The Rules of the Game

A/N: I\'m sorry if some people find some of the things occurring in my story offensive, I don\'t mean them to be.

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Chapter 5

The summer weeks began to go by and my hope of getting some news from the wizarding world seemed more and more ridiculous. I had been abandoned by them a long time ago, they had used me for what I was good for, getting rid of Voldemort for them, and they needed me no further. Besides even if I did hear from them, I was as much a freak in that world as I was here and it was time I made a new rule to protect myself.

Rule #8: You\'re not special, you will never be wanted, never be loved; so don\'t get your hopes up, you\'ll only be hurt in the end.

And so I banished the idea of going to a wizarding school from my mind and realized I did feel better, it was foolish of me and had even been affecting my learning which wasn\'t something I could allow. This was my life, this is what I knew, this was where I belonged.

*****

Summer continued as normal, I was sent to Mrs. Figg when Petunia took Dudley to go get his uniform, and as always I was careful around her because though she didn\'t have the glowing or the pool that I could see in other Witches and Wizards she did have the colorful lines. From one of my books I assumed that she is what was called a \'squib\' but since once again they didn\'t explain things or give good descriptions I couldn\'t be sure.

Dudley returned that night, showing off his school uniform as well as his \'Smelting stick\' and from the light in Vernon\'s eyes and the emotions I picked up I knew exactly what he wanted to do with it. Somehow I escaped that night but as always I knew it was only an amount of time before... that thing.

*****

The next morning when I went to the kitchen it was to find Petunia doing something in the sink that smelled thoroughly rancid (I thought she could cook better than that), a brief brush of her mind revealed that that thing was to be my uniform but I said nothing planning on \'fixing\' it later. I made breakfast as always and finished just as Vernon and Dudley were coming down and they began eating after they greeted Petunia. When I heard the sound of the mailman I silently left the room and gathered the mail at the floor but stopped at shock at the letter on top.

It was addressed to me (even had \'cupboard under the stairs\' on it) and a quick flip to the back revealed the seal of Hogwarts, probably the best wizarding school there was. Quickly I regained control of my thoughts and emotions and with a flick vanished the letter to my bed and continued towards the kitchen. The rest of the day continued on like normal, except I once again had to execute perfect patience to not reveal the fact that I was quite eager to read that letter (I hate being bloody patient). Finally my chores were over, the Dursleys had had dinner, my uncle had stopped me in the bathroom to suck him off and I had been ordered to bed. I walked seemingly calmly down the stairs and opened the cupboard door to reveal the letter laying perfectly on the bed, emerald-green ink shinning up at me. A smirk grew on my face as I crawled into my space and quickly changed my eyes to that of a cat\'s and opened my letter.

Inside was exactly what I had been looking for, an acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (and also a train ticket and a... key?). As I read over the letter and then list of school supplies I was mildly disappointed by the book list but the prospect of getting a wand overpowered that disappointment. I had wanted one earlier but hadn\'t been able to figure a way to get one without revealing too much or answering awkward questions, so again I had been patient, waiting for this exact thing. I made plans to get everything during my next escape to Diagon Alley and then, only after that, announcing my plans to the Dursleys. I knew they would be pleased with the idea of getting rid of me for a few months, the only question was if the prospect of having me learning magic somewhere and the loss of Vernon\'s fuck toy would override that desire.

*****

It was another two weeks before I got the chance to escape from them unnoticed and get my school supplies. When I arrived and walked by the Wizarding bank it finally clicked in my head as to what that key was in relation to and so I headed inside, for once without the appearance of a brown haired, hazel eyed teenager, but as a boy with messy black hair, vibrant green eyes, and no scars but for the one on his head (that I was careful to hide with my hair). The goblin that helped me looked at me skeptically for a moment but was discreet and I was taken down to my vault. I was most pleased to find that I wouldn\'t be lacking in funds and felt a slight tinge of guilt for the numerous books that I had taken when I clearly had the means to pay for them. But I didn\'t really let it bother me and after gathering a larger number of Galleons, Sickles and Knuts I put them in a bag I had discreetly transfigured from one of my needles, and charmed to be bottomless and weightless and then shrunk it once I was done.

The first place that I went was to get my wardrobe seeing as how now I actually would be in need of one. The lady there was nice (annoyingly so) and I was glad to get out of there managing to not even give her my name.

