Chapter 19

Emerald eyes roved over the newspaper, the Daily Prophet, as it detailed Ballycastle Bats victory against Montrose Magpies. Grunting in dissatisfaction, Harry flung the newspaper onto the table in front of him. He stretched out his hand for his cup of tea and sipped it. He was having ambivalent feelings over the news. For one thing, he was satisfied to know the Magpies scarcely got a chance to win. On the other hand, he was discontented by the fact the Bats had once more regained their past title as champions.

"Not quite a sight, eh, Harry?" Tom, the landlord of the Leaky Cauldron, struck a conversation with the young man.

Hoisting his neck up, his eyes hit upon the bartender, Tom, whom was scrubbing the long table near Harry's. Presently, Harry was in the Leaky Cauldron. It was still early in the morning, and he was enjoying his breakfast meal. There were a few people babbling, laughing or minding their own business, and they failed to notice Harry was there amongst them. He was dressed in his signature deep brown coat that reached to his knees and his Ascot hat, along with his non-magical attire.

"Most of us were still quite mad on what the Magpies' beaters did to ya. Why, we ought'a hunt for their blood. We would if it weren't for you telling us not to."

Harry smiled slightly at the wizened, toothless man. "As much as I crave retribution, it's not worth it. Besides, it says here, their skills are not nearly as close to Quigley's, far from it actually. That made my day a little brighter, and at the same it did not. I don't suppose it makes any sense, does it, Tom?"

"No, it makes perfect sense. You wish one rival team to lose badly, yet you don't wish another rival team to be the winner, am I correct?"

"Precisely," Harry muttered dryly, flipping the newspaper over to read it again. "Both teams could've ended in a draw, but the match has to be ended in both sides humiliating one another and by doing so, they make a fool out of themselves. That could've made my day much brighter."

Tom grinned. "Only you would have such imagination, little Harry."

Taking a vicious bite out of his breakfast meal, a deep growl rumbled from Harry's throat. Didn't the people in Diagon Alley ever get the message that he didn't fancy to be called little? For heaven's sake, he's taller compared to how he was back then! A sigh escaped from Harry's mouth. Some things would never change and sadly, one of it is how people in Diagon Alley view him. Curse his shorter height when he was young! Just then, an individual set foot in the Leaky Cauldron, and immediately seized Harry's attention.

"Captain!" Harry called out instinctively, springing up from the chair he sat on.

"Potter?" The person was flabbergasted to stumble upon the teen here of all places in the world. He, then, smiled benignly. "I don't recall being your captain since last year, Potter. A raven notified me you're the captain now, so am I to assume you want me calling you 'captain' from now on too?"

Cheeks stained pink, Harry mumbled, "It's a habit, Barkain… It's hard to tone it down once you get used to it."

Jeffery Barkain was previously the captain of Ravenclaw Quidditch team. He had graduated from Hogwarts at the end of Harry's fourth year. He was an extremely handsome young man with childlike striking features, almond bright eyes and messy brown hair. He was much taller than Harry, lanky with broad shoulders. If Harry's memory served him perfectly, Jeffery was one of the popular guys in Hogwarts and the sole male who behaved differently around Harry than the rest. What Harry meant by differently was Jeffery treating him harshly in training and pushing him to the limits.

Outside of training though, Jeffery was normally seen chatting with Harry without hatred or petty envy in his eyes. Secretly, Harry had always looked up to Barkain. Nonetheless, he would never acknowledge it publicly and would deny it vehemently if anyone divulged it to him. In Hogwarts, aside from Professor Flitwick, Jeffery was one of the few guys Harry deeply respected. During Harry's first three years in Hogwarts, Barkain took Harry under his wing and if Harry was to be completely honest with himself, most of his Quidditch skills along with his talents derived from his former captain.

Jeffery laughed blithely. "I suppose you do have a point, Potter. Mind me joining you?"

Harry beckoned to another chair. The former captain took it, all the while requesting a Butterbeer from Tom. (You kids ease yourselves up and don't ya worry, your order will be comin' right up. Me wife will bring it out for ya, Mr. Barkain.) Shouts then ensued from behind the bar after the bartender withdrew himself to the back, prompting Harry to shake his head with a sincere smile on his face. He faithfully believed things would never change around here, which admittedly suited him just fine.

"So, I heard you've been very busy, Potter, joining Puddlemere United and all. Still in Hogwarts, and you've become a professional Quidditch player. That's a feat not many people could hope to top, or accomplish," affirmed Jeffery kindheartedly. "With your talents and outrageous flying skill on brooms, I can't say I'm astounded they recruited you while you were still in Hogwarts."

"Try to fool me all you want but you can't." Harry tossed him an amused look. "You were shocked and envious of my initial acceptance into Puddlemere, weren't you?" Face dramatically falling, Jeffery incoherently whispered something about 'arrogant lucky bastard'. "What about you, Barkain? What are you doing these days?"

"Working for Gringotts, just a lowly curse breaker with enough payment for necessities."

"Really?" Harry's eyebrows furrowed together. "My first thought is you auditioning for a spot in one of the professional Quidditch teams."

Jeffery scratched the back of his head, embarrassment engraved in his features. "Yeah…well… it didn't go as planned…"

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just say, I didn't get a spot…"

Harry was stumped. "How the hell did that happen? You're a talented seeker. Even my brother had a difficult time with you and people say he's the most talented as well as the best seeker anyone has ever seen. You beat him during your last year in Hogwarts."

"Talk something else, Potter." Jeffery smiled gratefully in Tom's direction for fetching the Butterbeer to him.

"Okay…" Harry discerned his former captain chugging his drink away. "How did you wind up in Gringotts then? And as a lowly curse-breaker? Your results in NEWTs weren't that bad, it's actually the other way around. There are jobs with higher salary out there."

Jeffery shrugged his shoulders. "We all have to make a living, Potter. What choice do I have? Apply for a job in the ministry? We both know that's not going to happen. You know how corrupted our government is. I just can't stand to work under those bigoted people even if I am a Pureblood," he snorted derisively.

"Still, there are a lot of choices out there…"

"Allow me to ask you this then, what are you going to do after Hogwarts?"

"I-I don't know…" Harry scowled gallingly. "It's still too early for me to decide. I've got two more years ahead of me."

"See? It ain't that easy."

Harry blew out a frustrated sigh. "Fine, fine, it's not."

"I just thought it'd be best for me to work for Gringotts, earning experience and all," Jeffery carried on as if nothing had interrupted him. "It's only temporary."

"Yeah, right, temporary…" Harry was not utterly convinced. "And, how long have you been with Gringotts? If I have to guess, it must have been a year… No, it's definitely a year you've been with them. Have you ever got promoted?"

Jeffery tousled his hair exasperatingly. "Fine, you make your point, you cheeky bastard. Sometimes you can be a right arse, you know that, Potter?"

"So, I've been told…" Harry mused, pushing away his now empty plate. "Tell me about your trials and no changing topics this time, Barkain."

Jeffery took one last swig of his Butterbeer. "You do know how to force something out of people, don't you, Potter?"

"I picked it up from friends," as he said this, images of the girls drifted to his mind.

"It's not something I'm keen to talk about," said Barkain evasively.

"What team did you join?" insisted Harry.

"Bats. Ballycastle Bats."

Harry whistled. "That's some ambition, providing how they won British and Irish tournament twenty-two times consecutively. Though, we managed to break their winning streak before they reclaimed it again this year," said Harry irritably.

"I can see how you're annoyed, Potter." Barkain chuckled at his wistful expression. "It really was a shame the Puddlemere was defeated by the Magpies. People had a wager going on, that Puddlemere was heading for victory again." He had a longing look on his face. "Wish I could play in front of hundreds of people. Just imagine the thunderous cheers from the crowds when I catch the snitch."

"Your dream? To become a professional player I mean?" Harry inquired, observing Barkain.

"It's more than just a dream, Potter… It's- It's… my life's goal… Some scouts from other teams offered, but I declined in favor of joining the Bats instead. It didn't work out due to the complications of many people signing up and I didn't get an opportunity to present my skills to them. By the time I attempted to join other teams, their offers had expired. You can safely say that I'm not as lucky as other people are, huh?" Barkain smiled sympathetically. "In a way, I envy you, Potter. You were given a chance to be a professional player at such young age. I wonder sometimes if life is unfair."

"I had help from above - someone with great influence. If not, I won't be where I am now." Harry justified smoothly.

"So we've heard. The owner of Puddlemere recommended you." Harry's head shot up so fast he gave himself whiplash. "I, along with many other people, heard how Lord Greengrass was the one responsible for your initiation to Puddlemere, but most of the work came from you, didn't it? You proved yourself in the official games. If it wasn't for you working so hard to rise up the ranks and get your skills recognized, you wouldn't be here now, would you?" Heavy sigh can be perceived. "Man, I do really envy you. I wish could say otherwise, but it's hard not to be jealous of you, Potter."

Harry chose not to retort to the slight jibe and settled with drinking his tea quietly. Situating the cup down upon the table, he announced after few minutes of tension, "What if you were given another chance, Barkain? Would you grab it?"

"Huh?"

