Lost in Translation

Harry barely slept that night, his mind plagued with regret over how he had handled things with Alex. He kept replaying their confrontation in his head, thinking of all the ways he could have been more patient, less confrontational. Perhaps if he had just listened instead of losing his temper, he could have reasoned with the boy. But it was too late for should-haves now.

When morning came, Harry wasted no time beginning his search. He fire-called Ron, Hermione, and other trusted friends, explaining the situation as best he could and asking them to alert him if they saw or heard anything about Alex's whereabouts. He knew tracking the shapeshifting boy himself would be nigh impossible, but hoped someone in their network might pick up signs of him.

For the next several weeks, Harry exhaustively followed up any leads that came in, no matter how slim. Reported sightings of rare magical beasts in Hungary. Strange noises from a dilapidated old manor said to be haunted. An uptick in mood-altering potions being peddled in Knockturn Alley. Harry meticulously investigated each one, but all turned out to be dead ends.

As days turned into weeks with no progress, Harry's frustration mounted. He had promised himself he would make this right, that he would find Alex and make the boy understand Harry wanted to help him, not control him. But with no trace of the teen, Harry didn't even know where to begin mending what had broken between them.

Late one night, long after Ron and Hermione had gone to bed, Harry sat alone staring into the dying embers of the fire, anguished thoughts swirling. He had failed Alex just as he had failed so many who had once trusted him - Dumbledore, Sirius, his parents. Why did it always end this way?

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered into the silence. "I should have done better by you. I should have protected you, guided you. Instead I only drove you away."

He dropped his head into his hands. "Just give me a chance to make this right, Alex. Tell me how to regain your trust. I swear I only want to help you."

Harry awoke the next morning after a restless night of fitful sleep. The dying embers in the fireplace had long grown cold, much like the trail on finding Alex. But Harry was determined not to give up hope.

After washing up and dressing, Harry headed downstairs to the kitchen, hoping some tea and toast might revive his dampened spirits. To his surprise, he found Ron already seated at the table, tucking into a heaping plate of sausage, eggs and toast.

"Morning, Harry!" Ron greeted through a mouthful of food. "Help yourself, Kreacher's on a cooking spree this morning."

Harry managed a wan smile as he sank into a chair across from Ron and poured himself some tea. "Morning," he replied weakly.

Ron's enthusiastic eating slowed as he peered more closely at Harry. "You're looking rough, mate. No luck on tracking down the shapeshifter I take it?"

Harry sighed, shoulders slumping. "No, not a trace. I don't know if I'll ever find him at this rate. London's a big place to hide for someone with Alex's...abilities."

"Chin up, I know you'll think of something," Ron said bracingly. "Maybe try talking to the Centaurs in the Forbidden Forest again? They always seem to know weird things."

Harry blinked, sitting up straighter. "Ron, that's brilliant! I can't believe I didn't think of asking the Centaurs. With their mystic celestial magic, they may be able to pinpoint Alex's location or at least point me in the right direction."

For the first time in weeks, Harry felt a spark of hope. The Centaurs' divination abilities were mysterious and powerful - if anyone could help him find Alex, it was them.

Harry quickly downed his tea and toast, newfound energy propelling him. "I need to get to Hogwarts right away and seek out the Centaur herd. This could be the break I've been waiting for."

Ron grinned through another mouthful of sausage. "Glad I could help. Let me know if you need any backup tracking down the sneaky shapeshifter."

Harry smiled gratefully at his friend. "Thanks, Ron. I'll send word when I have something to report."

With his spirits lifted by this new potential lead, Harry hurried to the fireplace to Floo to Hogsmeade. He tried not to get his hopes up too high, but couldn't help the bubble of optimism rising within him. Maybe today would finally be the day his search for Alex bore fruit.

Stepping out into the chilly highland air of Hogsmeade, Harry swiftly made his way through the village towards Hogwarts. The castle soon came into view, majestic as ever perched atop its cliff overlooking the Black Lake.

Harry felt a twist of nostalgia looking at those soaring towers that had been his first true home. Shaking off reminiscence, he headed towards the fringe of the Forbidden Forest where he knew the Centaur herd roamed.

Before he reached the tree line, he was spotted by Hagrid who waved a dustbin lid-sized hand enthusiastically. "Harry! Good ter see yeh!" the half-giant boomed. "Come fer a visit?"

"Good to see you too, Hagrid," Harry greeted warmly. "I was actually on my way to speak with the Centaurs, if any are around."

"Ah yeh, Magorian and some of the others were jus' past the paddock this mornin'," Hagrid said. "I can take yeh into the forest ter find 'em."

Harry smiled gratefully. "That would be great, thanks Hagrid."

The two old friends made their way into the shadowy depths of the forest, following a winding game trail. After about fifteen minutes, Hagrid paused and raised a hand.

"Centaurs are just ahead, I reckon. This is as far as I'll go - they don't take kindly ter us on their land."

Harry nodded understandingly. "I'll be fine from here. Thank you, Hagrid."

With a nod and wave, Hagrid departed back down the trail. Harry continued forward until the dense trees opened up into a sunlit glade. There stood a small herd of Centaurs, flanks gleaming in the dappled light.

One with inky black fur and piercing blue eyes stood apart from the others - Magorian, the herd's leader. He watched impassively as Harry approached.

"Magorian, I've come seeking the wisdom and guidance of your herd," Harry began respectfully with a slight bow.

Magorian gazed at him silently for a long moment before replying. "Speak your request, Harry Potter. The stars have whispered of your coming."

Encouraged, Harry quickly explained his situation with Alex and the desperate need to find the wayward boy again. "I know Centaur magic allows you to read signs across the land and sky. I humbly ask that you share any insight you can offer that might help me locate Alex."

Magorian remained stoic and silent as he seemed to ponder Harry's plea. The other Centaurs stirred restlessly, hooves pawing the earth.

Finally Magorian spoke. "Mars burns bright of late, portending battle and upheaval." He tilted his head skyward, as if reading answers in the clouds.

"Jupiter's influence waxes powerful...we see your quarry inhabits two worlds, yet belongs to neither."

Harry's brow furrowed, trying to unravel the cryptic clues. "Two worlds...so he's somewhere caught between realms? Could you be more specific?"

But Magorian only stamped a hoof firmly. "We have divulged what the Fates reveal for now. Your path ahead is clouded, but patience and wisdom may yet illuminate it."

Harry sighed but nodded. "I understand. Thank you for the insights you have shared."

Bowing his head respectfully to Magorian, Harry took his leave from the Centaur glade and headed back through the forest. Their clues about Alex were as confounding as he expected, but Harry clung to the crumb of hope that with time and care, he might still find a way to reach the troubled boy again.

After an unfruitful but thought-provoking visit with the Centaurs, Harry returned to Grimmauld Place, his mind churning over their cryptic words.

"Two worlds he inhabits, yet belongs to neither," Harry murmured, staring unseeingly into the fire crackling in the parlor's hearth. What had Magorian meant by that?

The Floo flaring to life shook Harry from his contemplation. Ron stepped out, brushing ash from his robes.

"Any luck with the hoofed mystics?" he asked.

Harry shook his head with a frustrated sigh. "No solid leads. Just some vague clues about Alex being caught between worlds and patience illuminating a path."

