Harry Potter and the Quest of Life
Summary: Harry had always longed to leave the Dursleys. His desire is fulfilled, but in a way he never planned. Harry's sixth year will be full of adventures. New powers, a different identity and lots of fun with the Slytherins. How will Harry save his neck during the hide-and-seek game with the Order and Voldemort? Ron and Hermione are the new members of the Order. *grins* Find out the detail by reading the story.
Diagon Alley was filled with the usual hustle bustle. Unknown to the people going about their daily lives, the members of the Order of the Phoenix were observing them critically from their watching places, under disguises. Among them were the two newest members of the Order, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
The two youngsters were just inside the Flourish and Blotts, feigning to be engrossed in their books. Hermione had insisted that they guard the bookshop. This mission was like a test for them. To see if they could save themselves and other innocent around them and they had to prove that they were ready to go on rescue missions and sort.
Dumbledore had received news via Snape that Voldemort was going to send some Death Eaters to attack Diagon Alley. It wasn't a major attack, just to ensure that they remain terrified of the Dark Lord and his minions.
Dumbledore had seen it as a perfect chance to test the new member's skills which they had been learning for the past weeks. They had worked hard and Remus and Sirius, their teachers, were proud of them.
What was more surprising was that Ron actually tried hard; and often got spells before Hermione. But they lacked practical usage of their skills.
Shrieks and shouts of terror-filled people caught Hermione's attention, and she ran out, unsheathing her wand. The scenario was completely different than she had imagined it. Instead of ten or fifteen Death Eaters that they were promised, there were a full hundred out there.
Their commander was apparently a comparatively shorter man in the front. He raised his wand and sent a Cruciatus in the crowd of frightened people. This triggered the other Death Eaters and the hell broke loose over the inhabitants of Diagon Alley. The Death Eaters scattered throughout the place and started their dirty work.
Hermione was seized by her shoulder into a dark side alley. She turned, ready to attack, to see Moody dragging a struggling Ron into the alley.
"We are outnumbered, here. Badly. So, the previous plan can't work." Moody started once Ron stopped screaming and trying to kill him.
"You are not to go out and face them. Get yourselves on the roofs. Attack from there. Stealth is direly needed. If a Death Eater sees you, he will alert the others, and our deaths will be certain." Moody instructed in his gruff voice.
"I won't hide like a coward." Ron started angrily.
"Then you will die." Moody cut him short and turned to Hermione.
"I trust you have more sense than that?" When she nodded, he continued. "Good. Now listen. Don't use stunners. They'll just revive each other back. All that leaves us is the killing curse." This chilled Hermione to the bone. She knew that she would have to say the forbidden words one day. But she had hoped that it would not be so soon.
"Think, girl. They'll use it on you without so much as a second thought and forget as soon as they say it. The world runs on the survival of the fittest. It is good that you learn it early in your life. Now go, and make sure that you are not seen."
"I'll try my best." Hermione said, but she wondered if she would.
"Aye, I have no doubt about that." Moody smiled, not warmly.
Ron just stood there. A frown on his face. Finally, he sighed and unsheathed his wand.
"Let's go."
~*~
Moving on a roof top stealthily, Hermione could not remember how long it was since she had her talk with Moody. As soon as she had come out of her hide out, she had split ways with Ron, who was lost somewhere in the chaos that was Diagon Alley.
And not so long after, she had said the curse. Running over roof-tops, and killing Death Eaters, she felt as if hours had been past. Though it could not have been more than half an hour.
Hearing the sound of a footstep, she turned swiftly. But still too late. Her wand was snatched right out of her hand by the man cloaked in black.
She looked in those cruel blue eyes, knowing that her time was at hand. The man raised his wand, and his face contorted in pain. As he fell, Hermione caught a brief glimpse of a man clothed in black, wielding a bloodied sword.
~*~
After saving Hermione from the sneaky Death Eater, Harry jumped to the other roof and started cutting other enemies. He sought for their commander and found him on another roof-top watching the fighting below.
He moved swiftly from roof to roof, until he was just short of one roof from the commander. Just then, the man turned and saw him.
Contrary to what Harry would have believed, the man made no attempt to draw his wand.
"So, you know how to use that, do you?" He said, pointing towards Harry's blade. "Let's see how skilled you are."
With that the man unsheathed his own sword from its scabbard, that Harry had not seen before, and attacked him.
The man was skilled, Harry had to hand him that. He used the most difficult forms with such an ease that was tell-tale sign of a long term fighter. They parried and parried and parried. From roof to roof they jumped, and dodged and attacked. Harry had never met that skilled swordsman before. But he could see that he had also given the man a pause. He fought much carefully now than he had in the beginning of their duel.
Harry blocked the man's attack with his own sword, and caught a glimpse of his opponent's blue eyes. At the same time, he heard an astonished gasp. "Potter?"
His opponent missed a step. Harry was astonished, but he seized the chance and disarmed his opponent.
"Who are you? And what is your rank in Voldemort's army?" He asked him.
He only stared defiantly up at him. "I have other ways if you will not tell me, and none are to your liking."
No response. Harry stared in the man's eyes and tried to enter his mind. He met with the strongest shield he had seen besides Dumbledore's.
This could be tricky. Harry thought. Yet now he was convinced that the man was of vast importance.
They stood, looking in each others eyes, sweat poured down their foreheads. Until at last, Harry decided to use extreme measures. He couldn't waste all his energy here when he had alternatives.
Harry swiftly kicked him in the stomach but held him so that the eye contact was not broken. The brief pain distracted the man and Harry gained entry in his mind.
"Zabini?" He whispered.
