Perspective and Revelation
11:00 P.M. IST
Mahaguru's Office, Udagamandalam Academy of Magic (உதகமண்டலம் அகாடமி ஆஃப் மேஜிக்), Tamil Nadu, India
1st June, 1985.
Mahaguru Subhramanyu Iyer was seated in his office, contemplating about the recent addition to the school. Mahaguru Iyer had never thought he would see the day when Hadrian James Potter, the Boy Who Lived will be attending his school. He still remembered the day when Dhiraj brought Hadrian here, who was just a baby at that time.
Flashback Scene 1 Begin:
12:10 P.M. IST
Mahaguru's Office, Udagamandalam Academy of Magic (உதகமண்டலம் அகாடமி ஆஃப் மேஜிக்), Tamil Nadu, India
1st November, 1981.
In an ornate circular room sat an elderly man in his armchair reading a book at a leisure pace. His magical focii, a willow staff, was beside him on a cushioned chair. The grandeur of the room was exemplary. A hexagon shaped chandelier hung from the top, the ceiling of the room shrouded in darkness while the room itself was sufficiently illuminated. On the left side, it had a flight of stairs leading to an upper chamber which contained the man's personal library. Behind his armchair was a door leading to the ward room of the school. In front of him was a dark wooden desk with stacks of papers on it and an eagle quill dipped in an inkpot. Beyond the desk was a circular arrangement of chairs meant for teachers whenever they used to visit him. He was almost dozing off when he felt the ward room beep once and he got up to go to the ward room and see the visitor. The ward room flared up a name: Dhiraj Patel. 'Oh, a past student. I wonder what he needs.' He gave him access to school grounds.
He looked up to see Dhiraj come in with a child of all people. "May I ask who is that Dhiraj?", asked Mahaguru Iyer raising an intricate eyebrow.
"This is Hadrian James Potter. He is the son of one Lily and James Potter. You know Lily Potter, of course, I have told you about her many times. A couple of days earlier Lily called me up in the Department with a tone of urgency in her voice. She requested me for a couple of things. Among them was one to help with the hiding situation of Lily and James Potter when they were targeted by Voldemort, Britain's Dark Lord. I gave a counter proposal to put a tracker on Hadrian's body and train him in India. Lily settled it by asking me for an unbreakable vow to protect Hadrian till he reaches of age. Hence, he is here in India with me. I have come to enroll him in UAM till he is of eleven years of age. I do have legal guardianship of him because I had received a letter from Gringotts today at 12:00 noon, that I have been named a legal guardian in the Potter Wills and I had sent a confirmation back by signing it back with my magical signature. But I do not want any compromise in securing Hadrian's stay with my family here. Hence, I came to enroll him here, as I know UAM requires seven years of compulsory schooling. This will also provide him with the necessary training in magic. I do not like to leave loopholes for others to exercise."
"Also another reason I am here is I want a proper magical check up for Hadrian. I had gone to the home of the Potter's home at Godric's Hollow where I found that dark magic as well as ritualistic magic have been taken place. I just want to make sure it did not leave behind any ill effects for Hadrian."
Mahaguru Iyer looked pensive for a long time. "You do understand that we are somehow painting a target on our back by taking in a foreign child, one who is heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, a family whose roots have been in Britain for millenia? There will be high political repurcussions when the guardianship will be brought to light? Also, the fact that he himself had been a target of the pureblood propaganda war going on in Britain and by extension, we are making enemies of the old pureblood families in Britain?"
"Yes, I know about it. Unfortunately for them, they cannot challenge this legally. I do understand about it. After all the times Lily had helped me, I could do the same."
Mahaguru Iyer sighed and said, "Very well. So be it. The child will be a student of our school and will be instructed in the magic arts like it is taught in our school. But before that, let's get him a check-up since you say he has been present in a room which reeked of dark magic and ritualistic magic."
12:40 P.M. IST
Medication Ward, Udagamandalam Academy of Magic (உதகமண்டலம் அகாடமி ஆஃப் மேஜிக்), Tamil Nadu, India
1st November, 1981.
Healer Venugopal Deshai was seated in his medication ward preparing pepper-up potions when he heard a knock on the door. With his reply, he saw Mahaguru Iyer and a former student, Dhiraj Patel walking in with a child in his arms.
Healer Deshai greeted them when they approached him, "Good evening Mahaguru Iyer and Dhiraj, what brings you here and who is that?"
"This child has been exposed to ritualistic magic and dark magic. I am requesting a physical and magical checkup of him. As for his identity, we will explain once the test is done."
Healer Deshai nodded, "Well, so be it. Put the child on the bed."