"Typical Centaur nonsense," Ron said, dropping into an armchair. "Never giving a straight answer."

"Too right," Harry agreed wryly. "But there may be something useful buried in their riddles. Something about Alex not belonging to the two worlds he inhabits."

He shook his head. "It's maddeningly unclear. I thought speaking to the Centaurs would provide clarity, yet I'm more lost than ever."

Ron gave him a sympathetic look. "You'll figure it out, mate. Maybe try talking to Luna too? She knows loads of odd creatures and tales. If anyone has insights on this 'two worlds' business, it's her."

Harry's eyes brightened with new possibility. "Brilliant idea. Why is it you're always there to pull me out of mental ruts?"

"Just talent I guess," Ron said with an exaggerated preening gesture. "But seriously, best of luck with Loony Luna. Let me know if you need any more brilliant suggestions."

Heart buoyed by his best friend's unwavering support, Harry penned a quick owl to Luna asking for a meeting, hoping the unconventional witch might shed some light on the Centaurs' perplexing clues about Alex's whereabouts.

A day later found Harry seated in Luna's cozy sitting room, accepting a brightly colored tea cup from his serenely smiling friend.

"Now, what's all this about a person caught between worlds?" Luna asked mildly. "You mentioned Centaurs gave you a clue?"

Harry quickly recapped his history with Alex and the cryptic insights from Magorian. "...so I was hoping you might have some thoughts or theories about what the Centaurs could have meant."

Luna hummed meditatively. "Hmm, fascinating. It sounds like this Alex has a foot in more than one realm." Her wide eyes took on a dreamy cast. “But he is from neither. Saw them in a manifold of ways yet always the same.”

“And do you know where he could be?” Luna sometimes sounded like Alex in her own unique way, with how she said things as if they should be obvious, but made no sense to Harry.

Luna gazed dreamily into the distance as she pondered Harry's question.

"The Centaurs spoke truly - this Alex inhabits two worlds, yet belongs to neither," she said softly. "For he is a visitor in both lands, his true home elsewhere."

Harry's brow furrowed. "But what does that mean? Where is his 'true home' if not here or the reality he came from?"

Luna's focus returned to Harry, her eyes clear and intent. "Within himself. He is of his own world - one shaped by his mind and experiences. An inner realm belonging only to him."

Comprehension dawned on Harry. "So you're saying his sense of being disconnected comes from being different? Not fitting into society's normal rules and assumptions?"

Luna smiled. "Precisely. He walks between worlds because no outer world aligns fully with his inner reality."

"Blimey, when you put it like that, it makes so much sense," Harry murmured. Alex's brilliance and volatility, his disregard for rules and conventions - it all stemmed from feeling like an outsider unable to connect.

"But how does this help me find him?" Harry asked. "Knowing why he left doesn't reveal where he went."

Luna tilted her head thoughtfully. "No direct clues I'm afraid. But now you understand him better. Seek places that resonate with his unconventional nature - where misfits go to feel at home in their own skins."

In the weeks following his frustrating visit with Luna, Harry struggled in vain to uncover any trace of Alex. First in Knockturn Alley where everything not liked by the law gathered, then London. Each new lead ended at a dead end, leaving Harry more despondent than ever.

Late one night, a thunderous boom jolted Harry from restless sleep. Rushing outside, he saw smoke on the horizon - Big Ben ablaze from some unnatural impact.

Arriving on the chaotic scene, Harry scanned the crowds, not knowing what he sought.

“That had been mostly said as a joke, you know? I hadn’t expected them to actually pull it off.” Harry had no clue since when, but Alex suddenly stood next to him, conversing as if nothing had happened. Or so Harry hoped for a moment, before the boy continued. “Well, I’m off then.”

Harry whipped around in shock at the familiar voice, coming face-to-face with Alex for the first time in weeks. The dimensional traveler looked just as Harry remembered - unruly blond hair, sharp eyes glinting with intellect and secrets, wearing casual Muggle hoodie.

"Alex! You're here!" Harry exclaimed. "What's going on? Did you have something to do with this?" He waved a hand to indicate the smoking wreckage that was Big Ben.

Alex shrugged, glancing at the destruction with a bored expression. "Meh, don't look at me. I just followed the kaboom to see what entertainment might be had. Although..." A small, sly grin crossed his face. "Remember when I made that offhand comment about my friends probably copying the Slytheen? Well, while I hadn’t expected that to happen, I wouldn’t be surprised if those over there are the people I was talking about.”

Harry followed Alex's gaze to a small group of teens standing nearby, staring up at the damaged tower in shock. There were four of them - two boys and two girls. They didn't seem threatening, just regular kids, but Harry sensed something... different... about them.

"Friends of yours?" Harry asked Alex curiously.

"You could say that," Alex replied cryptically. "We go way back. Had some crazy adventures together."

Before Harry could inquire further, one of the teens - a tall blond boy - turned and noticed them. His eyes went wide.

"No way... it can't be..." He nudged the dark-haired boy next to him and pointed at Alex. Now all four teens were staring in disbelief.

Alex sighed. "Yeah, it's me," he called out to them resignedly. "Surprise?"

The four kids immediately rushed over. The blond boy grabbed Alex in a hug. "I don't believe it! You're alive!"

Alex extricated himself, looking uncomfortable. "Yeah yeah, warm reunions all around. Look-"

But the dark-haired girl cut him off angrily. "Do you have any idea what you put us through? We thought you died!"

The other teens chorused similar sentiments. Alex held up his hands placatingly.

"Okay okay, clearly we have a lot to talk about, but I didn’t think you would worry, not like we got along all that well. But can we save the lectures for later? Don't we have slightly bigger issues right now?" He gestured up at the damaged tower.

The teens exchanged chagrined looks. "Right, shouldn't hang around here too long," the blond boy conceded. He gave Alex a meaningful look. "But we are continuing this conversation somewhere more private."

Alex sighed. "Fine. Harry, I'll catch up with you later." he said to the bemused wizard.

Harry watched in bewilderment as Alex departed with the mysterious group of teenagers. Clearly they shared some history with the dimensional traveler, though the animosity between them hinted at a complicated relationship.

Harry wasn't sure what to make of Alex's flippant admission that his 'friends' were likely responsible for the inexplicable damage to Big Ben. He seemed oddly unconcerned about their destructive capabilities.

Making a mental note to press Alex for more information later, Harry set to work assisting with the aftermath. The Obliviators had their hands full modifying memories and fabricating a cover story.

It was some hours before the chaos was contained and the scene cleared. Exhausted both physically and mentally, Harry returned to Grimmauld Place, hoping Alex might be there so they could finally talk.

But the house was empty and silent, no sign that the interdimensional teen had returned. Harry wasn't surprised - clearly Alex had a lot to discuss with the group of teens who somehow knew him. But he couldn't suppress the twinge of hurt that Alex was putting off their own reunion.

Shaking his head, Harry trudged up to bed, emotions churning. Relief that Alex was alive warred with frustration over being kept at arm's length yet again. All he could do was wait and hope the mercurial boy would seek him out once he'd had time to reunite with his mysterious compatriots.

To Harry's immense relief, Alex showed up at Grimmauld Place the very next day, sauntering into the kitchen as if he hadn't been missing for weeks.

"Morning," the dimensional traveler greeted casually, rummaging for food. "Got anything good to eat around here?"

