Summary:
Previous. . . Harry acts upon his own greed and enters the chamber of secrets after manipulating Myrtle into believing he is a victim of bullying. Amarantha, the Basalisk within the chamber of secrets, finds her soul within a gem of Harry's creation.
CHAPTER 3:
The day before summer break commenced, Harry was called to the headmasters office. Hermione and Ron had instantly become concerned, but he assured the two that Dumbledore only wanted to check up on him. The headmaster's office was not an unusual place for him. He's entered it numerous times in different lives. Arcturus and Malcolm had entered it for completely different reasons after all. While Malcolm was being called to the office with his older brother due to the trouble they had caused, Arcturus had been called into the headmasters office to be told his mother was giving birth to his sister.
The path towards the griffin statue was something Harry had ended up memorizing. There was an inkling of frustration that he hadn't achieved becoming Hogwarts headmasters in his previous lives. But then again, having to deal with hundreds of children must be tiring.
"Treacle tarts." Harry rolled his eyes at the ridiculous password. He hopped on to the uppermost step of the stairs, waiting for him to arrive at the office.
"Come in." He heard, pushing the door open to see Dumbledore chewing on a lemon drop. Harry had to restrain himself from scowling at those atrociously sour treats. "Harry my boy! It's been a while since we've spoken, yes?"
"It has…" Harry murmured, before scolding himself for the cold behavior. The boy Dumbledore knew was a bubbly and cheeky child after all. "Professor, I don't really know why you've called me here but… can I ask you how Sirius is doing?"
Dumbledore smiled, "He's doing well. Quite happy that you loved his little gift." Said Dumbledore, mentioning the new broom Harry had received. It had been a popular topic in Hogwarts when he first used it during a match, which Harry had been ecstatic about.
"Thank you." Harry exclaimed in joy. His face hurt from smiling so painfully, as Dumbledore chuckled once again. "But again… why am I here?"
"Oh my boy… I wanted to make sure that you are still fine with going with your aunt and uncle." Dumbledore sighed, his grandfatherly tone was like nails scratching a chalkboard. It was horrible.
Harry had to grit his teeth from yelling at the man. Once again, Harry was selfish and desperately wished he could just lash out and curse at the man.
"Well… I've thought about it. I could wait for a little while longer. Sirius will be free soon enough, right?" He said, a bit nervous in the eyes of the headmaster.
Dumbledore smiled softly, "Of course. Sirius deserves it and he shall be granted his freedom soon." He stood from his seat, placing a hand over Harry's shoulder. "Have faith my boy."
Have faith. Such a detestable phrase. Harry's eyes flashed unimaginable malice, before he smiled thoughtfully. Now wasn't the time. Dumbledore would still be useful for him. Even if the man was none to deserving of Death. Harry had to hide his hand behind his back, clenching his fists until blood began to draw out from the marks his nails made. Dumbledore's voice angered him to an uncertain extent.
"You really don't have anything to worry about, professor. I'll be patient." He promised, tilting his head, smiling with his eyes closed. Something was poking at his mental barriers, clenching his fists even tighter till the flesh on his palm stung. Legilimency was a nuisance and thankfully, Harry had mastered occlumency when he had become Arcturus.
Dear Morgana, he thought, He's a humongous piece of shit. Once again he thanked Arcturus' parents for being so strict when it came to protecting your mind. They were better teachers than Snape if he had anything to say.
Dumbledore was satisfied with his reply, patting Harry's head like the boy was a fool. As soon as Harry's eyes opened, vibrant green eyes held a dark and malicious look that the headmaster did not see.
Harry left the office, feeling peeved and murderous. Amarantha must have taken notice, because her gem had begun to exude a calming warmth. He blinked in surprise, before silently calming down. This timeline was slightly different from his original life if a previous incarnation of his continued to exist. Some things were altered, but not enough to move the world in a different direction.
§Forgive me, my dear… that man is a dangerous enemy of mine.§ He whispered, rubbing the gem with his thumb. His eyes darkened for a second, before resuming his bright exterior the moment he took a sharp turn towards a crowded hall. He spotted Ron and Hermione in the courtyard, leisurely conversing amongst one another.
