Harry chuckled, "I guess I can't deny that..."
Ron and Hermione shook there head in exasperation. It seems that being a powerful wizard sometimes came with the side effect of being dumb.
Harry turned to them with a smile. "But you know I have completed the spell now." he said, "You can scan and transfer the information in one book directly into your mind without any side effects at all. I won't let you try the spell for getting multiple books since it requires a bit more control."
Both Ron and Hermione gawked at him. Doesn't that mean that they could use that spell to learn anything and everything? Their earlier anger seemed to be slowly replaced by excitement and disbelief.
"You mean," Hermione began, "that we could actually use that spell to catch up to you? We could learn everything in this library too?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, in theory you can. Although it would take you a lot of time since you will only be able to transfer one book every week."
"Although transfering books into your mind would do you no good if you aren't able to understand them." Harry quickly added.
Ron and Hermione's excitement dimmed slightly, confusion crossing their faces.
"What do you mean, 'won't do us any good'?" Ron asked, furrowing his brow. "If we have all that knowledge, we should be able to use it, right?"
"I don't think so. Just because you have all the information doesn't mean you'll be able to use it right away. You need to understand how magic really works first. Otherwise, it's like... well, it's like knowing everything about chess but not knowing how the pieces move." Harry replied.
Hermione piped up, "So you mean to say that we will have to learn the principles behind every spell or magic?"
Harry thought about it for a while. "Not exactly. You have to learn the principles behind magic," he began, "Remember the books I gave you guys for Christmas?"
"Unlocking your Magic: A beginner's guide and The Essence of Magic: Understanding Your Power right?" Hermione answered.
"Yeah, good thing you remember the name." Harry replied. "Yeah, if you read those books properly and understand everything, you will get the insight you need."
Ron nodded thoughtfully, "I had started to read it but I haven't finished it yet. It was definitely interesting."
"Yes, it is." Harry smiled.
"Harry... what is magic for you?" Hermione asked.
Harry blinked at Hermione's question, thrown off for a moment. He hadn't really expected such a deep question from anyone. Has he ever thought what magic is for him? Yes, he was thrilled to be a wizard. Yes, he was powerful. More powerful than anyone and his powers were always continuosly growing. But what was magic to him?
"I don't know, Hermione." Harry replied thoughtfully. "I have never thought of it. Does it have to mean something to me?"
Now it was Ron and Hermione's turn to be caught off-guard by the response. They thought Harry would give some answer highlighting his love for magic or something similar. But they had not expected Harry to just casually ask if magic has to mean something to him.
Hermione frowned, clearly thinking through Harry's response. "I just thought... with how powerful you are, maybe you had some deeper connection to magic. You know, like how Dumbledore always talks about it like it's this force that's more than just spells. Like it's part of who we are."
Ron nodded in agreement, though he seemed just as puzzled. "Yeah, mate, with how you do magic—like it's second nature—I figured it would mean something more to you."
"Maybe someday it will," Harry replied slowly. "Right now, I just use it. It feels… natural. Like it's always been there, waiting for me. But as for what it means? I don't know yet."
Both Ron and Hermione nodded at his answer thoughtfully. Harry glanced at the clock and realized how late it was getting. "We should get going for dinner," he said as he got up from the chair.
Ron and Hermione both glanced at the clock at Harry's mention of dinner and realized that they were late. Both of them got up, and the trip began making their way out of the Room of Requirement's small library. The door disappeared the moment they steooed out into the corridor. As they were heading towards the Great Hall, a suddedn thought struck Harry—something important, something he had almost forgotten.
He stopped abrupty, mentally cursing himself for forgetting something so important. "You two go on ahead. I'll join you in a bit."
Ron gave him a puzzled look. "What? Why?"
"Just remembered something I need to check on," Harry replied quickly. "Don't worry. I won't be long."
Hermione raised her eyebrows but didn't press further. "Alright, but don't take too long, Harry. Dinner will be over soon."
"Yeah, mate, don't wanna miss out on the pudding!" Ron added with a grin before the two of the continued down the corridor. Harry watched them until they turned a corner and disappeared from sight.
Once they were gone, Harry turned back towards the door that had vanished the moment they had left the room.
