Harry Potter: The Shadow Warrior
A cake, A gift and a letter
The sun had risen from its slumber, filling the dark skies with the warmth of its light. The birds chirped away, the sound of people in the house getting up could be heard, a very near miracle considering what had transpired the night before and earlier this morning.
The Weasley's, including Ginny had gone home, none of them giving a second glance to the Potters or Dumbledore, not surprising after the conversation they had heard earlier. Ginny of course left after she had given a long and heartfelt goodbye to him. He did not get a chance to introduce himself to the rest of the Weasley clan though, since he did not want to venture out of his room in fear of seeing his biological parents.
It was lucky for him that as a parting gift, the three men that had invaded his room had found it in their heart to restrict entry through his door so that only those he chose to enter could. Despite that he still felt resentment towards those men. He knew he had to respect them, after all they were from the council of magic, they were the best of the best, they were meant to be respected. Yet they still made him stay in this god awful place.
He picked up his staff, relishing in the feeling of his magic joining once again with the magic in the staff. He felt his power return to him, blanketing his whole body with a feeling of comfort and belonging. As this was happening, a slight gold aura was pulsating from his body and his staff.
Lily Potter did not get any sleep, not surprising considering event that had occurred in the past day, she had finally got her long lost son back only to have him reject her and the rest of his family. She saw the power her son held, and even more horrifying was that she had attacked him. What came as a real surprise though was the revelation of how he was the one that had defeated Voldemort, and that he was no more of this world. She did not know what that meant when Flamel had shouted that fact to Dumbledore, but she knew that it was not good news for her. Then there was the binding of his powers by Dumbledore, yes she knew about it but she thought that it was a necessity considering how strong her son seemed to be, and yet Flamel seemed incensed with Dumbledore because of that. To make matters even worse was the fact that Flamel had cast a spell on her sons room door, a spell that made her unable to enter it to even talk to him. He was so close yet she was unable to even look at him.
She was now cooking, her only relief to the prior events. She had picked up this habit from Molly Weasley she remembered, and now even she did not want to talk to her.
She hoped with all her heart her plan would work, she hoped that at least he would forgive her for what she did all those years ago. She still remembered it till this day, the day that he had vanished, the day that she had lost part of her sole, part of her heart. It was that same day that she had discovered how much that part of her heart truly meant to her, and how badly she hurt because she had taken it for granted. That part had never truly been filled, even now when the cause of it was found again and only a stone's throw away from her.
He was still basking in the feeling of his magic reconnecting with him. Now he could truly feel again, truly hear and taste again. It was as if his life had lost its meaning to live and it was returned to him. He knew that he loved this feeling, almost addicted to how good it felt to have it returned once again.
Then he heard it, a knocking on the door. He knew that the spell that Flamel had cast upon that door would make it impossible for him to hear the Potters knocking on the door. It was this that made him wonder who it could be. Dumbledore too would have the same restrictions as the Potters, and Ginny was still asleep at her home. He knew of no one else that had reason to meet him today, except maybe for the council members, but they would have entered by now.
Reluctantly and with a fair amount of hesitation he reached the door knob. He did not know who would be on the opposite side, what new surprise he would incur from answering the door, so it was not surprising the apprehension that was increasing within him.
He slowly turned the door knob, half expecting to be attacked again, even though he knew that he was relatively safe here, a fact which Flamel had stressed to him at least. He pulled the door slowly open, ready for hoping that he was ready for anything or anyone that was on the other side. You can imagine the relief he felt when he opened the door to find nothing and no-one at all. He looked around, wondering who was it that had knocked on the door only to leave before he could open it and yet there was no sign of anybody around.
His enhanced senses smelt something though, something he associated with fire. Smoke, that was it, but it was to small in amounts to indicate anything news worthy. The smoke seemed to be coming from right below him, and so like any normal person he looked down,
There it lay, something he knew very well. It was a cake, but this cake was different from any other cake, well at least to him it was. For one this cake was an exact replica of the cake his brother was given on that night so long ago. At the sides of his eye he noticed a wrapped gift and below that was what appeared to be a letter of sorts.
