Lord of Magic

Author's Note: this has been sitting on my hard drive for a long time, and I'm unlikely to make any more progress on it. I made Harry to powerful and I can't think of how to continue it. Ideas are welcome but as I side, continuation is unlikely.



Part 1

There are so many things that I want to say, so many misconceptions that must be cleared up, so many lies that must be corrected. It will take me a life time to correct them all, but I don't have a life time. I have from now until my death, which is imminent. I don't rightly know when my death is, no one does really. But the chances of me living past age twenty are very low. The chance of living past thirty... infinitely impossible. If Voldemort doesn't kill me, his Death Eaters will. If they don't, then Dumbledore or the Ministry will. I know he thinks I'm his pawn, that I'm disposable, that I won't fight back. He's wrong.

It is the summer between my fifth and sixth years at Hogwarts. All throughout my fifth year, I took private Occlumency lessons from Professor Severus Snape, Death Eater, member of the Order of the Phoenix, and double-agent. He wasn't a very good teacher, his method consisting of simply battering at my mind while telling me to push him out. It wasn't very helpful. He did do one thing though. He freed me. For that, I owe him a Wizard's Debt.

Twenty-seven days before Samhain, when I was but a year old, Albus Dumbledore bound me inside my own mind, imprisoned my personality and conciousness, placing a synthetic personality and block on my magic. You see, I am unlike any child ever born, except for Myrridn himself. I awakened to sentience inside my mother's womb. I shared the Dark Lord's knowledge and experience, had a direct mind to mind connection, before I was even birthed. Albus feared me, feared my knowledge and power. As a newborn babe, my magic matched Voldemort's and it would only grow with time. And so he bound me with dark and ancient magic, and supplanted me with a personality that would convincingly rebel, yet follow his orders. How I loath that man now.

He came to my parents the day before they went into hiding. He claimed he was placing an ancient protection charm on me, but he bound me. It took twenty-eight days for the binding to settle, which is why I survived Voldemort. There is only one way to survive the killing curse. I took the magic he threw at me, and twisted it. I adapted the power to me, and changed my power to adapt to his, making our connection ever stronger. And then the newly melded magic rebounded and destroyed his body. It shouldn't have killed him, but he was unprepared to receive his and mine magics back. The next day, I was a prisoner inside my own head. I watched everything happen around me, helpless to change it. For that, and for all his crimes, Albus Dumbeldore will pay.

But I digress. My freedom was granted by one Severus Snape, most unlikely of people to aid me. Because of his teaching methods for Occlumency, the seal inside my mind was damaged sufficiently for me to fight my way out. My first influence over my own actions was my confrontation with Dumbledore. The synthetic was still in control mostly, but I was able to exert considerable influence, making my displeasure known in violence and subtle warnings. I don't think he realised that I was breaking free. But it doesn't matter.

And so, here I sit with quill and parchment, in the cupboard under the stairs, waiting to starve to death. My uncle didn't take well to the threats from the Order. Neither did I for that matter. It has become more of a hindrance than an aid. On my sixteenth birthday, I will come into my inheritance and legally be allowed to perform magic. Then I shall seek my revenge and fulfil my destiny.

***

Harry was minutes away from coming into his full potential. Frankly, he was terrified. He already had power equal to the two strongest wizards alive, how much stronger could he get? Don't answer that, stupid question. He had a vague idea of what it was going to be like, about what he would become. They were foggy, inherited memories, passed down through heredity from Myrridn. The only things he know for sure was that it would be painful, and he would have more knowledge and power than he could comprehend at this point in time. He could feel it beginning, burning pain coursing through his body in time with his heart beat. It was like golden lightning in his mind, in his blood. Gods above, the pain....

Harry awoke to a strange, new world. He could feel the magic of the Earth far, far beneath the floorboards of his cramped cupboard, the magic of Fire streaming to earth from the sun, the magic of life pulsing in the air like a heart beat. The walls around him swirled and danced with colour and light, transparent to him. He watched the dimly glowing figure of his aunt at the kitchen stove, the depressing hues of the forms of his cousin and uncle. Harry could see that his aunt was a squib, Vernon and Dudley were muggles.

He easily escaped his cupboard, blowing the door to bits of jagged wood and molten metal. The Durselys looked up at him, terrified of the sudden explosion. “What do you think you're doing, boy?!” Vernon screamed at him, furious over the broken door, and the dopey, mad grin on his nephew's face.

“I'm leaving. You have betrayed the memory of your sister, Petunia Evans. She trusted you as only kin can, and you betrayed her. May you know the full weight of your sins.” Harry faded from sight, like a ghost on the telly. The family of three stared at the spot where Harry had stood, dawning understanding showing in their eyes. Vernon and Dudley finally realised what kind of power Harry had, and Petunia fully understood the disservice she had done her sister and her sister's child.

