Harry Potter and The Founder's Chamber

Authors Notes:

Forgot the disclaimer the first time, and I'm trying to fix some of FFN's editing problems. rdgale 16-Dec-2012

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Harry Potter is not mine. No money is being made from this. This is for my own personal entertainment; I just wanted to see if someone else would also like to read it.

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Some years back I had an idea about Harry becoming the Lord of Hogwarts after Sirius passes through the Veil of Death.

In reading chapter 14 of 'On the Wings of Dragons' by Bobmin356, they recommended a short story from 'AlaskanKing' ('The Last Potter in England' story number 6028270). A very good Harry / Hermione short story.

'AlaskanKing' also had a challenge where Harry claims Hogwarts ('Lord Hogwarts Challenge' Story number 6786218).

To summarize the challenge:

Harry assumes the title of Lord Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and Protector of the Mystical Forest (Now called the Forbidden Forest) and is answerable only to the Crown. Ancient Treaties come back into play.

As Head of 5 Most Noble and Most Ancient families, Harry must wed/betroth women to reestablish the family lines. (6 if Harry is Lord Black too).

My Harry will end up with more than that – you'll just have to read to find out how and why. THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE A HAREM STORY

This is an Alternative Universe (AU). Anything can happen.

I decided to take a shot at it, even if it only turned out to be a one shot story. A lot depends on if I have time and interest in working on it in the future.

Review if you want to, I really don't care. I'm writing this for my own enjoyment and thought I'd share it with you.

rdgale

'Thought or mind speak'

~parseltongue~

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Chapter 1 – Introduction

Harry had just left Professor Dumbledore's office after being told the Prophecy relating to him and the self-styled 'Lord Voldemort'.

He now knew that, yes, Sirius is really dead, and yes, Dumbledore has been withholding important information from Harry since he entered the world of magic. Information which he had asked Dumbledore about at the end of his first year at Hogwarts.

'He knew- that old bastard! He's known all along why Voldemort killed my parents, and why he keeps trying to kill me, and he said nothing!'

Being totally beside himself, Harry thought what might be something he could do to get back at Dumbledore.

'I wonder how Dumb-as-a-dore would feel if someone took Hogwarts away from him? What would he do then?'

Not thinking straight, Harry ran down to the Great Hall where a mosaic of the Hogwarts crest had been inlaid into the floor.

Standing in the middle of the crest, he raised his wand above his head and made his declaration.

"As conquer of the Heir of Slytherin I claim Hogwarts!"

The portion of the Hogwarts crest with the Slytherin symbol started to glow.

Silently, some of the ghosts from around the castle started to gather around him. An unseen wind picked up throughout the hall moving his cloak and hair around wildly. Harry though, didn't seem to be aware of what was going on around him or that there were differences in the Hall.

As he stood there, a voice that sounded a lot like the voice of the Sorting Hat came into his mind and said: 'Finally, a person worthy to be my Heir! Who else would be ambitious enough to think of claiming Hogwarts while the Headmaster is still sitting in his office? You may be from Gryffindor's seed, but you will be great as Heir of Slytherin!'

'Now while you are here, you must complete the rite. I sense Rowena's blood in you from your mother's side, and of course Godric's and Helga's from your father's. Claim Hogwarts in the name of all four founders and ask for Lady Hogwarts' help in teaching you what you need to know and do to command her.'

As the voice faded from his mind, Harry did as he had been instructed.

"As Heir of Ravenclaw I claim Hogwarts!"

The shield of Ravenclaw lit as the unseen wind picked up in the Grand Hall. Now the House ghosts and Peeves were starting to gather into the Great Hall as if called by some unseen force.

"As Heir of Gryffindor I claim Hogwarts!"

The shield of Gryffindor lit on the Hogwarts crest and all the house elves appeared and knelt in silence around Harry and the Great Seal. In the background, the suits of armour stood at attention shining as if freshly polished.

"As Heir of Hufflepuff I claim Hogwarts!"

As the final shield lit on Hogwarts' crest, Harry was engulfed by a blinding light. He could feel a bond between the House Elves and himself form (Now only he could release the house elves by giving them clothes). If he could have looked around, he would have seen that every portrait in the Great Hall was packed with all the subjects of ALL the portraits in the castle watching what was taking place.

The control of the wards surrounding Hogwarts were transferred from the Headmaster to him. He could also sense every person, creature, ghost, and poltergeist not only in Hogwarts and its grounds, but also the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade as well.

He could feel the wards, their intent and strength. He was surprised at the number of protective wards that laid dormant including wards that would keep Death Eaters from entering Hogwarts. He was also surprised by the 'holes' that would allow those of questionable intent to enter the castle without being noticed. With a thought, the 'holes' were closed and the protective wards were activated.

As the light began to decrease a flash of flame appeared in front of him. For a moment, Harry thought that maybe Dumbledore had sensed what was happening and had come to stop him. Indeed, Fawkes did appear in front of him, but to his side was a beautiful woman with long golden hair, clothed in a brilliantly white robe.