~*~
Summary: Harry had always longed to leave the Dursleys. His desire is fulfilled, but in a way he never planned. Harry's sixth year will be full of adventures. New powers, a different identity and lots of fun with the Slytherins. How will Harry save his neck during the hide-and-seek game with the Order and Voldemort? Ron and Hermione are the new members of the Order. *grins* Find out the detail by reading the story.
Diagon Alley was filled with the usual hustle bustle. Unknown to the people going about their daily lives, the members of the Order of the Phoenix were observing them critically from their watching places, under disguises. Among them were the two newest members of the Order, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
The two youngsters were just inside the Flourish and Blotts, feigning to be engrossed in their books. Hermione had insisted that they guard the bookshop. This mission was like a test for them. To see if they could save themselves and other innocent around them and they had to prove that they were ready to go on rescue missions and sort.
Dumbledore had received news via Snape that Voldemort was going to send some Death Eaters to attack Diagon Alley. It wasn't a major attack, just to ensure that they remain terrified of the Dark Lord and his minions.
Dumbledore had seen it as a perfect chance to test the new member's skills which they had been learning for the past weeks. They had worked hard and Remus and Sirius, their teachers, were proud of them.
What was more surprising was that Ron actually tried hard; and often got spells before Hermione. But they lacked practical usage of their skills.
Shrieks and shouts of terror-filled people caught Hermione's attention, and she ran out, unsheathing her wand. The scenario was completely different than she had imagined it. Instead of ten or fifteen Death Eaters that they were promised, there were a full hundred out there.
Their commander was apparently a comparatively shorter man in the front. He raised his wand and sent a Cruciatus in the crowd of frightened people. This triggered the other Death Eaters and the hell broke loose over the inhabitants of Diagon Alley. The Death Eaters scattered throughout the place and started their dirty work.
Hermione was seized by her shoulder into a dark side alley. She turned, ready to attack, to see Moody dragging a struggling Ron into the alley.
"We are outnumbered, here. Badly. So, the previous plan can't work." Moody started once Ron stopped screaming and trying to kill him.
"You are not to go out and face them. Get yourselves on the roofs. Attack from there. Stealth is direly needed. If a Death Eater sees you, he will alert the others, and our deaths will be certain." Moody instructed in his gruff voice.
"I won't hide like a coward." Ron started angrily.
"Then you will die." Moody cut him short and turned to Hermione.
"I trust you have more sense than that?" When she nodded, he continued. "Good. Now listen. Don't use stunners. They'll just revive each other back. All that leaves us is the killing curse." This chilled Hermione to the bone. She knew that she would have to say the forbidden words one day. But she had hoped that it would not be so soon.
"Think, girl. They'll use it on you without so much as a second thought and forget as soon as they say it. The world runs on the survival of the fittest. It is good that you learn it early in your life. Now go, and make sure that you are not seen."
"I'll try my best." Hermione said, but she wondered if she would.
"Aye, I have no doubt about that." Moody smiled, not warmly.
Ron just stood there. A frown on his face. Finally, he sighed and unsheathed his wand.
"Let's go."
~*~
Moving on a roof top stealthily, Hermione could not remember how long it was since she had her talk with Moody. As soon as she had come out of her hide out, she had split ways with Ron, who was lost somewhere in the chaos that was Diagon Alley.
And not so long after, she had said the curse. Running over roof-tops, and killing Death Eaters, she felt as if hours had been past. Though it could not have been more than half an hour.
Hearing the sound of a footstep, she turned swiftly. But still too late. Her wand was snatched right out of her hand by the man cloaked in black.
She looked in those cruel blue eyes, knowing that her time was at hand. The man raised his wand, and his face contorted in pain. As he fell, Hermione caught a brief glimpse of a man clothed in black, wielding a bloodied sword.
~*~
After saving Hermione from the sneaky Death Eater, Harry jumped to the other roof and started cutting other enemies. He sought for their commander and found him on another roof-top watching the fighting below.
He moved swiftly from roof to roof, until he was just short of one roof from the commander. Just then, the man turned and saw him.
Contrary to what Harry would have believed, the man made no attempt to draw his wand.
"So, you know how to use that, do you?" He said, pointing towards Harry's blade. "Let's see how skilled you are."
With that the man unsheathed his own sword from its scabbard, that Harry had not seen before, and attacked him.
The man was skilled, Harry had to hand him that. He used the most difficult forms with such an ease that was tell-tale sign of a long term fighter. They parried and parried and parried. From roof to roof they jumped, and dodged and attacked. Harry had never met that skilled swordsman before. But he could see that he had also given the man a pause. He fought much carefully now than he had in the beginning of their duel.
Harry blocked the man's attack with his own sword, and caught a glimpse of his opponent's blue eyes. At the same time, he heard an astonished gasp. "Potter?"
His opponent missed a step. Harry was astonished, but he seized the chance and disarmed his opponent.
"Who are you? And what is your rank in Voldemort's army?" He asked him.
He only stared defiantly up at him. "I have other ways if you will not tell me, and none are to your liking."
No response. Harry stared in the man's eyes and tried to enter his mind. He met with the strongest shield he had seen besides Dumbledore's.
This could be tricky. Harry thought. Yet now he was convinced that the man was of vast importance.
They stood, looking in each others eyes, sweat poured down their foreheads. Until at last, Harry decided to use extreme measures. He couldn't waste all his energy here when he had alternatives.
Harry swiftly kicked him in the stomach but held him so that the eye contact was not broken. The brief pain distracted the man and Harry gained entry in his mind.
"Zabini?" He whispered.
~*~