Part 2

In the Great Hall at Hogwarts, the teachers were gathered around, chatting amicably over their breakfast. Only Minerva, Albus, and Severus remained quiet out of the group, all of them contemplating Harry Potter's Coming of Age. Everyone looked up in surprise when Sybil Trelawny entered the hall, her eyes glazed with prophecy.

“The Lord of Magic has been freed... Imprisoned by fear and flesh, freed by hatred and pain... His reign commences with tears and death...” Blood dripped from the eccentric teacher's nose and ears, obvious damage being done to her by the prophecy. “Simurgh shall embrace him, make him its own, and guide him through the Ages... Beware, those with betrayal staining your souls, for you shall be the first to die...” Her arm slowly raised, a thin finger pointed at Dumbledore, her arm swung to Snape, finger pointed at him now. “Beware, the One Who Freed Him, for he holds your leash...Weep, for the Lord of Magic is nigh.” The Divination teacher collapsed to the ground, her third prophecy stealing her life away. Everyone but the two men scrambled to her aid, but it was too late, far too late. The timing of Harry Potter's Coming of Age did not occur to Snape, but it did to Dumbeldore and he shuddered with fear.

***

Severus knelt before the Dark Lord in trepidation. For the first time in a long time, he felt true fear of death at his Master's hands. “The batty old witch made a true prophecy, my Lord. I do not know if it will come to pass. I offer up my memories to you, my Lord, so you may see the event for yourself.” At an assertive grunt, he raised his head and looked into the ruby, reptilian eyes of the man before him. Images flashed through his mind of the morning's events before his mind was free again. Immediately, his eyes fell to the floor.

“This is... interesting news. We must search out the Lord of Magic. An alliance with him would be invaluable. The Lord of Magic and the Lord of Darkness... The one who finds him shall be richly rewarded. Spread the word. You are free to go Severus.” The Meeting Hall emptied rapidly, none daring to dawdle for fear of angering Voldemort.

The only clues he had to his identity were that Dumbeldore betrayed him, and Severus freed him. He was imprisoned by fear... probably Dumbledore did something stupid... and flesh? Maybe he was guarded? Or his own body was the prison? He would soon be a killer and steeped in Dark magic... Voldemort sat on his throne for a very long time indeed, pondering the identity of the Lord of Magic, not knowing how close to the truth he was.

Part 3

Harry floated through time and space, watching as the Earth was formed, as life was created, as magic blossomed... His mind was filled with all the secrets of Time, whispered to him on the Wind. There were so many things he understood now, so many things that finally made sense. He could clearly see the progression of events that led to his creation and birth, could clearly see the infinite number of futures possible, each one affected by the smallest choice. Futures died and bloomed before his metaphysical eyes, slowly giving him a headache. He turned away from the future, and back to the present.

He watched Sybil Trelawny give her prophecy, watched as it was recorded, labelled, and stored in the Department of Mysteries, watched as Snape reported to Voldemort. Harry watched the electrical cascade of synaptic transmission in Voldemort's brain, watched the thoughts and questions form. It was fascinating to observe the interaction between mind and brain, especially in an Occlumence.

Harry pondered whether or not to reveal himself to Voldemort, in an altered form of course. There were many benefits, and many problems with the idea. He finally decided to postpone that decision, after all, he can always decide to do it later, but it was especially difficult to turn back time to reverse an action made. And so he sought out the one he knew would be his teacher.

He found Simurgh in an Iranian cave system. It was the winged monster that had seen three ages, seen the world destroyed three times. The peacock-like bird knew he was there even though he was not part of Reality, but taught him all that it knew regardless. It had more knowledge than the human mind could contain, but Harry wasn't really human any more, no matter how much he denied it. He learned the hidden knowledge of the ancients of this world: the Egyptians, the Inca, the Aztec, the Mayan, the Japanese, the Chinese, the Indian, the Greek, the Sumerian, the Assyrian, the Babylonian... And then he learned the secrets of Atlantis, and the Second Age. His knowledge then equalled Myrridn's, but Simurgh taught him of the First Age, the Age where it was born, the Age were the Gods had walked, and he was more than the previous legendary wizard.

When he finally knew all there was to know, Harry came to the realisation that everything had changed for him. From the moment of his sixteenth birthday onward, he was no longer a human, mortal wizard. He was the Lord of Magic and therefore as Magic is immortal, so was he. He would live on until the end of Magic and Time. It was a rather depressing realisation that was soon buried under the magnitude of his knowledge and power. The one thing that brought him some form of happiness was that he now owned Severus Snape in ways that could barely be understood, but he would take joy in informing the man of them.

