A/N: This is completely the product of reading an NCIS/HP Crossover which had plot holes that you could drop Hagrid through. Nevertheless, the idea of a Gibbs-raised Harry is very attractive. He'd be far less manipulate-able. He'd also be far less silly.
So, I asked myself: How could you close the plot-holes and make them somewhat believable? There are quite a few fan-fic clichés built in to this mini-story, but I've tried to answer HOW as much as I can. If you think it's crap – oh well. Too bad. So Sad.
I WILL say that this arc will be several chapters. My muse is quiet on my other stories but this appealed to me. It will take a couple chapters to show how NCIS crosses over though.
I have decided to make it a separate story because it will have about eight chapters or so and that's a bit long for the Lone Traveler thread.
"The Lone Traveler: Young man who tried to change the past and save those he loved… plan failed and became the Lone Traveler, wandering through time and reality, making a difference wherever he went… very powerful… defeated a powerful Dark Lord… swept along the path he walked by a spectacular aura of blue light."
'Legends & Myths of the Wizarding World' by Gertrude Yolanda
FF St ID 2673584 – Chap 9 – The Professional
Harry looked around at the location of his latest Traveling location. He recognized it and shuddered a bit. No matter what he saw and where he visited, he could never forget the horrible feelings he had for this neighborhood.
It was Little Whinging, Surrey.
Looking around, it was very hard to determine exactly WHEN he had arrived. Privet Drive looked so uniform and unchanging, that it was difficult to determine. There were spells to determine time, but they often were a bit wonky for him unless he spent a decent amount of time in a particular universe. And different universes had different timelines, so it was difficult to actually say that if he knew the date that he'd have an accurate gauge of the timeline. He'd have to look around.
He ducked into the park behind a stand of trees that were still there (it had to be earlier than when he was 8 – his favorite "hiding from Dudley" trees had burned down in a lightning storm when he was in primary) and cast a disillusionment charm on himself.
He carefully made his way toward his childhood home - or the alternate anyway. He looked at it. He really never liked this house.
He noticed that Vernon's car wasn't in the driveway. He was likely at work. He looked around and saw that the cars around looked to be … early 1980s? Mid 1980s? His dimensional twin was likely still too young to go to school. Or maybe had just started?
He snuck to the window and looked in. Petunia Dursley was in the kitchen, cooking. He didn't see his alternate, so it was possible that he was in the cupboard or being forced to watch Dudley play with toys he wasn't allowed to touch.
Suddenly, he heard a car and turned. He saw a much younger version of his Uncle. He didn't look happy. That was never a good sign.
He pulled into the drive and, his irritation obvious, got out of his car. His briefcase stuck momentarily and Vernon Dursley cursed. It was quiet enough that it wouldn't be heard by neighbours – but Harry Traveler was closer than the neighbours' houses. Finally the briefcase pulled free and Vernon slammed the car door.
He suddenly stopped himself at the very loud sound and looked around. It was obvious he wanted to make sure the neighbours didn't see poor behaviour. Seeing that there was no one (visible) looking, he sighed in relief and visibly calmed himself with a deep breath. Vernon Dursley then marched himself to the door and moved inside.
Harry cast a charm which made surfaces pass sound more easily.
"Pet! I need a drink!" Vernon threw himself into his easy chair.
"Coming, Vernon!" Petunia quickly poured a double-shot of whisky and took it out to her husband. His eyes lit up at the sight.
"Thank God for you, Pet. I've had a perfectly terrible day and I need something to take my mind off of it!" He grabbed the glass and took a large gulp. He then closed his eyes, obviously feeling the liquid going down.
"What's wrong, Vernon?"
Vernon took a look at his wife and then took another sip. "Bloody Labour Party Communist busy-bodies! The most recent board members have gotten on some bloody tear about 'treating the employees better.' We've got quotas to fill and I'm supposed to get them filled. I was telling the men they had to stay late and get the paperwork finished and set up for tomorrow, just using a good, strong voice mind you, and what does the new manager do? He says," Vernon's voice took on a mockingly polite tone, "'You don't need to shout at them, Dursley. It's the end of the day, Dursley. They have to be allowed their personal time, Dursley.'"
Vernon took another drink and said, "We had a good Tory at the helm and things were going fine! But those idiots decided he was 'too harsh.' Bloody idiots, if you ask me."
Petunia gave a few sympathetic noises and said, "Well finish your drink and supper will be ready soon. It's a nice roast and your favorite pudding for desert."
