The Explanation' Hope you enjoy this chapter.


Chapter 4

Fabrication Of The Truth

Harry looked around and figured he had about forty-five minutes before the storm hit and he’d have to get some protection for himself. Just then, Minerva McGonagall and Kingsley Shacklebolt Apparated right beside him continuing a conversation they started before they appeared at the Burrow.

“And you say it wasn’t you who sent the note to meet here at the Weasley’s?”

“No, it most assuredly was not me,” answered Kingsley.

“At first I was taken aback. The handwriting looks just like Albus’s handwriting. There’s no way possible it could be him, so I was wondering if maybe it was from Harry Potter.”

“I’ve never seen the boy’s handwriting to know Minerva. But, I do agree it looks just like Albus‘s. I would think that Harry’s penmanship wouldn’t be so eloquent.”

“You remember the meeting we had right before he left?” She continued without noticing Kingsley had said something. “I was thinking of those awful cuts and scrapes on his arms and face. I was so shocked when he told us of his “scuffle” as he put it. I didn’t know whether to take points from Gryffindor the minute we reopened Hogwarts, or to paddle him. It was an idiotic thing for the boy to do. Honestly! He could have been killed.”

Kingsley just nodded his head and got in a “yes ma’am” now and then as Minerva continued her rant.

“But you know? He was so quiet, tired looking, defeated seemingly, and I was worried for him. I wonder if the year he went through before that and then doing off with Voldemort was just too much for him. He was just a boy after all. Well!” She said with finality as if closing the subject. “I just hope the boy is okay.”

“Yes ma’am. I am in complete agreement with you. Though there are those at the Ministry who think he is dead. Stories began floating around right after he left, that he died in Australia, Madagascar, South America, South Africa, North America, and I can’t remember all the other places around the world the young man has supposedly died. Rita Skeeter has been asking me daily if she could publish his obituary.”

“Oh that woman!” Minerva huffed.

“You do remember the book he borrowed before he left. ... Wasn‘t it something to do with The Dark Continent? Nobody but you and I knew where Harry was going, and yet we have these rumors. Now I don‘t go on with rumors, but there is something to this that is suspicious.” Kingsley audibly noted.

Minerva stopped and looked hard at him, as she considered his words. “Well, let’s get inside before we get caught in this storm that’s fast approaching. Harry isn‘t dead and that‘s all there is to it. It just isn‘t to be that he die, when he’s off all alone on a quest thousands of miles away from everyone who loves him. It just can‘t be.” They went on through the gate and onward to the house.

Harry remembered the morning he left. He hadn’t noticed the cuts Professor McGonagall mentioned. He was tired that morning, excessively tired as a matter of fact after draining all his energy from the night before burning the lake. Snape’s portrait scoffed at him and said how like it was of him to think so highly of himself that he thought he could wipe out an entire lake of Inferi, and think he would be no worse off than before he arrived there.

“That’s enough Severus,” scolded Minerva respectfully. She looked at Harry with eyebrows knit closely together with her displeasure of Harry’s story of the “scuffle” he had with the Inferi. “It’s a wonder Harry, that you weren’t killed in the effort.”

Harry’s face flushed as he said he must have been sleeping in class during the part where they teach that the energy it takes the wand to work its magic comes from the person doing the magic, and not from the wand.

Just then Professor Dumbledores portrait spoke. “It was prohibited by the Ministry to be taught. It was felt that students wouldn’t be in the position to ever need to know or use such strong magic that it would wear them out, or even kill them.”

“But, it is taught in Aurors training.” offered Kingsley.

“OK, well I need to say what I came to say so I can get on with things.” Harry said as he walked over to the wall of books. “I need to find a certain book and borrow it, if I may that is. He pulled out his wand and walked along the books letting it thump on the binding of each book, much like a child walks with a stick along a picket fence thumping each one as he walked by. As he reached the near end of the row he stopped and took the book the wand was resting on.” He looked at Professor McGonagall and asked if it was ok to borrow it.

“Oh, well Harry … some of those books are very valuable and” But Dumbledore’s portrait spoke up and finished the sentence. “need to be used before the pages themselves turn to dust just sitting there. Of course you may borrow the book Harry.”

“Thank you sir?” He said turning his gaze from the Professor to the Headmistress, who had just been overridden by the portrait, to make sure it was ok with her.

“Yes, you may borrow it Harry. Take what you need. I know you will take exceptional care of it.”

“Thank you Professor. I’ll bring it back in the best shape I can. I am leaving and I can’t say when I’ll be back. If you need to know more, then please speak with Mrs. Weasley. I was out there last night saying good-bye to them.”

He looked down and said softly. “Ginny hates me now. I can’t blame her. I’ve left her twice before against my wishes, but, for her own safety. This time is for me to collect my thoughts and try to find out what I’m supposed to be, and learn how to be a contributing person to society, and all that stuff.”

“Harry, surely you of all people has been a contributing…”

But Harry stopped her, “Please Professor. I don’t want to be a killing machine. I know that when I become an Auror, I might have to kill, but I want to have a concience and feel something other than hate. I think I almost had something… well, I mean like when I was trying to get Tom Riddle to ask for forgivness, and feel some remorse and compassion… before I killed him. He couldn’t because he, like me, never learned to be compassionate, or loving. We both lived to kill the other so we could get on with what we want. He wanted total dominance of the world, and I wanted to avenge my parent’s death. Now, I want to live with something inside me that will make me be like Mr. Weasley. I don’t know any other way to put it. Anyway, may I please spend some time with the Professors privately before I go?”

Minerva came forward and hugged him. “I don’t like the thought of you going anywhere by yourself. You’re still so young Harry. Just please be careful.”

Kingsley came forward and put his big hand on the young man’s shoulder, and shook Harry’s hand with his right hand. “I hope you find what you’re looking for Harry. When you get back, we will discuss you becoming an Auror. I think we could have taken you right in as an apprentice seeing what you have on your resume right now. We’ll see what you can do when you come back.” He handed Harry a slip of parchment and turned to Minerva, who was approaching the door.

“And Harry,” she paused as she reached for the door handle. “I’m hoping you’ll be done before too long, because I’ll need my office in an hour and a half.”

“Yes ma’am. I need to be quick and leave myself. Somewhere there are Zombie’s waiting for me.” he said carelessly and laughed.

“Zombies! Oh dear no Harry!” Kingsley, who was just as shocked as Minerva was but able to compose himself, helped her regain her balance and gently guided her out the door. “But didn’t you hear what he said? He said he was going after Zombies!” She said near hysteria. “We can’t let him go! He’ll…” but the door closed and then they couldn’t hear anything else.

Ooooh good chapter (:
I do hope Harry sorts it all out and goes back to them all.
PAMS!

Eviee <33

I didn't know you had another story Conners, or maybe I did, what with the heat being what it is my brain is slowly frying and I don't remember things well. Oh bother.

Well good luck with it, maybe I'll have time to read it when things slow down. As they invariably will. Hope all's well.