Harry stared at him, torn between joy at his return and indignation over the flippant attitude. "That's all you have to say?" he asked in disbelief. "You vanish for weeks after transforming into a bloody lion, only to reappear blowing things up with strange teenagers, and now you just waltz back in demanding food?"

Alex glanced over with a careless shrug. "I mean, what do you want me to say? I'm back, everything's chill between me and my ahh... friends, so water under the bridge right?"

He took a bite of a scrounged sandwich. "Anyway, hope you don't mind the others crashing here too. We moved our little reunion here for convenience."

Before Harry could protest this unilateral invitation, four teens trooped into the kitchen - the same group from the night before. They looked curiously around at the ancient magical dwelling.

"Uh, make yourselves at home," Harry said weakly, still trying to process this sudden influx of visitors.

Alex snorted. "Oh they'll do that anyway, you don't have to tell them." He introduced them briefly. "Harry, meet Jake, Marco, Rachel and Cassie. Guys, Harry."

Harry looked over the four teenagers standing in his kitchen. They seemed normal enough, dressed in casual Muggle clothing. But if they were associates of Alex's, there was surely more to them than met the eye.

"So you all know Alex then?" Harry asked.

The dark-haired boy, Marco, let out a derisive laugh. "Oh yeah, we go way back with this one. Been through some crazy times together."

"I'll say," muttered the tall blonde girl, Rachel. She was eyeing Alex with a mix of emotions - relief, suspicion, and lingering anger.

Harry's gaze turned to Alex, who was leaning nonchalantly against the counter nibbling his sandwich, seemingly unperturbed by the tension in the room.

"Perhaps you could clarify how exactly you all know each other?" Harry pressed. "Alex was rather vague on the details."

Alex shrugged. "Not much to tell. We were a bunch of kids who got caught up in some weird, messed up stuff together. The rest is history."

"Weird and messed up is right," growled Rachel, crossing her arms. "You bailed on us, faked your death! We mourned you for over a year before showing up again out of the blue!"

Alex held up his hands defensively. "Hey, I didn't have much choice in the matter. It was an accident."

"Some accident," scoffed Marco. "One minute we're all fighting side by side, the next you pull a Houdini and disappear into thin air! You didn't think we might want to know you were alive?"

Harry's gaze bounced between Alex and the irate teens as they argued, trying to piece together the full story.

"Why don't we all take a seat and try to talk this through calmly," suggested the other girl, Cassie, ever the peacemaker.

They relocated to the living room, the four visitors taking seats on the sofa while Alex sprawled lazily in an armchair. Harry perched tensely on the edge of his own seat.

"Now then," Cassie continued gently. "Alex, why don't you start from the beginning and explain how you ended up here."

Alex sighed. "Long story short - we were in the middle of a battle, my ship got hit by debris, some damage to Z-space later, and it spit me out here in this reality. I didn't intentionally fake my death or abandon you all."

"Okay, so a dimensional rift, sure, that tracks," said Jake, the other boy. "But in all the time since, you never found a way to let us know you were okay or even still alive?"

“The Z-space here is tilted compared to what you are used to, throws off most tech, I also had no way to know which specific iteration I was supposed to send a message to, and then I would also have needed to make sure only you receive it, imagine if they had managed to receive it.”

Harry watched the exchange between Alex and his mysterious friends, trying to follow along. It seemed Alex hadn’t lied when he had claimed he ended up stranded in this reality accidentally after some kind of battle. Harry wasn't clear on the details, but the frustration and hurt coming off the other teens was palpable.

"I think I'm starting to understand what happened," Harry said slowly. "But clearly there's still healing to be done here. Perhaps it would help for you all to speak openly and honestly about your feelings."

Alex let out a derisive snort at this suggestion. "Come on, we're not here for some touchy-feely counseling session."

But Cassie shot him a quelling look. "It couldn't hurt. We all went through a trauma, thinking you were dead this past year. Don't dismiss our pain so callously."

Alex held up his hands in grudging acquiescence.

Jake spoke up next, brows furrowed. "I mourned you, we all did. You were - are - one of us. We've faced death together so many times, but this felt different. Permanent. That's a wound that doesn't just disappear."

"I know, I screwed up where friendship is concerned. I should have found a way to contact you, let you know I was okay. But what am I supposed to do? If I change the past you will only get angry at that."

Marco shook his head angrily. "That doesn't just make things right! Do you have any idea-"

"Marco," Rachel interrupted, putting a hand on his arm. "Getting angry won't help. None of us blame Alex for the accident. But we do need to process our feelings so we can move forward."

Marco subsided with a grumble. Rachel gave Alex a piercing look.

"I mourned you. Cried for you. Nearly got myself killed more than once in my rage and pain. An apology doesn't erase that, but it's a start."

“Remember when we met the first time?” Alex got this faraway look in his eyes that Harry couldn’t remember ever seeing in him, but was sure was nostalgia, “I told you I was only helping you because it would be fun and because I was basically being paid for it? The payment part was a lie.”

Harry watched the exchange between Alex and his friends, still trying to understand their complex history. Clearly there was a deep bond between them, forged through shared trauma and loss.

When Alex brought up their first meeting, Harry saw a rare glimpse of vulnerability in the normally aloof boy's eyes. The admission that his initial motivations had been less than noble seemed to pain Alex.

"I didn't understand friendship back then," Alex continued haltingly. "Just saw an opportunity for excitement, for distraction from my own emptiness."

He shook his head, gaze distant. "But you all taught me there can be more. That I don't have to be alone inside my head."

Alex finally met his friends' eyes, his own shining with emotion. "I'm sorry for the pain my disappearance caused. You became the closest thing I ever had to family. I should have found a way back to you."

Harry watched in dismay as Rachel's expression twisted in anger at Alex's apology.

"You think we'd fall for your lies after everything you put us through?" she seethed, rising from the couch to tower over Alex. "Admitting you used us, then trying to manipulate us with fake remorse?"

Alex held up his hands defensively. "Whoa, take it easy, Xena. I wasn't lying."

But Rachel was having none of it. In a flash, she produced a wickedly sharp dagger from somewhere on her person and lunged at Alex.

Harry watched in dismay as Rachel stabbed Alex in the shoulder with a dagger. Though the wound looked painful, Alex's reaction was oddly muted, more focused on his ruined hoodie than the injury itself.

"Ouch, did you have to scratch the bone? That always gives me goosebumps," Alex said, more annoyed than anything, as he grasped his wounded shoulder. " Ruined a perfectly good hoodie too..."

The other teens barely reacted to Rachel's violent outburst, seemingly unconcerned by her stabbing their friend. Marco just rolled his eyes and muttered "Drama queen" under his breath, which got a “I liked that hoodie” retort from Alex.

Harry glanced between Alex's bleeding shoulder and the irate blonde girl still clutching the dagger. "Shouldn't we tend to his injury?" he asked uncertainly.

But Alex just waved a hand dismissively. "Nah, it's nothing. Barely a flesh wound." To Harry's astonishment, the bleeding had already slowed to an ooze.

Rachel scowled, still not appeased. "You honestly expect us to believe you're actually remorseful? That this isn't just another manipulation?" She demanded.