"You heard me…" Harry stood up, regulating his coat and hat appropriately. He left a couple of galleons on the table, deliberately paying it more. "Come with me. I'd like to introduce you to someone…"

"You strut to this building as if you own the place, storm into my office, overlooking the meeting taking place in this room and now, you're introducing me to a stranger! Blimey, kid! Learn some manners, will you?!" Philbert Deverill raved, his voice booming. An angry vein popped on his forehead. "Can't you see we're in the middle of something here?!"

"Of course, I can see that. I'm not blind." Harry eyed the several adults in the room, and afterwards disregarded their presence for the second time. Peter Gandalf was there as well, looking at them in mixture of curiosity and mirth. "But, this is important, Coach. If it wasn't, then I wouldn't have barged in without alerting you."

The man massaged his temples, desperately minimizing the stress clobbering his head. "Even if it wasn't important, kid, you'll still barge in…" Pondering it for a few seconds, Harry shrugged, readily consenting to the man's words.

"This had better be good, kid!" Deverill, in the end, snapped. "Or else, you and this bloke will be cleaning every inch of this building, without magic!"

Barkain's back straightened in attention at this. Unquestionably, he now considered the man to be as frightening as hell.

"We still haven't solved our seeker problem, right?" The Puddlemere's coach bobbed his head in confirmation. "Well, this guy could be the key to our solution."

Deverill leveled his fierce gaze on Barkain, criticizing him from head to toe. "Are you a seeker, son?"

"I-I'm g-good in other p-p-positions too-"

"Are you or are you not a seeker, Mr. Barkain?" Deverill pressed adamantly.

"Yes, I am." Barkain coerced himself not to stammer.

"Very well, we'll see if you're the right man for the task. Peter Gandalf here-" Deverill nodded to the said man. "-will escort you and help you prepare for the trial. Wait for us by the field and we'll judge your performance. If we deem you are worthy, then we'll offer you a membership to our club."

"T-Thank you, sir-"

Deverill lifted a finger, interjecting the young man. "Hold it right there, Mr. Barkain. I didn't say we are going to make things easy for you, so hold your gratitude until after the result of your trial. You are fortunate that we even take you into consideration considering it's not our scout that is recommending you but one of our own players which hasn't heard of. Furthermore, just because you're joining us, doesn't mean we're permitting you to play in the official matches. There are procedures to follow. Gandalf, if you can, show the young fella to the locker room and suit him up."

"Why, of course! It'd be my pleasure!" Gandalf bounced from his seat. "Right this way, Mr. Barkain. You must be skillful to be recommended by Mr. Potter and if I may comment for both of us, that doesn't happen a lot. It's actually astounding for him to recommend anyone, I tell you. My, I rarely heard him ever compliment anyone…" The voice of Gandalf prattling excitedly to the young man could be heard.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing, kid?"

"I am, Coach," Harry asserted confidently. "He's my previous captain and has a lot of potential to become a professional seeker. It's a waste for him not to exploit his talents. Trust me, if he's given the right training, like I was, he will become one of the best seekers around. Just you wait, Coach."

"I hope you're right, kid. It's hard to come by good seekers these days. For you to have found one when we needed them most… it was just plain lucky."

"It might have been, or it might simply a coincidence for us to meet each other today. Luck had nothing to do with it."

"You don't believe in luck, kid?"

"I don't have to believe in anything. In the end, it's our effort that counts, not luck or something close to it. If we do rely on luck, we lose faith on our own abilities. You taught me that," Harry said, smirking. "See you next year, Coach. I'll be sure to preserve my body so it's in top condition by the time I get back."

With that being said, Harry strode his way out of the room, leaving behind a smirking Deverill and several very impressed people behind.

"Nervous?"

Thoughts shattered, Jeffery's head budged to the person beside him. "Not really. There ain't many people, since apparently, the players are allowed to take a break for four months after the tournament…" said Jeffery, with calmness splashed all over his features. "And, I didn't hear you coming, Potter."

"Yeah, well, I had tendency to slink up to people," Harry answered in carefree, his hands jammed into his black trouser's pockets.

Both of them were by the training field, with wind breezing them as they sat on one of the benches. Surveying around the field, Harry recollected his first time here and smiled ironically. He had done most of his extensive Quidditch training here, before transferred to another field with the main players.

"A curse may well be on your way if you keep on doing that to other people." Staring at him for a while, Jeffery swiveled his eyes back to the front. "I'm starting to wonder if this is a really good idea. Strictly speaking, I am still working for Gringotts and I supposed to be reporting myself at work by now…" He ran his hand nervously through his messy brown hair. "What if it turns out terribly? I hope my superior will excuse me for missing work just this once."

"Look, if you're so concerned with your work, I'll go talk with the goblins about it. I should be somewhere else after this, but I have a lot of free time to myself so I'll stop by Gringotts first. I'm sure they'll understand this um…predicament…" spoke Harry. "Who knows, with me speaking to them, you may have a promotion the next time you go back to being a curse breaker. Seriously though, a lowly curse breaker? You could achieve more than that."

Jeffery looked skeptical and unsure at Harry's words. "Potter, goblins are nasty and greedy. They don't pardon you just for silly reasons, like pursuing silly dreams and all that. And, did I mention they're very strict? They don't care if you're going there on my behalf. If you're not written under employees or customers, they won't give a damn about you. Hell, they might even feed you to one of their security dragons for being involved in such things."

"Trust me, I have a pretty good relationship with the goblins and we go way back. Besides, you're being biased to them. If you get to know them, they're quite mischievous friendly little buggers. Just expect a letter by the end of the day and their response will sweep you off your feet," verbalized Harry with a touch of grin. "But, enough about that. Whoever said pursuing dreams are silly? For me, it is one of the most important things you must do in life. Without them, life will not be so stimulating. A dream is but a dream… But, everything began from a mere dream. Where there is life, there will always be a dream."

A smile was threatening to split Jeffery's face. "Did you get that from experiencing what it feels like to be a professional player?"

"Nope, I learned it from an old man I'm very fond of, even if I loathed to admit it willingly." Wide smile warmed Harry's face. "Guess, I should be going." Harry stood up, brushing the soot of his coat. "I wish you luck in life, Barkain. We'll meet each other sometime soon. I do have a feeling though that we'll meet each other as teammates next year. See you around then."

With a ghost of smile sported his lips, bright almond eyes loitered on Harry's retreating silhouette for a long while. "Damn him for saying that with such a cool expression. How can people say no to such expression? …Thanks, Harry…"

Holding his hat in place as the wind threatened to procure his coat, Harry stood in front of the large ancient gates. His coat swayed violently.

Emerald eyes were affixed on the huge ancient mansion that rested alone atop the hill. To him, it was so big, it kinda looked like what the old noble families in King Arthur's age used to live in. In Harry's opinion, the mansion was relatively in resemblance to what a castle looked like, its structure, its feature, the building and even its age. Nevertheless, so as not to arouse too much suspicion from the locals, Merlin might have changed the appearance. Thus, the conclusion of the construction was like a combination of a castle and an old English mansion.

"Harry, is that you?"

Twisting his head around, a tiny smile tugged his lips.

"Mrs. Wayward! I see you're taking a walk with your dog again?" Subsequent to this, his gaze settled on the energetically barking creature, its tail wagging in joy.

The thirty year old woman laughed, waving her hand in flippant manner. "Yes, yes, and I happen to like passing this hill with the wind blowing. It's very refreshing. And, I see you're visiting Mr. Carter again. How is he?" Mrs. Wayward said, with uncertain expression on her face. She wandered her eyes over the big frightening-like mansion and shuddered a little at the appearance.

"Oh, the old man?" said Harry distractedly, stooping down to chafe the dog's fluffy fur. "He's still the same as always." Noticing her expression, he emerged from his kneeling position. "Don't worry about it, Mrs. Wayward. It's just the outside appearance of the mansion that looks so terrible. The inside is actually luxurious, well, with dust and spider webs all over the place. Whatever horrible rumors have been concocted regarding the old man and his castle-like mansion are not true. I do acknowledge how creepy this place is, but that's just how it is. Other than that, it's pretty much normal."

"A-Are you sure, Harry?"

"I've been visiting him for years now," Harry assuaged her. "Besides, if it were true, don't you think your dog would've spotted it? I was told dogs have a canine sense and can detect dangers or any weirdness near them," Harry pointed out sensibly, patting the dog's head. It looked like to be enjoying the attention. "So, I assure you, no one from your neighborhood will be abducted and taken into the mansion, just to be transformed into a new version of Frankenstein."

"I-I suppose, you're right." Mrs. Wayward forced out a weak giggle.

"Do tell the rest of the neighborhood to not remark anything horrible about the old man again. He just doesn't have any interest in renovating his home into more of a modern style. He'd rather keep it the old fashioned way and what with him being alone in such large mansion, it's no surprise why he doesn't care such frivolous stuff. Just imagine living by yourself in big place, what with your age catching up to you."

"I guess we were all paranoid, since this mansion was built even before the neighborhood around these parts came along."

"It's okay, I would've felt the same way. This place has been handed down generation after generation in his family, that's all." Harry smiled brilliantly, inducing red tints on the woman's cheeks. Regardless she's already married, she could not contradict with herself on how truly appealing the teen is.