Three weeks after his birthday, on August 21st, Harry left the bird-monster to its hermitage. With a touch of harnessed foresight, Harry could see his Path wandering through the obstacles of Life and Destiny. Now it was time to make good on his promises to himself.

Part 4

Harry's body faded into being in the middle of the Egyptian desert, the full moon overhead and sand for miles. He sat, and simply tried to get used to being contained by flesh and blood again, remembering how it felt to function within the bounds of carbon-based life. Snakes slowly found their way to him, attracted by his heat and enticing scent. The Asp, Spitting Cobra, Python, Horned Viper, Saw Scaled Viper, Sand Boa, and Banned Snake. Many were not supposed to be where he was, but he did not think on that. Seven snakes came to him and wrapped their long bodies around him. He sighed and stroked their heads, speaking softly to them.

~You won't try to hurt me will you, young ones?~ Harry traced a finger around the horns of the viper wrapped around his neck. The others were placed around his chest, waist, hips, one to each arm, and the last around his left thigh.

~No, Ajitnaga. We would never hurt you. We have been waiting for you.~ All the snakes hissed their agreement and tightened their coils around him gently in reassurance. ~We are the Chosen of the Serpents, brethren and companions to you for so long as we live.~

~You have no idea how that comforts me. I have few friends and true companions in the world. Even now, I fear that those I hold dear play me false. If it is true, I shall be alone but for you seven and a servant who hates me. You shall become my closest and most trusted of all, no matter what happens. I will provide for you everything that you desire, even if that is your freedom of me.~ The snakes all protested at that, but the quieted quickly, understanding and appreciating the offer and promise he was making them.

Harry and his new-found companions sat together until the sun rose, sharing knowledge and power, cementing their relationships to Harry and to each other. The desert sun warmed them, heating the air to shimmering waves and the sand to burning dunes. Yet still, they sat. Waiting. Waiting, for the right time to begin the Quest of Vengeance. When the sun was directly above them, and the blistering heat was at it's peak, they finally departed, sunburned and dehydrated, fading from sight like a desert mirage.

Harry and his seven companions appeared in the middle of Diagon Alley, disguised of course. He caused a rather severe panic, as he had not remembered to appear with an Apparation crack or in the designated area, no one recognizing him. Many thought that the wards guarding the Alley had fallen, but upon trying to escape, realised their mistake. When he did not attack or attempt to harm anyone, wondering and awed stares followed him, a path clearing before him to the steps of Gringott's Wizarding Bank.

He approached a goblin teller and spoke courteously in Old Goblin. “If it would not be an inconvenience, Honoured Guardian, I would like to peacefully converse with the one Charged with inheritances and Heir's Rights.” The goblin was without doubt surprised, but managed to conceal it well. Harry was quickly escorted into the maze of offices and corridors to the the goblin he needed to see.

He sat quietly in evaluation of the goblin, assessing his potential threat. It was only the polite thing to do. “I would request that this meeting and my identity remain confidential,” again in old Goblin. The goblin nodded as if it were a given, but no emotion showed on his face. Harry dropped the concealments and disguises. The goblin gasped and began stuttering.

“Mr P-potter!”

Part 5

Albus Dumbledore's worst fears were now confirmed. The last prophecy of Sybil Trelawney was coming to bear faster than he thought possible. Harry Potter had disappeared the day of his birthday. When he went to investigate, dragging a protesting Severus all the way, they found the Dursley's in their kitchen staring at a spot of nothing.

“You just missed him. He's gone. Oh God, he's gone!” Petunia burst into tears, finally letting go of her jealousy of her sister. She sobbed into her husbands shoulder while the two wizards investigated.

“Severus, go to Harry's room and gather his belongings please. Dudley, is it? Would you show him which room please?” Severus sneered down at the grotesquely overweight child before him, who was obviously terrified of him and strangely clutching his bottom. The child showed him upstairs, glancing over his chubby shoulder every few seconds, taking him to the end of the hall to a tiny cell of a room.

Though he sneered at the cramped space and Spartan necessities, he was inwardly questioning his preconceived notions of the Potter boy. He was specifically wondering at the number of locks on the boy's bedroom door, and his apparent starvation when his cousin was obviously not starved in any way. He opened the wardrobe door, looking for Potter's trunk, but not able to find it or any of his school things. He only found a few personal items, some scratch parchment, and a broken quill. “Where are Potter's school things... Dudley?” Severus's disdain of the monstrous boy was obvious in his tone and facial expression.