"Well, I did apologize and bare my soul, what more do you want?" Alex replied flippantly. "Blood sacrifice? Oops, too late for that." He indicated his wounded shoulder with a smirk. “If you want you can have another go though, to work through all those emotions. Just let me take off the hoodie first. There isn’t that much blood on it just yet.”

Harry watched warily as the confrontation continued between Alex and his friends, too shocked to react in any meaningful way.

Rachel's eyes flashed with anger at Alex's flippant remarks. "This isn't a joke! Do you have any idea what your supposed 'death' did to us? What it made me become?"

She trembled with rage, clutching the dagger so tightly her knuckles turned white. The other teens shifted uneasily, clearly wary of Rachel's volatile emotional state.

Alex held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Hey, I get it, you're upset. And you have every right to be. But violence isn't going to change anything." His shoulder was still oozing blood, though he seemed unconcerned.

"Maybe you're right," Rachel said, tone dangerously calm. In a lightning-quick motion, she struck again, plunging the dagger into Alex's thigh this time.

Harry jerked forward in alarm, but Marco grabbed his arm, shaking his head grimly. Harry watched helplessly as Alex grimaced in pain, the dagger protruding from his leg.

"Feel better now? You hit a fucking nerve." Alex gritted out, teeth clenched against the pain.

Rachel yanked the blade back out, eliciting a hiss from Alex. "Not even close," she growled. "But it's a start."

She wiped the bloody dagger on her jeans before tucking it away somewhere. Alex's pant leg was rapidly staining red, but the bleeding again seemed to already be slowing.

He cleared his throat. "Er, perhaps we could move this conversation to calmer ground? Violence rarely resolves deep hurts."

Alex rolled his eyes. "It's no big deal, we're all good." But Rachel still looked unsatisfied, anger simmering beneath the surface.

Harry tried appealing to the others. "Surely you don't condone random acts of violence against your friend? Whatever your unresolved issues, there must be a better way."

Jake just shrugged indifferently. "Hey, it's just how they communicate, but if they now done with their mating ritual-” He threw a look at the pair “-we can finally get something to eat. I know I’m hungry.”

Harry stared at Jake in bewilderment. Mating ritual? Was that some kind of joke? He glanced between Alex and Rachel, but neither seemed to react to the bizarre remark.

Alex nodded towards the kitchen. "Yeah, food sounds good. I'm starving after all that violence and emotional processing. But speaking mating rituals. Where are Ax and Tobias?”

Harry stared after Alex in confusion as he limped towards the kitchen, seemingly unbothered by the bloody dagger wounds in his shoulder and leg. His friends followed behind, acting as if violent outbursts were perfectly normal.

"Shouldn't we tend to his injuries first?" Harry asked uncertainly.

Jake waved a hand dismissively over his shoulder. "Nah, he'll be fine. He is quite good at healing himself." Harry's gaze dropped to the blood droplets marking Alex's path across the floor. Healing or not, surely such injuries should at least be bandaged and cleaned?

Shaking his head, Harry trailed after the peculiar group into the kitchen. Alex was already rooting through the icebox while the others took seats around the table.

"Don't you think we should talk about what just happened?" Harry pressed. "Violence shouldn't be tolerated or brushed off so casually."

"It was just Rachel getting stuff off her chest," Marco replied with a shrug. "We've all been through some messed up stuff. She needed a release."

Rachel shot Harry a challenging look. "I did what I had to in order to move on. No regrets."

Before Harry could protest further, Alex emerged from the icebox triumphantly clutching a package of bacon.

"Jackpot! Now we're talking," he crowed, tearing into the package with relish. Blood still seemed to ooze from his wounds, but he paid it no mind.

Harry watched queasily as Alex devoured the raw bacon strips. "Is he always like this?" he asked Jake in an undertone.

Jake followed his gaze to where Alex was happily chowing down. "Yeah, pretty much. You learn to roll with it."

Rachel crossed her arms. "Still a freak after all this time," she muttered, but there was a grudging note of affection there.

Harry sank into a chair, rubbing his temples wearily. Dealing with one erratic, secretive teenager had been challenge enough. But now he had a whole pack of them on his hands, with violent tendencies and an air of malevolence no child should possess. What was he to do with them all?

Alex finished off the bacon and started rummaging for more food.

"We need to set some ground rules here," Harry spoke up firmly. "No more unprovoked attacks or mistreatment of others under my roof." He gave Rachel a pointed look.

Instead of her protesting, it was Alex who intervened, "Come on, that was clearly provoked. Don't give her a hard time."

Harry was taken aback as Alex jumped to Rachel's defense after her violent outburst.

"How was stabbing you provoked?" Harry demanded incredulously. "Violence should never be tolerated or normalized!"

Alex rolled his eyes as he grabbed a loaf of bread to start making sandwiches.

"You're being way too uptight. Rachel just needed to blow off some steam over our issues. I provoked her intentionally so she could start moving past it."

"By... having her stab you multiple times?" Harry asked weakly.

"Yeah, pretty much." Alex replied with a casual shrug. "Pain's temporary, emotional hangups are way more troublesome."

Harry looked to the others for support, but they seemed equally nonchalant about the situation.

"He has a point," Jake conceded. "We've all been through some extreme stuff. Sometimes you need extreme measures to cope."

"Exactly, thank you!" Alex said as he slathered mayo on the bread slices. "It was just therapeutic stabbing between friends. Now we can all move on."

Harry sank into a chair, rubbing his temples. He was utterly lost trying to understand this group's twisted dynamics.

"Where I come from, violence is a last resort only in the most dire circumstances, and never something to take lightly." Harry said wearily. "I understand you all have been through trauma, but surely better coping methods exist?"

Alex let out an exaggerated sigh as he finished slapping together a towering sandwich piled high with various meats, cheeses, lettuce, and condiments.

"Don't be such a killjoy. We're just messing around among friends, letting off a little steam. It's not a big deal." He took a massive bite of the sandwich, strings of cheese and stray lettuce dangling from his mouth.

"Not a big deal?" Harry repeated incredulously. "She stabbed you, twice!"

Alex waved a hand dismissively, spraying crumbs across the table. "And I'm fine now, see?" He rolled up a pant leg and sleeve to show the wounds had already closed, not even scars remaining. "The stabbing wasn't about injury, it was about catharsis."

Harry's mouth opened and closed wordlessly, unable to formulate a response. How could they all be so nonchalant about violence against one of their own? He stared at Alex and his friends in dismay as they casually brushed off the violent confrontation. Though the stab wounds had already healed without a trace, the utter indifference towards such brutality deeply unsettled Harry.

"I understand you've all been through trauma, but violence should never be normalized or trivialized like this," Harry said seriously. "There have to be healthier ways to work through issues without resorting to physical harm."

Alex let out an exaggerated yawn. "Yeah yeah, we hear you Mr. Morality Police. But we deal with things our own way. No need to get your robes in a twist."

The other teens nodded their agreement, seeming equally unconcerned. Harry looked between them all helplessly.

"Please, just try to see it from my perspective," he appealed to them. "Where I'm from, randomly stabbing someone, regardless of intention, is unacceptable. It speaks to deeper issues that need addressing in a constructive manner."

"We appreciate your concern, but this is just how things work with us," Jake said with a shrug. "We've been handling our problems this way since the start. Outsiders don't really get it."

Harry sank into a chair, rubbing his temples. Clearly his pleas were falling on deaf ears. This group operated by their own twisted rules that permitted casual violence with no remorse.