He cursed himself as he had forgotten a major piece of information. The Room of Requirement wasn't just a place to study and practice magic—it was also a place where people hid things. And among those hidden items, there was supposed to be a Horcrux.
Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem.
At least in the original story it was. The Diadem, one of the seven pieces of Voldemort's soul, was hidden somewhere in the Room of Requirement's storage.
He hoped it was there. This universe had been full of surprises and changes to the original story he had read in his previous life. If the Horcruz wasn't there, things would become far more complicated. But there was only one way to find out.
With a determined breath, Harry began pacing back and forth in front of the blank wall, thinking clearly, I need a place to hide something. A place where no one will find it.
On the third pass, a door appeared—a different door from the one leading to the small library they had just left.
As Harry stepped inside, he was greeted with piles and piles of forgotten items and lost objects. It was a chaotic tangle of broken furniture, old books, dusty objects and over hundreds of years of abandoned items from everywhere in the castle.
"I need to find it quickly," Harry muttered to himself. He knew it would be stupid to look through all the objects himself. He didn't have enough time. He needed to look through the entire room fast. So he did the most obvious thing.
Harry let out his magical energy and spread it out throughtout the room. His magical energy snaked through the piles of discared items, scanning every nook and cranny. He could see everything his magical energy was scanning. Every broken furniture, every old book, every dusty objects... everything was visible to him as his magical energy scanned throughout the room.
Minutes passed by and Harry's heart started to sink as his search came up empty. He retracted his magic and pushed it out again, this time even more densely. He searched every corner, every chest and any crevices of the room where the Diadem could be. But no matter how hard he looked, there was no sign of the Diadem.
The Diadem which was supposed to be in the Room of Requirement like in the original story... didn't exist in this universe. This complicated things far more than he had expected.
"Damn it!" he cursed under his breath. This more or less hinted that he had no idea about the rest of the Horcruxes too. Which in turn means that he would have to look for them without any clue. The Diadem wasn't here, and that meant Voldemort had hidden it elsewhere—or worse, changed the object entirely. He ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing.
If the originial horcruxes were changed in this universe then that means he needed to start searching for them immediately.
"Things got out of control again..." Harry muttered as he ran his hand through his hair again. Despite not finding the Diadem, something else had caught his attention earlier—books. As his magic had scanned through everything, he had picked up the names of many books that seemed really interesting.
"At least I didn't come here for nothing," Harry muttered, deciding to take those books with him.
He summoned all of the books and put it into his pouch for later. With that he got out of the room and started walking towards the Great Hall.
The possibility of the Horcruxes being different in this universe really weighed down on his mind. Since now, he knows that either the Horcruxes are different completely or they are hidden somewhere completely different, he would have to start the search immediately. He couldn't take the chances.
"I really didn't want to do this... " Harry muttered. As much as he disliked involving Dumbledore, he couldn't deny that the Headmaster was the only person with means necessary to help him right now.
Moreover Snape would be great help. Since he was a death eater, he might have at least some kind of information.
"Looks like I'm going to need both of them for this one," Harry sighed. He would need to put firm boundaries as he included Dumbledore to ensure that he didn't keep information to himself like in the original story.
Now that he thought about it, it was best if he got the Sorcerer Stone as fast as possible. With that thought in mind, harry quickly Apparates to the third-floor corridor. He figured that since everyone was at dinner, no one would be around to see him. He materialised in front of the heavy door without any sound.
He looked at the door, behind which Fluffy, the Cerberus was stationed. Thankfully he didn't have to go through all those defences, since he could directly apparate into the chamber where the Mirror of Erised was.
Harry chuckled to himself, thinking how much of an advantage he had over others, since he was able to Apparate in Hogwarts.
Taking a deep breath, he let out his magical energy again, letting it slip through the door and down the corridor. Just like in the original story, the defenses guarding the Sorcerer's Stone included Fluffy, Devil's Snare, the enchanted keys, the chessboard, a troll, the potions riddle and finally, the Mirror of Erised.
He let his magical energy scan the chamber where the Mirror of Erised was, so that he could form a perfect mental image needed for the Apparation. After about five minutes of looking at the chamber through his magical energy, Harry withdrew his magic and Apparated directly into the chamber.