"Well, do send our apologies to Mr. Carter, that is if he ever heard one of our ludicrous rumors. Should I send him some muffins or something, Harry?"

"No!" Harry speedily recomposed himself. "It's just he's old now, therefore I don't think it will be an excellent idea for him to come down the hill and open the gates for you. It's not wired to electronics so it cannot open and close automatically. It has to be done manually. I think leaving him alone peacefully would be the best. I don't want to deteriorate his health further."

A slight frown marred the woman's face. "Oh dear, if what you say is true, then it is best for him to rest as much as he can. But, how you will get in, Harry?"

"Oh, I have the key to open the gate so no worries, and there is another way for me to enter his home." Harry smiled credibly, which led to another set of blushes on the woman's cheeks. "Now, if you excuse me, Mrs. Wayward, the old man is probably waiting for me."

"Y-Yes, well, have a good day, Harry. I'd best be off as well." The blush on her face deepened further. "A-and um… I-if you wish, Harry. You can stop by my house and maybe, have some cookies or snacks. Sometimes I make too much for my children."

Is…Is she trying to seduce me by inviting me to her place? Isn't she married?

Despite the internal conflicts, the smile still attached on his lips. "Thank you for the offer, I'll remember it the next time I visit the old man."

The woman deflated. "O-Oh, very well… Come along, Mr. Snuggles." The dog whined, but dutifully obeyed its owner.

Only after the middle-aged woman and her pet were out of view, did the smile on his face dissolve. Harry released a heavy sigh. The local people below the hill were constantly leery and apprehensive of the creepy mansion that stood alone by the hill. It was generally due to how long it had been there and how daunting it's appearance was. Though, Harry was confident half of it stemmed from the place ousting such an eerie aura, that even non-magical people were conscious of it and attracted to it.

The tall doors behind him closed with a loud clang, and Harry grumbled at it.

Switching his awareness to the front, Harry casually greeted the regal looking elemental, "Hey, Skip." The response he received was a strange thrilling sound. "Good to see you too. Have you been taking care of my car?" A sound from the elemental reverberated throughout the hallway they're walking on.

"What do you mean it's not mine? It is mine, I found the car." The elemental ostensibly disputed at this. "Just because the old man converted it to a more of stylish expensive car, doesn't mean it's his! There's a saying you know, 'finders keepers', and I found it, not the old man, so it's mine! Stop taking his side and start taking mine!"

The elemental emitted more noises.

"Why you… If you were more solid, I would dissect you into pieces, you stupid ethereal looking being…" There were more thrilling noises coming from Skip. "Me, jealous of you?" Harry spat incredulously, frustration mounting. "I am not jealous of you, Skip! Just because you can't be harmed physically and magically, doesn't mean anything! Fine, I confess your magical prowess is on a whole different level and that, you're a very powerful being, but that's it!" The elemental looked so conceited of itself. "Oh, shut it. I'm conceding to the reality of how powerful you are, not awe of you."

The elemental disagreed with Harry.

"That was a long time ago! I met you for the first time ever and I was what? Seven? Eight? I'd never seen or heard your kind before so of course I'd be in awe of you, anyone would be!" If the holy orb could grin, it would definitely be grinning right about now. "No, it still counts as nothing, Skip! You know what? Forget it. I don't want to squabble with you over trivial matters, just lead me to the old man. Where is he anyway?"

Thrilling sounds echoed.

"The basement? Again?" Skip explained it in its own elemental style. "Did you say he's working on something? Must be researching on the Basilisk…" The elemental clarified it more clearly. "He finished it a month ago? That's pretty quick… Why didn't he inform me of its progress?"

The reply from the elemental caused a twitch of irritation on Harry's eyes.

"Skip, what do you mean I'm not worthy enough?" The words were laced with venom, and another sound can be distinguished from the elemental. "Oh… 'Exactly what you mean', did you say?" Harry started calmly. Before anyone knew it, his hot temper had boiled to its highest point. "That's it! Come here, you daft creature! I'm going to enjoy my time dismembering you slowly! It's unheard of, but I'll be the first person to ever succeed in slicing up an elemental!"

At those words, the holy elemental whizzed forward, hurriedly distancing itself from the crazed young man.

"Get back here, you arrogant elemental!" yelled Harry angrily, chasing after it. "You wanted to know why I was in awe of you the first time?! It was because ever since I met you, I always wanted to do this! I'm sure the old man possesses the correct apparatus to cut you into pieces!"

Situations like this generated judgments in people on how insane it could be, if it were not for the hilarious sight of one of the most powerful magical creatures in history, being hunted down by an enraged youngster. (The key to one of the lost magic might be resided in you, so I'm not going to grieve over you! As a matter of fact, no one will!) In his frenzy state, Harry had wandlessly conjured a sword, and had taken upon himself on swinging it violently side to side, striving to reach the elemental.

They were both halted in their tracks by a familiar ancient man ambling in the same hallway as them. "My, my, you two are energetic as always. If you two please, the many artifacts and ornaments paraded all over the hallways are very valuable to me. Some cannot be repaired with magic. Many, if not most, I have collected for long years, hence I would be grateful if none of them are spoiled." Skip snatched this opportunity to shelter behind Merlin, poking its glowing orb round to spy warily on Harry's movement.

"Step aside, old man! I'm going to slice that useless elemental!" hollered Harry, pointing the sword threateningly.

"Harry, please…" Merlin gazed upon the blade and it perished, disintegrating into nothing. "You are aware nothing can harm Skip, are you not?"

"Like hell I care!" Harry seethed. "That elemental has too much pride in itself!"

A sword was, again, conjured into his hands, and once more, it crumbled into emptiness once more. Blinking his eyes owlishly, he glared fiercely at the culprit.

"Harry, do leave poor Skip alone. And Skip, stop antagonizing Harry, if you please." The elemental gave some form of gesture that he understood perfectly. "Excellent. Now, come with me, Harry. There is something I ought to show you before you depart to Hogwarts." If Harry was to look back at the elemental one last time over his shoulder, he could see the elemental was tantalizing him.

"That elemental infuriates me to no end!" groused Harry, folding his arms over his chest. "I should have carve it and be done with it!"

"Calm yourself, Harry. Anger is one emotion that can be uncontainable and it frequently controls us with our less than irrational thoughts. We must train ourselves not to allow our anger conquer us, for it will guide us to nothing but disastrous outcomes and it will compel us to do something we will greatly regret later on. What is more, our image is a reflection of our actions, so do not do anything that will fill you with the feeling of remorse, dear child."

"Yeah, yeah, old man, I get it." Harry brushed off glibly. "I'm just spewing nonsense. I didn't mean any of it. I know Skip was only teasing me. He loves it every time I get riled up over nothing."

He was now in the basement of the mansion with the old man. Unlike the common household basement, Harry felt the old man's basement was more comparable to a dungeon. Dark, creepy, strange coldness trapped on the walls and more importantly, depression was all over the place. In place of the normal modern lights that even a majority of wizards used nowadays, torches could be seen. Nevertheless, in contrast to older dungeons, it didn't reek with death. In the room, there were jars with different colored contents on the shelves, and other apparatus was scattered across the floor, most of which anyone would imagine within a laboratory.

In addition to this, Harry could discerned many long bookcases and at the other end of the room only darkness could be spotted. These bookcases were packed with ancient books, spell tomes and knowledge that would make people salivate. Most of the ancient knowledge secrets could be uncovered here.

Harry had once snuck to this place when he was nine and endeavored to read one of the books, except as soon as he opened the book, he couldn't locate any words within it. He was immediately caught red-handed by the old man and Merlin proceeded in elucidating him the reason behind it. Since Harry was not the owner of the books, he could not read it, in fact no one could, with the exception of Merlin himself. To top it all off, it was also the place where Merlin conducted his researches, as well as training Harry physically and mentally, etc. The place could also be depicted as a huge library that would put Hogwarts' to shame.

At present, the old man's back was facing Harry, as he was working on something. There would be a brief of glow here and there, and as intriguing it was during his childhood, it was developing into tediousness, seeing as all he could do was monitor the old man from afar. Idly, he approached one of the jars. He pounded the glass lightly, drumming it insistently. Yelping, Harry was confronted with two big bulbous yellow eyes. He hopped back from the jar, mechanically sealing his lids.

"Ah, I see, you have discovered the Basilisk's eyes. Fascinating, is it not, Harry? The sizes of those eyes are thrice larger than our own," Merlin butted in, looming behind Harry. "Do not worry Harry, its eyes cannot kill you any longer."

"I-I know that! It's just instinct…" Harry's whole body quivered. The sight of those eyes reminded Harry vividly of what transpired in the chamber. He cringed in the slightest at recalling the horrid experience. "But… it's strange… Momentarily, I could've sworn I sensed a pulse of magic in it."

"And that is where the secret lies, how it kills its prey with one single look."

Harry was in rapt attention. "What do you mean?"

"Harry, the Basilisk existed before the founders of Hogwarts were even born. I will not deny its reputation as one of the most fearsome beasts history has ever known. And it is with a large possibility, the great serpent existed even before my time."