At first he thought he was still a sleep, and this was a nightmare brought on from the location he was now in. The memories from that night replaying in his head, how this very cake had only one name on it when he was hoping it had two. As he looked closer at the cake, he found once more that it still had one name on it, but it was a different name then the one he had seen that day.
The cake read 'Happy Birthday Harry James Potter'.
With cautious hands he lifted the cake, inspecting it for any signs of magic, on finding none he slowly brought it into the room, then casting a summoning spell to bring the other two items into the room before closing the door shut once again.
He did not know for how long he stared at the cake as it brought forth memories from his previous life long thought forgotten. Unknown to him tears were freely falling from his eyes, the feeling of being the forgotten child once again fresh in his mind due to the memories he was incurring.
.Flashback.
He stared at the cake, there was something wrong with it. Usually there was more words written on it then there was now. The emerald green icing that made up the words seemed to be taunting him. He could not understand why but even before he read it he could feel a sharp pain in his heart. It was then that the words fully hit him. Happy Birthday Nathan. His eyes involuntarily scanned the cake, hoping against hope to find the missing words but it was to no avail. The words never appeared, and with that he knew that he was forgotten.
That pain in his heart multiplied as his brain tried to comprehend what his heart was feeling. He knew that his parents did not love him, he knew that their hearts were fully occupied by their love for Nathan but now a new revelation hit him, aside from being unloved he had been forgotten entirely. His mind finally caught up with his heart, he didn't want to be here anymore, he needed to get away. All he had ever wanted today was for himself to be acknowledged by his parents and even that they could not do and so he ran, he ran to the only place he felt comfortable, he ran to his room. Once there he cried, he cried for the lost love of his parents, he cried because he was invisible to the rest of the world. As his crying continued his thoughts turned to hopes of being taken away to a place where he would be loved, a place where he would be remembered and as he repeated this thoughts in his head he vanished from his room.
.End Flashback.
Indeed he was taken away to a place where he was loved and where he was made into a person not easily forgotten. Brought up to be a fighter, a hunter but most of all a warrior. His past would always be left just there, in the past. At least that was what he had hoped for until these events took place.
He glanced at the gift that had come with the cake, now very curious as to what it held within. He knew that this was some kind of plan by the Potters to garner his acceptance of them, but he by far was not a simpleton and thus a simple cake would not be a sufficient enough bribery to garner it, if he would ever stoop so low as to take a bribery that is. Again his thoughts turned towards the gift that now lay next to the cake. The gift was in a shape of a small box wrapped in midnight blue paper with a ribbon tied around it. The ribbon was so obviously magical as every few seconds it would change a variety of colours, from ruby red to lemon yellow then to emerald green.
He did not know what to expect from this gift, after all what would you expect a total stranger to give you as a gift. That was what the Potter were to him now, complete and total strangers, besides their names and appearance of course. Steadily he reached for the gift, unsure if he should open it or not, he could feel that whatever was inside was magical, but yet its magic was dormant.
Instantly his mind began theorizing the worst. Was the gift in fact a Trojan horse where when opened it would release some kind of loyalty spell, or was this some kind of prank, after all he still remembered what a prankster James Potter was. He finally came up with a solution what with him being to paranoid to open the gift.
He laid the box down at his feet and took several steps away from it, then using his staff he carefully manipulated the ribbon to undo itself, once that was done he used the staff once again to slowly unwrap the paper around the box, then he lifted the lid of the box.
It was when he lifted the lid that something unexpected happened, a small golden blur shot up from the box and started speeding across the room. Its path was unknown to him as it kept on changing its foreseeable destination. It took a while but his eyes managed to fix on the object and instantly he knew what it was, how could he not when this was something he had always wanted when he was but a child still living here. It was a golden snitch.
Instantly his hands shot out to grab it as it made a pass close to him, his aim was true and he managed to grab it with very little trouble at all. He inspected the snitch, never really getting to hold one before. He had seen many of course, and in fact had dreamt for one when he saw it at Quality Quidditch Supplies, but he had never ever held one in his hands. Here he was now holding the snitch, he turned it upside down to look at the model number, knowing that it would probably be a brand new model and most probably bought late last night. As he glanced at the model number he almost dropped the snitch in shock, the model number was GS85. The very snitch he had wanted all those years ago.
