The first day of classes went well so far. Snape made biting comments to the class, but seemed much tamer in comparison to Harry’s first year at Hogwarts. The man largely ignored Harry except when it was unavoidable that they would have to interact. Flitwick was energetic in charms class. He had come over to Alice and Frank’s house a few times over the summer, so Harry had started to get to know the man a little better than he had before.
The transfigurations teacher was indeed nowhere as good as McGonagall, but he was fine. He was a former Auror and was exacting, but didn’t have the same authority and presence that McGonagall had when she spoke or gave pointed looks at misbehaving students. Harry didn’t need him personally except for pointers on the practical casting aspect as he had the textbook memorized.
Professor Lupin mostly spent the class quizzing the class on what they had learned before much as he had done to Hermione on the train. He seemed rather disappointed that most of the class couldn’t answer some of his more detailed questions.
Harry had managed to only take care of magical creatures as his single elective unlike the other students that had to take at least two after he wrote a letter to Headmistress McGonagall and got her permission to skip them. Harry was simply told to read the textbooks for all the electives he was interested in and ask the relevant teachers if he had questions. He planned to finish that up in the first week or two and maybe go to the professors office hours if anything caught his interest.
Hermione had apparently been very stressed about which electives to take over the summer. She had even considered taking muggle studies which was nonsensical, as she had grown up there and clearly already knew what a lightbulb or a car was. She ended up taking divination, care of magical creatures, and arithmancy, which was a mathematical field which could be used to modify or at higher levels create new spells based on the calculations.
Harry was decent at math, but memorizing things only helped him so much there. Actually doing out the calculations still took him time and he often made mistakes and had to go back. Given his low reading level due to the curse, Harry had not been able to practice his math skills very much in his classes growing up.
He looked up from the book he was reading as he heard familiar voices to his left, and his three friends emerged from the base of the astronomy tower from their divination class. They would walk together to the Care for Magical Creatures class with Hagrid. The same man who had introduced Harry to the wizarding world, and who he hadn’t talked to much since. Hermione looked disgruntled and Ron and Neville both looked vaguely annoyed as the trio approached Harry in the hallway.
“How was divination?” Harry asked as they drew close, “Hermione looks like someone ripped a book in half in front of her.”
“What? Who would do something like that…” Hermione said, before trailing off and huffing, “Professor Tralawny is a total hack. She was like one of those fake psychics on TV. Walking around making super vague predictions and people are pretending like she did something amazing.”
“I don’t know, Hermione,” Ron said, “You probably just have too ‘closed of a mind,’ ” he finished in a high pitch, obviously mimicking the teacher.
“Hermione’s right,” Neville joined in, “She said that my tea leaves meant ‘the moon’s shadow will cross across a cerberus’ lips in a new dawn’. What is that even supposed to mean? It’s total nonsense and when I asked about it she just got offended and went to the next person.”
“Well, I’m glad I don’t have to do that,” Harry said, “I am bored enough having to sit through Binns history class every day. Divination sounds like more of the same.”
“Yeah, mate,” Ron said as the whole group started, “Tell me about it. At least care for magical creatures will be fun. How will that work by the way with your… thing, Harry? Do you think it will be like herbology?”
Harry frowned slightly, “I hope not. I didn’t think of that when I signed up for it.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Neville said, “You said the thestrals liked you right? Maybe you only scare away some creatures.”
“Yes,” Harry said, “That might be true. I’m sure it will be fun regardless.”
They walked out to the grounds and gathered alongside the Slytherins outside Hagrid’s hut. Harry shot a glance at Draco who looked away when he noticed Harry staring at him. Harry was of two minds about him. He hadn’t directly bothered his friends when Harry was gone, but at the same time he hadn’t warned them about Pansy’s bullying of Hermione ahead of time.
Hagrid opened the door and emerged from the hut to tower over the students, carrying a wooden box that looked comically small in his hands.
“Alrigh’ kids,” Hagrid said, “I’ve got a fun lessun planned fer today. Follow after me. But first, make sure ye don’t have any valuables or coins on ye. Today I’m going to be showing ye some nifflers. Right little thieves, but one of the best creatures out there for sniffin’ down valuables.”
