Shadows and Orbs

Chapter 3

The winds were just as harsh as before and drowned out the noise coming from the fortress. Harry strode into the hall and smiled when he saw his construction being built. It was an obstacle course of his own design. Striding to a work table which had parchment of plans on it he smiled and pulled out a new one before beckoning a dementor towards him.

"When you are done with this one, move onto this," Harry commanded as his green eyes watched the progress being made in the room.

"If I may ask, why are we building these?" The dementor rasped, Harry turned a cold glare onto the dementor.

"Mind over matter," Harry answered simply before walking over to his throne and sitting on it and watching the progress through half lidded eyes.

00000

Hermione Granger smiled. She has just finished writing her essay, Hermione was now in her final year of Hogwarts and was writing her last essay, if she received full marks for it it meant she would pass with the highest marks since Lily Potter. It was her way of proving muggle borns were better than purebloods. It also proved to the wizarding world that she was better than Harry Potter.

The beginning of her first year everyone expected Potter to be some kind of genius; however she was the only one who could see the truth. The truth that Potter was not smart in the way they wanted, he was cunning, sneaky yet too trusting. And that was his downfall. No-one suspected that Harry worked for the Dark Lord; he had fooled everyone, even her. And that scared her.

Later Hermione had realised that if Harry had stayed, if he had not being found out, he would have taken everything away from her. He not only had book smarts, he had street smarts. He would blow away with the knowledge and leave her behind. At her graduation she would have to sit and smile as he received the aware for the highest marks in the year, the highest since his mother. The position that was rightfully hers. Harry had his fame; Ron had his family and social standing in the wizarding world as one of the sons of a pureblood light family. What did she have? Mudblood, bookworm, best friend of the Boy-Who-Lived and Weasley boy.

A month after Harry was taken to Azkaban she smiled for the first time and decided that this was all for the best, all for the greater good.

And it would stay that way too, if she had anything to do with it.

00000

The sun was shinning down on the hub of the Wizarding World Diagon Alley. A gentle breeze blew through the streets making the heat bearable. England was in the middle of a Heat Wave, even Wizards could not change that, though even the sunburnt wizards and witches were seen smiling. It seemed that the sun had put everyone in good moods…behind closed doors even the Malfoy's were enjoying the summer though in public they kept up their icy facades.

One man though seemed immune to the sunshine and happy vibes, he was a pale man, thin and mouse like. His brown hair fell to the nape of his neck and was tied back in a black ribbon that was tattered. He was not tall, though he seemed to be willowy in height, his limbs were thin and he seemed to move silently, walking down the street as if he was floating, his steps were silent, and his movements were graceful and fluid. The man was attractive and turned many heads. Though those who were regulars to Diagon Alley would know that the man came here during Noon and sat at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour while writing in a journal and reading the current papers from that week.

Many had tried to talk to the man but his smooth tenor voice distracted them as he talked…the almost silent hissing quality was almost missed each time though people would move away from the strange man when he laughed…the only time his hissing quality was heard. And it was something that he did regularly…laugh…while looking through the papers he would laugh and add to his journal with vigour. However the man was polite and becoming a good customer to Florean Fortescue so no-one tried to get him to leave or explain what he was doing there.

Atum found the Wizards and Witches to be amusing, they were not any more vigilante even though by the way they talked it was as if they expected Voldemort to be hiding around the corner waiting to grab them. Yet he was able to waltz into Diagon Alley easily, he had suspected guards or magic detectors…but there was nothing.

So far he had sent one journal to his King, in that one he had written about the Ministry and the goings on there, who was the main people in charge and so on… In his current journal he was writing about the Dark Lord's movements, his next journal would be on the Order's progress. The final journal would be on the general wizarding world.

Atum could already see that his King would have his work cut out for him; the wizarding world was in a state. Corrupt leaders were everywhere, even Albus Dumbledore was corrupt. The rightful rulers of the Wizarding World would not have an easy task.

Sighing as he placed an article into his journal with nimble fingers, it was the article about Azkaban being taken over by Voldemort…either his King would laugh or go on a rampage. He knew that people were worried about Azkaban due to the fact that Dementors had not being attacking under the Dark Lord's command. They didn't know that the Lord of Azkaban did not need an army to destroy them all. However luckily for them he was not out to obliterate them.

Closing the journal he rose with grace and walked from his table disappearing into the crowds of wizards and witches that walked the streets of Diagon Alley. The sun was shining giving a feel of cheer yet clouds could be seen in the distance showing that change was to come.

00000