oooo

Sunderer

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Time: Unknown, Place: Unknown

Adam Clarke

As I stepped into the underground chamber, a shiver ran down my spine, sending a ripple of anticipation through my veins. The air was thick with an otherworldly stillness, as if time itself held its breath within the confines of this hidden space.

The ethereal purple glow of ancient sigils lined the walls, casting dancing shadows that seemed to whisper to me.

The Void was crying out to me, I realized, though I did not know how I understood it. I heeded its haunting call and realized that the floor before me was writhing in response to my connection.

A throne jutted out of the floor, its base seamlessly fused into the floor itself. I took note of the throne, realizing that this was a relic of an era long since forgotten. It exuded an aura of regal authority, yet an undeniable darkness clung to its ornate, obsidian frame.

Whoever sat this throne, I instinctively knew, had done so thousands of years ago, if not more. Where was this great wizard or witch now? What happened to them? How was something so valuable left to gather dust for the rest of time?

I tried to understand what was going on, but before I could even begin, something even stranger began to materialize right before my eyes.

It was a convergence of thick, rope-like tendrils, each one shining with a different color and stemming from its own unique direction.

They were currents of mystical energy, that much I understood with my sight. Ley lines, perhaps? Did that word even apply in this world?

One thing was for sure; I could feel their power vibrating beneath my feet, a hum that resonated with the depths of my being. The convergence point, marked by a pulsating nexus of energy which shined in every conceivable color at once, lay directly at the center of the throne. It was here that the supposed ley lines intertwined, merging their forces to create a focal point of unimaginable potential.

A voice spoke to me, then, but most of it sounded like mangled nonsense.

"@#$ t-e &-o&+e. Void c_&(; &$u. &+(ume y-6r b&+(7r-(t, for Divinity is in your Grasp, Sunderer."

"What?" I said, confused and more than a little perturbed at this point. "What are you saying? I don't understand…"

For the life of me, I couldn't figure it out, and more than that… How had I even gotten here, anyway? Where was 'here' for that matter?

The only thing that seemed to have the answers was that stone chair in front of me, but I held myself back.

Who knew what would happen if I sat on it? Could my body even handle the sheer power floating through that uncomfortable seat?

As I approached, the energy intensified, casting a brilliant glow that bathed the chamber in a kaleidoscope of hues. Sparks of iridescent light danced around me, as if the very fabric of reality was unraveling. Holes in the air itself were torn open haphazardly, revealing glimpses of worlds beyond my own.

"This is…" I said in abject shock before taking a step further towards the throne.

With each step, a sense of unease and doom came over me. I could almost hear the whispers of things just beyond the portals. The throne seemed to beckon, its cold, unforgiving surface luring me to claim its seat and taste the forbidden knowledge it held.

A single moment, and I would—

"Not yet." A familiar voice said, and the world shattered—

oooo

September 1, 1992, 4:15 AM, Adam's Room, Twelve Grimmauld Place, London

I jolted awake, my heart pounding in my chest as I struggled to catch my breath. Beads of sweat clung to my forehead, dampening my hair.

"Wh—" I gasped as I quickly sat up, eyes flitting about in every direction in an attempt to keep some measure of control over my situation.

A few moments passed before I finally recognized where I was: my bedroom at Twelve Grimmauld Place.

"All of that…" I murmured as I took a deep breath. "That was all just a dream?"

I blinked my eyes rapidly, trying to shake off the lingering images that danced in front of me.

I don't believe it. That was too real…but it can't have been, can it?

As I sat there, the room around me seemed to morph into a surreal landscape. The walls twisted and contorted, taking on unfamiliar shapes and colors. Shadows danced on the ceiling, casting eerie silhouettes of unknown figures. I rubbed my eyes, hoping to clear away the remnants of the dream, but instead, the room seemed to blur even further.

Fragments of the dream flashed before my eyes, disjointed and chaotic. I was standing before an obsidian throne in a vast chamber. The scene shifted abruptly, and I found myself standing on the edge of a very familiar cliff overlooking a sea of darkness peppered with the occasional purple aurora.

I scrunched my eyes shut, still hearing the eerie noise of the corrupted soul threads of the Abyss before I opened my eyes again.

The noise was gone, and I was sitting up in my bed. Again.

"What the Hell is going on!?" I hissed to myself. I did my best to control my erratic breathing, taking deep and measured inhales and exhales. As time continued to pass, my panic slowly downgraded itself to a deep sense of unease.

I slowly sat back up, muttering soft nothings to myself. My heart rate began to slow, and a semblance of normalcy returned to the room. Yet, the lingering emotions and strange imagery clung to my mind— as clear as day.

Could that not have been a dream…? I thought slowly. The throne, the Abyss, the voice — it sounded so familiar, but I couldn't place it.