He said nothing, but Hermione had taken notice of him. She offered a beaming smile, catching Ron's attention who snapped his head towards Harry. The youngest son of the Weasley family grinned like a madman, waving his arm as if Harry couldn't see them. It was amusing.
"Harry! Over here."
Summer wasn't too hard to deal with anymore. Harry had once again haphazardly mentioned how his godfather was an escaped convict, to which his relatives paled in fear. They had left him alone for the first week, which was majorly convenient to Harry. The boy was peacefully lounging in his room, only leaving to do some chores and eat food. He never joined his relatives at the table, to which they all silently agreed was a good thing. Harry barely interacted with his relatives, not since the fiasco with aunt Marge.
It only took a week for Harry to finally break. He had to clench his fist as to not kick the vacuum cleaner he was using to clean the dusty floors of the living room. He glanced towards his walrus of a cousin, Dudley, who watched his favorite show on the tv. Dinner had already passed, and Harry quietly excused himself to his room. Vernon did not pay much attention to him, choosing to ignore his existence entirely. Petunia was the only one to even glance at him, wary and fearful as she met eyes with Harry.
Those were her sister's eyes, yet at the same time they were not. Lily's eyes were green like grass, green like the foliage of a forest. Harry's were green like poison and acid. It was as if you were staring at death itself.
Privet Drive was quiet, as Harry shut the door behind him and began violently cursing under his breath. He packed his things, made his bed and grabbed all the money he had stolen from his aunt and uncle during the entire week he had stayed there. The money wouldn't be necessary, but it was nice to have some just in case. It wasn't much, but it would have been enough for a cab—if he ever needed one.
He silently waited until there were no more footsteps from his relatives, hearing the irritating sound of the padlock being placed on his door. He murmured yet another chain of curses, waiting longer for his uncle to go to sleep. It wasn't until it was midnight did Harry get to leave. With a little wandless magic here and there, the lock on his door quickly clicked open.
He stood in the middle of the hallway for a few minutes, closing his eyes to feel the wards Dumbledore had placed around the home. He pursed his lips, doing his best to manipulate the wards to make sure that it would be under the illusion he was still living in the house even when he would already be gone.
He hurried down the stairs, only to freeze as he saw the tall and skinny figure of his aunt. Petunia Dursley was sporting a cup of tea, calm yet tired.
"You are leaving." She said, as if she needed more confirmation. Harry was dragging his trunk with him, Hedwig quietly resting in her cage.
"I am… are you going to stop me?"
"No… if I've learned anything from being Lily's sister… is that once she's made up her mind, you can't change it." She chuckled. "I'm guessing you are like her that way."
Harry's heart seemed to clench. For most of his life, people often told him he was like James. Admittedly, he always wanted to be compared to his kind, intelligent, and brave mother. But he had never expected for it to be Petunia of all people who'd fulfill such a small wish. He never expected anything good from his aunt. She may claim to have lost a sister that day in Godric's Hollow but she was too ashamed to show it.
"Your eyes are just like hers… at the same time they aren't."
"I may be their son, but I am not a replica of them."
"Of course you're not." Petunia sighed, setting down her tea as she stood. She stepped towards Harry, a sad smile on her face. "Advance Happy birthday." She said, as she handed him a silver locket with the letter L on it. Harry's eyes widened, opening the locket to see a girl with red hair and vivid green eyes, along with another girl with blonde hair and blue eyes.
This did not happen in his first life. He never received a gift from his aunt. Such a sentimental thing was almost unheard of. "It belonged to Lily… I have my own, and still keep it safe. Don't lose it, alright?" She gave him a stern glare, but soon turned into a fond look.
Harry faltered for a moment, before pulling the locket to his chest. He pursed his lips, greatly frustrated by the change. Petunia Dursley only showed him this kind of kindness when he was seventeen. The day the Dursleys had to move away for their own safety, stating that only did Harry lose a mother in 1981, but she had also lost a sister. Perhaps it was because Harry was leaving on his own that she had decided to give him some sort of last act of kindness.