The air inside felt almost damp and the chamber was quite unusually cold. The walls were dimly lit with flickering torches. Harry looked around to see the chamber. Just as his magical energy had scanned, it was completely empty, save for the Mirror. There were no pictures, furnitures nothing except the Mirror of Erised which stood in the center of the room.
He looked at the mirror. It had an ornate frame with ruins etched on the frame. The runes spelled 'Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi' and it's meaning was "I show not your face but your heart's desire."
It was definitely an interesting magical artifact nonetheless. If Harry could, he would love to study it and figure out how it worked, but he didn't exactly have the time for it right now. Still he wanted to see, what was it that his heart desired for most.
Taking a deep breath, Harry stepped forward until he stood directly in front of the Mirror of Erised and looked at his reflection.
Slowly his reflection began to change. First, he saw his own face or rather Harry's face. Then the reflection morphed into something more. Two figures appeared behind him, standing proudly, with warm, loving expressions: his parents from his old world, alive and well. They looked healthy and happy, smiling at him with pride on their faces. His mother put her arm on his shoulder while his father beamed at him.
Harry's heart clenched painfully as their deaths flashed in front of his mind. They were right there close enough to touch, yet he would never be able to.
But as he watched, the image shifted again. Four more figures materialized—his new family, The Dursleys and Sirius. Petunia and Vernon stood by his old parents, smiling at him with warmth and affection. And Abigail stood next to him, holding his hand and smilling mischieviously at him. Sirius stood to one side with his usual grin.
Harry smiled. It was weird but he had come to love this family of his just as much as he loved his parents from his past life. He just wished that he would be able to protect this family. Finally, just as Harry was about to turn around, a figure he hadn't expected appeared.
Rea stood next to him in the mirror wearing her famous smirk that had always meant trouble. Tall, with dark brown hair that was tied in a high ponytail and striking blue eyes. She looked the same as the last day he had seen her. His best friend that no one could compete with, now stood next to him, part of this impossible family. Tears ran down his cheeks as Harry looked at the reflection in front of him.
Harry tore his gaze away from the mirror, shaking his head to clear his mind. This isn't real, he reminded himself. None of this is real.
He didn't have time to dwell on these things anymore. He needed to get the Stone fast and switch it with a different one. So once again like clockwork, Harry let out his magical energy and let it seep into the mirror. Just as he had expected there were multiple alarm wards that would have notified all the professors including Dumbledore immediately if the Stone is taken. In addition to those alarm wards, there were many other wards and charms in place that would stop the person trying to get the Stone in various ways. From petrifying them to stunning them, a lot of wards were placed to keep the Stone safe.
Harry smiled, yes this was perhaps one of the most secure object he had seen in a while, but it was still nothing since he would be able to bypass those wards easily. At his thought, Elythral materialised in his hand and Harry began to work on getting the Stone without triggering any of the wards or charms.
Harry unraveled layers through layers of magic without breaking any of them. It was almost as if he guided his magical energy through nooks and crannies of the spells without triggering them to get to the Stone. Moments later, there was a faint flicker and Harry extended his hand. The Stone simply appeared in his hand, almost as if it had always been there.
No alarms. No disturbances. The enchantments on the Mirror, continued their work, blissfully unaware that they very thing they protected had been switched by Harry. Harry smirked as his hand closed around the pulsing red Stone. This was the most intense challenge he had in a while and it felt good to crack it open.
With a last glance at the Mirror of Erised, Harry pocketed the real Sorcerer Stone and Disapparated without a single sound.
Harry appeared in the Owlery without a sound. The owls turned around to see him as he suddenly appeared there. He had chosen the Owlery as his destination due to the fact that it would be easier to explain if someone saw him.
Now, with everyone returning to their dormitories and common rooms after dinner, the corridors were becoming crowded, making any other location risky. With that he started walking back to the Gryffindor common room, his footsteps echoeing quietly on the stone floor.
After a good ten minutes of walking through the castle's quiet corridors, Harry finally reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. As soon as he stepped inside, his eyes fell on Ron and Hermione, who were standing near the dormitory staircase. The moment they saw him, they hurried over.
"Harry, where were you? You said you'd be at dinner," Hermione asked. Ron stood beside her, his arms crossed, waiting for an explanation.