“In the cupboard under the stairs. Mom and Dad won't let him do any freakish things in the house.” Inwardly Severus was shocked. Freakish? It also explained why his homework was always so shoddy and he only half-knew things. He gathered the few items he had found and returned downstairs, standing beside Albus at the shattered cupboard door.

“It has signs of recent habitation, Albus.”

“I know. It seems I was wrong to place my trust in Harry's family.” With a swish and flick, all of Harry's belongings were packed in his trunk and shrunken. Albus turned to the Dursley family hiding in their kitchen. “I hope you realise what you have done, but I don't think that's possible. You...” He sighed and turned away. There was no more to be said.

And now, three weeks later, he sat in his office and began putting his things in order, preparing himself for death. It was prophesied and he would not fight it. He just hoped that it wouldn't burden Harry's soul too much, and wouldn't stop him from his first destiny, Voldemort. He was just finishing writing up the last letter to be given out at the reading of his Last Will and Testament when he felt himself to be observed. Albus looked up to see a strange man sitting in his office. Instinctively, he knew it was Harry; there was even some slight physical resemblance.

“Harry.”

“I was once the boy called Harry Potter. No longer. You may address me as... Henry. Do you understand why you are going to die?” The boy, now man, once known as Harry cocked his head to the side, truly curious as to the old man's answer.

“The prophecy. . .”

“You have no clue as to why I resent you and hate you so much. I can see it, you know. See every thought in your head as you think it, see every memory you have as if on a You lie to me. film, know every secret you try to hide. Deep down, you know why. I will not be your pawn, and I will not allow you to turn my allies against me. You wounded me deeply, but now, knowing what I know, being who I am, you are naught but an annoyance to be dealt with. Goodbye, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Let's send you on your next adventure.” Without any fancy lights or sounds, without great fanfare, the old Headmaster closed his eyes and was gone. Sadness stirred in the Lord of Magic. He knew he had just lost something, something important, from his soul. Thinking a moment, he thought it was the last of his innocence. He could see and feel Destiny warping his path to fulfil the two prophecies he was subject to, but he let it be. There would be time later to tinker with the fabric of Time and the tapestry of Destiny.

He closed his physical eyes and rubbed at them absently, his glasses getting shoved nearly to his forehead. If only his Magical Sight could so readily be eased. He sighed before righting his spectacles. He looked up and saw Fawkes staring at him.

“You know why I did it. Do you think me wrong to protect myself?” The phoenix trilled sadly, but with understanding. “At least I can be proud of the fact that he went without undue suffering. I didn't lower myself to cause him pain. Fawkes... I know that I could very easily loose touch with humanity and what it means to be human. W-would you bond with me? To keep me grounded? I know it's a lot to ask-”

Fawkes interrupted his little speech by landing on his shoulder, trilling soothing notes into his ear, rubbing his beak on the human's cheek. The Lord of Magic sighed with relief as the fire-bird got to know his seven other companions.

~Do not be offended, but the nature of the serpent is not one that will keep me human, one that will prevent me from loosing touch with the human concepts of compassion, mercy, or honour. I trust you all, but I need Fawkes as well.~ He stroked the Horned Viper softly, smiling at the hiss of pleasure he received.

~We understand Ajitnaga. You need not worry.~ Fawkes trilled in agreement before beginning the Song of Binding. It was a beautiful and complex song, full of rich notes and haunting chords. It settled into Harry's mind and soul, far deeper than Fawkes had anticipated. Harry's complete trust in him allowed the song to bind them at their deepest level.

0o Hello, Harry. This is... unexpected. But then again, given who you are, perhaps not. o0 Harry could hear a series of trills with his ears, but the true words he heard echoed in his mind.

0o Fawkes? Well... this is interesting. Seems that I now have eight companions. What do you eat, exactly? 0o The Griffindor instinctively found a soothing and comforting spot to stroke on the fire-bird's neck.

0o What do you think? Lemon drops! o0 Harry groaned and smiled wry, appreciating the connection with the deceased Headmaster. He got up slowly, looking at a clock. It was almost time for lunch, all the teachers would be gathering in the staff room.

0o Better go tell them, hmm? Wait here, would you Fawkes? o0 He received a comforting trill and supporting hisses. All of them were prepared to fight, just in case, though Fawkes would rather have peace with the humans he knew.

Part 6

Harry knocked politely on the door before opening it. Everyone but the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor and the now dead Headmaster were there, even the snarky Potions Master. They all sat at a scarred wooden dining table, arranged males on one side and females on the other, the head place reserved undoubtedly for Albus. Stepping further into the room, Harry finally got the reaction he was looking for. Gasps and other sounds of surprise met his ears.