EDIT: Honestly, I wanted to just show off my siggy and avvy cuz I made them LOL

oh i always enjoy when you post. I like this story. It seems very involved and i hope you continue to progress it. great job! PAMS

wonderful post...liked the last lines on zombies...professor's and kingsley's reaction to harry's laughter is awesome......waiting for more...

oh good! it all makes sense now lol and you're doing a good job of keeping that theme in there!

OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH poor McGonagall!!!! and eeeeish Harry's a little bit crazy, what with the zombies and stuff

Hello Connie! I love this chapter. Actually I love any piece of writing you share with us. I love your descriptions and the amount of thought you put into everything to make it as real and comprehensible as possible. You always try to leave no loopholes which is a plus. Readers can fully understand everything without having to think twice about them.

Of course! Silly me. I just assumed maybe it was a different way of spelling Boa. It didn't cross my mind that Harry may have been just calling him a name. Which is a cool idea. It gives identity to a creature so its no longer "the snake" but rather someone one can relate to which has a personality, and that its distinct.

Yes that annoying little beetle. I detested her even more than Voldemort in all the books she was mentioned.

That's an interesting thought and it seems reasonable. Duelling or just simply using magic to its full extent no matter to what use can be like any other task. It drains the person since the magic within them is being transmitted to the wand, hence they lose some magical energy. Right? I like this theory.

How I love Dumbledore's tolerant attitude towards matters such as this.

Sorry for quoting the whole paragraph. I didn't want to cut in between your sentences and I quite cautiously wanted to have reference to the full context of what is being said before picking on a part of it which may sound biased. Anyway, I agree with what Harry said in the beginning. Contributing to the society as a protector/soldier of people doesn't always mean killing and that's what Harry had set his mind around of late. He had been too lost in his plans to kill voldemort which almost overshadowed his other extreme passions which would be joyous and positive. He had an excuse though. If he wouldn't finish Voldemort for once and for all, an evil wizard who has become a soulless and foul beast and takes joy in killing the innocent, then he'd be forever regretful as with his own end many many people on the good side would be killed along with him. He did them all a favour. And it's not about the thirst for revenge or desire to kill that made Harry do this, but rather for the love he felt towards others which goes against what he's saying in the next bit. He simply cannot be compared to Voldemort. Voldemort is a mass murderer, a satanic figure. Harry did kill once, but what he did was basically spare innocent lives which would have been taken if Voldemort ever stayed in power. Yes they both did have a strong goal in mind and a sense of purpose for wanting to kill the other, but in Harry's case it was out of love more than anything, something Voldemort never really understood. Okay so I'm done. Wow, that was a long speech. Sorry!

Yes this news is shocking though I can't help but laugh at McGonagall's reaction. Oh boy. Zombies! Harry sure is brave... or reckless? I don't know. It was a great way to end the chapter. It leaves us eager for more.

I can't wait to read the rest of this brilliant story Connie.

Thanks to everyone for reading along with me. This is a long chapter, I hope you bear with me. A lot of answers to many questions you might have are in this chapter. Also, there are some clues for the next story, which as I have said before will be the end of the series. Next Fridays is chapter 6, "Unloved And Unwanted"




Miss Evi3e <3: Hey Eviee, thanks. Harry is back from his quest of 4 years. He has been looking back on the day before, and the day he left. He actually had his doubts that he would be excepted back, but he did have hope because of Ron and Hermione's reaction to what Ginny confessed to them. I'm sorry for the confusion in the way I'm writing this ff. This is the last chapter of Harry reflecting on the past.
Thanks for reading and commenting Eviee.

OtterySt.Catchpole: Hey ~Otty, thanks for dropping in. I do hope the heat starts becoming bearable over there. It has been excessivly hot here also, but at least we've finally gotten some good and benificial rain. Maybe you should wear an ice pack on top of your head to keep that wonderful brain from frying. ^ That's my favorite quote from Pooh. It says it all.
Thanks for sharing that information, I love them both! Great work, and you colored them very well too!

Thanks ~Otty, I hope you do get some time to read. This story was thought up, because of your request. I wanted to do a story about the wand, and your request for Zombies made for a good story so I put the two together and came up with this short story. (shorter than the first one anyway)


ashfig: Hey Ashley, thank you so much! You're very sweet to say things like that. And yes, the story will prodress forward. Starting in the next chapter, the other characters will be included. Thanks for commenting Ashley. I love reading the comments from my readers.

Harita: Hey Harita, thank you! I think it's great that you, Lari, and Ava all three comment on this part. I wrote that to give the idea that Harry might be giddy with excessive doubt and confusion about his self. He does seem to be a little reckless doesn't he, and going to extreme's to get answers he hasn't been able to find yet.
Thanks Harita.

Obi-Wan K'Lari: Hey Lari, thanks so much for reading and commenting. It does mean a lot to me. Thanks Lari. I don't think there will be a lot more on that theme, just a tad bit now and then, but far and few between. I'm going to copy what I just told Harita; Is your SLEUTH hat on? What do you think; Will Harry find the answers he's looking for when he finds the Zombies?
Thanks for reading and commenting Lari.


crookshanks_kitty: Hey Ava, thanks for your thoughtful comment. I appreciate the time and thought you put into your comments. Thank you Ava, I do try to do everything I can to make my story completely understandable. If ever there is doubt or you don't ubderstand, please PM me, and I'll be more than happy to answer you. I made a big deal about Beau, because I used him in the next story to open up a plot. So, he was actually the foundation for a story arc. Yes, you are correct, and the explanation is even more in debt in this chapter you will be reading. OK Ava, I understand what you're saying, but I don't think he ever accepted for himself that he had love. I think he believed he had love out of faith in Dumbledore, because Dumbledore told him he had love. He grew up at the Dursleys for all those years without any love whatsoever. Then suddenly he moves into a different part of his life he didn't know existed. He received love from his new friends and the Weasley family, but never knew it was love. He was never told he was loved. That's why it hit him so hard when Molly said he was as much her son. He was confused yet he liked it. He was exposed to love everyday and he liked what he felt. But, he didn't know it was love. Love to him was material things. Like when Dudley received large amounts of gifts always, or when Uncle Vernon was going to get a promotion, and the things they would be able to have if it came through. When he went to Hogwarts and met the Weasleys, he never experienced any of that again, although he felt Ron craved these things. It's like, and this is going to be extremely simple yet the meaning is the same. Say you lived, as long as you can remember until you was 11 years old, not knowing what ice-cream was. Then you moved to a place where you had ice-cream every evening after the main meal. You wasn't told what it was, it was just assumed you knew. All you know is that it's wonderful, and you look forward to having it everyday. Then they tell you to go to the Dairy Queen for some ice-cream. You're reluctant to go, because you want a bowl of what you have every evening. They say to you that you have had ice-cream every evening since you got there. So, on faith that they are telling you this as a truth, you go in search of a dairy Queen, to get some ice-cream, believing you will know it when you taste it. This is the same as Harry and love. This is how he is able to compare himself and Voldemort. They were both without love. Harry compares himself to Voldemort quite a bit throughout the JK's story from beginning to end. He knew of their similarities, and was afraid much of the time that he would become him. And the reason he was able to go into the Forrest was his instinct to believe Dumbledore of this love he had. He acted on faith, and ended up killing Voldemort thinking he would be full of this love, but, he wasn't, he was empty feeling. So in his confusion he figured he needed to confront his worst fears, and when he overcame this, which was the Inferie, he figured that maybe Zombies would be worse, so he went in search of these hoping that he would feel different. He would have a place for love and compassion. He was a confused young man who couldn't see what everybody else knew, that he was very compassionate, and had loads of love. He went out to find out how to get it and experience it. It would only be then that he felt he would be able to justify marrying Ginny.
WEW! I guess I got somewhat long winded there. Sorry. It's just important that you understand Harry's reasoning and motivation, even though we know them to be unfounded. If he only knew what we know.
Thanks for reading and commenting. I love your comments and I promise I won't go off on a rant from now on.