"W-wait, I thought this creature was first bred by some wizard named Herpo the Foul. He achieved it by hatching a chicken beneath a toad which resulted in the manifestation of the Basilisk." Harry tilted his head to the side as realization dawned to him. "Although, I don't know if the information was right at all. After spending years with you, old man, I'm beginning to lose faith in wizardry's historical sources."

"I am glad I have instilled some positive influences in you, dear child." Merlin smiled, a couple of books perpetually floating around him in circle. "What you say is, for the most part, true. Herpo was not the man whom first bred the Basilisk however, it was perhaps done ages ago. By who, I do not know."

"Whether it is positive or not, it is still widely debated. I even picked up a few of his habits these days." He, then, raised his voice, "Perhaps?"

"Stay with me, Harry, all your questions will be answered," Merlin urged, pacing back to forth. "Yes, perhaps… In my time, this creature was no longer sighted. I believed, by King Arthur's era, the Basilisks were extinct and it was possibly due to many reasons. Nevertheless, the faults can be largely laid to the people who hunted the beasts for fortune and such, or its kind was eradicated in King Uther's great purge." He stroked his chin with his right hand, submerging into deep thought. "Yes, this may conceivably be the right fact. It is no wonder as to why Arthur and I never met such creature before."

"So, what are you saying is this Herpo guy…recreated the Basilisk by luck?" Harry asked tentatively. "Very silly name, I might add too."

The old man looked up with a rare glint in his twinkle cerulean eyes. "Yes, that is what I believe…"

"Is there any evidence to substantiate your claims?"

"There is." Merlin indicated it to the Basilisk's eyes.

"The eyes?"

"Indulge my curiosity with an answer, Harry. Have you ever felt some form of repulsive magic pressuring your eyes when you stared directly at it?" Harking back the memories, Harry's expression morphed to grim. "By your reaction, it would seem you have indeed felt it."

Harry was no simpleton, no, he was far from it. He instantly caught on to what the old man was implying. "Y-y-you're telling me, t-this… thing has the same Mystic Eyes as us! Impossible! It's a creature, old man, not a human being like us! You taught me the Mystic Eyes is another way of exploiting magic! What I experienced from the Basilisk is completely different." Involuntarily, a shiver ran up to his spine.

"Yes, it is undeniably a creature, but a magical one…" Merlin motioned the youngster over to the jar. "Look closely, Harry, and tell me what the color of those eyes reminds you of." Harry studied the bulbous eyes very thoroughly. "Can you see it, Harry? Those colors are very akin to the color of Mystic Eyes."

"Nearly, old man," Harry retorted. "Those eyes are yellow, ours are in gold color, not to mention our eyes will glow a little whenever we employed the Mystic Eyes. Besides, it's cooler and makes us more mysterious that way, not creep-ish." A scowl etched his face. "On top of that, I refuse to be put in the same category with this thing if it related to magic."

"Harry, I hardly concern myself over how mysterious the eyes can be or how much 'cool' it is…" Merlin smiled at his pupil's attitude. "To contradict your words, those eyes are truly the Mystic Eyes we both came to know. I had acquired a theory on how their eyes underwent the color yellow instead of gold. For us, utilizing the Mystic Eyes only occurred each time we wished to activate it."

"Yeah, like a switch, damn handy too…" Harry talked softly in the background.

Not heeding the murmur, Merlin went on, "Magic flowed to our eyes causing the abnormal changes of our eyes, but for us, the alteration is merely temporary-"

"That's not true," Harry interjected briskly. "Remember my fight with the Slytherin's pet? I had to maintain my Mystic Eyes to counter the Basilisk's deathly murderous gaze. If not, you would be conversing with my corpse right now."

"Ah, but remember, you preserved the Mystic Eyes with just enough time to slay it. Thus, in a manner of speaking, it still consider as provisional, Harry."

Harry leaned to the Basilisk's eyes, tapping the jar with his knuckles. "So what are you saying, old man?"

"For us, the Mystic Eyes are more of temporary occurrence. For the Basilisk, however, I inferred their eyes are more of permanent. For that simple reason, the Basilisk's eyes gradually took the color of yellow, opposed to color gold like us…" Merlin inclined his body forward, peering over the Basilisk's eyes, adjacent to Harry. "There is a probability their colors are originally gold, and after months of sustaining the form of Mystic Eyes, the color changes…"

"Permanent? How?" Harry was baffled. "How is the Basilisk able to hold so much magic in its eyes for a prolonged time? That's insane. You know how excruciating it is when you channel your magic through your eyes? There is a reason as to why 'eyes' are regarded as the most sensitive part in our body. You told me yourself that even you have consequences if you retain your Mystic Eyes for a long period of time. Heck, you even warned me how it nearly blinded you after you tried it once!"

"The wonders of the mysterious is remarkable, is it not, Harry?" His eyes shimmered brightly, like a child having fulfilled their desires. "Even after I decapitated those eyes from its body, they were still imbued with magic. Even as we speak now, you can feel the pulse of its magic… Truly extraordinary…"

"Hmph," Harry harrumphed, recovering himself from his position. "I bet there were more powerful monsters in your time than the Basilisks. The only reason it is so powerful is because Slytherin did something to it, or you could say he mutated the Basilisk. I'm just thankful I survived and won against it… Which reminds me-" Harry twirled his head to the old man. "Whatever happened to the rest of the Basilisk's parts? You know the venom, its magically thick scales, fangs and its internal organs? What did you do to it?"

"It is stowed with the rest of the ingredients I have accumulated over the years from different kind of magical monsters."

"I bet the ingredients of those creatures are more legendary, powerful and some kind of creatures that people like me could only dream of. I'd even wager my life that Daphne would willingly exchange her soul for those ingredients." Harry puckered his lips. "Have you ever thought of yourself as a collector, old man? I noticed some of the artifacts you also collect are from Muggle history, the armor, the weapons and other things are from important events in Muggle history, like a big war or something."

"Hmm, I suppose you can portray me as such, Harry. I do love collecting historical objects, be it magical or non-magical. It assists me in connecting myself back to my time…" Merlin had a faraway heartrending expression on his face.

In his stance, Harry fidgeted slightly, unease. "Y-you still haven't told me how the Basilisk can kill its prey with one single look." Secretly, Harry already knew how the Basilisk did it. He was merely distracting his mentor from revisiting his old memories, not having the desire to see him in pain.

Merlin fluttered his eyes. "Dear me, Harry, I thought you would have understood how its eyes functioned. Well, never mind then, I will gladly explain it. Come, let us extract ourselves from this environment and adjourn ourselves to the garden."

Harry tailed behind the ancient man, his brown coat was dangling on his right forearm while his Ascot hat tucked inside one of his trouser's back pockets. "I do actually understand how it killed its prey. Back when I battled it, I felt some sort of force- no, magic clashing with my own magic when I stared it directly to its eyes. It was as if it was trying to penetrate inside my body… My conclusion afterwards was the Basilisk's magic reacts differently inside other beings. Simply put, it's like Muggle chemistry. When you mix two disagreeable chemicals, it causes a reaction - a chaotic kind of reaction. I deduced that's how it is. I think we can agree and be confident on one thing. The Basilisk's magic is revolting and very much violent. No such being, human or inhuman, would want it inside it. And it is powerful enough to petrify us, just by catching its gaze through a reflection."

"You are correct, Harry. And yes, the Basilisk's magic is one of the most repulsive I have encountered in my life," he said with a hint of disgust. "I have analyzed every part of the Basilisk in many ways, each time attesting to most of my speculations, including as to how I am so convinced its eyes has the same Mystic Eyes as ours. Though, I must say I am very impressed on how Salazar could improve his pet into a more of a superior breed."

"You're thinking the Slytherin's pet is like a new and stronger breed than any of the other Basilisks, aren't you?"

"Indeed, I am, Harry. You have no idea how much magic the serpent has in itself. I believe Salazar also fed it with potent potions to make it more powerful. Even to this very day, the stain of those potions lingers in the serpent's body." In a steady pace, they had now elapsed many artifacts as they kept on sauntering through the hallways. "Nonetheless, the creature can still be regarded as average in comparison to the many creatures I have dealt in the past."

"It feels like he's mocking the present world and calling it weak, compared to his world," Harry thought out loud, with a poker face. "For some reason, I'm glad I wasn't born in King Arthur's age… Damn it, comparing Slytherin's pet like that, to the creatures in his time no less and saying the Basilisk to be average too… Did he think it was easy for me to beat it? It makes me question as to what kind of world he faced in the past. Can't say it's easy to picture…"

"Once you obliterate its lethal gaze by blinding it, it can be killed easily. Even a simple knight with a sharp sword could manage the beast all by himself. But, if it is Slytherin's pet, ten knights should do it." Merlin's smile lengthened at Harry's not-so-low tone. "And, child, daydreaming can be the source of your troubles in the future, so best not do it quite often."

"I do not daydream, old man!" Harry snarled, marching by Merlin's side. He blamed Callista for that. Over time, she could be found speaking to herself and Harry constantly caught onto her act. Additionally, he teased her whenever it transpired. Now, it appeared to be her habit rubbing it off on him. If she knew about this, their roles would be swapped and Harry was exceedingly certain she would do it mercilessly. "Anyhow, can you explain to me how the Mystic Eyes could do that? I mean, how the Basilisk could transfer its magic into a being? Is the Basilisk's Mystic Eyes a different version than us?"