Healer Deshai took out his wand and casted "Pondus Propono ". A pale writing saying '9.7 kilograms'. He then casted "Lumos Condensatio ". A ball of light no more than two centimeters in diameter formed. He then waved the light ball in front of Hadrian's eyes. His eyes followed the movement of the ball. Healer Deshai nodded and put out the light. He again casted, "Revelio Meatus ". Hadrian's body lit up in an array of seven different colours with each colour being a vibrant shade. Looking for any misalignment of the chakras, Healer Deshai could not find any. So he casted his last spell, "Omnino Deprehendere ". Hadrian's body first lit up in a pale blue light before it took a deep red hue which covered his entire body and then immediately changed to a black glow near the lightning bolt scar.
Healer Deshai cancelled the spell and spoke, "I am finding two different things on his body which should not be here. First a protection of some sort, based on blood magic. This protection is in tune with his magic and is not detrimental in any way, shape or form. However the second one reeks of dangerous and heinous soul magic. I will check it in a moment what both are."
With that he created two concentric circular sigils which had eight spokes emerging from the centre, four touching the outer circle and four touching the inner one. He then casted, "Evello Magus ". With that, a small black tendril rose from his scar, while a red thread emerged from his skin and both settled on the space between the two circles.
He then walked off to his work table and started doing some tests. He first turned to the red hue and casted, "Revelio Compositio ". He deciphered both a maternal and a fraternal linkage through blood and an exchange ritual involving sacrifice of the highest order to obtain protection. He then turned to the black tendril and casted, "Revelio Compositio ". He felt another exchange ritual. Looking closer, he took in a gasp of breath. 'What?! An exchange ritual involving the ending of one life to ensure preservation of other?' He then saw the black tendril condensed into a small ball with six tendrils flowing out of it. His eyes widened at that. 'A soul piece?! Someone... someone used that ritual of quasi immortality?!'
He looked back to Mahaguru Iyer and Dhiraj and spoke, "The first one is a sacrificial ritual. This ritual did not interfere with the child's magic. But the second one, the second one is the ritual for quasi immortality. Someone created a soul shard out of a murder. Since the first ritual was sacrificial and I could feel the connection to the child's magic though blood magic, I will assume both of his parents sacrificed their lives for the child which ensured one part of the exchange and someone was attacking them with the intent to kill. They used the parent's murder as an exchange for the immortality ritual. This soul shard will be harmful for the child. If not removed, it will gradually bind itself to the child's soul or even absorb it. And the child will suffer from severe psychological changes. The only thing keeping it away is the protection, however the child's soul had fought back too. I suggest we will remove the soul shard when the child attains his first magical maturity, that is, when he is seven years of age."
Dhiraj looked wide eyed at the healer and said, "Very well. We will remove it, but, please ensure no harm is done to the child."
Healer Deshai nodded and said, "Now how about you tell me who this is?"
Flashback Scene 1 End.
Mahaguru Iyer was pondering on this when he heard a knock on his door. He looked at the time. 'Oh its 11:15, almost time for the first week meeting.' He said in a clear voice, "Enter".
With that a horde of teachers came in and took their seats in the chairs provided. Mahaguru Iyer looked at the teachers and greeted them, "Welcome to the first weekly teachers meeting. I would like to ask all of you about the performance of our students in the classes they are attending. And with that, the meeting started.
After half an hour, the meeting concluded. Mahaguru Iyer greeted them again, "Well that it is then. I am pleased to hear that our students are excelling in our studies. Make sure the ones with prodigous talents are kept interested in the courses provided as they progress with time and keep an eye on them that they do not experiment in uncharted waters. The ones who are lagging behind, try to talk and find out where the inherent problem lies. With that, I conclude this meeting. Good night to all of you." The teachers collectively greeted him and left.
Mahaguru Iyer thought, 'Hmm, Hadrian's name has been said by almost all of the teachers to have a prodigous talent except for in Potions and Arithmancy. But both Gurvi Bharadwaj and Gurvi Nambiar said he was nowhere near bad. He does well to be within the first three in the class. But he does not have the keen talent for them. So he works hard to achieve. His best classes by far are Mind Arts, Transfiguration and Runes. He does exceptionally well in Charms too but not quite on the level of the former three. Nevertheless, if he shows consistency like this, he will be a wonderful wizard in no time.'
He then diverted his attention to the bill he had in hand. 'Hmm, so these potion ingredients are required. Well let me write a draft for them.' And with that, he set off to do his pending work before he finally went to bed at one o'clock.
09:50 P.M. BST
Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts
1st June, 1985.
Headmaster Dumbledore was seated in his office, thinking about the difficulties he had been facing when he tried to track down one Hadrian Potter. Legally, he, as Supreme Mugwump, could gain custody of wartime orphans however that route has been viciously squashed when he tried to talk about it to the goblins.
Flashback Scene 2 Begin:
08:00 A.M. BST
Gringotts Lounge, Gringotts
2nd November, 1981.