Harry said out loud, "I lost track of time when I went out to send a letter back home." While using Legillimency, he slipped into Ron and Hermione's mind.
"I was looking for something," Harry's voice echoed softly in their heads. "I thought I'd be able to join you for dinner, but then I realized it was the perfect opportunity to grab the Sorcerer's Stone."
Hermione and Ron blinked as Harry finished. They were having a hard time processing what Harry just said.
"Before you two ask, yes I got the Stone and its in my pocket right now." Harry spoke again in their minds.
Ron and Hermione stood frozen as Harry's words settled in.
"Wait, you actually have it?" Ron asked, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes darted to Harry's pocket.
"Yes, I do," Harry replied calmly as he handed his pouch to Ron. "I need you to keep this safe. Don't open it. Neither of you should, not until I am back and be ready to leave."
Hermione furrowed her eyebrows. "Harry, where are you going?"
Harry looked at her. "I don't know exactly," he lied. "But something—" He hesitated just long enough to make them believe. "Something's telling me I need to go to Dumbledore's office. It's like... an intense feeling. I can't explain it, but I just know I have to go."
Hermione looked at him quizzically but didn't ask anything. Ron who was holding the pouch looked equally puzzled.
"Are you sure, mate?" Ron asked.
"Yes," Harry said already turning towards the portrait hole. "I'll be back soon."
Without another word, he left the common room, leaving Ron and Hermione puzzled. But what neither of them knew was that this so-called "feeling" Harry had mentioned was nothing. He had devised this plan of getting Dumbledore and the Order after the Horcruxes without revealing all of his cards. For this he would stage a possession by Praesidius.
While it felt bad using her name to manipulate others, Harry was sure she would understand since he was only doing it because he was doubtful about his knowledge of the original Horcruxes. And bringing a god into the equation entraled that Dumbledore would not be the shot caller and hence he could not gatekeep any information.
Harry just hoped that Praesidius wouldn't be too angry with him. He would explain it to her properly if he met her. But for now he would have to use her.
As he made his way towards Dumbledore's office, he fine tuned his little plan on how he would proceed and everything. He would have to reveal only the necessary information to make Dumbledore believe it. And while he was at it, it might help if he could get some favors done for himself.
Harry reached the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office. He used his magic to pry out the password and soon he was in front of the small wooden door.
Just as Harry was about to push open the small wooden door to Dumbledore's office, he heard voices from within. Pausing, he listened carefully.
"...finished setting up everything for Potter's potion mastery exam." Snape was saying. "All I need is your approval for him to appear for the exam."
Harry's heart skipped a beat in excitement. His title of a Potions Master was just around the corner. But still he would deal with it later. It certainly helped that Snape was in the room because he needed him too.
Taking a deep breath, Harry knocked on the door.
"Enter," Dumbledore's voice sounded.
Harry stepped inside, and both Snape and Dumbledore turned to face him. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled behind his half-moon spectacles, and warm smile spread across his face. "Ah, Harry. It seems the person of interest has arrived at just the right time."
Snape too gave him a curt nod.
Dumbledore gestured toward the chair in front of his desk. "Please, sit. What brings you here this evening?"
Harry furrowed his brows and hesitated for a moment, painting the perfect expression of confusion on his face. "I... I'm not entirely sure, Professor," he began. "I just... I felt like I had to be here."
Dumbledore raised his brows slightly. "You felt lik you had to be here? Could you describe this feeling?"
"It was like..." Harry maintained a confused expression. He didn't finish his words but instead allowed his magical energy to surge from within him. The power was so strong that it made everything rattle and things were blasted off.
Both Dumbledore and Snape immediately drew their wands at the sudden surge of magical energy.
Harry kept his face neutral, but inside, he was carefully manipulation his magical energy to make one of his eyes change into deep sparkling blue color while also having his magical energy chill the room.
Dumbledore's expression shifted from curiosity to concern as he noticed Harry's eyes. Snape looked equally concerned and seemed to be confused whether to approach Harry or fire a spell at him.
"Finally... we meet, Albus. I have watched you over the years," Harry said in his changed voice. He had tried the best impression of Praesidius's voice and was glad when it worked.