Everyone perked up in interest and followed him as they went to a penned in area with dozens of mole like creatures the size of small dogs in the distance. Their beady black eyes shifted to the group or more specifically the box in Hagrid’s hands.
“Al’righ’,” Hagrid said, turning around and opening the box to reveal that it was filled with golden coins.
“Each of ye take a coin or two. We’ll be hidin’em around for the nifflers to find. At the end of class tha’ group whose Niffler with the most coins wins,” he continued.
He held out the box and everyone crowded in and started eagerly taking a few coins each. When they were all done there were still a few coins left over.
Harry noticed one of the Slytherin boys sliding the coin into his robes and looking around nervously, “Don’t get any idears,” Hagrid said, seeming to have noticed it too, “This is leprechaun gold. It’ll disappear in a few hours. Nifflers will be irate when they discover the trick, so don’ say anything around them if you want them to work their hardest.”
The targeted Slytherin awkwardly cleared his throat and took the coin back out of his robes as everyone turned to follow Hagrid’s gaze.
“Now!” Hagrid said, “We got twenty Nifflers, so divide yerselves up evenly in groups.”
Everyone divided up themselves into groups. No one but Harry’s friends wanted to group with him considering they all knew his reputation from Herbology. But they ended up with two Gryffindors Harry was unfamiliar with in their group of six.
Everyone went into the pens after hiding their coins around the area around the pens. The Nifflers would come up to sniff someone and climb over them before a group would leave the pens to start hunting for coins. Eventually it was only Harry’s group left, as all the Nifflers eyed Harry warily and kept a distance from him.
Harry sighed, “It’s fine, guys. Have fun without me. I’ll just watch,” he said.
With that he walked out of the pen after a few half hearted arguments from his friends. Sure enough after Harry went to stand over by Hagrid one of the Nifflers came up to the group and they started their scavenger hunt.
“Yer alright Harry?” Hagrid asked from beside him after they watched everyone follow their nifflers around for a bit, “I can see yer disappointed with what happened.”
“Yes,” Harry replied, “The thestrals seemed to like me. Enough to save me when I was in trouble last ye… two years ago.”
“Harry…” Hagrid said, his tone nervous as Harry went to look at him. The man was wringing his hands.
“Is it true what they said about Dumbledore? The memory charm, how he was behind yer kidnapping over the summer?” he asked.
Harry nodded, “The memory charm part is definitely true. I’m not certain that he was behind the kidnapping, but who else would want to keep me at the Dursleys? From what I’ve heard Dumbledore was the only one that could have known about the blood ward as he’s the one that put up all the protections on me originally.”
“I…” Hagrid wrung his hands some more, “Stay after class if yeh want. I would like to discuss some things with ye. Apologize fer everything, maybe tell you some about yer parents. I… I shoulda talked to you yer first year about it. I didn’t think those muggles were so bad…”
“Okay,” Harry said. He didn’t know much about his parents, well the original Harry’s parents.
Harry’s soul had replaced the original, so he wasn’t sure if he was even the same person as the original would have been. Maybe he was only an echo of the original Harry, an original who could have worn his emotions on his sleeve and became friends with everyone he ever cared to. Someone that people instinctively trusted and knew would always be able to effortlessly comfort them if they were feeling down. Not someone so strange and unexpressive as him. Was Harry's floating soul just an echo, letting him live out a faded life and not knowing that the original would have done better than he had? Would things have been different if the original soul was here instead of him? Or would have the original had it even worse than Harry had? What would he think about Harry's life up to now?
...It would be good to learn more about Harry's past. His past, he was here now. No matter what could have been.
“Can I bring my friends?” Harry asked, “I’m sure I can convince them to come. We don’t have anything planned from what they’ve said.”
“Yah,” Hagrid said, “If yeh feel comfortable discussing that kinda stuff with them. Thas’ fine. Its good yeh have such loyal friends takin’ care of yeh.”
They fell into silence and watched as everyone ran after their nifflers, even the coldest Slytherin looking like they were having fun.