"Thank you aunt…" Harry murmured.
Petunia nodded. "You're never coming back here. I will try to make people think that you are still living with us as long as I can… Do be safe, lest you put your mother's sacrifice to waste."
"Of course! Who do you think I am?"
Petunia gave him a fond smile, "My stubborn little sister's equally stubborn son."
Harry turned red at that, unable to look Petunia in the eyes. He tried to speak, but nothing came out of his mouth. Petunia seemed to have taken notice of this, stepping away from Harry as he moved towards the door. He opened Hedwig's cage and allowed her to roam the sky, hurriedly leaving Privet Drive.
Petunia could only watch as the last fragment she had of her sister walked down the dark streets, until she heard a loud crack pierce the air. A sound she had remembered from the time Lily had decided to visit her after graduation. She closed the door, knowing that her nephew would never return. She closed her eyes, pressing her forehead against the wall. The day had finally come. The consequences of the abuse she allowed her husband and son to inflict upon her only nephew.
"Forgive me Lily… your older sister has failed you once again."
With that, Petunia Evans walked up the stairs, solemn and guilty as she did not look back. If she did, she would have seen the silhouette of a young lady, smiling sadly at her.
Harry's feet landed on the entrance of gringotts, silence reigning as Diagon Alley slept. It was only one o'clock in the morning, not a single human in sight. He saw some cats roaming the streets, even a niffler trying to smuggle some shiny spoons out of the megarie. The humans slept, but the goblins were working diligently. He entered the bank, seeing rows and rows of goblins arranging and inspecting the galleons they had received.
Many of the goblins turned to him curiously, but Harry paid no mind to them and strides to the very front. "Hello Master goblin. I am sorry to disturbed you at this hour, but it's…urgent." The goblin looked down upon him, as Harry bowed respectfully. The goblin huffed, satisfied with the respect.
"State your name and business."
Harry smiled.
"Harry James Potter." There was a hint of recognition on the goblins' expression, as Harry tilted his head. The goblin gave him a skeptical look, as Harry grinned ruefully.
"I would like a meeting with the Head goblin, Ragnar."
The goblin fell silent, staring at Harry with wide and outraged eyes. "Pray tell what must the meeting be about?"
"Ah… well, tell Ragnar that…" he trailed off, eyes flashing brightly. " Damianos has returned."
The goblins breath hitched, the subtle sound within the bank had completely vanished. Harry glanced towards the other goblins, who's eyes were wide and shocked. He could only hum, patting the trunk he had been dragging with him and hoping that the things he had shrunken were safe inside. The grin on his face was a sadistic kind of excitement as he watched some goblins scramble to their feets and run towards the one he had requested to meet.
Harry didn't have to wait long, as a goblin— Ernok , he had introduced himself, was hastily leading him towards the Head goblin. His trunk taken, promised that it would be properly taken care of. Harry was led deep in Gringotts, passageways that most humans would have never been able to pass through. He stood before a large golden door, two goblin guards standing on each side.
As the two goblins glanced at the fidgety Ernok, they simply nodded and pushed open the doors. What was shown to Harry was a lavish room filled with busy-body goblins, counting, minting, and inspecting all sorts of currency. In the very middle was an esteemed looking goblin, inspecting a diamond through a looking glass. Harry grinned madly at the sight.
"Please wait here. I shall inform the head goblin of your arrival." Ernok spoke, his tone filled with respect as he left Harry by the door. The goblin hurried to the other who was in the middle of the room, whispering to one another. The other goblin's eyes went wide, snapping his gaze to Harry, greeted by an all too familiar grin.
" Damianos !" The goblin yelled, causing the others to fall silent and stare between the head goblin and the boy-who-lived. Both were grinning at one another like fools.
Amarantha's gem buzzed with a mixture of recognition and confusion. The name was familiar, but at the same time it wasn't. The name Damian Was not the name she recognized her master as.
"Ragnar, it's been a while." Harry greeted, meeting Ragnar in the middle of the room.
" A while? Bastard, it has been fifty years since your death! I had begun to lose hope." Ragnar snarled, before taking a good look at Harry. "Goodness me. You became Harry Potter ? What misfortune is this?"