Chapter 5

The Explanation

Harry checked his surroundings and looked at the house. Lights were on and now and then, he could see figures walk past the windows. He heard Hermione laugh uncontrollably and begging Ron to stop. Harry grinned at the picture in his mind of Ron tickling her, and wondered if they were married by now. His mind went back to the memory he had been reflecting on.

“Why are you leaving? I would have thought you and the Weasley child would get married and have a house full of…”

Harry was getting three canvases set up on easels he conjured out of air. Ignoring Snape, he started speaking.

“I don’t mean to belittle myself, or make it look like I’m full of myself,” at this his eyes flicked over at Snape. “But ever since the end of the war when I stood right here and repaired my wand with the Elder Wand, I have been able to do near impossible works of magic. If you two would be very still, I am going to have my wand paint your portraits. Professor, I’ll start with Snape, Professor Snape,” he corrected himself as the portrait was about to speak, “and while I paint him, you can explain how I am able to do all this magic suddenly.”

Harry held his wand loosely in his hand and it started applying paint on the canvas.

“Go ahead Sir. I’ll give you a place to start if you like. After the war was over, I came up here and put my broken wand on the desk. I told you that I had asked Hermione to fix it, and although she didn’t think it could be, she attempted anyway for my sake. Just as she thought, it snapped the first time I tried to use it. After that, I asked Ollivander if my wand could be fixed. He said he didn’t think that a wand broken as severely as mine has ever been successfully repaired. When I captured Draco’s wand, it felt like most other wands I’ve held, other than my own. It was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable to me, but worked just fine as if it was mine. Then when I captured The Elder Wand from Tom Riddle that night, it felt like coming home after being away for so long or something. I felt a surge go through me just like when I purchased my wand from Ollivander. I didn’t think much about it at the time, but I have been since then. When I repaired my wand with The Elder Wand, you were smiling. When I said I didn’t want to keep The Elder Wand, you were still smiling. I want to know what you know.”

Dumbledore smiled and his eyes twinkled. “I think you know the answer already son. However, I will fancy you with an explanation just to make sure. As you have already said before when we met in the other realm, I had intended for Professor Snape to win my wand. It was the plan. I imbued my powers and knowledge into the wand to give him certain advantages against Voldemort in the unfortunate event that…” his eyebrows furrowed slightly, and Harry nodded his head.

“In case I failed completely. If I didn’t kill Voldemort.”

“Yes, just in case. The mistake I made in this plan was not informing Severus what I did. So many things could have gone terribly bad if Voldemort had not died. I did not expect in my wildest dreams that Voldemort would end up with my wand. The good thing is you ended up with it. The moment you caught it, its allegiance went to you because you had won over Draco‘s wand, and along with that was my allegiance. Then when you touched your wand with my wand and repaired it, it transferred all its magical powers to yours. I wonder if you might know why it did that.” Dumbledore enjoyed the pleasure he had in making Harry figure these things out on his own.

Harry considered the question for a moment. “Ollivander says the wand is an extension of the user. It knew that I didn’t want the power. My plan was to let the power die with you. So for self preservation, it transferred to my wand.”

Dumbledore’s eyes shone with pride. That is exactly right. The wand you buried with me is now just a plain wand. Your wand is now the Elder Wand, plus everything I put in it, and of course everything that you made it; an extension of yourself.”

Harry looked at Dumbledore incredulously. “I have your powers and knowledge?”

“You do. It will come to you over a small period of time. You cannot just start spouting off the things I know. However, once you learn something, you will retain that knowledge and ability. In addition, you can use magic without the wand. You have already shown you can do this by making these easels appear out of thin air, and you used the wand to place them. The magic of a wand is channeling your thoughts and emotions to become a tool of direction and precision. The magic in you is being able to use your power. You will learn that when you use your energy, like when you set the lake on fire, it can kill you if you are careless and ask too much of it. You are very lucky that the lake wasn’t very deep or you would have used your energy even down to what it takes to blink an eye. Also, remember that the wand is an extension of you. It knew you didn’t want to set the lake on fire, but specifically that you wanted to burn every Inferi in the lake, so that’s what it did. I can give you another example right now.” He looked at the canvas and seen the portrait was almost done. “Any moment your arm is going to become so heavy feeling that you won’t be able to hold it up any more. You have been becoming more tired and have been very anxious for the portrait to be done.”

Just as he finished and smiled at the boy, Harry’s arm dropped to his side. Then, he backed into a chair behind him and sat into it heavily.

“But, I mean, it sounds like you’re saying it has a mind and can think.”

“It might sound that way, but what I said is that the wand is a tool of direction and precision. It is an extension of you, your mind. When it directs the magic with precision, it is using your mind to know what to do with the energy it is going to use in the form of magic. The wand is a living thing in as much that the neurons and fibers of what it was made from sends and receives messages from the users brain to it’s own power. As with all living things, it strives to keep living. That is why it transferred it’s powers to your wand without you even knowing it.”

“Also realize that when you are taught magic, you utter words and spells. This is because to many people they never have a bond with it. Once a wand feels attached to its owner, and confident in him or her, it understands the mind without the use of words or chants.”

“When your mother, Bless her, knew she was about to die, she enchanted you with a charm to protect you and then she dropped her wand in your crib beside you, with the hope that you would take the wand and protect yourself with it. And you did. Not with magic words but you pointed the wand at Voldemort and said, “Bad man go!” The wand was yours the moment it left your mothers hand, because she surrendered it to you. It obeyed your command and sent a rebound curse at Voldemort, thus making the bad man go, only by apparent death. And that‘s all that needs to be said about all that jazz, as kids have a fondness of saying these days.”

Now, I assume you will be doing my portrait next. Before you start, you should eat one of those wonderful Honeydukes Chocolate bars that Minerva has on her desk. Moreover, let that be a lesson. Every good wizard worth a grain of salt should always have a supply of chocolate in any form at his disposal. Lucky for you Remus knew this and had some on him that third year when you met the Dementors on the Hogwarts Express.”