Vernon nodded in satisfaction and continued to sip his drink. Soon Petunia brought a second one and Vernon happily exchanged glasses.
Harry watched this scene with some interest. Although his alternate's uncle seemed … well, an arse … he didn't seem to be the bully that Harry had grown up with.
Harry watched as Petunia set the table. He noticed that she actually set four places. Petunia set a large portion for Vernon, a small portion for herself, a medium size portion where Dudley always sat and another small portion for where he sat when he ate with his relatives. She poured water for herself and Vernon and milk for the two places for the children.
This seemed decidedly odd to him. He didn't remember his own Aunt Petunia so easily setting such a meal for him when he was a small child.
She went to the stairs and called, "Wash up, Duddikens!" She moved to the cupboard and knocked – fairly politely – and said, "Wash up. Supper is ready."
He saw is dimensional alternate come out, move to the lavatory, and come back out two minutes later. He looked to be … 3? 4?
He heard a thundering sound and saw a similarly aged Dudley rushing down the stairs. Petunia said, "Don't rush, Diddikums! You could hurt yourself!"
He watched as the four sat down to eat. While Petunia and Dudley seemed to be included in the conversation, little Harry was almost ignored. When Harry spilled a little milk, he saw his Aunt look over suddenly and say, "Use the napkin, boy!" Harry quickly wiped the spill up and went back to eating.
Vernon, who had brought his second drink back from the sitting room, shook his head at his nephew. He mumbled something but the Traveler couldn't hear it from so far away.
Dudley apparently didn't like that his parents were paying attention to Harry and not him because as soon as they looked back to their meal, the Traveler saw Dudley kick Harry – causing him to spill much more than the first time.
Petunia shrieked a bit in annoyance. "Boy! Be more careful!" She got up and brought a rag back and handed it to Harry. "Clean that up!" Harry started cleaning it up but accidentally pushed some milk from the puddle on the table onto the floor.
Petunia watched him and said, "Why are you being so obnoxious and spilling the milk?" She looked really annoyed.
Little Harry finally had enough and said, "Dudey kick me!"
Dudley said, "No! I eating!" Neither parent saw the smirk the boy had.
Vernon said loudly, "You'll not blame Dudley for your mistakes! Clean that up quickly!" It was obvious that Vernon had had a bit too much alcohol.
Harry started protesting but Vernon stood up and towered over him. "Boy! Shut your yap and clean that up now!"
Harry looked quite frightened and suddenly Vernon was pushed backwards. Petunia screamed a bit and even Dudley was shocked when his father stumbled.
Suddenly there was a loud crack and Albus Dumbledore stood in front of the house. Harry Traveler watched as Dumbledore quickly magicked his way inside and called loudly, "What is going on?"
Petunia pointed to Harry and then Vernon but was so incoherent that no real words came out.
Harry said loudly, "He scare me!"
Albus looked at the scene and said to Vernon, "You would threaten the boy? Well, we'll just have to keep him away from you." Albus pulled his wand and was about to cast when the Traveler felt he had seen enough.
He called out loudly, "STOP!"
Everyone in the room stopped and looked to see exactly where the voice was coming from. Harry Traveler quickly cast a notice-me-not charm so the neighbours would ignore him and the house and then removed his disillusionment charm as he walked inside.
He didn't give anyone time to comment. "What are you doing, Dumbledore? What spell were you about to cast?"
Albus looked at the new arrival and wanted to ask who he was, but the confidence the new arrival showed kind of threw him off. "I was going to cast a compulsion charm so that that man would send Harry to his room instead of allowing him to take his violence out on a small child! It's for Harry's protection!"
Harry Traveler looked at Albus with some horror. It was quite obvious that the lack of common sense that the wizarding world was famous for was in full bloom.
"You're an idiot!" Albus, as well as the Dursleys (Vernon had taken the opportunity to get up and was obviously torn between being frightened and being angry), looked at the new arrival with some shock.
"Vernon, while being just a bit too much in his cups due to a bad day, was not being physically violent. He was being a bit threatening. Harry felt a bit scared and performed accidental magic. It wasn't really needed but – how old is he?"
Petunia, who had calmed a very little bit, said nervously, "He's 4."
Harry Traveler nodded. "He's 4. So he misunderstood. And then you come in here assuming the worst and decide to try to fix it with magic without getting the whole story."
The two boys were watching this with some fear – and some fascination. Petunia looked to be terrified. Vernon looked a bit confused – and surly. He really wanted to yell but this new man seemed to be defending him so he decided to shut up and listen.