"No, certainly not, Harry. As I informed you earlier, it is similar as us."

He looked inquisitively at his mentor. "Then how?"

"…There is a little bit of information I have failed to mention to you, Harry…"

"Which is?"

"Did you know the Mystic Eyes have more abilities than what they appear to? Applying magic is just one of its other functions."

"No, I think you forget to tell me about it," Harry grounded out through his gritted teeth. "So you're telling me it has other powers?"

"If that is the kind of word you use to illustrate it, then yes, it is."

"Seriously? Can you show it to me, old man?" Harry swiftly amended at his mistake, "N-not on me, of course! I want you to demonstrate it for me…"

"I am afraid I cannot do that, Harry." Harry was astounded to note the sheepishness in the man's tone. "Mine do not possess any other uses apart from exploiting my magic through my eyes. As a matter of fact, I do not know much in regards to the Mystic Eyes."

"What!" If Harry was astonished earlier on, it didn't match up to the feeling he's in now. "You, the Lord of Magic, who has supreme and infinite knowledge of magic, is telling me you don't know more about the Mystic Eyes apart from using magic through our eyes? Then, how come you are so sure about the Basilisk?" Harry cast him with a deadpan look, lips thinned. "Old man, I'm beginning to doubt of what you say is true at all… Or, you've just gone barmy after living in solitude for so many years…"

Merlin looked a bit affronted. "Harry, never doubt the information or facts that have churned out of my mouth. I assure you everything I said is true, child."

"Whatever you say, old man…" Harry couldn't fight the smirk from manifesting. "So you don't know much about the Mystic Eyes, but you still know a few things about it, right?" Harry shook his head. "No, no, that came out really wrong…" Harry dropped his smirk, reflecting his words. "Knowing you and in translation to your words, it is not the knowledge you don't know, it's how to unchain these other abilities…"

"Would you care to hear a story, Harry?" Merlin chuckled heartily when Harry's eyes lightened up. In spite how he had grown, he still loved listening to old legends and ancient stories from the old man. "This story may well be related to the Mystic Eyes…"

Now, they were exiting the mansion and progressing onto the gardens. Birds were chirping, the sweet aroma of nature drafted across the atmosphere, gusts of wind blowing gently and the aura was differed to the basements. Internally, Harry expressed to himself how invigorating the place is. Eyes squinting, he shielded his eyes from the brilliant light of the sun, all at once scrutinizing the environment.

"Old man, you have got to do something about your garden. If Regine was here with us, she would faint within seconds. It's horrid." Harry's plain description spelled out everything wrong in the garden. Notwithstanding the feeling, the garden's appearance complemented the mansion's appearance. Withered trees with no green leaves, more brown than green amid the grass, and not a single flower bloomed beautifully. "See, this is the problem right here. How can you try not to attract any attention from the local people, if your garden and your mansion are like this! I know I'm not the most fashionable person ever, but it's not going to take a genius to tell you how hideous and spooky it is."

"You can say whatever you wish, Harry. I stand by my belief."

"Belief had nothing to do with this, old man." Sighing exasperatedly, Harry's shoulders slouched.

"Oh?" Merlin batted his eyelashes a few times. "Well, just overlook it as it is and concentrate on our previous discussion." Harry sat on one of the comfortable chairs set out in the garden. "Now, onto the story, shall we?" Merlin imitated Harry's action, procuring a seat for himself. "Do you know of Greek Mythology, Harry?"

"You mean, if I ever forget it? No, not really… I enjoyed hearing the tales of heroic deeds done by the heroes in that mythology. You always narrated it to me during my childhood, telling me in dramatic gestures and having special effects with your magic…" A smile instinctively lit up Harry's face at relieving such memories. "You even had Skip dress up like a Trojan soldier once." Harry freely slipped out a grin. "Skip was all for it though. I even thought he was caught up with the actions more than the story…"

Merlin chortled delightfully at this.

"How about the tale of a gorgeous maiden converted into hideous creature?"

"Medusa?" Harry's eyes flashed in understanding. "Oh, I see how this connects. It was said people turned to stone when they looked at her monstrous face." His face scrunched up. "You're going to tell me Medusa is not how the tale makes her to be, right? You believe her owning the same eyes as to ours?"

"Medusa and her sisters are often portrayed in the form of snakes, but they are not what the legend or the modern cultures insinuate them to be. In truth, they are beautiful sisters that live on an isolated island. Men lusted after them, women grew envious of them and because of that, their existence was cursed by the people. And in time, it led to many people provoking them and ultimately, the actions turned into attacks."

"Because of those reasons, it propelled the Gorgon sisters to take refuge on an island, far away from their assailants. However, Medusa was not content, Harry. The disgrace left her bitter and spiteful towards humanity for treating her as such. This resentment intensified to the point where she killed invading men who lusted after her and her sisters, which from that point on is how the legend of monster 'Medusa' was created."

(I would've felt the same way if I was treated as such. She had done nothing wrong but she and her sisters were chased away from their birth place. It's true what they say then, envy is the ugliest thing.)

"But, the most key point here is how she killed her victims. Just about all of her victims were turned into a stone. Listen Harry, Medusa was like 'us'. Like my generation of magical people, she was blessed with Mystic Eyes. Though the Gorgon sisters were blessed with many comparable things such as their beauties, or their beautiful long hairs, Medusa was more special than her older siblings. I believe Medusa was born with the highest rank of the Mystic Eyes which is-"

"-the Petrifaction?" prompted Harry.

"Exactly, Harry. It was said Medusa's eyes can transmute all living flesh under her gaze into a stone."

"Hmm…" Harry hummed, with a meaningful look on his face. "But, old man, you said the highest rank… I don't think it is the highest rank given that the Basilisks can petrify its victims with their gaze, even if it is through reflection."

"Ah, that is true, but a Basilisk's petrifaction can be cured. Medusa's petrifaction, on the other hand, cannot be cured…"

Harry nearly fell off his seat. "What?"

"Basilisk's petrifaction purely petrified the outer of our body, not the inner. That is why it can be healed by means of potions. If your insides could not digest the potion, then there is no meaning to it. As you can see, Harry, a Basilisk's petrifaction influenced only the outside, not inside. Medusa's petrifaction, however, had an effect on both the inside and outside, thwarting any methods in nursing her victims back to health."

"That's truly d-dreadful…" Harry whispered. "I-I never thought of it in such a way… I just thought it's the same thing…"

"…I do suppose Petrifaction is not the highest rank of Mystic Eyes…" Merlin mumbled, briefly not paying attention to Harry. "Do you know of Balor, Harry?"

"Balor?" Harry perked. "The ancient Celtic god of darkness and great-grandfather of Cu-Chulainn? The true king of the giants' race? Yes, you told me all about him when I was little."

"It was mentioned in many ancient books how Balor possessed an unnamed eyes. Now, the description of the eyes had shown he possessed the same as ours, even though the name was never mentioned. Would you believe me if I told you that Balor can actualize the death of a target, just by glaring it?"

Chocking on his saliva, Harry tumbled from his seat this time. "W-what? He had the same eyes as ours too?"

"Yes, it was the truth. As I told you before, Harry, the Mystic Eyes can indiscriminately cast magic upon anyone within sights, though the effect is vastly increased if your target meets your gaze. That is the basic of Mystic Eyes."

"Yeah, you told me about it." Harry crawled back to his seat.

"But, that is the common ability of Mystic Eyes. In my time, all of the magical people who acquired such eyes knew by instinct is to cast magic with it. Over long years, I learned that it retained more than one ability. The identified types of Mystic Eyes are Binding, Charm, Compulsion, Enchantment, Illusion and Whisper. If you wish, you can include Transfer, Petrifaction and lastly, Death."

Hairs stood up at the back of Harry's neck, fear stabbed his heart. "It makes me wonder what kind of world was in the past. So much power and then more power…" Harry shivered. "I think we'll just skip the Mystic Eyes for now, old man. I think it's enough for me to know its other abilities. If you don't know how to unlock the rest of it, then I'm more likely to be clueless on how to do it." Like lightning struck his head, his eyes narrowed. "You're a liar, you old fox…"

Merlin was taken aback at the accusation. "What do you mean, child?"

"You said your eyes only know how to cast magic, but you're lying! You said one of the abilities is Whisper, right? And, I'm positive this Whisper is a hypnotic suggestion! And, damn it, you've hypnotized me many times into sleeping!"

The old man hurriedly whirled his head away. "I have no idea what you are carping, child."

"At first, I thought it was your smile enthralling me into asleep, but truthfully it was your eyes, wasn't it?!"

"Again, I stress on the fact that I do not have any faintest clue on what you are saying, Harry."

Harry grumbled, glaring. "Fine, don't answer me. It's not like it can affect me anymore if I can counter it with my eyes."

With that, comfortable silence descended upon them. Not wanting to waste his time glowering all day, he chose to enjoy the scenery instead. Even though it was not the most wonderful sight, it had a sense of refreshment. Harry rocked his body on his seat, pursing his lips as a sudden thought thrust to his mind. He did have a promise to fulfill, firstly though, he had to verify something from the old man.