"At least promise me there will be no more 'therapeutic stabbings' under my roof," Harry said wearily. "You're free to work through your issues as you see fit elsewhere. But I will not stand for wanton violence in my home."

Alex held up his hands in acquiescence. "Fine, fine, we'll take the eviscerations outside from now on. Wouldn't want to offend your delicate sensibilities." His flippant tone made it clear he saw Harry's request as ridiculous and unnecessary.

"Thank you," Harry said tersely. "Now, perhaps we could move on to more civilized conversation."

"Right, enough heavy stuff. We still have catching up to do!" Marco said brightly. "So fill us in, man. What have you been up to in this magic world of yours?"

Alex leaned back casually in his chair and regarded Marco with a sly grin. "Oh you know, the usual - wandering around exploring this quaint little dimension, messing with primitive magic and technology. It's been entertaining enough in a mundane sort of way."

Harry narrowed his eyes, detecting the subtle mocking undertone in Alex's words. Clearly the dimensional traveler saw magic as far beneath the advanced technology he was accustomed to.

Marco raised an eyebrow. "Quaint and mundane? From what you described before it sounded like you got up to some pretty wild stuff here with wizards and whatnot."

Alex waved a hand dismissively. "Eh, it lost its novelty after a while. These people can barely teleport without splinching themselves. Their idea of 'advanced magical artifacts' are sticks and rocks."

Harry bristled slightly at the derisive words but held his tongue. He was more interested in learning about Alex's mysterious past than defending magic at the moment.

Jake leaned forward with interest. "So what crazy magical adventures have you been on here? Did you get mixed up in some kind of wizard war or something?"

"Oh please, their so-called war was a skirmish at best," Alex scoffed. "One noseless idiot trying to take over, barely a few dozen deaths. It was wrapped up before I even got here."

Now Harry had to interject. "Now see here, the war with Voldemort devastated our world. Good people sacrificed everything to defeat him."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Boo hoo, one megalomaniac with a band of racist thugs. If you were to go to Fate, the good guys would laugh at what Voldemort did and do worse. Think about what evil people were like then, and they did exist in no small numbers.”

"Now see here, that war was no small matter," Harry said angrily. "Many good witches and wizards gave their lives fighting Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Entire families were wiped out."

Alex waved a hand indifferently. "Yeah yeah, tragic backstories all around. One nutjob obsessed with immortality tried to take over, big deal. Your so-called 'war' was basically a minor skirmish compared to some of the conflicts across the multiverse."

Harry's hands clenched into fists. He knew Alex came from a more advanced world, but his utter lack of empathy for what they had suffered rankled.

Before he could retort, Jake spoke up. "Hey man, ease up a little. Just because bigger threats exist somewhere doesn't invalidate what they went through here."

Alex looked exasperated. "Don't get your tights in a twist, I'm just saying they have no concept of what real war and evil looks like. A physical fight is not the only kind of evil.”

"Be that as it may, have some respect," Jake admonished. "Over-comparing hardships never helps anyone."

Alex held up his hands. "Fine, fine, the death of dozens of wizards is a great tragedy, my deepest condolences," he said, tone dripping with sarcasm.

Harry had to resist the urge to throttle the insolent boy. Even his friends seemed exasperated by Alex's flippant insensitivity.

Cassie placed a gentle hand on Harry's arm. "We're sorry about Alex's behavior. Please don't take it personally - he has trouble empathizing sometimes." She shot a reproachful look at Alex.

With some effort, Harry reined in his temper. Lashing out would accomplish nothing. "I appreciate you saying that," he said stiffly.

Alex let out an exaggerated yawn. "Are we done yet with the heartfelt apologies and sensitivity training? You all wanted to know what I've been up to here. Don't get mad when I tell it like it is."

Harry exchanged a weary look with Cassie. Clearly getting through to the dismissive boy was a lost cause. His past trauma had to have hardened Alex's heart to others' suffering.

"Anyway, enough about Moldywart and his band of merry men," Alex went on airily. "After that fizzled out, I poked around your Ministry of Magic a bit. Bunch of useless bureaucrats."

He leaned back and propped his feet up on the table. "Honestly, the whole magic thing seemed more like a joke than anything else until I left Britain, or well, Europe. Even the wyvern were boring after a week.”

Harry listened with a mix of curiosity and wariness as Alex continued recounting his exploits in the magical world. Though he bristled at the boy's dismissive attitude towards the war with Voldemort, Harry was more interested in learning just what Alex had been up to during his travels.

"So where did you go after leaving Britain?" Harry asked. "You said you found more interesting magic outside Europe?"

Alex nodded, dropping his feet from the table and leaning forward eagerly. "Oh yeah, way better stuff once I got away from all you European stick-wavers. Like in Africa, there's this wizard school called Uagadou that's centered around alchemy and astronomy. They can do some really crazy transmutations and conjurings."

His eyes lit up with manic enthusiasm. "I snuck in – they caught me not long after, but they, unlike you Europeans do want to progress – and watched them turn a block of lead into a fully functioning clockwork raven! No wands or words needed, just drawing the right alchemical symbols. And their potions put yours to shame - they mix magic with actual chemistry."

Despite his nonchalant words, Harry could see real passion and awe in Alex's expression as he described the marvels he had witnessed at the African wizard school. It seemed experiencing forms of magic outside the European style had made a real impression on the jaded boy.

"That does sound remarkable," Harry acknowledged. "Wandless, non-verbal magic has never been a strength of Hogwarts curriculum. The alchemy and astronomy also sounds quite advanced."

"Advanced doesn't even begin to cover it!" Alex said excitedly. "Some of their senior students are working on a philosopher's stone. You know, the real deal that can turn metals to gold and make an elixir of life. And they're like seventeen!"

Harry's eyes widened at that. Even Flamel had only succeeded creating a philosopher's stone in his sixties. "That's incredible magic for ones so young. I can see why you were more intrigued there than at Hogwarts."

Alex nodded emphatically. "No kidding. Europe is so stagnant and limited with its magic. All those ridiculous restrictions on experimenting and creativity. But other cultures really innovate and push boundaries." He shook his head ruefully. “And when I even alluded to you about changes, you always started talking about dangers as if any kind of change to the system would inevitably be bad.”

Harry listened with a mix of fascination and unease as Alex described the innovative magic he had witnessed at the African wizarding school, Uagadou. On the one hand, it was intriguing to hear of wandless, non-verbal magic and advanced alchemy that went far beyond anything taught at Hogwarts. But Harry also worried what someone as volatile and unpredictable as Alex might do with such powerful magic at his fingertips.

The boy's clear disdain for the "stagnant" European style of magic was also concerning. Harry knew their traditions and restrictions could seem outdated and stifling, but they existed for good reason. Unfettered experimentation with forces not fully understood was dangerous, as Harry had learned all too well facing dark wizards like Voldemort.

Yet he held his tongue, not wanting to provoke another outburst from Alex by challenging his views directly. Better to keep the conversation light for now. There would be time later to cautiously address the risks of meddling with unknown magic.

"It does sound like quite astonishing magic," Harry said diplomatically. "But I imagine even Uagadou has certain boundaries in place for safety reasons. Powerful magic can be volatile."