— — —
“...Did you know tha’ I was the one that brought ya to Dumbledore? As a baby?” Hagrid said, stirring something in his pot hanging over the fire. His dog, Fang, was at the far end of the hut, eyeing Harry warily.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Sirius Black found ya and handed ya over ta me,” Hagrid continued, “Took ya right to Dumbledore. That must be when he casted that blood ward on ya. The day between when he got ya and when he delivered ya to the Dursleys.”
That wasn’t me. Harry thought. It was the doppelganger placed by James Kensit. Then he froze. Doppelganger? Then how had the blood ward worked on him if he had been switched out at some point? Had the man lied to him?
“Yer alright, Harry?” Hagrid asked, peering downwards at Harry, “Ya look like ye saw a boggart.”
“Who was Sirius Black?” Harry asked quickly. His friends were sitting silently just watching as Hagrid and Harry spoke.
“Sirius Black, well. He was a friend of yer fathers. Just like you four, James Potter had his own group that he ran with. Your Professor Lupin was one of them in fact.”
“Lupin?” Ron said in surprise, “The Defense against the Dark Arts teacher was Harry’s dad’s friend? Why didn’t he say anything on the train?”
“Ah,” Hagrid said, “Well, it was quite the shock to the both of us when we heard what Dumbledore had done. We both owe that man everythin’. He took us in when no one else would. I’m still not sure how I feel about him. Lupin probably just didn’ know what to think either.”
“Who were the others? In the group?” Harry asked, “What happened to them, why couldn’t I stay with them rather than the Dursleys growing up?”
“Well,” Hagrid winced, “Lupin has a health condition. Not gonna spill his secrets, but the ministry would never let him get custody of you, Harry. The rest of the story… Do ya know what a fidelius charm is, Harry?”
Harry nodded, “It protects a location by placing a spell in a user's soul. This person or secret keeper is the only one that can find a location or tell others how to find that location.”
“That… thas’ it, Harry,” Hagrid said, “I had forgotten about yer memory fer a bit there. Sirius Black… was the secret keeper fer yer parents home. He was a traitor that told the dark lord where he could find them that night…” All of Harry’s friends gasped at the revelation before Hagrid continued.
“After it was said and done he tracked down Peter Pettigrew, the last of your fathers friends, and hit him with a blasting curse, killing dozens of muggles in the process. The Ministry only found Peter’s finger by the time they arrived. Sirius Black’s been in Azkaban all these years as a result for the murders.”
He finished his speech looking depressed and frowning.
“If anyone deserves those dementors, then it’s someone like that,” Neville said fiercely.
Harry’s head snapped to Neville. “Dementors? Like on the train? What do you mean?” he asked forcefully.
Everyone but Hagrid flinched at Harry’s sudden change in tone.
“Ye-yeah? The Dementors guard the wizard prison Azkaban?” Neville stuttered, “Did you not know that, Harry?”
No, Harry had never heard that. He hadn’t connected the island and dreary castle to the horrible Azkaban everyone talked about vaguely. No wonder no one wanted to go there, the living conditions were terrible for a human. Especially if the Dementors were constantly feeding on them with their Aura.
Harry had heard that the warders that were repairing the Hogwarts wards this year had complained already about 235 and 104 being there to guard them. Apparently 235 at least couldn't resist letting his aura out to feed on them while they were working.
“No, I didn't know that,” Harry said after a long pause, “Sorry Neville, I was just surprised.”
“Azkaban's a truly horrible place,” Hagrid added, “Wouldn’t wish it on anyone, even tha’ traitor.”
“Well Hagrid,” Harry said after a pause in the conversation, “Could you tell me more about my parents? I don’t know much about them.”
“Sure, yer mother Lily evans was brilliant, best in her class…” Hagrid said.
Harry listened closely. This was the most he’d ever learned about his parents before. The Original Harry’s parents. The mystery with the blood ward kept tickling at the back of his mind now that he had noticed the inconsistency. If there was a doppelganger then how was the blood ward active on him right now?