Harry shrugged, "Seems so. I only woke up a month ago."
"No wonder. Let us speak in my office." Ragnar insisted, leading Harry away from the curious eyes of the other goblins. The name Damian was a familiar name to the older employees, all watching the pair in amusement.
Ragnar's office was lavish and neat, a large chair just for the goblin. Harry chuckled, having set foot into the office long before he had woken up. Ragnar sat on his seat, gesturing for Harry to take the other chair in front of his desk. The scene was familiar, but at the same time was completely different.
"Fifty years… how dare you stay young while I age like a prune." Ragnar shook his head in disappointment.
"Oh dear me, like a prune ?" Harry snickered, smirking at the head goblin. "I had been told you'd be able to live, at least a hundred more years. How old are you again? 30, 40… "
"I am seventy years old already! I would have been a child when we first met if I were that young!" Ragnar snarled, pointing an accusing finger at Harry. This was the same young man who entered his office fifty-seven years ago, a cheeky bastard that wanted to play god. Unfortunately for Ragnar, he was capable of such. "Now, will you finally let me pay my debt?"
A cruel grin had sent shivers down Ragnar's spine. A debt . Such an unfortunate bind, much worse to a man filled with such malice. Harry's previous self had been… cruel. Malicious. Wrathful. A man that embodied the sins of wrath and greed that he was capable of getting along with goblins, perfectly. Ragnar was one of the few to have fallen fool to Harry's offers. He could compare it to a single thing— like making a deal with the devil.
Harry leaned back on his chair, arms crossed over his chest. To Ragnar, it was an unusual sight. Harry Potter was a bit gangly, boyish, and looked rather immature. It was a stark contrast to the incarnation Ragnar had met decades ago. The man he had met before oozed power that simply stepping into the room made Ragnar feel like an ant. This boy in front of him was not the same. He did not force upon intimidation that shook one's soul— but Ragnar could see that Harry was capable of it… if those killing curse eyes had something to say about it.
"My vaults. I want access to my vaults, my properties, and perhaps an international portkey. You already know where it should take me, right?" Harry stated, drumming his fingers on the arm rear.
"That is quite the demand." Ragnar responded, raising a brow.
"Oh… well it wouldn't be too hard for you, right? Let us not forget how you became the head goblin…" He reminded. He watched as Ragnar closed his eyes, taking in deep breaths before huffing in annoyance. The goblin gave him a stern glare, before walking out of the office. Harry knew that he'd only have to wait, humming a soft tune until Ragnar came back minutes later.
An intricately designed golden key in hand, offering it to Harry who took it with a grin. The goblin also tossed a file towards Harry, huffing as he returned to his desk. He looked through the properties he now owned. From the last standing property of the Potters, the ancestral manor which was thankfully protected, to the properties his previous incarnation had accumulated over the years.
However, Harry's own file intrigued him. When he was Orpheus he had carefully researched his variants' bloodline. Which truly did confirm he was Peverell. However, there was another family in his file that was not included in Orpheus's timeline.
"Hadrian Jameson Potter, huh? Not Harrison like the other timeline. Well, at least it sounds better."
Name: Hadrian Jameson Potter
Birthdate: July 31, 1980
Parents:
Jameson F. Potter (deceased)
Lillian M. Potter nee Evans (deceased)
Godparents:
Sirius Black (unavailable)
Alice Longbottom (unavailable)
Heirships:
House of Potter
House of Peverell
House of Gryffindor
House of Black (through godfather)
House of Antiphonus
The last family was unfamiliar to him. He didn't know whether it was from James, or magic had decided to adopt him into the family.
"Is it possible to redirect all my letters to Potter Manor? I don't particularly fancy living in that dreary home I had gotten myself. Maybe in the future I would move there, but the manor is most suitable for this… body." Harry chuckled wryly, gesturing to his rather frail countenance.
"I shall see to it. I will send some goblins to spell your previous living quarters to be able to redirect any sort of letter sent to you."
"What of my portkey?"
"You will get your portkey tomorrow. I assume you have a suitable place to stay for the night."