The next stop was the Apothecary where though it only called for a cauldron, some phials and scales, I got many of the ingredients that I knew were used in many useful potions as well as some rare ingredients that were necessary for some more advanced and slightly illegal potions I wished to try. The store clerk eyed me strangely when she rang up some of my purchases but a quick moment in her mind made sure that she would not remember anything strange about a black haired boy and what he bought, if she even remembered said boy at all.

After that I made my way to the Florist and Blotts to pick up the one book from the list that I didn\'t already own (A History of Magic) but ended up with 16 other books as well, one of them being Hogwarts a History (it\'s always good to know as much as you can about a place before you go there).

I checked the time and realized that I was doing good, the fake me should still be doing chores while the Dursleys were probably still at church. The next stop was for my wand and for this wasn\'t quite sure what to expect. I had sensed a lot of power from the old owner and it was a strange kind, I could only assume that it is what made him so good at making wands. Steadying myself I walked in and a few seconds after the jingle of the bell at the door Mr. Ollivander appeared.

\"Well Harry Potter, I thought I would be seeing you soon.\" He said with a smile that made it seem that he knew something that I didn\'t (it pissed me off). \"So which is your dominate hand?\"

\"I\'m ambidextrous sir.\" I told him and though he seemed surprised he gave a nod and began taking measurements. I watched the magic that was infused into the measuring tape amused for a short time until it finally rolled up and he began to hand me wands. I was suddenly glad that there was no one else in the store as it seemed like I wasn\'t going to ever get one. Perhaps I didn\'t belong in this world and this would prove it, or perhaps the magic in the wands knew that I didn\'t require one and so wouldn\'t choose me. I was only listening vaguely as Mr. Ollivander handed me another something about holly and phoenix feather, 11 or 12 inches... but my attention was snapped back from my thoughts as soon as I grabbed it and felt the warmth shoot up my arm. Without my prompting my sight switched to my magic sight and I watched as the bright bronze colored magic strings from the wand wound up may arm before going straight into my magic source and I could feel it alter and the two magic\'s fuse together. When I shook my head clearing my sight back to normal and looked back up I saw green and gold sparks, which must have come from my wand, floating back to the ground. Mr. Ollivander cheered at his and my success but then became pensive and began to mutter about something being strange. When I prompted for an explanation he told me that the brother wand to the one I held was the one that had given me my scar. Oh very curious indeed, and had it not been for the mask I held on my face showing worry and slight apprehension, he would have seen a very pleased smirk.

When I left Ollivanders I headed to one of the last places that I had to go where I needed to take care of two parts of business, sending off a letter accepting admissions to Hogwarts and also getting a pet. Thinking of getting a pet brought a flash of memory of Gary but I quickly pushed my grief away and headed towards Eeylops Owl Emporium. As I entered I told the owner what it was that I required and after announcing the prices for delivery owls I selected one and set to writing the letter. When I was finished I glanced around at the owls and other birds but one caught my eyes. He was large eagle but was all black with piercing golden eyes; his entire body seemed to exude power and seemed to be daring me to see if I was strong enough for him. Careful to shield myself from everything else in the store I lowered my shields and my façade just for him and was pleased to see the surprise and respect in his eyes. As I replaced my shields and masks he flew down to me and landed gracefully on my shoulder, his claws digging into my skin not even registering to me as pain.

\"Well hello.\" A greeted him with a smirk and he bobbed his head in response. \"I will get him.\" I called to the shop keeper as I turned around and again saw surprise on his face but with a shrug he rang me up, supplying me with all that I would require. I shrunk the cage and other supplies and placed them with my dozens of other shrunken items.

\"Will you go to where I\'m living currently but stay hidden; my family will not be pleased about all of this.\" I explained to him as I gave him a mental image of my relatives\' house and at a bob of his head he took flight. As I watched him go I was a little disappointed realizing that there was nothing more on my list before I was reminded of something that I had seen down Knockturn Alley a while ago that had piqued my interest and now that I finally owned a wand I decided I would definitely have to get one. So as I headed in that direction I put the glamour of the brown haired boy on again (the savior of the wizarding world couldn\'t be seen down there) and went back to the shop where I had seen wand holsters for your wrist. The whole thing took just a few minutes and as I stepped back out and headed back towards Diagon Alley where I would grab something to eat before returning I walked past another pet store. As I glanced in the window I saw some snakes on display and stopped in my passing. It seemed as if something was drawing me there and I couldn\'t help but go in, if only just to look around.