Alex waved a hand dismissively. "Oh sure, they have some token 'don't unleash eldritch horrors' rules. But nothing like your ridiculous bans on things like human transfiguration and time manipulation. The fundamentals are way more flexible than you Europeans realize."

Harry's unease deepened at the mention of human transfiguration and time magic. Even seasoned wizards hesitated to meddle with such forces. Yet Alex spoke of tampering with the very fabric of reality as if it were a casual hobby.

But before Harry could go any further, Alex continued, “Which is why they don’t have a dark wizard problem every twenty years or so, unlike almost every country in Europe. The lack of discrimination, the lack of belief in things like blood purity. All that suppression you have going on only breeds resentment, why do you think dear little Tommy-boy turned out the way he did? I bet Dumbledore setting his stuff aflame did so much in preventing Voldemort, oh, and how about the open discrimination and favoritism?”

Harry's unease only grew as Alex continued his tirade criticizing the European magical system and Dumbledore's handling of Voldemort. While the boy raised some fair critiques, his tone held a note of bitter cynicism and lack of empathy that troubled Harry. Alex spoke more out of contempt for authority than any real concern for justice or change.

Still, Harry tried to keep an open mind, reminding himself that Alex's troubled past likely colored his perspective. "You make some reasonable points," Harry conceded carefully. "No society or individual is flawless. But dismantling long-standing institutions is rarely straightforward. Progress requires nuance, patience and cooperation."

“Oh, sure, it isn’t instant, but you guys don’t even start, if anything, you are getting worse, more magic banned, even more stringent laws concerning non-humans, maybe sit in on one of the Wizengamot meetings, I bet your opinion would change faster than space around black holes.”

Harry listened as Alex criticized the flaws in wizarding society, acknowledging that some of his points about discrimination and stagnation were valid. However, Harry remained cautious about fully endorsing the boy's perspective.

"While I agree progress is needed, we must be careful in how we go about it," Harry said carefully. "Radical change often breeds instability and backlash. Working together with nuance and patience is the wisest path."

Alex let out a derisive snort. "And again you are missing the entire point. Did I say anything about overthrowing your government? I mean, sure, that would be fun, but that would be for the heck of it. No, the problem is that you and your fucking band of fried chicken think everything is just going to work out magically – get the joke? – but every change has to start somewhere, and you aren’t even preparing to start. You are all just watching and waiting, like good little cogs in a rigged system.”

Harry bristled at Alex's derisive words. "Now see here, I never said I was against change or progress. But it takes time to shift mindsets and undo generations of prejudice and stagnation. We must lay the groundwork before leaping into radical reforms."

Alex let out an exaggerated yawn. "Blah blah, 'lay the groundwork', blah blah 'take it slow'. That's what they always say to justify upholding broken systems. If you wait for public opinion to be on board with change, you'll be waiting forever."

He jabbed an accusing finger at Harry. "People like you with influence should be out there challenging the status quo and setting an example, not clinging to tradition. Who cares if uppity purebloods get their knickers in a twist?"

Harry crossed his arms, jaw set stubbornly. "It's easy to make grandiose claims, much harder to enact real change. I learned that from Professor Dumbledore - wise reforms require patience and understanding on all sides."

At the mention of Dumbledore, Alex let out a derisive laugh. "Oh please, that manipulative old goat was part of the problem! All his scheming just made things worse. People like him hoard power and progress be damned. What was his catchphrase? ‘For the greater good’. You know who else said that? Grindelwald. And don’t get me started on the other bullshit he pulled. I did some research, but you probably already noticed. Want me to share?”

Harry was about to say something, but Alex continued on, “Don’t bother, I’m going to tell you anyway. Let’s start with your childhood. What does it say about your headmaster that he allowed your childhood to happen the way it did? Oh, and who sent Hagrid instead of any sort of qualified professor? Dumbledore, of course he couldn’t allow you to get too much knowledge too early. Imagine what would have happened if you had befriended Malfoy. Well, you probably don’t care about that anyway, good little lamb that you are. But what about hiding a Philosopher’s Stone in a castle full of children as a bait for someone you claim is so dangerous. Or are you suddenly ok with endangering hundreds of children?”

Harry bristled as Alex launched into a tirade against Dumbledore, listing off supposed flaws and misdeeds. While Harry himself had come to realize his old Headmaster was far from perfect, he still felt an instinctive need to defend the man who had been a mentor and quasi-grandfather figure.

"Now see here, I won't have you disparaging Professor Dumbledore's character," Harry said heatedly. "He made mistakes, yes, but always acted for the greater good. My childhood was unfortunate, but he only placed me with my relatives to protect me from dark forces."

Alex let out a derisive snort. "Oh yeah, sending an orphan to live in a cupboard under the stairs was so beneficial. And I'm sure nearly getting students killed to safeguard a magical stone really served the 'greater good'." He made air quotes mockingly.

"There were reasons for his decisions you can't fully comprehend," Harry shot back. "As for the Philosopher's Stone, protecting it from falling into Voldemort's hands was worth the risk."

"Worth the risk to who? Dumbledore? Definitely not the expendable student population," Alex retorted. "Face it, the man was Machiavellian. He moved people around like pawns."

Harry's hands clenched into fists. "You don't know what you're talking about. He made tough choices when no good options existed. Who are you to judge from the comfort of hindsight?"

Alex rolled his eyes. "Please. I'm just calling it like I see it - an old man drunk on his own mystique. Maybe he was a great wizard, but as a leader he was far from infallible. Don't canonize the guy."

"He was the greatest wizard of our time!" Harry insisted angrily. "You can critique small details, but his overall vision and wisdom were unmatched. I won't tolerate you smearing his name with wild accusations."

"Whatever, remain willfully blind if you want." Alex shrugged. "I'm just saying most of your magical world's problems can be traced back to short-sightedness and ego amongst the so-called 'wise leaders'. Things will never improve if people blindly worship problematic icons instead of thinking critically."

Harry took a deep breath, trying to calm his temper. As frustrating as he found Alex's perspective, he had to acknowledge the boy seemed unafraid to voice harsh truths. However cynical his motives, Harry realized some of his critiques regarding stagnation in the magical world rang uncomfortably true. Perhaps he should not dismiss them outright simply to defend Dumbledore.

"You may have a point concerning entrenched mindsets and resistance to change," Harry acknowledged slowly. "Reforms have been difficult to implement, even for well-meaning leaders like Professor Dumbledore. But I still say lasting change requires cooperation, not just condemnation of the past."

Alex shook his head impatiently. "You're still missing the point. I'm not saying everything old wizards did was wrong. I'm saying aging powerful guys tend to become more concerned with preserving their status and control. Even if their intentions started out good."

He jabbed a finger at Harry. "Younger up-and-coming generations are key to meaningful change. So instead of always defending the old guard, maybe be more open to new ways of doing things. Vet ideas on their merits, not based on who proposes them."

Harry considered Alex's perspective. Perhaps he had been too quick to disregard the boy's unconventional views simply because they went against established norms and questioned revered figures like Dumbledore.

"I concede I may have been overly dismissive regarding fresh perspectives," Harry acknowledged. "You're likely correct that new voices and innovation should be welcomed, not automatically scorned. I will try to be more open-minded going forward."

Alex looked mildly impressed that Harry was taking his words to heart rather than reflexively defending the status quo.