He did remember feeling better quickly after eating some when the Dementor came on the train in his third year. Harry took some chocolate and ate it. Then he painted Dumbledore’s portrait and ate more chocolate.

“Why does it make me so tired to just paint a picture?” Harry asked.

“Because you aren’t just making a likeness, you are empowering the canvas with the very essence of us. The magical properties that make us talk to you from the dead.”

“Oh, well this one will be really exhausting then.” Harry directed his wand to the third canvas. He didn’t talk any while he concentrated with his eyes closed, and eventually a beautiful picture of Fawkes was painted on the canvas from Harry‘s memory. Once again, he fell heavily almost fainting into the chair. He was hoping for something and now was the time to test his theory.

“Well, at least it’s a nice picture for you to have, if you haven‘t killed yourself painting it. Just like always; you didn‘t listen to what you were just taught.” Snape said with the evil sneer Harry was accustomed to seeing on his face.

“Be quiet Poppa.” Harry said weakly. Then before Snape could recover his composure, Harry spoke to the painting. “Can you hear me Fawkes? Can you come to me?”

Dumbledore looked at Harry and then at the picture in total surprise. Just a few seconds later, Fawkes flew into the open window and alighted right there in the office on his perch that Minerva kept for sentimental reasons.

“Lo Fawkes” Harry was only just able to speak. “Would you please sing for me the song that lifts me up and strengthens me?”

Fawkes lifted his head proudly and emitted the most beautiful sound Harry had ever heard.

“Thank you Fawkes. You saved my life again,” he stated with much emotion and gratitude. He got up and added a perch to Dumbledore’s portrait. Immediately the picture of Fawkes went from his canvas to Dumbledore’s.

“Fawkes, my old friend! So good to see you.” he said while stroking his pet. “Thank you Harry. I have missed him for too long.”

“I’m happy to do it Sir, but I wanted to see if I could do it, because I think I’ll need him on my quest we’re going on.”

“Ah! Now we get to the real reason behind your arrogant …” However, Snape was not able to finish his snide remark. Harry had had enough.

“Look! I get it ok? I’m not as stupid or dense as you always accuse me of being. You hate me! You loath every cell in my body, and can’t stand for me to be alive. You’ve hated me since I was born. The very first time we made eye contact, I could feel your rage against me. I didn’t understand why. All those years I wondered why. Then I watched the memory you gave me. I found out you loved my mom, and you loved her ever since you first met when you were children. You never had another love the rest of your life. And the reason you hate me is that I was born James Potter’s son, and not yours. So! Let me tell you something. We; Professor Dumbledore, you, Fawkes, and myself, are going on a quest, and I don’t know where we’re going, or how long we’ll be gone. However, this I do know. Sometime between this minute and when we get home ‘POPPA’ ... YOU WILL LEARN TO LOVE ME, AND ... LOVE ME LIKE A SON! In addition, if you belittle me, curse me, or even just call me names, so help me, I will alter your portrait. Maybe put a smile on that face, give you a Mohawk, it could be anything. Do not assume this an idol threat. I’ll be too busy learning about these new powers and trying to survive to threaten you. You call me on this and it’ll just happen. Consider yourself forewarned.”

Harry turned from the portraits and rubbed his face with both hands, as if he could wipe away the agony he felt.

“I think,” he said softly turning again to look at both portraits, “that if both of you had talked to me, trusted me a bit more … I understand, Professor, that you had your reasons. Still, I think you were wrong on them.” He turned his eyes to Snape, and shook his head. “You didn’t have any justifiable reason to hate me. You treated me rotten and you have never given me a chance. I didn’t have anything to do with being born. I didn’t have anything to do with how my dad treated you. I was embarrassed and ashamed for what he did to you. Dad was a mean bully to you, for which much of, you brought on yourself. Still it was uncalled for, and totally out of line. You were an evil git to him, but that’s unimportant now. You were right, he was a bully, and he did strut about. He did grow up though, and he was a good and wonderful man. I loved him, though I didn’t know him. And you had no right trying to make me feel,” he checked up on himself shaking his head. “The point is, you’ll have to apologize to me for all the wrong you have done me. And I apologize right now, for all the mean things I thought and said of you. But, I mostly want to apologize for calling you a coward that night you killed Professor Dumbledore.”

He looked expectant at Snape, and then said, “Well, sometime you’ll have to get it done with. I’ll wait until you’re ready to man up and do the right thing. Now, I need to get supplies for the quest. Tell me everything I need to sit the sixth and seventh year-end exams. I want to be able to pass my last year of school. Kingsley has given me a list of books and things I‘ll need to start Aurors training.”

Harry pulled out his Moke skinned pouch Hagrid gave him and said, “I’ll be shrinking everything and putting it all in this. The first part of the quest I’ll be on my own and you’ll be in storage,” he tapped the bag, “and I’ll be collecting my thoughts to make sure I can live on my own, off of the land. When I’m confident I can, then I’ll get you both out daily and we’ll start my schooling while we’re traveling. Think of yourselves as a comfort of home for me, as I‘m sure I will be lonely.”

He went to a world globe on a small table near the desk and spun it. He rested his wand on it the same way he found the book he borrowed and the globe stopped so the wand was resting on an area in the Australian Outback. “This is where our journey begins.”

Harry gathered his things he needed and left the office. He was walking down the corridor to find Professor McGonagall to tell her he was done in the office and say good-bye, when from his knees down became drenched in fowl water. He looked up to see Filch with a bucket and mop. He threw the disgusting water on him purposefully it seemed to Harry. Without stopping, Harry quickly got his wand and caused the water to go back to Filch, soaking his legs too. Then he caused the water to go back into the bucket. After the water was off the floor, he dried the walkway so people wouldn’t slip and get hurt from Filch’s rudeness to Harry. “Watch what you’re doing there Filch!” he said a little hot under the collar.

“I was watching,” he said with a stupid evil looking grin on his face. I told you I would get even with you for reading my letter. You have no idea.” He walked away with his mop and bucket snickering like he really ruined Harry’s day.

“Evil git.” Harry remarked frowning as he watched Filch saunter away. Harry dried his feet and legs of his jeans and went home.

“It’s odd,” he thought, “that I never forgot the stench of that foul water.

Good chapter, I like

-Eviee <33

Thanks Eviee! I'm really glad. I was afraid it might be a little long. Thanks.

Oh yay more!! Another very well written chapter! This is definitely getting to the heart o things now! I like it. Pams!