— — —
Harry felt the silver locket around his neck as he stepped into the abandoned classroom. He was especially relieved that the Ministry had returned this to him. It had still been mixed in with his other luggage untouched when Harry had received his things back. Despite everything the kidnappers hadn’t been thieves it seems.
The dark tunnel appeared in front of Harry and he walked through down to the Chamber of Secrets. The Aurors had managed to break through to the first room, but after a quick inspection had retreated again, considering the matter resolved after there were no more attacks or signs of Nidhogg.
Harry walked over to the large stone head.
“Open,” he hissed, causing it to slide open with the grinding of stone.
He walked inside and saw Nidhogg curled up in the cave, head poking above his curled form, waving high in the air and peering downwards.
“Hello, Nidhogg. How was your summer?” Harry hissed and the Basilisk relaxed and rested his head back in his coil as he recognized Harry.
“Better than everrrrr, Harry Potter,” Nidhogg hissed contentedly, “My Stomach is full. That strange man brought me good foodssssssss. Thank you. You are a much better Heir than Tom riddddddle.”
“No problem, Nidhogg. Glad you liked it,” Harry said as he walked around the wall to avoid Nidhogg curled up in the center of the cave. He caught sight of the door to the sanctum.
“Open,” he hissed and the door swung open.
“Well, see you next time, Nidhogg,” Harry said after waving to the Basilisk who’s eyes were already closing again.
“Bye, Harry Potter,” Nidhogg hissed as it closed its eyes and seemed to fall asleep. Harry shut the door and walked to the sanctum library.
The painting of Salazar looked up as Harry walked in the room,
“Ah, Heir! It has been a while. On your summer vacation? How’s that ritual working out for you? No side effects I hope?”
Harry shook his head, “No, I’ve already found it useful multiple times. It lets me communicate with Dementors actually. They let me escape the Ministry after I asked them for help.”
Salazaars eyebrows rose until they nearly touched his forehead. “Dementors? Helping a human they don’t know? How in the world did you manage that?”
Harry cleared his throat and looked around, “Do I have privacy when I talk to you, Salazar?” he asked, “Would you tell anyone else if I told you something that could get me in a lot of trouble if others knew?”
Salazar scrunched his brows. “I assume this goes beyond making friends with Dementors? For one I have no one else to tell. I’ve only been able to directly talk to Slytherins Heirs since this painting was created. I can sometimes observe what’s going on up in the castle but my view is spotty at the best of times.”
“But if I asked you to, would you swear to never tell this to anyone? I want to trust you, but I think the ministry would hunt me if they knew what I told you so I want to be sure?” Harry insisted.
“Well…” Salazar considered, “Now I’m more intrigued than ever. I will be fair to you, and teach you a little something. Never trust someone’s word alone if it is as important as you seem to think this is. I will draw up a magical contract regarding my silence, and then there will be no more doubt in your mind regarding your safety. I’ll write it up now.”
He paused and stared into space for ten minutes or so before there was a pop and a rolled up scroll appeared on the desk. Harry reached forward and rolled it out and read the whole thing. It was fairly simple. It bound Salazar Slytherin to not tell Harry’s secrets or personal details to anyone without his permission. There was nothing binding Harry’s behavior. There was a filled glowing square on one corner and a looping signature from Salazar.
Harry looked up in confusion. “You are a painting,” Harry said, “How did you make this?”
“Ah,” Salazar said, “This place has many tools and hidden rooms. I can control some of them like a pair of hands to do things like this. I do have some of my own magic even as a painting, but not much. I’ll not be able to do anything else like that for a few days at least as it recharges.”
“Huh,” Harry said, “I didn’t know that paintings could have their own magic.”
“Well, as you’ve no doubt noticed, I’m far more advanced than other paintings. The original Salazar didn’t want a dullard guiding his descendants,” the painting stated proudly.
Harry checked the magical contract one more time, but didn’t see anything that could be a trap. So he took a quill that Salazar summoned onto the desk and signed his name and pressed his thumb to the box, which glowed and sealed. A wave of magic washed over Harry, and afterwards he didn’t feel so different.