Snatching my wand and feeling its most welcome rush of warmth, I cast a quick Lighting Charm and checked the bedside clock. "Half past four..."

A few hours still left before I have to get up and prepare my things to go to Hogwarts. I thought before unceremoniously dropping back down to a horizontal position and trying to get some more sleep.

I failed. I couldn't stop thinking about what I saw.

"Too damn early for this shit." I muttered in a low tone, but still attempted to make sense of it, if only for the sake of my future sleep. "That place was…"

I closed my eyes again, trying to recall every single detail. A throne room underground, sitting at the convergence point of a lot of energy— enough to level Hogwarts fifty times over, and that's low balling it. And those portals…

Somehow, that place had blurred the boundaries between the worlds, but what the Hell was it?

Was it even real, or just a dream? What did the symbols mean? I sighed and shook my head, deciding to get up and write everything I knew down, just in case I started to forget.

I went so far as to draw the approximate layout of the chamber, as well the various symbols I'd seen— none of which even seemed remotely familiar to what was being taught in Ancient Runes— not that I knew much about the course, in the first place.

With a sigh, I finally dragged myself back to bed, noting that thirty minutes had passed.

Still a few hours left until the day begins… I thought and slowly surrendered myself to a merciful slumber.

I would need all the rest I could get.

oooo

September 1, 1992, 8:00 AM, King's Cross Station

"Here we are, Platform 9¾." Sirius Black said, keeping his tone low as a large family passed us by on their way to one of the Muggle trains. He made a surreptitious gesture at the barrier. “In you go.”

Harry gave the man a nod and, with a hard push to his trolley, ran towards the barrier, vanishing through it like it wasn’t even there.

It was interesting to say the least. The last time I had entered through here, I’d felt a tingle on my skin, just as I had when I had entered the perimeter of what I now knew to be Hogwarts’ defensive enchantments.

Yet, now I could somewhat see the enchantment’s traces. When Harry had gone through, the barrier seemed to jitter and spasm like something had jolted it with a taser. Fascinating… Is that what causes the tingle— just a feedback loop from your own movement?

It wasn’t a monumental discovery on my part, and yet for some reason it brought a smile to my face.

“Adam?” Sirius’ voice interrupted my thoughts, and I turned to see him look a little concerned. “Are you all right?”

“Oh, I’m fine.” I said, shaking my head. “I guess I’m still a little groggy.”

“All right.” Sirius said, accepting my words at face value, before giving the barrier a significant look. “Well?”

I responded with a nod and pushed my own trolley past the barrier, feeling its magic lick my skin just as I had seen it do to Harry. I quickly moved forward as Sirius followed through the portal.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“There you are.” Harry said, smiling, though he looked mildly worried. “I almost thought you weren’t coming.”

“Adam here got a little distracted.” Sirius said, patting my shoulder from behind before I could say anything. I looked up at him, seeing the man’s strained, but soft smile.

“Well…” Sirius said, trailing off for a bit as he tried to find the words to say.

He gave us nervous glances. I felt a wave of sympathy go through me.

Sirius Black… I thought; he really was a good man, after everything. The weight of his past mistakes and his wrongful imprisonment had taken a young man and changed him into the one we saw before us.

“You know.” He said as he beckoned Harry over. “When I accepted to be your guardian, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I remember holding you a few times, Harry— back when you were a baby, and I’d always be scared I’d hurt you. So, I wasn’t sure if I could even take care of either of you, but I did the best I could.”

“I’m rambling.” Sirius realized and stopped talking for a moment, frustrated with himself. He took a breath, and then gave us both a significant look as he finally found the words he had been searching for.

“Harry, Adam.” His voice charged with heavy emotions. “Take care of yourselves, all right?”

“We will.” Harry promised instantly, nodding his head without thinking.

“Considering my track record…” I started, getting a little smile.

“Adam…”

“What?” I said, seeing Harry’s mutinous look, and raised my hands in surrender. “All right, all right; I’ll give it my best shot.”

That seemed to appease him, and Sirius let out a laugh, tousling Harry’s hair affectionately. “I suppose that’s all I can ask for. And Adam…”

“Yeah?” I said.

"Remember, life's too short to take everything so seriously." Sirius said with an encouraging smile, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "Embrace your study of magic, yes, but don’t forget to embrace the friendships as well. Hogwarts is not just a school, it’s where lifelong friendships are made."

I wanted to disagree with him, but I realized that he was right.

“I’ll try.”

“That’s all I ask.” Sirius said, and then grinned. “All right; any more of this mushy stuff and one of you will start crying.”

“Old man’s losing it.” I said, smirking at the man. “Only one here who is about to cry is you.”

“Yeah.” Harry backed me up.