.Flashback.
They had all come to Diagon Alley together. This was a day for the family. Lily had brought them all around the shops in Diagon Alley, using this trip to restock her potion supplies, purchase some new books and get some new clothes for the family.
As usual, once the family had been spotted, Nathan fans started crowding round the family trying to shake the hand of the boy-who-lived, resulting in him getting shoved to the side by the unruly crowd. Not able to get back to his family he stood aside waiting for the crowd to disperse. As he stood there waiting he spotted the shop in the distance, a shop which the Potters frequently visited except for today as they were too busy with the fans. Knowing by past experiences that the crowd would take a while to disperse he made his way to the shop, hoping to pass the time.
The display of the shop held what it normally did. From the newest release of a broomstick to a complete set of quidditch gears. What caught his eyes though was the glittering gold ball that lay on a cushion right in the middle of the display. It was the newest model of the golden snitch. The sign said that it was made with different speed settings including the usual of Hogwarts game speed and professional level speed, along with a charm for it to return to the owner once it was called back. On that same sign, in big bold lettering was the words GS85
He had always loved the golden snitch and this was no different. He stared at it in awe, hoping one day to be able to own one of those at least. He knew that if he ever played quidditch that he would become a seeker, he could just imagine the thrill that flying that fast would bring him. With that thought in mind he realised how perfect this snitch would be to practice with. He did not know how long he stared at it but before he knew it he heard his mother call him to join them again, and so reluctantly he left the display of the shop and joined his family again.
.End Flashback.
Was this just a coincidence, how could they ever know how much he wanted this, they never knew him then and even less now. Yet some how they had managed to get what he always dreamt of having as a child and not only that but they managed to get the exact same model he wanted.
He stared down at the snitch in his hand, this was all too convenient, it seemed as if he was in a dream. So far they had given him a cake for his birthday, and not any cake but an exact replica of the one from his fifth birthday, and this time they had placed his name on it then they give him something he had always wanted when he was that age. He did not know how they knew about all this, after all he knew that they never paid any attention to him back then so how would they.
With all this surprises he was having today he was even more curious as to what the letter now held. Distracted from the gift which he had just let go he ripped open the letter, all thoughts of being cautious forgotten.
Dear Harry,
Ever since you left, and ever since I have been searching for you I have thought about how I would ask for your forgiveness. Unfortunately everything I have thought of has escaped me since I saw you in Diagon Alley. At first my heart was filled with hope, I had finally found you, my little Harry. Thoughts of you reuniting with the family and meeting your sister Rose rushed in to my head, how we were going to be a happy family again.
That day you disappeared I realised how much I had failed as a mother. I saw the cake that was at the party and instantly I knew why you had run away. How could a mother have forgotten about her son so completely as to not acknowledge his day of birth? I cannot tell you the nightmares that that cake brought me. So much so that I can remember every single detail of that cake even till this day. Even if not for the cake I don't blame you on running away, you see I never even realised that you were not at your own party until it was too late.
How can a mother not know that one of her sons was not at his birthday party even of it was being shared by her other child? It had taken my heart to break before I would even know you were missing. Forgive me Harry, I know telling you that I was caught up in your brothers fame would not be comforting for you to hear but if I am to be honest with you that is truly what happened. Then there was the fact that I thought I would loose your brother to the fight against Voldemort and his supporters if he were to ever return so felt the need to spend as much time as I could with him.
I never thought that by doing this that I would loose my other son. In my mind I always believed you would be there, even if I were to loose your brother I would always have you. I know that it was a wrong thing for me to do, I see that now, and have realised this fact since the day I lost you.
In fear of loosing one child I had lost the other.
I hope that one day you will forgive me and the rest of us for this, for being so unfair to you.