“So tell me,” Salazar said, “What is this big secret you are so worried about? A miscast spell leading to someone getting hurt or killed perhaps? Fail to stop your new Dementor friends from consuming someone’s soul?”
“No,” Harry said, sitting on a nearby chair, “It’s a rather involved story. It might take a while to tell you it all…”
Harry launched into his full life story while leaving nothing out. The only thing he obscured was the cave underneath Azkaban and his conversation with the dementor One. That wasn’t Harry’s secret to tell. But other than that he told Salazar everything he knew including about James Kensit and his statement that he had revived the baby Harry by drawing the current Harry’s soul into the modified corpse. Salazar's expression was intense as he leaned forward to analyze Harry closely as he started getting into the meat of the story.
“So, I’m telling you all of this because something was bothering me today,” Harry finished, “If there was a doppelganger at the Dursleys for the first few years then how would the blood ward be applied to me? Shouldn’t they be tied to the doppelganger that James Kensit used to replace me? Or is he lying about it all?”
Salazar didn’t answer for a long time, seeming deep in thought, “That was considerably more involved than I expected,” Salazar said eventually, “Kensit was a smug bastard even back in my day. He would drop in on my experiments occasionally, blasting directly through all my wards like it was nothing and then just examine my results and casually leave again. But I have never known him to directly lie, he feels like he is above such petty deception to those he chooses to reveal himself to. So he likely was telling the truth when he answered your questions.”
He paused thoughtfully before continuing again, “At least that explains how you spoke Ascendant. Somehow as an isolated soul you kept your own mind and intelligence, and these vibrations you speak of as something to suppress are extremely difficult for any living being to produce at all. The type of soul manipulation you describe to trigger your transformation manually is unheard of. I had assumed you were like an animagus who had performed some kind of ritual or had an interesting bloodline that did such things automatically.”
“So about the blood ward and my doppelganger?” Harry prompted, causing Salazar to look up after he seemed to forget that Harry was even there.
“Ah! Sorry,” Salazar said, “Such things are quite possible if Kensit used some rituals to modify the doppelganger in some specific ways. When they transform to impersonate human babies they gain the human’s bloodline that is critical in those rituals, even if the doppelganger retains that bloodline only temporarily. Even if Kensit didn’t think to modify the doppelganger from the beginning, someone of his skill should have been able to transfer the bindings of the ritual to you given some time. The Doppelganger would be your identical twin from the magic’s perspective, so it would be entirely possible to do. It is simply difficult to do such a transfer once such a spell is cast due to its complexity and binding to your blood. But if anyone could do it then James Kensit could.”
They sat in silence for a bit, Salazar seeming to sink back deep into thought. Harry couldn’t find any flaw in Salazar’s answer, but he still felt a little dissatisfied. For some reason he was looking for a reason for Kensit to be lying to him. Harry knew deep down that the man had told him the truth. As Salazar said, Harry got the impression that Kensit was so arrogant that he didn’t seem to think he should have to lie about anything.
But Harry’s questions were answered. And it was nice being able to tell someone everything and not worry about how they would react or if they would tell someone.
After the silence stretched for a long time, Harry eventually stood.
“Thank you for listening to me, Salazar,” Harry said, “But my friends might be looking for me. I should be making my way back.”
“Oh, yes,” Salazar said, waking up from his contemplation, “Never a dull moment with you, is there? Go back there to your school. And don’t worry about not being fully human. There are many magical beasts that are just as if not more intelligent than humans. Nidhogg and Dumbledore’s phoenix Fawkes as prime examples. From what you’ve told me, no one has suspected you to be anything but purely human throughout your entire life. That should tell you that perhaps you really are not so different from them. There is no need to question your identity so much.”
“You got all of that from one question?” Harry asked in surprise.
“Ha!” Salazar said, “You seemed worried when you asked, my Heir. It was not hard to guess what you were thinking after hearing a story like that. Think on my advice as you go to your friends.”
“Huh,” Harry said, “I will. Thanks again. Bye.”
With that Harry walked back to Nidhogg's chamber and went back to the abandoned classroom back up in the castle.