"Hey, old man." Harry squirmed in his seat uncomfortably, licking his dry lips. "D-do you have any uh… l-l-lovers back in your time?" Merlin had a perplexed expression on his face. In a snail's pace, his lips coiled into a captivating smile. For Harry, it was more of an evil smile. "W-what?"

The ancient man concealed his mouth with the back of his hand, putting no effort in obscuring his amusements. "My, I did not know you are in need of love advice from me, Harry. Tell me, who is the lucky maiden? Is it one of those charming beautiful girls that are surrounding you so often, Harry? Has one of them managed to ensnare your heart, Harry? Or, is it all four? Hmm, you are so ambitious and greedy to have all of them to yourself. Then again, nothing is ordinary for you, Harry, and I am afraid it will never be. They do say a heart of a man can be big enough to love all four women."

"W-what are you saying, you old geezer!" Harry sputtered, blushing hotly. "How did our conversation end up like this? I-I… I m-mean they're…" Harry shook his head furiously, face drowned in red. "T-they're just my friends! They don't have deep feelings for me! And, I do not have any feelings for them, whatsoever! So, suck it up, you stinky old fox!"

"Oh, is it really? I am only watching it from the sides. How is it I can see right through it?"

"Y-You're so irritating, old man! What's with that knowing look, huh? Wipe it off from your face!" Harry flushed more deeply, muttering more inaudibly to himself. "Forget it, I was trying to be nice and ask him indirectly, but now, I'm in no mood for it." He looked to his side. "Say, what's the true reason you invited me to your place? Aside from regular training, I presumed it's something of importance. I can tell I'm not here just to have a chat with you."

Merlin soundlessly handed him an open book. "What can you see, Harry?"

"What can I see? There's nothing in it, we both know I can't read any of your books… Eh?" A picture slowly materialized itself on the page, and words, bit by bit, became visible. "How? I thought I can't read any of it."

"I am only allowing you to read this book. The rest of them, I still haven't permitted it."

Without much complaining, Harry pried the book from his mentor's hand. "This looks like a… Dementor…"

"And, what do you know of them?" It was a question asked in a cold tone.

"They were considered amongst the foulest creatures that have walked in this world. They infest the darkest and filthiest places. They glory themselves in decay and despair. They also suck peace, hope and happiness out of the air around them. That's what it says in Wizard books."

"Not drain, but it is simply the aura they induced."

"It's still the same, old man…" Harry retorted, slamming the book shut and let it aside. "Do you know of their origin?"

"I know more than that. They are traitors…"

"Traitors?" Harry's eyes widened. "You're saying it is as if they were humans before they became foul creatures?"

"Yes, they most likely were. Care for another tale, Harry?"

"By all means, old man. I don't mind… So you do know them, don't you? The way you said it, it was like you knew them personally, like an acquaintance or an enemy. So what's the story behind the Dementors?" Harry was eager to unveil the mystery shading the Dementors.

"Yes, you could articulate it as if they were friends… or comrades…" Wide childlike eyes, Harry scooted his chair closer. "Back in the time of war, where Arthur trampled over his enemies and victory was so near in his grasp, there was a group- a unit of specialized soldiers capable of using magic. They were the only troop which comprised people who had magic within them. They were the first and last magical troop to have been assembled by Arthur. I, along with your ancestors, was asked by the king to oversee such troops, as both of us were versatile in magic than anyone else in his armies.

"Nonetheless, they were very arrogant in their knowledge of magic, claiming they themselves were more superior to any person in Camelot, including Lady Morgana herself." A beat pounded Harry's heart at the name. "Honestly-" Merlin smiled coldly which was very unlike him. "In my entire life, I had never seen such conceit in one army. In spite, we were told to be in command of them, they never adhered to us. They were already led by a leader of their own and I must say he was powerful in the arts of magic."

"It sounds like they were a clan of magical people, instead of being gathered one by one by King Arthur."

"You guessed it right, Harry. In the middle of the Great War, we heard rumors of people, men and women, who survived from the Great Purge of King Uther, and they had assembled in one island in which they made claim of to be their territory. They set up their own wards, barriers, fields or whichever you prefer, to prohibit people from entering their island. Arthur ordered an expedition to search for them and the expedition was a success. All of them joined up arms for the king and swore a magical oath to him. The Oath was that their magic would be in Arthur's hands if they ever betrayed him."

"So naturally, they did betray you all in a few years."

"Victory was so near, Harry, so close… We could end the years of raging war in that battle, that battle was a gamble for us. We were prepared to die for the victory. No more shedding blood, innocence would never be endanger, the country could be restored to its former glory and enemies of the King would eventually yield if we would just win that particular battle. But, not everything went according to plan, as the unexpectedness came from those traitors. They left the battle to ourselves, to die by the hands of our enemies. I lost many friends in that battle and the survivors were very few because of their betrayal. Arthur was outraged. No… rage could not even begin to describe to what I saw on his expression.

"With their oath on his hand, he cursed every one of them, he cursed them for the many lives that had been taken in the battlefield, he cursed them for their betrayals and continued to curse them till his rage faded. Arthur cursed them to not pass on to the afterlife, cursed them to suffer in the darkness for eternity, cursed them to seek only the filthiest place in the world, cursed them to only glory themselves in decay, cursed them to no longer feel the joy of happiness and the only thing that remained was despair. Arthur did curse them not to be humans, however, to be the lowest creatures imaginable. The effect was instantaneous as those people were never seen again. Rumors said they were trapped in their own island, with the curse binding them there."

"And that's where the Dementors were born? The island is what the present world knows as the Azkaban Island, isn't it?"

"Indeed, Harry."

Harry was rendered speechless for a while, collapsing into the soft textures of the chair. He was left without any qualms that the words from the old man's mouth were truthful, every bit of it. He had known the old man was never one to lie on such things and judging from Merlin's face, it was easy to conclude everything was true. Moreover, Harry had no reason to not lay his complete trust to his mentor.

"I advise you not to go anywhere near them, Harry. It is best to stay far away from them as much as you possibly can."

"I got the feeling I knew that already. If I am truly the direct descendant of my ancestor, I think they will see me as my ancestor," said Harry. "Hey, old man, can the curse really work that way? I never heard of such thing…"

"Remember Harry, magic was at it's heightened peak in my time, coupled with the oath they swore to Arthur, it is possible such things can occur. If they had not given their oath, then they may have mercy to only be executed to death as punishment fit for their crime. But, they were too arrogant of themselves, too sure of themselves and in the end, they faced the consequences of their arrogance. Even the knights, who served Arthur and were very loyal to him, were too terrified of the consequences of such oath. King's words were a law to us and magic deemed us worthy to follow to those who lead us till death part us from our leaders."

"To them, it's more of blessing than a curse. They may look like they were obeying the minister's orders, but they were only looking out for themselves. In the first war, they may have used Voldemort as their puppet, just to suck more souls," Harry commented maturely.

"Yes, I should have destroyed them from existence. They only wreak the world with nothing but harm."

"Then, do it. What's holding you back?"

"They have already made a big impact in the world. If they were to suddenly cease to exist in one night without any reasonable explanations, it would instigate many people probing into such matters and one day, their search would have ended here, ended in knowing the existence of the ancient world. The world that had lay in deep slumber for many years," Merlin rationalized sensibly.

"Was it really important to ward off the knowledge of the ancient world from the present world? With the exception of me, don't they have the right to know?"

"Do not forget that power comes from knowledge and the more knowledge people gain, the more they improve themselves. If the knowledge is crucial and contains so much power, it could only bring disaster. I have witnessed many times how humanity brought the world to the brink of destruction, and I would condemn myself if it were to happen again. No, it is best for the world to remain oblivious of the power we held back in the old age." Merlin held out his left hand in soft gesture as a couple of birds landed on his fingers, singing melodically. "I do intend to destroy their leader… Without him, they are nothing but mindless beasts that needs to be guided. He is both foolish and smart to exclude himself from the world. No matter, once I do locate him, I will demolish him…"

"Leader?" Harry was overwhelmed by astonishment. "You mean those beasts have someone commanding them?"

"You said it, yourself, Harry. They fooled your ministry into thinking they could control them when they have their own leader observing the ongoing of the world. I did mention they have a powerful leader of their own, even before they transformed into such foul beasts."

"If that leader is only watching from afar, then what harm he could bring?"

Merlin peered closely over Harry with his cerulean eyes, causing him to feel awkward. "Regardless of his monstrous appearance, that leader is the only individual who is sane enough to withstand the King's curse for such a long time. He is more frightening than any of them. He is waiting for the right opportunity to devour hundreds of souls, Harry. Bear in mind, this event had once happened years ago. An innocent town was piled up with hundreds of bodies with no soul in it, men, women, children and even very young toddlers. The world simply labeled it as a disaster occurrence with no idea what was happening. I would not be surprised if he was more powerful and dissimilar than the rest of his underlings."