I remember the day we were in Diagon Alley before you had run away. The crowd had mobbed us again trying to get to your brother, your father and I was protecting him, and I did not know where you were. It saddens me to admit this but I was more scarred for your brother who was next to me then you who I could not even find. Then as I looked around for a way to escape the mob I saw you. You had this awe and longing in your eyes that I had rarely seen, I remember that you had your hand pressed against the window of the quidditch display. From where I was I could clearly see that you were gazing at the golden snitch. Till this day I still don't know what you felt about that snitch, we had many in the house, but I guess all was mostly your brothers and the rest your fathers.
I had never seen you look at something like that and so I resolved to buy that for you. I came back after we had all returned home and bought that for you. You left before I could give it to you and for years it has sat in my room untouched. I hoped that one day I could give it to you and so I do that now.
I know that the cake and the snitch will never gain me your forgiveness, I know that it seems as if I am trying to buy it from you, but I believe that the cake was something you should have had on your fifth birthday along with that gift.
I would also like to apologize for what I did at Diagon Alley and then again when here when we found you, but first let me explain. As I stated above, when I first saw you my heart was filled with hope. I had finally found you after so long. Then I saw the look in your eyes and I knew that you resented and feared me. That look brought me to desperation, I wanted you to at least come home and meet your sister, she has never done anything to you and maybe you to would become close.
Before I knew it, you and Dumbledore were having the most incredible duel I have ever seen in all my years in the wizarding world. I was shocked and awed at the power you possessed. Seeing you fight, I knew that Dumbledore would loose, and if he lost then I would loose you again. I couldn't bear loosing you again, I just couldn't. I had lost you once and it tore my heart to pieces, now I just wanted a chance to be forgiven and so I did something without even thinking. I stunned you from behind. I knew then that you would never forgive me. To make it worse I did it again, but this time your father also stunned your friend Ginny Weasley, and so I feared that this would only set in stone your hatred for us.
Then somehow the great Nicolas Flamel, Ollivander and a goblin I do not know came into our house without our knowledge to meet you. I was so afraid that they would take you away before I could have a chance to talk to you. Then Flamel comes out and starts shouting at Dumbledore, screaming at him about relinquishing his power and about you being the real Boy-who-lived. Suffice to say I stood there shocked, for years I had thought that it was Nathan that might die in the battle against Voldemort, but then I learn that it had always been you who was destined for that fight. It was then that I realized that I had truly lost you forever. Whether it be from my own doing or the path your destiny would take you.
Please Harry, even if you will never ever forgive me I ask you please just give me the honour of talking with you. I would love to hear your voice when it is not shouting, when it is not defending or attacking someone. Even if you don't think me as your mother anymore I would like to just sit down and talk to you, perhaps over tea or coffee, whatever you may prefer.
Yours sincerely,
Lily Potter
He stared at the letter in shock, he did not care that she had asked forgiveness after all he knew she would. What really caught his eye was the fact that she had noticed him staring at the snitch all those years ago, and she had even went and bought it for him as a birthday present. Also, for her to have kept it that long meant that she was dedicated to finding and giving it to him, at least that was what he hoped was true.
Also, for her to truly confess that she had neglected him in favour for his brother, that was something he would have never expected. He had expected the letter to have asked for forgiveness, and to say that they did not understand why he had ran away and that they would try harder this time. Yet she had never stated she would try harder, no, she had stated how bad she had felt when she had discovered her mistakes.
He read the letter many times over, confused on what to do. He did not want to forgive the Potters, he did not want to return to them either. If he was being honest to himself he was scared, he was scared that if he returned to the Potters then he would once again be forgotten, thrust aside like he once was. He knew however that because of this fear he would never willingly return to being part of the Potter family. Yet even this fact could not excuse him from talking to Lily Potter. She had cunningly, at least to him written the last paragraph, leaving him with very few excuses he could come up with for avoiding her.
He knew he could be mean and just tell her to get lost, but that letter had touched him, that along with the cake and the snitch made him feel as if he owed at least a talk with her. It was this that made him realise that now he was trapped in a worse trap then he was previously in.
A/N: I am so sorry for the long wait on this chapter, and unfortunately I cannot promise you that I wont take long to update the next chapter. I have been having a rough couple of months, what with university, and a ton of personal problems that just thinking about makes me feel nauseated. I once again apologize and hope that this chapter was worth the wait. Thank you.