"Is that shady inn still in Knockturn? The one that will take anyone in at any time, won't even ask questions, so long as you have money… What was it called…"
"The Black cat. Yes, that shady inn is still there." Ragnar sighed, shaking his head.
Harry smiled brightly, thanking Ragnar and exiting the office with a maniacal grin that promised trouble. The poor head goblin slumped on his seat, rubbing the side of his head. His office doors opened again, causing him to glare at who he had assumed was Harry.
"Head goblin?" Ernok entered with a wary expression. "Was that… was that really him ?"
Ragnar nodded, "Yes… Damian has awakened in the body of the wizarding world's savior. I must admit, I actually pity the wixens now. That bastard will do anything it takes to cause so much chaos that it would fuel his own greed."
"Sir… should we not stop him?"
Ragnar scoffed, "Us? Absolutely not. Damianos is an ally of the goblins. He will not force us into a war between wixens. If anything, he wishes to be a director of chaos for us."
"It seems so." Ernok sighed, "Shall I prepare the portkey now? Sir Damian would surely like to live at the first sign of dawn."
"Yes, please do. It would be best for Damian— or would he prefer Harry… Nevermind that! It would be best if that bastard deals with his relatives." Ragnar shooed Ernok away, far too stressed and tired. At first, the appearance of his old friend had caused great joy, but he had been hit with the memories of the man's mayhem.
"May the fates help the wizards, because we will not."
Harry silently moved towards Knockturn alley, swiftly dodging any person who had groggily opened their doors. His conversation with Ragnar had only lasted an hour before he had exited Gringotts. It hasn't changed much, thankfully. He thought as he observed the alley.
He found the familiar black cat sign in the alley, grinning as he dragged his trunk towards the inn. Like the leaky cauldron, it was also a pub and inn, however, the black cat was more lax in terms of its guests. No questions were asked, a supposed unspoken rule between employees and guests. He opened the door to a dimly lit first floor, a sleepy looking woman handling the reception.
"'scuse me… a room for the night." Harry requested, as the lady quietly hummed and named her price. He took out two galleons from his pouch in exchange for the keys and darted up the stairs. He'd have to go shopping later on, or perhaps he could get a house elf to do the work for him.
Nevertheless, Harry opened his room— room 7, ironically— and shoved his trunk to the side of the bed and allowed himself to fall to the unexpectedly warm sheets. He buried his face into the pillow, falling fast asleep. In a few hours, his day would finally start, and it would be rather busy. He could only hope that his aunt would keep to his promise and fool everyone of his presence for as long as she could.
Harry didn't need to be tracked down— by Dumbledore especially. He'd have to lay low and need multiple contingency plans, especially with the Weasleys wanting to invite him to their home in a month or so, just a few days before the Quidditch World Cup. He'd have to find an excuse for them to not go to Privet Drive… Well, he could work on it.
Right now, all he needed was sleep.
Notes:
In this fanfiction Harry is 99.1% a Mama's boy. Not the awful kind but the kind where he would have a better connection with his mother than his father. He's more tolerable with Petunia due to this and hasn't done any harm to her because she has Lily's blood. That is the only reason why Petunia or the rest of the Dursleys hasn't been hurt.
Harry has an understanding of blood magic so he manipulated the blood wards around the house to make Dumbledore think he is still there. We all know how negligent the man is and Mrs. Figg won't really be bothered to search for him will she?
As you have read, in some timeline, his full name is Harrison rather than Hadrian. Personally, I prefer Hadrian. It sounds cooler and his nickname can be Hades!
Harry's lineage has been revealed, as well as the fact that some versions of him are not part of said families. Once again, I must mention that Variants aren't always the same. They have differences, although subtle, it still exists.
The name of one of Harry's lives have been revealed! Can you guess which life? Can you guess what his backstory is?
I would also like to explain that some Incarnations can exist within the same timeline or universe, as long as they are far from each other... In other words, the incarnation must be dead in the era another incarnation lives in. I'll explain more of this in the next chapter.
Also still free to come and talk to me on discord:
https://discord.gg/wzPHavz7wH