"An innocent town…piled up with hundreds of bodies, but no soul in them…?" A cold chill pierced his body. "Then, w-what are you waiting for, old man? If that is all he had done over a thousand of years, then how many victims have fallen to him? There could be more than thousands of victims already…" Harry's body trembled without him aware of it. "Innocent souls sucked up just to quench his desire and hunger…"

"What do you think I have been doing for the last years, Harry? I have been searching for him, yet he managed to shirk away from me… It appears that he knew I was coming for him, so he hid himself pretty well, merely waiting for the right opportunity to strike again…"

"You never told me of this before… Why?"

"If do mention it to you, then what are you going to do, Harry? Seek him out? Hunt him down? Look at yourself, your whole body is shaking in fear… He is not an opponent you could tackle with just your willpower, Harry... Consider him a being that is out of your world…"

"…You are going to find him and annihilate him, right?" Merlin nodded his head, certifying his motive. "Then, show him no mercy. It's quite unforgivable for him to target innocent souls. Have you ever checked Azkaban?"

"Harry… that would naturally be the thing I would check first …"

"How is it the curse didn't bind them on the island anymore?"

"Arthur's death liberated them from being bound to the island…"

"I see… I could not imagine how magic function in your world, or the world before yours… One thing is clear to me, magic is a lot more powerful in ancient times than in the present times… How naïve magical people are these days… How naïve of me…" Harry remarked in a soft tone. "Is there a reason of this discussion? If it is for only maintaining my distance from them, then I don't have to worry about that. They're in Azkaban right now. Unless their leader commands them to capture me, I don't think they will disobey the ministry. They will be keeping their usual appearance as it is."

Merlin's right hand gripped the teen's shoulder tightly. "Harry… If you do encounter them, mainly their leader, then run. Run as far away as your legs can…"

"Wha-"

Merlin dismissed his astonishment. "You can feel it, can you not? Something inside you is on the verge of bursting, and right now, you are leaking magical energy everywhere you go. Normal magical and non-magical people are not aware of it, but people like us are, Harry. Those beasts will be drawn to you like a moth to a distant moon. One of the things they fear above all is something or someone jeopardizing their existence. So, please, maintain your distance from them. They will kill you without any signs of hesitation and they will do so without any mercy." Merlin shook his body at each word. "No doubt, you will be attracting other attentions as well…."

"I-I'll try, old man."

Clasping his right hand on where his heart is, Harry could feel something was throbbing aside from his normal pulse. A flash of an enormous ethereal globe crashed into his mind. Holding his now dizzy head with his left hand, Harry grunted at the sudden intrusion. Lately, he had been getting those visions more frequently. He just hoped he would not be dead after all of this. He would not forgive himself if he's the one who make the girls cry. Strangely, the thought of death did not mind him the slightest. Taking into account his adventure into the realm in between life and death, it made him fear dying less.

A burst of green fire ignited from the fireplace of the Potter mansion. Lost in his thoughts, Harry landed on his feet, not conscious of his lack of fall after travelling magically. A short time passed, he blinked his eyes rapidly and looked down, realizing he had not fallen on his butt. A triumphant look was plastered all over his face, so smug of his success he was. That is, before he lost his balance and ineptly tripped on his own feet, plummeting to the ground with heavy thud. Grunting, Harry cursed loudly to himself, massaging his aching buttocks incessantly.

After countless incidents like this, it was now evident to Harry that there was a little devil scurrying around and pulling pranks on him. He can tell the devil's mock laughter was pounding his eardrum right about now, taking pleasure from Harry's demise. Harry shook his head, getting rid of such imagination. He must be losing his mind these days. Having taken off his coat and his hat, he exited the living room, showing himself right into the dining room. He stopped abruptly. His eyebrows knitted together in displeasure.

His family, along with his 'uncles', was having dinner on the long table, chattering amongst themselves, the big chandelier above the table shining brightly upon them. His little siblings were there as well. Stifling a growl, he tried not to produce too much noise, hoping not to give away himself as they were seemingly engrossed in the presence of each other. He should have gone home once everyone was asleep, late at night. Pressing his lips together tightly, he attempted to creep past them and tiptoed towards his room without a sound. Like everyone said, he was very good at sneaking around.

"Hawwy!"

Of course, it was futile as ultimately, he would be spotted by one person. He cringed at his sister's voice, foot frozen in mid-air as he climbed the stairs. The noise from below ceased straight away. Shoulders slumping, he exhaled his breath noisily. He reeled around to face them, glaring halfheartedly at his sister's cheery face. She was sporting a huge grin on her face, waving her right hand giddily at him as if Harry was far away from her.

"Harry!" Lily lightly exclaimed from her seat, next to James. Standing up, there was a huge smile on her lips. "You must be hungry. Come, have a seat and-"

"No, thank you," Harry cut her off brusquely, still on the stairs. "I already ate. I'm exhausted and in need of good rest." Awkward silence greeted them all. "Now, if you excuse me, I'll just be on my way to my room. …Um… good night…" Harry garbled at the last part of his sentence.

"Harry, wait!" It was his father. Harry had to gnaw his bottom lips from groaning. "W-we need to talk, this is very important…"

Harry noted the hint of seriousness in his tone. Sighing, he circled his body around for the second time. "I think it's rude to discuss imperative matters in the middle of dinner. It can wait for another time," he said deceptively, not having any intention in conferring anything with his parents.

"Harry… this is very important…" Harry wasn't paying attention this time, his beautiful emerald eyes were glued to the letters on the table. There was also a large square envelope. But, that was not what caught his attention. The envelope was slit open. Neat expensive folded parchment was on top of the envelope. His eyes narrowed, feeling suspicion surge throughout his body.

"Are those letters belongs to me?" In a flash, Harry picked up the letters one by one. The letters were from the girls, his two roommates, Jason Spum and Frank Brike, and surprisingly, Xi Li. It was not much of a shock he received a letter from Li since she had been mailing him with letters all summer and they've been keeping in touch with each other. What caught his attention the most was the large square envelope. It was his OWLs results. He snatched the expensive looking parchment and unfolded it.

Ordinary Wizarding Level Results

Pass Grades:

Outstanding (O)

Exceeds Expectations (E)

Acceptable (A)

Fail Grades:

Poor (P)

Dreadful (D)

Troll (T)

Harry James Potter has achieved:

Ancient Runes: E

Astronomy: O

Care of Magical Creatures: O

Charms: O

Defense Against the Dark Arts: O

Herbology: O

History of Magic: A

Potions: O

Transfiguration: O

Harry's eyes traced the parchment several times, wearing an expressionless face. He was not disheartened by the results of his OWLs. He had always known he won't get any 'Outstandings' in Ancient Runes and History of Magic, given that he wasn't good in runes and he was reluctant to go through the history examination, sleeping after he deemed he had answered enough to pass the exam. The girls were irate at his lack of motivation in the history exam, even Sheila was irked at him. Callista was, more or less, apoplectic at him.

"You got nine OWLs, Harry, isn't that great? Seven 'Outstanding'! That's more than great, it's actually amazing!" Daniel grinned in the direction of his elder brother. He knew if he planned to keep up with his brother, he had to work very hard in the future. A cold look from Harry was enough to discourage Daniel from opening his mouth for the rest of the night. The grin on his face faded in an instant.

"Why was it open?" Harry asked, a tinge of venom can be detected. "These are my letters, right?"

No one dared to speak a word. They were bowled over by how much anger was in his voice.

Mustering his courage, Remus finally answered it in behalf of everyone, "We were really curious and just wanted to see how you are doing."

"Then, you should contain that curiosity of yours and stop sniffing on other people's business. I supposed it is hard, considering how sharp your nose is. Then again, I don't know since I don't have one," Harry spat sarcastically, eyes perched on him. Remus was visibly shocked and appalled, though the latter he concealed it remarkably in front of everyone. He swiftly got the message on what Harry implied by means of his words. Harry rounded his parents and said in a much harsher tone than he intended it to be, "I will say it again! What rights do you have, opening my letter?"

"It's just one letter, Harry!" Sirius stated. He was a bit annoyed at the attitude Harry was displaying. "Look, we're sorry we opened it. But, how are we supposed to just ignore and restrain our urge in knowing your OWLs results, especially if all of us wanted to know how excellent you are in exams. You weren't around when the letter arrived, so we took the liberty in-"

"Am I speaking to you?" Harry disrupted his words indifferently, bearing cool expression on his face and not so much as glancing in Sirius's way. He was locking his gaze at both of his parents. "I believe I directed my earlier question to the two persons here, not you."

Rosaline sunk lower in her seat, nibbling her lips in anxiety. Daniel was taken aback by his brother's aggressiveness. They had never seen this side of their elder brother and this was the first time they ever had. Of course, his brother had his moment of being cold and emotionless in other occasions, mostly in the past, but he was always in control of his emotions, and he was never like this. It was like his feelings were previously being repressed and now, the time had finally come to unleash all of it, like a time-bomb. Moments of tension passed by and Harry grew aggravated by their lack of response.

"Tch, forget it…" Cradling his letters to his arms, he placed all of them carefully inside his coat's pockets.

His father rose from his seat, seizing his arm, foiling him from running off. "Harry, we're really sorry for prying your business… But, this is important, your mother and I have to talk to you." Harry's eyes blazed in fury at the word 'mother' and he shrugged his father's hand off him roughly.

"Then, out with it."