“Potter! What do you think-” The Potions Master stood, intending to berate his student, but was cut off.

“Sit down, Severus.” Circumventing his own will, his body obeyed the command. “Albus is dead. I am happy to inform you that he died quickly and without pain, but is dead none the less. Ms McGonagall, you are now acting Headmistress. You will find his Last Will and Testament on his desk. I do not know if a Defence Against the Dark Arts professor has been found, but you will need a new Potions Master as well.” Protests rose from all of them, but most vehemently from the Potions Master himself.

“I most certainly will not be leaving!”

“Really? Beware the One Who Freed Him, for he holds your leash... I am the Master, and you are the dog, until I say differently. Now shut up.” A rather gobsmacked expression took hold of Snape's face, then the realization of whom he was dealing with filled his eyes, seconds before gasps again filled the room.

“H-harry? Are you...?” The new Headmistress spoke hesitatingly, stepping up as if to embrace him. His serpentine companions felt the tensing of his body and hissed warningly to the woman. It was only then that anyone saw the seven serpents. McGonagall froze and slowly backed away.

“Yes, though I would prefer no one call me by that name. I am no longer the boy you thought you knew. Call me Henry. I have already begun the completion of one of my prophecies. Simurgh has embraced me, and the Betrayers begin to die.”

“You aren't d-dark? Are you?” The Ancient Ruins teacher asked.

“No more than the essence of Magic is dark. I am the Lord of Magic, Ajitnaga, and Ásgeirr. Just because of who I now am does not mean my previous prophecy concerning the Dark Lord is negated. I will kill him all the same... eventually. I have my own vendetta right now. You are coming with me, Severus Snape.” Harry gestured and the other man haltingly stepped towards him. “Fare thee well, and all that jazz.” He placed a hand on Snape's shoulder and the two of them disappeared, fading from sight.

Part 7

“I understand that you have some questions, and I am prepared to answer those I deem fit.” Henry gestured to a particularly fluffy part of the white cloud that they stood on. The sky around them was a deep midnight blue, stars sparkling like diamonds on velvet.

“Where are we?” Severus ignored the offer of a seat, standing just to be spiteful.

“Somewhere over Japan, I think. I am Magic incarnate. You won't fall through if you sit.” Harry smirked at him, eerily reminiscent of the Potions Master himself.

“You killed Dumbledore? And will kill others?”

“Yes.”

“What happened to the Golden Boy, hmm? Looking a little tarnished-”

“Sit down, now.” The older man immediately obeyed the direct order, unable to help himself. He internally cursed the events that forced him into that position. “And it's no use moaning about the situation. I can see inside your head better than any Legilimencer. You cannot hide anything from me.” Henry smiled again. “This is difficult for you, I understand that. I am willing to make you as comfortable as possible, so long as you obey, are respectful, blah blah blah. I think you know what I mean. Think of it this way: you joined the Dark Lord to gain power, prestige, and respect. Serving me will give you that more surely than serving Tom. I can make your dreams come true, so long as you yield to the leash.”

Severus sat quietly, his mind racing. He hadn't considered that he might benefit from the situation. He cursed himself for loosing sight of his Slytherin qualities. He should have evaluated Henry objectively, instead of seeing him as Harry Potter. Belatedly, Snape realized he had done just the same thing in Harry's first year, judging the boy by his father. He didn't regret it really, but it could have made life so much easier if they had been able to tolerate and trust each other.

“Think on it for a while. You don't have to make a decision right now, but you only have one chance at this. Turn me down once, and you'll never get the opportunity again.”

***

“What do you mean, Snape disappeared? Crucio!” The Dark Lord Voldemort, once known as Tom Riddle, sat on his throne cursing internally. First Potter vanishes, now his spy!

***

“What do you mean by yield?” Now that the possibility of personal benefit had been absorbed, Snape wanted to know what he would have to sacrifice for it. Har-...Henry could see the thoughts and answered those instead of the voiced question.

“I will not ask of you more than you are able to give. I do not seek to break you per se, but I do wish to see you grow and change. I will ask and command of you things that you will find repulsive and tedious, things that you will despise me for, things that you have done before and never wished to do again. But I will never take your dignity nor you pride, I will never force things that would make you... less.”

“What is it you want?”

“World domination, with a companion at my side that I can trust in politics, in violence, and in bed. I hope that you are such a companion, but if not... it is no great loss. There are more fish in the sea than one slippery eel.” Henry gave the other man a single smouldering, lustful look before turning to watch dawn break over Tokyo.

Remember to review if you have ideas on where this could go!