Hi Connie! So sorry for the late reply. Uni has just started and I had to get myself busy during the past week to prepare for it. I haven't forgotten your wonderfull ff though. I was very much looking forward to reading yout latest chapter and I'm glad I didn't delay it for any longer. I liked the content. But before I comment on that, I'd like to say that I completely understand what you mean now in terms of the meaning of love in Harry's life. You're right, maybe he never fully understood he's own capability to love but has always been told that he had it in him by Dumbledore. He never fully understood it as you said. He had somewhat been deprived from it early in his life when hewas in most need of it (at the Dursley's and lack of nurturing parents). His condition in that sense was somewhat like Voldemort's childhood. But later on, he was directed in the right direction instead of letting the revengefulness get to his head. He didn't direct his angers on others but kept composed and straight headed. I also like your example with the ice cream. I always like your witty examples. It makes you think. I understand his motives better now from reading your explanations. This clarifies things. Thanks for taking all the time to respond to my comment Connie.

Wow! That's actually so cool! I love the intriguing things you come up with, like this one.

Gah! So so cool! I love this idea and the Dumbledore's explanations which followed this line. Amazing!

Your explanations make so much sense. Unfortunately J.K. Rowling never went in depth with how the transferring of magic through wand work and she never explained much what "a wand chooses a wizard" really means. She could have got Ollivander to explain it better to Harry like how you did.

I like the bit Dumbledore explained about Lily's protective charms and how it made the curse rebound. Also Harry's energy draining from painting the portraits was very intriguing. I loved the little banter between Snape and Harry. It was hilarious. Though for the most part it was very touching hearing them speaking such kind word to each other (by the end of their convo). And last but not least. Faux is just amazing, isn't he?

I can't wait to read about what quest Harry will be on next and this time it's more exciting since Dumbledore, Snape, and Faux are also involved.

Great chapter. PAMS!

Hey everybody, thanks for reading. I hope you are enjoying my story so far, and I'd like to say once again that JK Rowling is the founder of Harry Potter and the one making it possible for all these wonderful ff's here on SS to be written. This chapter is pretty long, but there are a lot of explanations revealed. I hope you enjoy reading it. If ever anyone has questions you can leave me a user note or PM me, and I will be more than happy to answer. Comments are welcome. Next week will be Chapter 7, "Nearly Killed By His Mentor"

ashfig: Hey Ashley, thanks for commenting. Yes, up until now was for setting up the story and the story after this one. I'm so glad you like my ff, and keep reading.

crookshanks_kitty: Hey Ava, thanks for reading and commenting. I'm glad things are clear now about how I wanted Harry's concept of love to be. The only thing is, I've been soooooooo hungry for ice-cream ever since then. (I've been a good girl and not gotten any, but it's been hard.) Well, the thing is, in her defense, Harry was eleven years old when he got his want. He was brand new to the magic world. If he had explained all this to him then, I expect it would have went over Harry's head. Also, I wonder if he (Ollivander) even knew the extent of a wands capabilities. When Harry asked about his wand being repaired, he said he hadn't heard of a wand in this bad condition being able to be fixed. And also when Voldemort had him captive, he couldn't give the information Voldemort needed. He said he didn't understand why the wand was acting the way it was. It's like Scientists and Doctors can tell us all day long how we are made and what our functions are, but they can't begin to tell who we are inside, and what causes us to smile, cry, blush... Nobody but an individual has the answers to that. And sometimes it takes us a very long time to find out who we are ourselves, because we are so complex. So, I think the wand is only understood by the owner after they are acclimated to each other. Bottom line, I don't think Ollivander knew and wouldn't have been able to tell Harry. Just my opinion.

Thanks for commenting Ava, and I do hope you enjoy these coming up chapters because they do involve more characters.



Chapter 6

Unloved and Unwanted

Harry stirred from his memories suddenly due to a rather loud clap of thunder. The storm was upon him. Brilliant lightening illuminated the surroundings. The wind started howling as it rushed across the rain-starved meadows and started picking up dust devils here and there, where patches of grass had died off from the heat and drought. Harry was about to set up a tent when another loud clap of thunder sounded and a large bolt of lightening streaked across the sky, searching for something to unleash it’s fury on. Harry new from the looks of things the Burrow would likely be a target as it was the tallest object around. Instantly Harry shot a protection charm at the house whose occupants were the people he dearly loved.

Just at that moment, someone charged and knocked Harry off his feet and there was a hand around his throat choking him. When he landed the man that attacked him fell heavily over top of him knocking the wind out of him. The man moved swiftly and got up on one knee, which he buried in Harry’s upper groin area. Then there was an explosion causing tremendous pain on the left side of his head, and he lost consciousness.

Harry came around to find he was lying on a kitchen table with many hands holding him down clear around him. Someone had a handful of his hair pinning his head tightly to the table. Anger rose quickly but silently at his treatment. He kept still with his eyes closed trying to think. He was in a desperate state he knew. His head was throbbing and he could feel the side of his head was wet with blood. There was also a horrible sickening pain below his abdomen, and whoever was holding his left leg was causing a pain like fire to shoot up his leg. He didn’t know how long he had been unconscious so he couldn’t tell how much blood he lost. However, judging from how woozy he was feeling it must be a considerable amount. His situation grew dire, and he was about to do something he didn’t want to do when a voice he recognized burst through the door shouting he had found “the bloody git’s wand.”

“Accio wand!” he thought quickly, and the wand left Ron’s hand. Ron looked shocked at his hand. He pointed suddenly at a wand suspended in air at the table.

“Stand back everyone.” Harry said with a very scratchy throat. Everybody moved away except the one holding his head to the table with his hair. He reached up and gripped the wrist, squeezed it tight then realized it was the wrist of a female. He felt her bone start to give, and he let loose quickly. Hermione cried out and stepped back holding her wrist.

“Why you bloody” as Ron charged the table, Harry put a freezing charm on him.

“Easy there Ron.” The pain in his head, upper groin area, and leg was causing tremendous pain, and a growing urge to vomit. Harry got off the table and stumbled between Molly and Ginny, then fell against the counter top. He rested against it until he felt sure he wouldn’t pass out or be sick.

“Everybody get over there. Go ahead and sit down. They just stood looking confused and scared. “Go sit on the couch, where ever you want as long as it’s over there. Everyone moved over to the couch and chairs where he indicated. Then Harry unfroze Ron so he could follow the others.

“Look, I’m sorry I hurt you Hermione.” A bag of crushed ice appeared on her wrist. “Hold that on there for fifteen minutes at a time. It’ll be ok. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Now, everybody just sit down and let me say something. Somebody attacked me outside and tried to kill me. I can’t think straight, but something doesn’t make sense. Somebody has been watching your place. I had to kill him. He’s out there under a round rock that I used to mark the spot where I buried him. Mr. Weasley? Did you see anyone when you got home?”

I didn’t see anyone, but I found you and brought you in here.” Mr. Weasley purposefully neglected to tell him he was the one who nearly killed him, and that rock was no longer marking the spot of a grave either.

“Well, thanks for coming home when you did. You must have scared off whoever else was out there. Thanks for bringing me in, but what is with treating me as if I’m a common criminal? Holding me down … Hermione trying to detach my scalp from my head … nobody talking to me.” He looked around and still nobody said anything until finally Arthur spoke.