As I glanced over the various toads, lizards, and iguanas I finally made it to the back where there was a collection of snakes. I had to admit that these snakes were more impressive than Gary, they weren\'t your average garden snake but truly dangerous and powerful, some even magical. With a last glance to see that no one was in the store, let alone near me I whispered softly in the snake language I hadn\'t used for what seemed like years.

~hello~ I whispered and instantly had the attention of all the snakes in the store. Shouts from all over filled my ears but after a few seconds someone hissed for silence and I was amused when they all obeyed. I turned my attention to the snake that had silenced the others and gazed over a beautiful three and a half foot long black snake. Well at first glance she had seemed black but as she shifted a little her scales seemed to change colors in the light.

~Hello sssnake-ssspeaker, we have not meet one like you in a long time so you must excuse their rudenessss~ She hissed with a quick glare of disappointment to the other snakes.

~Why of courssse dear Lady.~ The snake seemed to puff up at the title and I had to hide a smirk.

~You may call me Abara, you are here for a familiar I presssume.

~Well...~ I thought back to the Hogwarts letter that had mentioned an owl or cat or toad. It didn\'t say that you could have a snake, but it also didn\'t say that you could not, if they wanted me to obey their rules, then they had better be specific and not leave any loop holes. ~I sssupposse I am~ I told her with a smirk which I think she understood because she gave me a snake like smirk of her own.

~Well then, sssince thiss ssshould be off the record, may I offer my own child?~ She hissed and I was surprised and honored. ~The ssstore keeper hass wanted to breed me for decadesss now, I have not let him know that he was recently sssuccessssful because he wisshesss only to ussse my children. I have hidden thisss one for a few weeksss but do not know how long my luck will lassst.~ She explained as she shifted in her cage again revealing another black snake barely eight inches long.

~I would be honored, but what kind of sssnake are you?~ I asked.

~I am from Japan where they call my kind Doku ssnakesss, meaning poissson, becaussse they can\'t figure an anti-venom to our poissson. The foolssss, the reassson is becaussse we have the ability to adminissster any poissson we wish when we bite, causssing anything from paralyssisss, inssstant death or a nice ssssslow agonizing one.~ She hissed highly amused.

~You are quiet impresssssive and once again I\'m honored at your offer.~ I told her as I casually stuck my hand into the cage and felt the cool scales of the miniature Doku snake swirl up my hand.

~Hello~ I whispered again to my new friend wrapped around my wrist.

~Hello~ A soft female voice responded.

~You will have to name her sssnake-ssspeaker; and daughter, take good care of thisss little master.~ I gave another smirk and nod to the snake before I left the store, my new friend looking just like a beautiful piece of jewelry around my wrist.


As I appeared back in the shed and stepped out I noticed two things that pleased me, the Dursleys still weren\'t back and the eagle was waiting for me in a nearby tree (Still hadn\'t thought of a good name yet). I changed my clothes back to what I would normally wear and then walked inside finding the fake my dusting around the living room and banished him without a second thought. I went to my cupboard and with the slightest movement of my wrist snatched one of the many needles hidden upon me and tossed it in the air towards my bed. Before it even landed upon the one ratty blanket covering my cot it had transfigured into a good sized trunk complete with bottomless and weightless charms. With a few more exercises of my magic I had everything I had purchased, along with all my books from the hidden shelves and the few other trinkets I had acquired over the years packed away in my trunk. With a slight adjustment to my hidden shelves I slid my trunk into it and returned the panel back to place, all signs of abnormality vanishing in seconds.

~You are quite powerful massster~ A soft voice hissed from my wrist, reminding my of my new passenger.

~Thanksss, but don\'t call me massster, just Harry.~

~Asss you wisssh~ I gave her a smile and with another thought placed a hand against the wall by the head of my cot and another hidden compartment formed. This one was about one foot by two feet with a small branch and a heat rock. Instead of a panel I just put the illusion of a wall so that my new friend would be able to come and go as she pleased.

~Thanks you Masss... ah Harry~ She hissed and curled up around the branch content.


I left her there and finished the chores that had to be done, being sure everything was perfect, doing anything to increase the possibility that the Dursleys would allow me to leave.