"Look, I get why you're protective of mentors like Dumbledore," the boy said, tone softening slightly. "Questioning leaders you care about isn't easy. But idealizing them as infallible just breeds complacency. Better to learn from mistakes than pretend they don't exist."

Harry nodded thoughtfully. "That's fair advice. I don't claim Professor Dumbledore or any other established leader is beyond reproach. Perhaps I've been too reluctant to acknowledge their flaws for fear of tarnishing their overall contributions."

He offered Alex a small but sincere smile. "You've given me food for thought. While I don't agree with all your conclusions, discussing different views respectfully is the only way we can all keep growing."

“Urgh, stop sounding so non-confrontational, that takes the fun out of it. Of course I have given you food for thought, I never argue things I don’t understand. I’m leaving. Guys, you know how to find me, it seems like we are going to have to postpone storytime.”

Harry watched as Alex abruptly got up from the table, clearly done with their debate about change and leadership in the wizarding world. His four friends also stood, apparently ready to follow Alex out.

"Wait, you're all leaving already?" Harry asked, dismayed at the sudden end to their conversation.

Jake gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry, but Alex gets restless pretty quick. Once he's done talking, there's not much point trying to hold his attention."

"I was rather hoping we could all continue getting to know one another," Harry said. "There's still so much I don't understand about how you know Alex and what you've all been through."

Marco let out a derisive snort. "Yeah, good luck getting a straight story out of this guy. He's allergic to sharing personal details."

Alex shot Marco a quelling look over his shoulder. "Come on guys, Harry doesn't need our whole life story, or have I ever hidden anything of my past that was relevant? He's got enough teenage drama to deal with on his own." His sharp gaze clearly communicated that he expected them to leave with him, now that they had brought up his secrets.

Harry watched helplessly as Alex and his friends turned to leave. He wondered what secrets the dimensional traveler was so eager to hide.

"Wait, please don't go yet," Harry pleaded. "I'm not asking for your whole life story. I just want to understand more about where you come from and how you know each other. Can't we talk a bit longer?"

Alex let out an exaggerated sigh and turned back around. "Fine, I guess we can spare a few more minutes. But I'm warning you - my life is pretty boring compared to the excitement you're probably imagining. But well, it’s a game."

His friends filed back to the table, shooting Alex curious looks. Clearly they were surprised he had agreed to stay, though they also seemed worried for some reason Harry couldn’t fathom.

"Boring or not, I appreciate you humoring my curiosity," Harry said sincerely as they retook their seats. "Perhaps you could tell me a bit about your home? Where did you live before ending up here?"

“I lived a normal life. You know, being a baby, going to school, studying, then quitting because why the fuck are all the formulas in math called after people and not what they are about. Anyway, then I ended up in the nineties, met those guys, thought helping them out could be interesting, and the rest you know.”

Harry looked at Alex curiously as the boy gave a vague and evasive summary of his past. While he claimed it was all quite normal and boring, Harry sensed Alex was leaving out key details.

"Well, a normal childhood does sound rather dull compared to your extraordinary experiences since," Harry said diplomatically. "But surely you can share some specifics to satisfy my curiosity? For instance, where exactly was this home of yours located?"

Alex waved a hand airily. "Oh, boring old Germany. You know what they say, ‘I was born too late to explore the seas, and born too early to explore the universe, but I was born on time to explore Skyrim.’ Ending up with that bunch-” He gestured in the direction of his friends with his head, “-was one of the best things to happen to me, using incomplete recession anyway.”

Harry looked at Alex uncertainly, not sure what to make of the boy's continued evasiveness regarding his past and origins. Though he claimed to be from Germany, something about the way he said it rang false. And his reference to exploring "Skyrim" made no sense to Harry.

Still, he decided not to push the issue directly again. Alex clearly did not wish to divulge specifics about where he came from. Perhaps a change of topic would make the mercurial teen more willing to open up.

"Well, I suppose your homeland isn't as important as the extraordinary abilities you possess," Harry said. "For instance, I don't think I ever got a full explanation of how you're able to morph into animals. That's magic well beyond even the most advanced wizardry I'm familiar with."

He looked at Alex with genuine curiosity. "Could you explain how that power works? And where it comes from?"

“I could, quite certainly, broke into an Andalite research facility for that, but where would be the fun in that? You are already breaking the rules after all, so...” He suddenly took a look at his phone, “I have to go anyway, meeting with eldritch beings and all that.”

Harry watched as Alex deflected yet again, making vague references to breaking into research facilities and meeting with eldritch beings before announcing his abrupt departure. While frustrating, Harry was determined not to let the mercurial boy's evasiveness deter him this time.

"Alex, please wait," Harry said firmly before the teen could leave. "I know you enjoy being mysterious, but I'm asking you sincerely to help me understand your abilities. You possess magic beyond anything I've encountered. As someone responsible for upholding our laws of secrecy, I need to know the source of that power and what you're capable of."

He met Alex's sharp gaze evenly. "I promise not to restrict your access to it or tell others if you wish to keep it private. But ignorance breeds fear and mistrust. Help me see you as an ally, not a potential threat."

The other teens looked on curiously as Harry appealed to Alex's reason and laid his intentions bare. Harry hoped framing it as an issue of trust and cooperation would make Alex more forthcoming.

The dimensional traveler paused, seeming to weigh Harry's words, before bursting out in laughter.

Harry watched as Alex laughed, unsure how to respond. He had hoped his sincere appeal would convince the boy to finally open up, but it seemed Alex remained determined to keep his secrets.

The other teenagers shifted uncertainly, exchanging looks that seemed to say 'here we go again'. After a long moment, Alex's laughter subsided. He fixed Harry with an amused but calculating gaze.

"An ally, not a threat, eh? Nice try, but we both know you just want answers about my powers to appease your own paranoia," Alex said, tone mocking. "As for trust, fat chance. I trust only myself and maybe these other idiots on a good day."

He gestured flippantly at his friends, who rolled their eyes. Harry pressed his lips together, trying not to let his frustration show.

"Believe what you will, but I speak sincerely," he said evenly. "Yes, I wish to understand your abilities better, but only so we need not be adversaries. Knowledge dispels fear when freely shared."

Alex let out a derisive snort. "Please, spare me the wise mentor act. People like you only want knowledge for the power it brings. You preach understanding, but it's control you seek. But even if that wasn’t the case, we already established on multiple occasions that you can’t even follow very basic strains of reasoning, so even if I tried, you wouldn’t understand anything.”

Harry watched helplessly as Alex turned to leave, shutting down his attempt to appeal to the boy's reason. The other four teenagers remained seated at the table, looking apologetic.

"I'm sorry about him," Jake said. "Alex has always been secretive. He doesn't trust easily."

Harry sighed, running a hand through his already tousled hair. "I thought if I was just honest about wanting to understand, not threaten or control him, he might open up. But clearly his past has bred deep mistrust."

The bushy-haired girl, Cassie, gave him a sympathetic look. "Don't take it personally. Alex pushes everyone away. Though he does seem to find you especially annoying for some reason."

"Gee, thanks," Harry said wryly.

"Hey, just calling it like we see it," the dark-haired boy, Marco, said with a grin. "Something about you just really rubs him the wrong way. Maybe it's the scar, maybe the robes. But he seems to delight in frustrating you."