“Why should we help you? You don’t belong here.”

These words cut into Harry deeply and he didn’t know what to do at first. Then he quietly spoke. “I see. Ok then … I’ll leave and never bother you again; if that’s the way you want it. Is that the way everyone feels?” He looked around at them all. They all nodded their heads in a confused way. He looked at Ginny.

“Ginny? Is that what you want?” he asked her dreading the response he was afraid he’d hear.

“Of course that’s what she wants! She isn’t going to marry you, and you’re crazy for thinking you could just come in here and make demands of us.” Ron was hot and bothered about this whole thing, and a little bit upset that he let the wand get away from him.

Harry was devastated. He thought back to when he wanted to make Ginny his girlfriend. He had been afraid it would become between his and Ron’s friendship. He was still looking at Ginny wanting her to speak and tell Ron to shut up, that she could speak for herself. However, she didn’t speak at all. She just looked in his direction in fear of something. “Was she afraid of him? How could she be?” Harry thought and then said,

“I guess the saying is true. One can never go home.” Harry was feeling sick, and his head was throbbing, making it difficult for him to think clearly. He was feeling like he was going to pass out. Maybe he could just die and get over with the pain of everything. The pain of loosing Ginny was overwhelming.

“Bill, I’ll come by Shell Cottage in the morning to conduct my business with you, if that’s agreeable. Professor, I’ll go up to Hogwarts right after that if it’s ok, and get squared away with you. Kingsley, I’ll go to the Ministry after that, and make an appointment with you. If that’s ok with you all then I’ll go ahead and leave now, and you can all get on with your merry lives.”

Still they just sat there. Then Mr. Weasley spoke. “Why won’t you show yourself so we know who we are supposed to be making plans with?”

“What?” This time Harry was confused. “Oh! I’m so sorry! I forgot I was invisible to you. I’m not thinking clearly.” He was excited understanding why they were confused and not welcoming him back. He waved his wand over himself and stood before them with a silly smile on his face. Still they didn’t say anything, and they still looked confused.

“Are we supposed to know you?” Bill asked, looking hard at the young man.
Harry stood in astonishment and answered weakly. “But you do know me. Yes! I’m Harry! Harry Potter? He added as it seemed just Harry was not good enough. He then lifted the hair off his forehead revealing the lightening bolt scar.

“That doesn’t prove anything, and you better remove it before you leave here. If you don’t then you’ll be arrested for impersonating Harry Potter. These past four years there have been many young men trying to prove they are Harry. In fact, Ginny has lost count of how many times Harry Potter proposed to her. The Goblins had to set up a special security force field around his vault to protect his wealth. It is now against the law for anyone to impersonate Harry Potter, punishable by imprisonment in Azkaban.”

Bill was now pacing the floor scrutinizing the young man. He was watching his expressions while Kingsley informed the stranger of these things.

“You’ll have to prove your claims, and you better have something good because we’ve seen plenty of really good ones and I doubt this time will be any different. You’ll soon be sitting in Azkaban with all the other imposters.”

Ron jumped up and came at Harry. He grabbed the front of his T-shirt, shook him, and jerked him towards him harshly. Harry’s legs buckled and he would have gone to the floor had it not been for Ron holding him up by his shirt.

“Stop!” The women all cried. “He’s hurt.” Ron held him for a moment longer then shoved him roughly backward. Harry fell back to the back of a chair that he was thankful was there. He leaned back against it to steady himself, getting that desperate feeling again. He was trying to think which was becoming more and more difficult. His injuries were starting to take their tolls on him.

“Take off your shirt, and let’s see how much you know about Harry. He’s got scars that only we know about.”

“Why can’t I just tell…?” Harry started but Ron rudely interrupted again.

“We won’t believe your lies. We can look at your scar work, and see how fake they are just for proof before we kick your sorry self in Azkaban. TAKE … OFF … YOUR … SHIRT!” He yelled at Harry.

Harry looked at Ron and then softly said, “Fine Ron. I’ll do you one better.” He swiftly flicked his wand over himself, and changed from his blue jeans, T-shirt, and trail boots, to nothing but a loincloth and his Moke-skinned pouch hanging on his hips. Better?” He asked with a definite edge to his voice. “This is what I wore while I lived in various jungles around the world for two and a half years. Can you see well enough, or shall I stand in a spot light?” He didn’t take his eyes off Ron, because for one reason he was furious that he needed to prove himself to his best mate and the other because his best mate was looking somewhat dangerous at the moment.

“These little ones on my hand are from flying keys from my first year at Hogwarts. This one is from the fang of a basilisk my second year. This one on my shoulder is from” But Ginny asked could he step forward so they could see better.

“Oh, er… ok.” he answered reluctantly. He limped forward not wanting to leave the chair he had been using to support himself. Ron looked over at Ginny and Hermione sitting on the edge of the couch looking at the scars all over him. They were about to ask why his left leg was wrapped from his knee to above his ankle, but Ron grabbed him before they could. “He’s fine where he’s at,” he said, jerking him back to the chair. Harry put his hand protectively just under his belly button, and his head swayed downward. It was taking all he had in him to keep from passing out.

“Ron, so help me, if you man-handle me again, I’m going to have to jinx you.” Although he said it quietly, Ron received the message loud and clear.

He took a shaky deep breath and continued with the scar tour. “This one on my shoulder is from the tail of a Hungarian Hornback Dragon when I was in the Tri Wizard Tournament in my fourth year. This one on my thigh is from pincers of a giant spider also from that year. This one, again from the same time period is where Wormtail sliced my arm open to take my blood to bring Voldemort back. Fifth year Umbridge had me torture myself leaving this scar that says, “I must not tell lies”. Sixth year Fenrir Greyback,” he gently moved the hair off of the left side of his shoulder showing a scar between his neck and shoulder, “attacked me from behind right after Po er I mean Professor Snape killed Professor Dumbledore. Er well, these ones are kind of hard to see because I have chest hair now, but this long diagonal one here is some sort of welt scar from the same night where Professor Snape magically lashed me for calling him a coward when I was chasing him trying to kill him for killing Professor Dumbledore. The year after that Ron, Hermione, and I went looking for Horcruxes. This one on my arm is from where Nagini bit me at Godric’s Hollow, and this scar is where Hermione had to burn the necklace that held one of the Horcruxes, off of me.” Next, he pointed to a place on his chest close to the burn. “This one none of you know about, but it’s from Narcissa. I think she saved my life that night. After Voldemort killed me, he sent her to check and see if I was dead. She put her hand under my shirt and asked me if Draco was alive and in the castle. I said yes, and she pierced my skin with the nail of her thumb. Pain wracked my body and I felt like it was going to finish me off. Nevertheless, I laid still and didn’t yell out. She turned around, showed my blood on her hand, and said I was dead. They were all laughing and mocking me. I knew what was about to happen. He was going to defile my body and I was trying to will myself not to move, to keep acting as if I was dead no matter what. Sure enough… Voldemort hit me with the Cruciatus Curse. I was flipping all over the place. He threw me up and down like a yo-yo. I didn’t scream or move at all. As a matter of fact, I didn’t feel a thing. I couldn’t move even if I wanted to. I think she used some sort of charm on me that had to be in my blood, and that is why she used her thumbnail. My body was completely void of any feeling, or control over it. It was as if I was dead. I was eventually able to move again just before Neville sliced off Nygini’s head.” Harry stopped talking and looked around. Nobody said anything although; he could hear crying softly from the women.