“Barely out of their diapers and they’re already backtalking me. Where did I go wrong?” Sirius mock complained before shaking his head and nodding towards the train. “Off you go, then. Before the train leaves. And remember, I’m just a letter away, all right? Or a howler, I suppose. Speaking of which, I should send you two regular howlers… Oh, yes…”

“Quick, Harry.” I said dragging him away. “Let’s go before he gets even crazier ideas.”

“Ease up, Clarke!” Harry only laughed in delight as he turned and waved at the man. “Bye, Sirius!”

I turned my head to send the man a smile as well, watching as his motionless figure grew smaller and smaller as it got steadily obstructed by the other families bustling about. Soon, he would become just another face in the crowd.

I let out a sigh, closing my eyes for a moment. “I’ll miss him.”

“Me too.” Harry said quietly, before his green eyes lit up. “Come on, Adam. Let’s go.”

I followed the boy through the train, passing by quite a few empty compartments, and some with familiar faces. A few minutes later, Harry's face lit up. He gestured to a compartment to his left, sliding the door open. “There.”

“Harry!” Ron Weasley’s voice came from inside.

“Ron.” Harry smiled and went inside.

I followed him, seeing Ron, Su and two other girls I didn’t immediately recognize, already sitting there. The young redhead, however, was probably Ginny Weasley. Yes, now that I thought about it, I did see the girl back when Sirius was exonerated.

The other girl wasn’t too hard to figure out, either. The dirty blonde hair, the buggy eyes, the wand tucked behind her ear… the distinct air of dottiness around her left no doubt as to who this was.

“Hey, everyone.” I greeted them, nodding at the two I wasn’t formally introduced to, just yet.

“Adam.” “Adam!” Ron and Su returned my greeting with one of their own.

“Su, Ron.” I smiled before coming in and helping Harry stow his trunk away. “And who are these two? Friends of yours?”

“Oh.” Ron said, looking a bit sheepish before gesturing at the young redhead. “Harry, Adam; this is my little sister, Ginny. She’ll be starting Hogwarts this year.”

“Oh!” Harry said, giving the girl a smile and extending his hand. “Nice to meet you, Ginny.”

Ginny Weasley looked at the extended hand and grasped it, shaking it very quickly before tearing her hand away, and looking anywhere but him, leaving Harry standing there, confused.

“Um…” Harry said, not sure what to make of what he just saw.

I stifled the urge to laugh. Damn. I forgot Ginny had a major crush on him— borderline hero worship.

This was great. After a few seconds, however, I took pity on the boy and was about to say something, but was beaten to the punch by the other girl.

“Don’t mind her, Harry.” The blonde girl said, brushing a lock behind her ear. “Ginny sometimes gets like this when the nargles start surrounding her.”

“I— Nargles?” Harry asked. “What’re those?”

Ron groaned as Luna’s big eyes went even wider. She shook her head, giving Harry a dreamy, yet somehow concerned look. “Be very careful of Nargles, Harry. They can be very tricky, and don’t take very long to infest someone’s mind. Oh, um… I’m Luna Lovegood.”

“Erm— Right.” Harry said awkwardly, shaking her hand. “Harry Potter.”

“I know.” She said before turning her eyes to me. “And you’re Adam Clarke. Father says you’ve become part Thestral.”

Su, Ron and Harry looked aghast at her seeming dig at my eyes, but I broke through their shock by blurting out a laugh.

“First time someone’s had the stones to say that to my face.” I said, giving the girl a knowing grin. “As to your statement; who knows? He could be right.”

“Hm.” Was her response. Luna then returned to her seat and grabbed a copy of the Quibbler, ending the conversation there and then.

What a strange girl. I thought in the ensuing silence before shrugging and turning to Harry. “Help me out?”

“All right.”

Once everything was stowed away, I took my seat next to the two boys, with Su sitting opposite of me, looking up from whatever she was reading and giving me a smile before coming back to it.

“Have a good summer, Ron?” Harry asked the boy beside him.

“Was brilliant.” Ron said, and then got an excited look on his face. “Have you heard?”

“Heard what?” Harry said.

“About the Tournament this year?”

“Oh.” Harry said. “Yeah; I was there when the announcement was made a week ago.”

And then he explained the circumstances.

“Brilliant.” Ron said, even more excited now. “Eight schools?”

“Excluding Hogwarts, yes. With Hogwarts, it makes nine.” I confirmed. “I’m not sure who all was invited though, but I can guess four which are guaranteed to be there— Ilvermorny, Beauxbatons, Uagadou and Durmstrang.”

“Makes sense.” Su said, closing her book. “Mom mentioned those names, too, but I don’t know if she knows anything.”

“Whoever’s chosen, it’s still going to be brilliant.” Ron said. “Does anyone know what the actual challenges are? I hope one of them is Quidditch.”

“Yeah.” Harry agreed immediately, getting a look in his eyes.

“Probably is.” I said, giving the two boys a nod. ”But if there is one, I’ve got a feeling that you won’t be playing with your House team, but a unified team for the entire school.”