"I am Lady Hogwarts. Thank you for releasing me. It has been nearly a thousand years since I have been able to communicate with an Heir of the Founders. But we cannot talk here, the Headmaster knows that something has happened; just not what, and more importantly – by whom. Have Fawkes take you to the Founder's Chamber. You know it as the 'Room of Requirements'. We have much to discuss".

In a moment Fawkes was above Harry extending one of his tail feathers to him. He grabbed on and in a flash they were gone. All the other ghosts and house elves and the rest of Hogwarts guards also disappeared without a sound. Just in time too for at that moment, Professor Dumbledore came running into the Great Hall with his wand raised. All that met him was a shining Hogwarts crest with all four founders seals blazing brightly.

"Oh Merlin!" was all he could say.

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Moments earlier in the Headmaster Chambers.

Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Order of Merlin First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards was just coming out of his pensive.

He had followed Harry and his friends to the Ministry of Magic to see how they would handle themselves when face to face with Death Eaters. Of course, he was disillusioned and hidden from all the other magical users in the Ministry. He wanted to see how Harry would act under pressure. What were his strengths and weaknesses? Of course, he made no attempt to warn or help Harry and his friends in any way as to what they were walking into. He only made himself known when the rest of the Order of the Phoenix showed up.

He should have been impressed. Harry and his crew of students held off Voldemort's inner circle with nothing more than third and fourth year curses and jinxes.

'I didn't realize Harry had gotten so good this year. I guess Ms. Granger's idea for 'Dumbledore's Army' has been more successful than I would have imagined. It would seem that Mr. Potter and Ms. Weasley in particular have really started to come into their own. Interesting.'

'I must find a way to slow Harry's development down. He's becoming too independent. I knew he was training the other children, but training them well enough to stand up against all those Death Eaters? Most of them Voldemort's inner circle. If this is not curtailed, they will be able to fight for themselves and think that they no longer need my guidance.'

That was when he first felt something shift regarding Hogwarts.

At first he thought the castle was feeling happy, brighter and lighter than he could ever remember it feeling.

'What brought that on? Why would Hogwarts be feeling so… happy? 'She' must be glad that all of the students have returned safely to the castle. But 'she's' never felt like this before. I wonder why?'

As he was thinking about what could cause this response from the castle, he heard Fawkes start singing for joy. But instead of filling his heart with pleasure, he had a different feeling, one of a foreboding presence pressing upon his very soul.

That was when the Wards were removed from his control and Fawkes disappeared in a bright fireball.

Dumbledore panicked. "What has happened?"

Looking around at the portrait of the former Headmasters and Headmistresses, he found all their frames – empty.

He tried calling for a house elf, but none responded.

"I must get to the bottom of this and quickly. Someone is trying to take control of Hogwarts from me. I cannot let that happen." He spoke out loud but there was no one around to hear him.

Taking out the Elder wand he headed to his door only to find his way blocked.

"Hogwarts, I don't know what you are doing, but open this door at once! I command you!"

Silence.

Taking a few steps back, the Headmaster leveled the Elder wand in front of him and cast his most powerful blasting charm. "Confringo!"

The thousand year old door shattered into a million pieces of kindling. Dumbledore had to protect himself from some of the shrapnel as it bounced around the threshold and room. After a few moments, he moved his wand again to clear the air and make it so he could exit his chambers.

Running down the hallway, he noticed that all the torches were extinguished. Every statue and every piece of armour – missing. Every portrait was blank, and there were no ghosts – or Peeves. Lighting his wand so he could see, he ran as quickly as he could to the Great Seal in the Great Hall. 'This is not good. Not good at all'.

As he approached the Great Hall, he noticed a bright light coming from within, however, just before he reached it, there was a bright flash, and it was gone. As he rounded the corner all he could see was the Great Seal radiating with a power he could never imagine.

"Oh Merlin!"

The torches in the Hall and all around the castle came back on brighter than before.

Carefully he entered the Hall and looked to see if anyone was still around.

Nothing.

The subjects were all back in their portraits, the statues and armour were all back in their proper positions, but none would respond to his inquiries as to what had happened.

Carefully, he cast spell after spell to try and determine what had happen, and more importantly by whom.

After several more hours he was no more the wiser, but much more tired. Retracing his steps back to his office he was rudely greeted by a large gargoyle that refused to move when given the password. Too tired to argue with the large guardian, he found an empty classroom and transfigured some desks into a bed and some blankets and went to sleep.

End of Chapter 1

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AN: Chapter 2 is half written, but will need to be totally rewritten to meet the requirement of the challenge.

Why don't you try the challenge too? I know there seems to be a lot of 'Harry and the Castle' lately, but really, this is something I was thinking about before I found the challenge. It was just the motivator to get me writing again.

Updates will be slow due to work and the economy (and holidays). Let's see how far this goes.

rdgale