“That’s some story, convincing I might add.” Harry looked at Ron with hope.

“Convincing that you are not Harry Potter,” he added. “That last bit is completely made up. I’m Harry’s best mate, and he never told me of that. Nice try.” Ron scoffed and doubled his fist.

Harry reluctantly flipped his wrist and Ron flew backward and fell onto the couch beside Hermione. Harry knew he was about to pass out or die, and he really didn’t care which. He just hated Ron misunderstanding him and making assumptions on his part that wasn’t right.

“You haven’t changed at all, what with your obsessions with my scars. I didn’t tell you because I don’t think of my scars as something to brag about like you do. I wanted to try to forget. People always wanted to talk about the war, and what happened in the Forrest. I don’t wear these scars as a badge of honor, or points of interest to talk and brag on Ron, I’m forced to wear them as a reminder of pain, suffering and killings.”

“You know what? He said in a defeated voice, “I don’t know of any other way to convince you.” He turned and opened the pouch on his hip and three canvases appeared on easels. They saw a picture of Fawkes, and two blank canvases. “Professor McGonagall, the day I left I was in your office. When you left, this is what I did. I made these paintings and took them with me.” He spoke then to the canvases. “Professor Dumbledore Sir? Poppa?” Immediately the two appeared and at once looked worried. “What’s happened?” Snape demanded. Harry touched their faces and with tears streaming down his face he said, “They don’t know who I am. They demanded proof, and I did the best I could, but they don’t know who I am. They want to put me in Azkaban for impersonating myself. I’ve completed my quest and it’s all for nothing, because I think I’m about to die. Thanks for teaching me everything and for being my friends.” He started to turn then spoke to Bill. “Bill, please give Ginny the keys to the house. There will not be any problem with her owning it. I left everything to her in my will. Ginny, I have always loved” but he couldn’t finish because he passed out, and fell to the floor.

OMG OMG OMG!!! AHHHH! WHAT?!!!! HAAARRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!! POPPA?!!!! HUH????

(sorry i got a bit carried away) woah its definitely getting good! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS! *hides/peeks from behind couch* write more soon! amazing!

Hello everyone, and thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy this chapter and next Fridays chapter will be, Chapter 8, 'Dumbledore Spills The Beans." It will be where you start finding out some of the things Harry went through while he was away. Thanks again for reading, and any comments are welcome.

ashfig; Hey Ashley, thank you so much for reading and commenting. You are very sweet to say my story is amazing. I'm glad you like it. Hope this chapter is to your liking as well.



Chapter 7

Nearly Killed By His Mentor

“Harry!” Ginny screamed as she rushed to him. She gently cradled his head in her lap. “Daddy? Daddy is he dead? He’s so still. I can’t feel him breathing.”

Arthur put his hand over his heart and silently begged it to please be beating. Then he sighed with relief. “Yes, he is alive, but only just. He started lifting the matted down bloody hair from the side of Harry’s face, to check the extent of his injury.

“But how can this be Harry? He doesn’t look anything like him. He doesn’t sound like him, and he doesn’t even act like him! It can’t be him.” Ron said as he looked worriedly at the young man he knew really was Harry.

“Would you people quit gawking at him and tend to his injuries?” demanded an irate Professor Snape.


“Yes, and do please tell us how he is in this dire state of need. He was perfectly happy and uninjured when we arrived here late this afternoon.” Dumbledore continued for Snape with a calm voice, but definitely not the least bit happy with the situation at hand.

“Shall we start at the beginning while Molly and Minerva attend to our splendid young man?” Snape and Dumbledore looked at them expectantly.

Mr. Weasley spoke. “That would be me starting then. Yes, well, I popped home just outside the yard and quickly examined the area for magic used in the area. It all happened so quickly. It was fixing to blow in a big storm. The wind, thunder and lightening was something fierce. I found an area that was still charged with magic. There was a round rock over the spot, and I picked it up to examine the area. All at once, a loud clap of thunder boomed and lightening lit up the sky. I looked up just in time to see a gold bolt of light from right beside me shoot our house. I could tell that it was a powerful wizard to be able to shoot a stream of magic from that distance and hit the house. I tackled it with my left hand just above the streamline. I was lucky and my hand met his throat. My weight and momentum carried me to the ground and I landed over him. I got up and planted my knee on him and I still had a good hold on his throat. He was very strong and had nearly pushed me off him. I brought my right hand around, knowing where his head was then; I hit him on the left side of his head. However, I forgot I still had the rock in my hand. As soon as I hit him, he stopped struggling.

It terrified me. I tried to lower the invisibility charm around him, but couldn’t do it. I tried to feel for a pulse, but his beard and hair was in the way. All I could find out was that he was bleeding badly, because there was a pole of blood gathering. I picked him up, brought him in here, and laid him on the table. I told everyone he was a powerful wizard and that he had fired a spell on the house. We were enraged, and were feeling good because we thought we caught the villain the threat came from.”

“What threat would that be?” Snape asked, clearly not enjoying the explanation so far.

“This one.” answered Bill, getting a note on a piece of parchment. “It says that Harry Potter is dead, and that he left a will for Ginny to inherit everything. It left us an ultimatum. We were to arrange for Ginny to marry one of them, or our world as we know it was going to end tonight if we didn’t comply.”

“What?” Ginny asked abruptly. “I didn’t know anything about this. When did all this take place?”

“You were playing in your last three games of the season Ginny dear. We didn’t want to distract you.” We had everything under control. Molly explained.

“Ah, so understandably you were concerned for the safety and well being of your family and home, as you should be. What did you do then to make sure you had the right man, instead of tending to the injuries?” They all squirmed under the weight of guilt he was loading on them.

“Well Sir,” Hermione started apologetically. “He was invisible so we couldn’t see what needed fixed or how to fix it.” As soon as she said it, she wished she hadn’t.

“So the bleeding had stopped then. There wasn’t anymore blood dripping onto the table when he was laid down?” asked Dumbledore. He turned his eyes on the table to see a pool of blood.