Albus looked at the visitor and finally asked the question he wanted to ask initially. "Who are you? Have you come to harm the boy? How did you get past the blood-wards?" Albus' aura became visible and said, "I won't allow anyone to threaten the boy!"
Harry Traveler looked at Albus with some incredulity. MERLIN, this Albus was an idiot. "My name is Harry James Potter and I'm visiting from an alternate dimension. I am also known as the Lone Traveler."
Albus suddenly stared at the Traveler in shock. Vernon and Petunia were also staring. The two boys looked confused – they weren't totally following the conversation.
Harry Traveler said to Vernon, "This is a sobering charm – it will help up resolve this faster." Harry cast the charm.
Albus saw that the Traveler was casting the proper charm.
"I'm going to cast a sleep spell so that the two children don't get too confused. It won't hurt them."
Petunia wanted to protest but wizards terrified her and she couldn't bring herself to say anything. Harry cast a sleeping charm on his alternate first and then Dudley. Both loudly yawned and their eyes dropped shut.
Harry Traveler quickly moved to ensure they didn't fall. "Vernon, please take Dudley to the sitting room – he's a bit big for Petunia to carry. I'll carry the alternate me."
Petunia and Vernon both rushed to Dudley and saw that indeed his was just sleeping. Vernon, now sober, picked Dudley up carefully and took him to the sitting room just as Harry requested. Petunia moved with him checking her son as thoroughly as she could. Harry carried his alternate quietly after them.
Albus moved quietly after the group, wondering exactly what was happening. He was being cautious, however, as he really didn't want to see his young charge harmed.
Vernon and Harry both put their burdens down on the couch. Petunia put a small pillow under Dudley's head and put a throw blanket from the couch over him.
Harry just conjured similar items for his alternate self. As he stood up to address the others, there was a knock at the door.
Harry grabbed his wand and went to the door. There were two Ministry Obliviators standing there. "What are you doing here?"
Both were shocked that the man in front of them was obviously a wizard. "Our equipment showed magic in a muggle neighbourhood."
Harry motioned the two inside and then pointed at Dumbledore. "The Chief Warlock is on the scene as well as another adult wizard. I put up notice-me-not charms so the neighbours won't notice anything. Your services are not required."
One of the two nodded but the other protested. "Standard procedure is to obliviate."
Harry, with some heat, said, "There is a young wizard in residence. The 'Muggles' are the caregivers and both know about magic already as her," he pointed to Petunia, "sister was a witch. We're already taking care of the accidental magic. So, once again, your services are not required."
The two looked at Dumbledore and he nodded. Both turned back and said, "Well, apologies then for disturbing you."
Harry said, "While I know it's your job, please be a bit more thorough in getting the details. You could have caused much harm with random obliviations."
Neither looked happy at the comment but neither felt confident enough to argue in front of Dumbledore and so they attempted to apparate away.
Albus said, "There are anti-apparatition wards up here that you have to be keyed into. You'll have to leave to apparate, just as you had to walk here."
Harry said, "The notice-me-not only goes to the property line so be careful. And mark this as a family that knows about magic so that you don't make mistakes in the future."
Both nodded sourly and left.
Once the two left, Harry looked at the other adults and said, "I'd say let's take this back to the dining area."
The Dursleys quietly moved as requested and the two wizards followed.
It had been close to the end of the meal, so the mess that was left was unneeded. Harry quickly performed a couple of household charms to clean up. Both Dursleys were a bit frightened, but neither so much so they were irrational. "Why don't you serve yourselves the pudding while we talk this out?"
Petunia nervously served a large portion for Vernon but took none for herself. She was about to ask if the wizards wanted any but Harry noticed and said, "While I thank you for your manners – you're obviously far better than the Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon I grew up with – neither one of us needs refreshment at the moment." Petunia nodded abruptly and sat down.
The adults had all sat down. Vernon quietly ate the pudding and watched to see exactly what was going on. Petunia drank her tea and did the same.
Harry turned to Albus. "Now, as I pointed out, you overreacted and were about to make a big mistake."
Albus protested. "I was only ensuring that that man didn't hit the boy. I can't have the boy-who-lived being beaten by muggles!"
Harry acerbically said, "The Dursleys were neither one of them about to beat Harry. Vernon was annoyed and Harry was scared, but it was a simple accident – not an assault. You completely overreacted."