I smiled at the mildly annoyed looks on their faces which followed my statement. “What? If we’re going to have 9 schools engage in a tournament, it’d be weird for Hogwarts to have four teams— and much too complicated, besides. The other schools would have to form four teams, each, as well. Thirty six teams— way too much.”

“He’s right.” An unfamiliar voice came from outside of the compartment as the doors slid open, revealing the Gryffindor Quidditch Team Captain, Oliver Wood.

“Wood!” Harry said, getting up.

“Potter.” Wood greeted with a nod. “I was just looking for you.”

“For what?”

“It’s like your brother just said.” Wood said, giving me a nod. “We need to figure out how to approach this new Quidditch tournament— I’ve already talked with the other Captains about this, but there will be one big tryout for Hogwarts. Two teams— one main and one reserve, just in case. Interested?”

“Of course!” Harry said, nodding his head almost feverishly at the thought of the upcoming matches.

“Good. Just what I wanted to hear.” Oliver said, smirking back at the boy before getting an almost dreamy look in his eye. “You were the best seeker from last year— honestly, the best I’ve seen since playing with Charlie.”

Judging from Harry’s eye roll, I imagined that this was something he heard from the older boy all the time.

“With you as Seeker and me as Captain on the team, we’ll be—”

“Well.” I cut him off with a small smile, deciding to mess with the guy. “What makes you think you’ll even be on the team, though? Let alone as Quidditch Captain?”

“What makes you think I won’t be?” He immediately challenged me, daring me to say something.

I looked into the boy’s eyes for a moment before noticing that his soul thread was squirming in great agitation. I supposed I unnerved the guy a little with that statement, huh?

“Well, there are three other Captains vying for the role, after all.” I shrugged. “And besides, I have a feeling that none of you will be making the decision on who leads.”

“What do you mean?” Oliver said, frowning. “Of course it’s the Captains who decide. Who else? Hooch? She’s just the flying instructor.”

I shook my head. “You’re not thinking big enough, Wood.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“This is an event on the world stage.” I said with a derisive scoff. “You think the Ministry will let a bunch of kids decide who gets on the team and who leads?”

Wood opened his mouth before closing it, a thoughtful look crossing his face. “Quidditch Cups are headed by the Departments of Magical Games and Sports… You think they’ll decide?”

“Yes.” I said, though I bobbed my head as I considered an alternative. “Or, they could talk to any one of the British teams— get one of them to help.”

“I didn’t consider that.” Wood said, now trying to measure me again. “You’ve an eye for the bigger picture, Clarke. How about considering a spot on the team?”

My eyes widened along with the rest of the room. “Me? Have you seen me on a broom? I’m awful.”

“He isn’t even exaggerating; it’s a wonder he didn’t fall off his broom in our first Flying Lesson.” Harry confirmed without any shame.

“I’m not that bad.” I said, getting a laugh out of the kids.

“You are, mate.” Ron said, shaking his head.

“Great on his Thestral, though.” Harry added.

“Right…” Wood said, though he looked at me again. “But I meant more as a planner, or a helper to the coach. Strategies in Quidditch are very important, after all.”

“Oh.” I said, surprised. “Well, I could probably help with that— if I knew anything about Quidditch beyond the basics.”

I mulled over the topic for a moment before pointing at Ron. “Ron is perfect for it, though.”

“Huh?” Ron said, caught completely off guard by my suggestion.

“You live and breathe Quidditch, Ron.” I said, grinning. “You’re always talking about the leagues and all their strategies; yes, this is perfect for you.”

“I—” Ron said, stammering. “I— I don’t know…”

“No, Adam’s right.” Harry said, patting his friend on the shoulder before turning to Wood with an eager smile. “Ron’s very good. He gave me really good advice before every match last year, and come to think of it, every time we watch a match together, he knows exactly everything that’s happening and has predicted so many moves…”

Everyone turned to look at Ron, who averted his gaze. “I had a lot of time watching Bill, Charlie and the others practicing when I was younger, that’s all.”

That seemed to settle it for Wood.

“Never met a Weasley who wasn’t good on a broom.” Wood said, shaking his head. “Even Percy is pretty good— just doesn’t want to play. Come to the tryouts, Weasley; we’ll see what you’re made of.”

And then Wood left without another word, the compartment door sliding behind him and leaving us in silence.

“I think I’m dreaming, Harry.” Ron said, looking both shocked and excited. “Pinch me.”

“I don’t think you’re dreaming, mate.” Harry said, flicking him on the forehead.

“Ow!” He said, placing a hand over the spot. “That was rhetorical, Harry!”

“Oh.” He said, affecting an innocent look upon his face. “But I didn’t pinch you, though?”

“That’s not the point!”

Oh, Sirius has definitely influenced him. I thought and let out a laugh. This year would certainly be interesting.