“We thought he was trying to kill us!” she came back. “We were glad we caught him, his safety and well being, wasn’t on our priority list. Except for Mrs. Weasley,” she added softly. We wanted to try to remove his invisibility spell, and couldn’t, so we were trying to get an idea of how big he was for when he came around. We didn’t want to allow him to over power us and get away. Mrs. Weasley wouldn’t let us bind him for fear of doing more damage to him. So, we all held him. In doing that, we could tell he was on the shorter side of average height. Also, we could tell he had a very good build. I mean his skin was tight over hard muscles even though he wasn’t using them. He is very lean, no fat on him at all and…”

“Come on Mione, he’s not all that…”

“Yes he is! RONALD!” Put in Ginny defensively. She sat at Harry’s feet to give her mom and Professor McGonagall room to tend to him. Molly had his hair cleaned of the blood and wanted to cut it so it would heal better. However, Ginny forbid it, and she continued on applying a bandage wrapping it around his head to secure it. Minerva poured a sticky substance over his upper groin suspecting torn muscles from Arthur’s knee. The substance absorbed into Harry. Then she poured some on his throat where he was choked. “That won’t mend them altogether, but, it’ll allow them to at least be more bearable.”

“Unless someone needs to jerk him around some more.” Ginny snapped at Ron.

“I was only trying to get him to…”

“Can we please move along without the offense and defense teams?” Snape said impatiently, sneering at Ron and Ginny.

“It was at this time I asked Ron to go out and see if he could find the wand.” Arthur continued quickly. It wasn’t in his hand when I brought him in.”

“And I did to! Out in the night and the pouring freezing rain, with the thunder and lightening I went out there.” he put in. With an afterthought he said, “That was childish of me. I’m sorry. Something I’m working on,” he added softly and hung his head.

Hermione squeezed his hand and gave him a small smile. She was proud of him.

“While Ron was searching for the wand, we began discussing the reason Kingsley and I was here. We each received a note requesting us to meet out here tonight. We wondered if it came from Harry, but the handwriting looked like yours Albus. We couldn’t figure it coming from Harry because his handwriting is atrocious, but still for some reason we thought we were summoned out here for his coming home. That’s when Ron ran in and announced he found the wand.”

“So in all you would say the amount of time he bled on the table and while he was proving who he was maybe forty minutes?” Dumbledore inquired.

“Yes, that’s probably close to accurate.” Bill answered.

“So, he has lost a considerable amount of blood. Then he passed out because of this and the obvious pain from trauma, and not from other injuries we don’t know about.” Everyone nodded their heads with mixed emotions. They were hopeful that he would be ok, and sad that they didn’t believe him right away.

“The note was from Harry, Minerva. You had that figured nicely. The reason it looks like my handwriting is because when he asked us to make a list of everything he would need to finish school, I put some of my manuscripts on it. Then when we started his studies, the first thing I made him do was trace my writing repeatedly until it could pass as mine. We told him we wouldn’t even look at his work until his writing was decent. It would be a waist of everybody’s time if we couldn’t read his work. So, he mastered it, and I must say Severus and I are quite pleased with his work and accomplishments.” he said with a proud nod of his head and a twinkle in his eyes.

“Yes we are,” added Snape with a smile on his face, as he looked at Harry lying on the couch.

Ron spoke up. “I don’t mean to sound rude or anything, but why is it you talk so highly of him now? You always said he was stupid and his brain was the size of a pea or something like that. And, why does he call you Poppa? And you … actually … smile at him.”

To everyone’s surprise, Snape smiled. “Let’s just say Harry is a man of his word, and that he … altered my opinion about the size of his brain.”

“Oh come now Severus. I thought the smile was very becoming of you. I wasn’t fond of the Mohawk, but, the earrings were a nice touch.” Dumbledore was having fun with Severus’s embarrassment, as everyone was looking at him with their mouths dropped open and eyebrows arched to the top of their heads.

“Oh my! Is that why you wouldn’t visit Hogwarts for a week?” Minerva questioned with a smile coming to her face at the image her imagination gave her.

“Can we just get on with the matter at hand?” Snape asked grumpily.

“Yes, of course,” Dumbledore cleared his throat and reminded them where the story left off at. “I believe Ron had just found the wand and ran in with it.”

“Yes, and he got it away from me. It just appeared in his hand. We didn’t know he woke up. He didn’t move a muscle.”

“Ah yes, you see,” Dumbledore explained, “he trained himself to do that because when sleeping in the jungle, you need to not make sudden movements when you wake, because you might have poisonous bed partners when you wake up, and they don’t like being startled.”

They stared at Harry wondering how many times that happened until he was trained not to move.

“Anyway,” Hermione snapped out of her thoughts. “He had the wand and told us all to move over there. We couldn’t see where he was pointing ‘because he was still invisible. Everyone moved away from him, except me. I still had a great big handful of his hair holding him tight to the table. All the sudden he had my wrist and squeezed it so hard I thought it was going to break. He let go right away. I think he realized it was a female was holding him. I don’t blame him for hurting me though. It had to have hurt him, me holding him down by his hair. When I screamed he froze Ron who was going to save me. He got up too fast I think because he fell between Ginny and Mrs. Weasley and then stumbled into the counter behind him. He said, … well he said that phrase that you can never go home, and that he needed to see Bill, Kingsley, and Professor McGonagall. Mr. Weasley said to lower his invisibility so we could see who he was. He had forgotten it was still on, and he was sure we’d know him when he lowered it, because he was smiling when he became visible.”

“We still didn’t know him,” Arthur picked up the story, only to be interrupted by Ginny.

“Ron got pushy with him, after he told us who he was. He told him to take off his shirt so we could see his scars that nobody knows about but us. That’s when he switched his clothes to this thingy he’s wearing now.”

Ron counter attacked Ginny to defend the reasoning for his rough treatment of Harry. “Well, he said he was Harry Potter and yet he doesn’t look sound or act like Harry. His voice is all scratchy and deeper. He doesn’t have glasses”

“Perhaps he lost them when he was tackled to the ground,” suggested Dumbledore.

“Or when he was battered to near death with a rock.” added Snape. “And his voice would sound that way being strangled as he had been.

“Perchance someone might go to the door and see if they can summon his glasses,” proposed Dumbledore.

Ron went to the kitchen door and spoke, “Accio Harry Potter’s glasses!”

In a few seconds, Harry’s broken glasses zoomed to his hands. He took them in and Mr. Weasley repaired and cleaned them. He was holding them and folded them closed.

“So, like Ron was saying, he wasn’t wearing glasses, he has a beard and mustache, his hair is long and curly down to his lower back, and his skin is weathered and quite tanned. He isn’t skinny, but lean. He has muscles all over him, not huge, but certainly much more than what we remember him having. And, he has all these scars all over him. They look like they were from knife wounds, some sort of round wounds from weapons of some sort most likely, and obvious animal bites.”

“Yes, he has been through a lot during his quest.” We should let him rest and Severus and I can fill you in on some things I know he would never tell anyone. Not confidences, but things that happened and he doesn’t want people to think he was bragging about. He’s not proud of some things he’s had to do.

Hey Connie, I love your story do far!

starting to catch up!

i find it hilarious that Flitch still remembers that!!!

and I love how well prepared Harry is!

p.s faux = fawkes?

ooh can't wait for more! PLEASE WAKE UP HARRY! PAMS!