What does Chess have to do with Anything?
Harry withered on his bed as sweat dripped down his face his back arching off the bed a silent scream echoing unheard through the house on Privet Drive. The other members of the house were blissfully unaware of the withering boy hidden by the door with its many locks and cat flap. The withering went on for hours on end it seemed leaving the youth little time to catch his breath, and not even allowing him the sweat escape of unconsciousness. When the first rays of the sun drifted in through the one small window in the room the boy finally relaxed into the sheets panting for breath his eyes sliding shut as he passed out. Unknown to the boy now dead to the world a loud snap was heard that echoed through the house waking up all of the other residents.
"BOY!" A voice bellowed as the door to the room was thrown open only for the fat man who was red in the face with his rage to stare blankly at the creature standing beside the boy on the bed, who had not moved an inch from either the snap or bellow.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU! FREAK! HOW DARE YOU BREAK INTO MY HOUSE YO..." the man started in on the strange creature only for his words to stop as his voice disappeared with a glance from the creature.
Said creature gave the man a bone chilling snarl that was filled with sharp pointed teeth "Go and get Lord King Potter's things filth." the creature snarled at the man who seemed to almost be in a daze as he wobbled and swung around. The sound of his heavy footsteps echoed through the house as he made his way to the cupboard under the stairs were he had stored the boys things when he had returned earlier that summer.
From just outside the door a horse like women and a whale of a boy cowered away from the creature terror keeping them glued to their spots as the fat man ambled back up the stairs his eyes still unfocused as he carried the trunk into the room and sat it down in front of the creature. The creature nodded before the man blinked his mind clearing as another loud snap filled the air. With a blink the fat man stared in silence at the now empty room, no trace that the freak had ever been there left behind. Shaking his head the man stumbled back and slammed the door to the room closed. "That never happened!" the man all but growled at his wife and son who nodded in agreement quickly.
Time Skip
Harry let out a moan as he shifted on the soft bed. He felt like he'd been run over by a griffin. His joints ached, and his head throbbed, but worst of all was the ache inside his chest. It was like his magic was bubbling and boiling just under his breast bone. Cracking open an eye he stared at the white vaulted ceiling above him. He gasped and sat strait up when he realized that was not the sealing of the Dudley's second bedroom. He groaned and place a hand on his chest as the sudden movement caused his already turbulent magic to pulse, shooting agony radiating from his core making everything feel tingly and not in a good way either.
"Easy Lord King Potter, your core is wound tight and it will take you a few days to get used to it." a gravely voice said from his bed side causing him to jerk in shock before his head whipped around to face the owner of the voice. He blinked several times as he stared at the goblin who was...smiling? He though it was supposed to be a smile anyway...it was hard to tell with all the pointy teeth.
Shaking his head he said "Wha..." His eyes got big as he spoke before he cleared his throat and tried again "Wh...what happened?" he really wanted to know why he was...wherever he was...and why did he sound like he'd gone through puberty? I mean his voice should not be that deep!
The goblin chuckled and said "You Lord King Potter became a King on your twelfth birthday, happy birthday by the way Lord King."
Harry frowned "A...king? I...um like the king of England or something?" He asked confused, I mean a lot had happened since last year when he first learned he was a wizard but a king? Really?
The goblin blinked at him before saying "Were you not given the book What To Expect At Twelve: A compendium of Chess before your summer break?" frowning at the young man in the bed.
Harry blinked "Um...maybe?" He fidgeted at the goblin's pointed stare "I...my things..." he stuttered out unsure how to explain that his trunk, and all of the books in it, had been confiscated the moment he set foot back in 4 Privet Drive at the beginning of the summer so if he had been given that book, and it kinda sounded familiar, he would have had no way to read it....how a book about chess would have ended with him here, wherever here was...he really should ask, he had absolutely no idea.
The goblin frowned before saying "Ah yes your...relatives...this will be a much longer discussion in that case."
Harry nodded as he absently went to adjust his glasses only to pause when his hand met nothing but his nose. He blinked before feeling around on his face with his hand his eyes getting bigger and bigger. "My...my glasses...I...I don't have my glasses on!" He said in amazement realizing just how sharp and clear his vision was for the first time since he woke up. He could make out the little details and veins running through the marbled walls. He had never seen so well, not even with his glasses, what was going on? Not that he was complaining mind you but it just wasn't normal to wake up with perfect eyes sight, and there was his voice change as well.
The goblin nodded his head and said "Indeed you do not, that is one of the many changes you will find your Crowning has had on you."
Harry blinked "Cro...crowning...so...I am...like a King?" he said wide eyed.
The goblin rubbed the bridge of his nose before saying "Yes a King, but no not like a king of a country as it were."
Harry frowned in confusion "I..I don't understand..." he said uncertain.
The goblin sighed before saying "In the since that your Magical Chess Class is a King. You'll find your magic has increased greatly over night along with your more physical changes."
"Physical..changes..." Harry said frowning before he looked down and his hands were he was fisting bed sheets in his hands only to pause and lift a hand up. It didn't look like his hand, it was much too big. Blinking his peaked under his bed sheets before gulping. His legs were long! Like a basketball players long or something! Looking around the room his gaze caught on a full length mirror on the wall by the door.
Standing up on wobbly feet he walked up to the mirror and stared at his reflection in shock, and maybe a little horror too. The person looking back at him was some one he had only every dared dream of becoming. His hair and eyes were the exact same, but everything else had changed. Or rather gotten bigger, a lot bigger. Gone was the scrawny under weight boy who's cloths hung off. In his place a boy who was almost six feet tall stood. His limbs weren't awkward or ungainly like a teenagers would be, he he looked like an adult!
"You are for all intents and purposes an adult Lord King Potter." The goblin said. Harry startled realizing he must have said the last part out loud. "While you will still be required to complete your schooling, you are no longer considered a child by wizarding law for the most part. Which is a very good thing as you will want to find, and bind your Queens as soon as possible so that your magic settles." the goblin added.
"Wait...Queens? As in...more then one? Wha...what do you mean settles?" Harry asked a blush rising to his cheeks.
The goblin nodded "Yes more then one, most Kings have at least two. And by settles I'm sure you've noticed by now the way your magic is coiling on itself and rolling constantly."
Harry nodded and winced, he had noticed it was like his magic was trapped in a box and trying to get out but unable to and instead kept twisting on itself. The goblin nodded again before continuing "That's because it needs a Queen, a King's magic will only unravel to connect to a Queen's magic. Once you've bound your first Queen you'll be able to bind other Classes, but first you'll need to find your First Queen."
Harry looked down at his fists and said "H...how am I supposed to do that?"
The goblin gave him that grin again, he was sure it was a grin this time before saying "You'll just know."
Well...that was helpful...not Harry though with a frown. "Wait..where am I anyway? And how did I get here the last thing I remember was being in my bed?"
The goblin nodded his head and said "You were, it is customary for Gringotts to help newly Crowned adjust to their new Classes. You are in one of our Class rooms. You'll spend the rest of your summer here learning how to adjust to your new Class.