On a lively street full of wizards and witches, stood a magestic building at the very end of the street. It was made of marbe white and had an archway as an entrance. On the two sides of the bronze doors stood two goblins, adorned with armours and spears. The warrior emblem was etched on their armour. Above the turret of the building, was a statue of an Ukranian Ironbelly, a dangerous dragon on par with a Hungarian Horntail who are known for their viciousness. This was Gringotts, the only bank in Wizarding Britain. Above the statue was the Gringotts crest. A galleon with a golden key through it and the Latin phrase Fortius Quo Fidelius meaning "Strength Through Loyalty".
Albus Dumbledore walked towards the goblin sitting at the reception panel, with his plan in mind.
"Name and purpose for visiting Gringotts?", the goblin asked without looking up.
Dumbledore bristled at the blatant disrespect but brushed it aside. He said, "Albus Dumbledore and I want to know who has gained custody of one Hadrian James Potter whether it is legal or not and if not legal, by my position as Supreme Mugwump, I demand that the custody should be given to me."
The goblin gave an unimpressed stare to Dumbledore and called a goblin guard standing nearby. He instructed in Ghukliak, "Guard Tnashik, go to King Ragnok and ask him about the disposition of one Hadrian James Potter". Turning back to Dumbledore, he said, "Please wait in the benches provided."
Dumbledore took a seat and waited. After nearly half an hour, the guard came back and with him came another goblin. Dumbledore noticed the Potter crest on his robes right away. 'Potter Accounts Manager? I did not know they had one. This better be good.'
Accounts Manager Tarsaw looked at Dumbledore and said, "Albus Dumbledore, the last will of the Potters state that custody has been given to one Dhiraj Patel who has confirmed it by signing it with his magical signature when we notified him of said custody. All other guardianships, even those imposed by Ministerial positions, whether intended or otherwise, has been declared null and void by the will of late Lord Potter, since in familial matters, the respective Houses have autonomy over government decisions. So for your answer, the guardianship of Hadrian James Potter has been bestowed to Dhiraj Patel and it is fully legal. I hope this satisfies your query."
Albus Dumbledore stared at the goblin. 'What?! The Houses have autonomy as and when they wish?! This is problematic. The amount of information, especially about dangerous and powerful magic, that can be witheld by the Houses will be staggering. I might have to subvert this in a Wizengamot meeting. For now, I must seal the wills with my authority as Chief Warlock, lest Hadrian might become influenced by the content of the wills when he comes back. And about that, I need to contact this Dhiraj Patel, whoever he is, and make him give the custody back to me. It is for the greater good that the Boy Who Lived grows under the perfect conditions I have thought for him, lest I might lose control of him totally.'
Nodding to himself, Albus Dumbledore said, "Then I request sealing of the Potter Wills by my authority as Chief Warlock, since we cannot let sensitive information be left wide open in the delicate aftermath of the war."
Accounts Manager Tarsaw now gave a toothy grin and replied, "I will refuse Albus Dumbledore. First, Gringotts has its own set of rules. Even if the Ministry Records of the seals are closed, the Gringotts records will be open and secure, since, as Accounts Manager, we goblins have oaths not to seal documents important to heirs and protections not to leak contents of said documents. And second, Lord Potter requested that his heir will be allowed to read the Potter Wills when he comes to Gringotts and asks for it. Additionally, the guardian gets a copy of the will and is free to decide what to do with it."
Tarsaw was totally smirking inside. 'Yes, yes, did not think that Lord Potter would have taken measures to secure his heir's future did you? Apparently you only see James Potter as the brash Gryffindor he once was. But however all changed with Fleamont's and Euphemia's death. Gone was the brashness, replaced by a honourable courage and charisma on outside and a wise individual on the inside. You underestimated and now you pay the price.'
Dumbledore was utterly gobsmacked at this. He did not know what to do. He never even thought that James was capable of being this diabolical. With an appearing headache and an even closer dissapointment, he replied in a morose voice, "Of course, I understand the late Lord Potter's wishes. I will revoke my requests. Thank you for your time." And with that, he walked off.
Flashback Scene 2 End.
Dumbledore was thinking now what to do, since his letters to this Dhiraj Patel always went unanswered. Sheer frustation was coursing though him at this point. He was thinking that if this Dhiraj Patel was the Unspeakable or friend of the one who picked up Hadrian that night, then he would have started informing him about the magical world. This was a hindrance in his plans. He would have wanted Hadrian malleable and if that means withholding knowledge, then so be it.
If Hadrian grows up knowing and practising magic, knowing his history and his legacy, he will be independent which is detrimental for Dumbledore. Dumbledore had researched that black mist which went into Harry from Volemort. He found a name for it: Horcrux, in an old Egyptian book, where the word's meaning was given by Herpo the Foul. He could have never imagined Tom would have gone to heinous lengths to ensure immortality. And to defeat Tom, his soul piece must be destroyed too. Due to which, Hadrian's will to sacrifice must be provoked and grown instead of attachment to life, which he, right now, might be getting wherever he is.
Dumbledore was thinking of ways to contact Dhiraj, when a plan sprang up in his head. Taking a piece of parchment and ink, he started to write a letter.