Dumbledore's gaze sharpened at the changed voice. "Harry...?"
"No, Albus. I am not the boy." Harry continued with a small smile. "My name is Praesidius, and in your terms, I am a guardian god of this world."
Snape's eyes narrowed, but he remained silent. Dumbledore leaned forward with curiosity and wariness. "A guardian god...?"
"Yes... I have been guarding this world for many millenia." Harry replied then looked at Snape who still had his wands raised. "You needn't worry. The boy is unharmed. I am merely borrowing his body for a brief moment—there is something of great importance I must speak to you about."
Snape lowered his wand and looked at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore looked at Harry with caution in his eyes. "And what might that be?"
The air grew heavier as Harry stepped forward. "Time if of essence, Albus. You must act immediately on the information I bring, for this world teeters on the edge of calamity."
Dumbledore's face tightened. "Calamity? Do you refer to Voldemort?"
Harry flickered his eyes. "The danger ahead is not simply Voldemort, though he plays a part. There is something far more sinister at work... something beyond your current understanding."
The silence that followed was tense. Both Dumbledore and Snape looked horrified at the thoughts of something more sinister than Voldemort. Dumbledore asked. "What is this greater threat, then?"
"Voldemort is but a pawn, a piece on the board of a much larger entity," Harry replied. " And no, I cannot reveal its nature to you—not yet. But hear this, Albus: even my powers would barely scratch the surface of its might."
A cold shiver ran down both Dumbledore and Snape's body. They were shook with the revelation that what they had considered a great threat was nothing but a pawn.
Snape asked. "What is it that you want of us?"
"I want all of you to start preparing..." Harry replied with a gaze to the ceiling. "Now, to the matter at hand—Horcruxes."
Dumbledore's eyes widen slightly. Snape looked at Dumbledore with a confused look.
"Voldemort has split his soul into seven fragments, anchoring himself to this world. I cannot tell you what or where these Horcruxes are, but that is your task. Use all you resources, every connection, and find them. Destroy them. Because this world would not be able to handle Voldemort if he rises again."
Dumbledore took a deep breath. "I understand. But why come to me now, Praesidius?"
Harry's mind raced trying to form an answer.
"I have waited long, Albus. Harry's body... it was not powerful enough for me to possess until now. His magic has grown, and only now can I fully manifest without risking harm to him," Harry said, keeping his voice calm yet commanding. "No other body in this world would be able to withstand my presence. It would have shattered them, and I could not take that risk."
Harry knew he couldn't continue this much longer before either Snape or Dumbledore figured out what was happening.
"One more thing, Albus, and this is crucial: you must not withhold information. Share everything with your Order. Secrecy, in this case, will only lead to catastrophe." Harry's voice held a warning note, sharp and firm.
Dumbledore was reluctant but he nodded. "And what must I do about Harry?"
"Nothing, Albus," Harry responded firmly. "Harry is not someone who needs to be constantly shielded or guided. He requires opportunities, not protection. Influence and achievements will come naturally to him, but he must earn them on his own. Do not coddle him or try to safeguard him from the challenges ahead. He doesn't need that.
With that Harry slowly withdrew his magical energy back into his body. He slowly started changing his eye color back to normal.
Harry swayed on his feet for a moment, blinking rapidly as if disoriented. He raised a hand to his temple, massaging it gently as a dull ache surfaced, the remnants of his borrowed power echoing within him. "...I don't know. I felt this pull, like something wanted me here... but then... I can't really remember." He completed the sentence from before, casting a puzzled glance at Dumbledore and Snape, silently questioning why they still had their wands drawn.
This helped sell the possession act completely.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, though his face remained serious. "It seems, Harry, that something more than just a simple feeling brought you here."
Harry stared at him, bewildered. "Did... did I say something? I feel like something just... happened."
Dumbledore exchanged a brief look with Snape before stepping forward. "Perhaps, Harry, this is something we should discuss at another time. For now, I believe you should rest."
Harry hesitated but nodded, still showing that he felt out of sorts. He glanced at Snape who seemed to be quite shaken, but still gave him a nod. Harry turned on his heel and made his way out of Dumbledore's office, massaging his temples and mumbling about where the sudden headache came from.