Lily avoided Harry's eyes and addressed to the other two adults, "Remus, Sirius, why don't you each take Daniel and Rosaline upstairs." James nodded his head, silently suggesting silencing charm in their room, in case the 'fireworks' were too loud. They understood from the beginning that they would have an inevitable confrontation with their eldest son and it appeared that the time had finally come.

"No, I think I should stay, you two. If things could get-"

"Sirius, stop, this is for us, not you," James said firmly. "Just go… Lily and I want to deal with this by ourselves… We don't want anyone to interfere…"

"James, are you sure?"

"Yes, Remus, just please, go. This is something we must deal with no matter what."

Remus elevated Rosaline from her seat and carried her to her room. Rosaline wasn't protesting much, just silently watching her parents and her brother in Remus's arms. Daniel eyed his parents and his brother, feeling unease at abandoning the three behind. He obediently tagged along with Remus up the stairs. He was wondering what in Merlin's name was going on between the three. He knew something was out of place with his parents and Harry, but he didn't bother much in investigating as to what, or why. Now, his own inquisitiveness was swelling. Sirius stubbornly held back, nevertheless after a pleading look from his best mate, he withdrew.

Harry was looking somewhat impatient. By the looks of it, his frustration intensified by the second. "Put privacy charm around us, I don't fancy them eavesdropping on what's coming." Harry, himself, knew this was an event that could not be evaded. Lily was the one who cast the charm around them, albeit tentatively. "What do you want to talk about?" Harry said, looking away from them. A scowl etched his face.

This was getting increasingly uncomfortable for him, but his anger was demanding him to face his parents. He could not continue eluding them forever. Sooner or later, it would've come down to confrontation whether he liked it or not. They may have wanted to talk to him regarding something of importance, but in the end, the conclusion of it turned out in a different way. If fate would have it, without having Harry letting loose his rage on them.

"Harry…" Lily started softly. She was cautious about saying the next part. "W-we um… we…"

Although, her relationship with Harry was non-existent, she still didn't have any desire to push him away.

Staring at his wife for a while, James decided he would be the one to disclose the news to his son. He was more than prepared for the upcoming storm. "…We're going to revoke your visitation rights for Hogsmeade…"

Harry froze on the spot at his father's words. The last bit of warmth fled from them, with the atmosphere sinking to ice. "What?"

Lily faltered at Harry's tone. "W-we have no choice, Harry… We have our reason for doing it… This is something that we have to do to protect you…"

"To protect me, you say?" Harry breathed those words. He chuckled dryly at the ironic. "You know what's funny? I can't remember the last time hearing that from either of you. As far as I'm concerned, I was the one protecting myself. So, I guess my little brother will not be having his Hogsmeade privileges revoked, huh?"

Lily's eyes welled with tears. She hastily wiped it, refusing to shed tears in front of her son. "Harry… W-we didn't mean for it to happen. We also aren't going to sign Daniel's permission for his Hogsmeade visit. This is something that we have to do in order to protect you both and not just Daniel alone. We have our own reason to do this…"

Harry inhaled a deep breath to pacify the wild storm in him. "Enlighten me as to why then."

"No, this is not something we could just carelessly tell you-"

"Lily," James interrupted.

"James, no, you couldn't possibly want to tell him, knowing the danger-"

"Lily," her husband interrupted her again and murmured, "If you don't, you're just going to push him away more. We discussed this already, didn't we?"

"Yes, but…" Lily bit her bottom lips, unable to form words.

James just detached himself from his wife and supplied Harry with the newspaper. Harry flipped the Dailey Prophet and felt inside him chilled, frosty as ice. Unconsciously, his hands clutched on the paper itself. There, on the front-page, a short man, barely taller than a fourth year, with filthy unkempt hair and a large bald patched on top. The indication of him being plump was there, but his appearance took more of a bony stature, after spending years in Azkaban. It was Peter Pettigrew. He had broken free of Azkaban.

At Harry's look, James continued, "So, as you can see the reason behind it, we have no choice. Pettigrew is out there, somewhere, and it's a dangerous time for our family right now. He could be after all of us. Harry, I won't deny the look on his face is one of insane-looking. That's what you get after spending years in the company of Dementors."

"Or, he's only targeting the boy-who-lived," Harry reasoned spitefully, scowling. "Look, I don't see any reason for him targeting me at all. I think he hardly knew I ever existed in the first place, unless he's been reading the newspaper on the Quidditch section which I doubt the prisoners ever get the luxury of being given a newspaper to them daily."

"Harry…" Harry rebuffed Lily from starting.

"Do you think just because of this, you're not going to permit me go to Hogsmeade weekend? I can understand my little brother, but I can take care of myself just fine. I don't need any protection from anyone and if he ever does come for me, he'll be in for a big surprise."

"Don't take this lightly, Harry-"

"I'm not taking anything lightly," Harry intruded James from finishing whatever he was trying to utter. "Do you know in my third year, I'm the only who didn't go to Hogsmeade, because I don't have anyone signing my form? I remained in the castle while everyone in my year went to Hogsmeade. I had to wait in my fourth year to visit Hogsmeade." His parents felt a rush of guilty at this, both not meeting his emerald eyes. "I'm not going to repeat that again while my other classmates in my year enjoy themselves. This is ridiculous. He's not going to murder me in daylights, especially if I'm surrounded with lots of people. I know how stupid he is, but I don't think he's stupid enough to take unnecessary risks.

"The point here is not him, it's you two. Why, all of a sudden, are you two making decisions for me? No one has been making decisions for me in my entire life as far as I know. What rights do you two have in feeling the need to decide things for me now? Was it because you both are my parents? Not good enough!" Harry yelled angrily, his knuckles white and jaws tightened. "In case you two forgotten, you two weren't exactly there the whole time…"

He was not holding anything back and Harry knew it subconsciously.

"Is that all?" He was desperate to get out of here as fast as he could.

Something was not right with him. He had been like this since last year, but recently, the thing inside him was influencing his emotions as well, pressuring him to get more vicious. The last thing he wanted to do now was something he would deeply regret later on. He wished to make amends with his parents, not strain their relationship further. If they had to go through confrontation first, then he didn't need it to end it in a bloody mess. Regrettably for Harry, it was not progressing the way he aimed it to be.

"We're sorry," James blurted out.

"Sorry…?" Harry hung the word in the air, emotions subsided for a second. "For trying to revoke my Hogsmeade privilege?"

"For everything…" Lily, against her will, chocked out a low sob, tears trickling down her cheeks. "We're really sorry, Harry… for everything…"

Something inside him snapped, every single of his emotion, anger, sadness, melancholy, loneliness, his inner child desire for his parents and so on, just erupted like a broken faucet. Additionally, right now, he had gotten another flash of enormous ethereal globe in his mind and inside him, something was bubbling dangerously. He was flaunting more magical energy than he usually was and it was compelling him to react more violent. He did his best to disregard the painful headache bashing his head.

"Sorry… Sorry, did you say? SORRY!" roared Harry with his visions turned red. "If you think saying sorry will make everything right, then you both are in for a rude awakening! Do you know how the hell I survived growing up by myself, huh?! I tell you, it wasn't easy! I began looking for myself by the time I turned five! I had to learn how to cook at the age of five! I remember how my hands burned from heating the pot! Hell, my brain even developed into mature from that point on!"

His right hand was gripping his Ascot black hat, with his deep brown coat dangling on his right arm, whereas he had his left hand on his forehead, clenching his head tightly and fingers treading his raven locks, nails dug on his skin. The throbbing on his head was getting harder to ignore.

"I went to Diagon Alley at the age of seven without anyone by my side! I had to do lots of errands in Diagon Alley at the age of seven, to buy something I desired! At the age of eight, I knew the people in the Diagon Alley more than my own parents! My only companions in this bloody huge ancestral Potter mansion are books! And, my first friend is loneliness! Is that how a child should undergo his childhood, huh?! I don't even bloody know my own parents, or remember the time when they said they love me!"

Lily was covering her mouth with both hands to suppress the sobs, tears openly seeping out of her eyes. James was hiding his eyes under the bangs of his raven hair, masking his shame look and probably his tears that were threatening to fall.

"We aren't proud of ourselves too. You were everything to us back then… You were my pride, my first born… And, to think, I've discounted you as if you weren't there for so long and you being independent to yourself all this time. When you finally clicked to my mind, I - we knew it was too late by then… It was funny how it was your first broom made me realize it and Lily realized it when she accidentally entered your room… We wished for it to never happen, we really do, Harry, but it was a wistful thinking… If one thing I deeply regret in my life is not having myself by my first son's side… I have to comment on one thing though… Without a doubt, you're the most talented Potter in brooms, already at the age of three able to fly like a professional…" James smiled, chuckling sorrowfully.

Harry discovered his father's speech to be mesmerizing. The rage, though, never wilted, and it was still flaring intensely. "We never hope for anything and honestly, we never hoped we could enter your life, even if we tried as hard as we could... We only wanted to express how sorry we are, and that's the only thing we can think of doing for you. I understand if you hate us for it and don't forgive us for leaving you to fend for yourself all this years. I know if it were me, I would've done the same thing. It's unforgivable… Just know we won't blame you for it, Harry…"

Out of the blue, a fist str