Vernon had calmed down quite a bit and the pudding had calmed him even more. He interjected, "The very idea that I would beat such a small boy is absurd! I might not like him or his kind, but I'm not a monster!" Petunia nodded in agreement with her husband.
Albus, who finally looked a bit sheepish, said, "I do apologize for any error in judgement but I am very concerned that Harry remain safe."
Harry grumbled. All three of the adults looked at him. "You know, I think that my Aunt and Uncle I grew up with might be due an apology for a well-meaning busybody completely overreacting. I grew up with adults who always sent me to my cupboard whenever they were angry – but that might have been a compulsion charm." He looked at Albus. "I'll have you know if that's true – that compulsion charm led me to being starved at times because I was often sent to my cupboard for days at a time."
Albus' face became angry. "Cupboard?"
"My bedroom."
He turned to the Dursleys. "Is Harry kept in a cupboard?" Albus voice was filled with anger.
Petunia was defensive. "He refused the small bedroom upstairs! Whenever we tried to move him he cried and screamed incessantly! I will not force a 4 year old boy into such terror. While it's small, it's quite large enough for the moment."
Before Albus could reply, Harry said, "Can we see it?"
Petunia threw down the napkin she had been crinkling in her nervousness and moved to open the cupboard.
Harry and Albus both looked inside. The cupboard was small – but Petunia had been right. For a 4 year old boy, there was sufficient room. The small bed had clean sheets and there was a shelf for clothes – and not Dudley's recent cast offs. They were obviously properly sized for normal four year old.
"We were planning on having him move to the small bedroom upstairs when he turned five. By then, he might be less afraid," Petunia said.
Albus nodded. "Once again, I apologize for making assumptions." He looked chagrined that, once again, he had assumed badly.
Harry motioned the adults to follow him. "Well, Headmaster, let me tell you about my childhood." Harry's story horrified the three adults who were listening. Vernon and Petunia both were as horrified – or more – as Albus Dumbledore was.
"And, looking back, it's just as likely that all of that was the product of an ill-advised compulsion charm!" Harry was very angry as he thought about what he had lived through.
Vernon turned his own anger at the Headmaster. "You bloody idiot! What right do you have to do your hocus-pocus on us? That's the problem with you people! Taking the easy way out and not using any common sense. And you wonder why decent people like us don't like your kind?"
Harry interrupted Vernon before he could get on a much longer rant. "While Vernon is a bit of an arse," the Dursleys both looked annoyed at that, "in this case – he's right." The two Dursleys looked far less annoyed. "I'm sure if you think about it honestly, wizards and witches tend to lose their common sense by deciding that magic is the answer for everything." The Dursleys looks changed to mild satisfaction.
Albus looked quite old and very chagrined as he listened to the upbraiding he was getting from the two men. He sighed. "You are likely quite right. We live so long and magic makes up so much of our lives that a different approach is quite foreign to us. Perhaps we need to relearn reason."
Harry himself sighed and said, "Don't beat yourself up too bad. We prevented it here. But we definitely need to talk about some things while I am here."
Albus nodded and then stood. He bowed to his hosts. "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, I once again wish to offer my most humble apologies for the mistakes I have made as regards your family. I will most likely make more but I will attempt to avoid it."
Vernon and Petunia both nodded in acknowledgement.
Harry also stood. "I will ensure any improper spells are clear and then I will leave with the Headmaster. I think it will be likely that either he or I – or both of us – will be back to discuss things further. But you've already provided a decent amount of hospitality and I think we should quickly finish and be on our way."
Petunia was much warmer toward Harry than she was toward the Headmaster. "While I am sorry that you suffered such a childhood, I am happy to see that at least one version of my nephew has learned common sense instead of falling into the poor judgments that magic seems to bring. You," she emphasized it a little and seemed to deliberately NOT include Albus Dumbledore, "are welcome to come back so that we can talk properly."
Harry nodded and thanked her. He cast several detection charms and, once he was certain there were no improper spells present, he told the Dursleys they were clear.
Petunia nodded in thanks and Vernon even shook his hand. He quietly said, "Sort them out if you can. Bloody idiots"
Harry was both surprised at how Vernon treated him vs. Albus – and quite amused.
The two made their way out. Albus turned to Harry. "So, to Hogwarts? I believe we have some things to talk about and I can possibly put you up while you are here."
Harry nodded. "That's fine. Your magic or mine?"
Albus, ever curious, said with some interest, "Yours will do."
Harry nodded and grabbed Albus' elbow. He used his not-apparition Traveling skill to take them to Hogwarts.