Harry grimaced. "Yes, I had noticed that tendency. Though I still hoped reason could prevail. Knowledge should be freely shared, not hoarded out of mistrust."

Suddenly Harry felt a shiver going down his spine, as someone – Alex, he recognized – suddenly whispered in his ear. “Oh, suddenly? Were you not advocating just earlier that some knowledge was too dangerous to be known?”

Harry was taken aback as Alex suddenly whispered in his ear, a mocking lilt to his voice as he threw Harry's own words about dangerous knowledge back at him.

Clearly, Alex remained determined not to reveal anything more about his mysterious abilities or past. Harry turned to face the smirking boy, trying not to let frustration creep into his tone.

"You know I only meant certain magic could be unsafe if misused," Harry said evenly. "But morphing abilities like yours don't seem inherently perilous. I'm simply asking to understand, not exploit."

Alex's smirk only widened. "Oh sure, just harmless academic interest, not at all a thinly veiled attempt to poke your nose where it doesn't belong."

His gaze turned piercing. "Let's turn the tables - tell me all about that nifty scar and your whole magical Hitler saga. I'm just curious!" His tone dripped false sincerity.

Harry resisted the urge to grind his teeth in mounting irritation. Alex clearly delighted in these verbal spars, evading questions while lobbing mocking barbs in return.

"This isn't tit for tat," Harry said through gritted teeth. "I'm not asking you to bare your whole life's story. Just help me comprehend abilities beyond my experience. As a leader in my world, it's my duty to understand factors that could potentially destabilize our society."

Alex let out an exaggerated yawn. "Then go take a class on multidimensional mechanics at the nearest university. I don't owe you a Metaphysics 101 lecture just because you're ignorant."

Harry clenched his fists, temper rising. Alex gazed back insolently, clearly enjoying provoking a reaction.

"Will you at least tell me if this power poses any threat?" Harry demanded. "Can you control it fully? Does it have limits?"

Alex examined his nails idly. "Hmm let me think... nope, nope, and nope. Anything else?"

Harry stared helplessly at the uncooperative boy. Alex seemed determined to oppose him at every turn, simply for the perverse enjoyment of watching Harry's frustration grow.

Appealing to reason was useless - Alex cared nothing for social duty or stability. Harry doubted even appealing to empathy or conscience would sway the aloof boy. He simply lived to provoke and evade.

With no clear path forward, Harry felt his shoulders slump in resignation. Perhaps for now, it was best to simply accept Alex's secrets and hope no harm would come of them. The more he pushed, the more Alex seemed to delight in thwarting him.

"Very well, keep your secrets if you must," Harry said wearily. "But know that I will act to protect my world if needed, even in ignorance. Think on that."

Alex smiled lazily. "Ooh, was that supposed to sound threatening? I'm shaking in my boots."

He leaned back casually in his chair, looking utterly unconcerned. Harry sighed, realizing intimidation would prove equally fruitless at piercing Alex's recalcitrance.

Turning to the other teens who had watched the exchange in silence, Harry asked, "Do any of you have insights you'd be willing to share about his powers? I know you mentioned fighting aliens together."

The four teens exchanged uneasy glances. Jake chose his words carefully. "We've been through a lot, it's true. But it's not our story to tell."

Alex gave Jake an approving nod. Harry's shoulders slumped in defeat. Clearly the lure of secrets and loyalty to their friend outweighed any desire the others had to be transparent.

"Very well, I won't press the matter," Harry conceded wearily. "Though I wish you would place more trust in me. Knowledge freely shared benefits all."

Alex let out a derisive laugh. "Careful, you're starting to sound like a greeting card. Don't hurt yourself trying to mind-meld with teens clearly smarter than you."

Harry clenched his jaw, biting back an angry retort. Lashing out would only delight Alex further.

Taking a deep breath, Harry met Alex's mocking gaze evenly. "I don't claim to match your intellect. But I hope in time you'll come to see I act only with the best intentions, not from fear or mistrust."

Alex's eyes glinted dangerously. "Here's some free advice - give up this tiresome crusade to 'understand' me. I owe you nothing. Keep pushing, and you may get more than you bargained for."

With that ominous threat lingering in the air, Alex turned and sauntered from the room, looking utterly bored once more. Harry watched him go, equal parts frustrated and concerned by the mercurial boy's cryptic warning. What chaos was Alex capable of if provoked too far?

Harry ran a weary hand through his already tousled hair, pondering his failed attempts to reason with the recalcitrant teenager. Time and again, Alex managed to evade even simple questions, twisting Harry's words and lobbing mockery and threats in return.

Appeals to logic, empathy, social duty - nothing swayed the aloof boy from his determination to oppose all efforts to understand his past and powers. Even Harry's friends seemed devoted to protecting their volatile compatriot's secrets.

"I don't suppose any of you can offer insights on how best to get through to him?" Harry asked the remaining teens without much hope. "He seems intent on viewing me as an enemy, no matter my intentions."

The four teens exchanged uneasy glances. Finally Jake spoke up.

"Look, you seem alright, so we'll give you some advice," he said. "Pressing Theta for answers is no good idea, so long as he still lies, everything is fine, but once he starts speaking the truth on a non-academic matter, you are in trouble. But beside that, he did not lie when he said you would not understand how his powers worked.”

Harry listened intently as Jake offered his cryptic advice about 'Theta', who Harry assumed referred to Alex. Though the warning against pressing him for truthful answers was concerning, Harry latched onto the claim that he could not comprehend Alex's powers. Perhaps there was some key conceptual gap that prevented understanding.

"I appreciate you offering insights, as limited as they may be," Harry said. "When you say I cannot understand his powers, what exactly do you mean? Is the magic involved simply beyond my experience, or is there some other barrier to comprehension?"

He looked between the four teens curiously. "I know you're wary of revealing details, but any clarification you can offer would be helpful. I want to avoid unnecessary conflict with him, but ignorance breeds suspicion."

The bushy-haired girl, Cassie, spoke up gently. "It's not so much about magic per se. Your magical abilities seem quite advanced." She hesitated, choosing her words with care. "It's more that certain concepts fundamentally alter perceptions once understood. Alex has knowledge beyond most ordinary humans."

Harry's brow furrowed. He sensed Cassie was trying to explain as best she could without giving away secrets. "Altered perceptions? So exposure to certain concepts expanded his mind in ways most would struggle to grasp?"

Jake nodded slowly. "Yeah, something like that. He just sees things differently - multiple levels and angles we can't readily perceive. Does that make sense?"

"I believe so," Harry said thoughtfully. "New knowledge often leads to shifting views and awareness. But there are always ways to translate concepts across perspectives, given time and effort. Perhaps I simply need greater patience in communicating with him."

Marco let out a derisive snort. "Communicating isn't exactly his strong suit. Explaining stuff in normal human language, even more so. Half the time I have no clue what he's talking about even after knowing him for years."

"He does tend to ramble about quantum mechanics and multidimensional realities as if discussing the weather," Harry acknowledged wryly.

"That's Theta for you. He lives about fifty percent of the time in that brain of his, and another fourty-eight in some quantum-realm," Jake said, shaking his head with a mix of exasperation and fondness.

Harry listened as Jake and the others described Alex's tendency to get lost in intellectual tangents and make obscure references to concepts beyond most people's comprehension. Though frustrating, their insights helped Harry better understand the dimensional traveler's aloofness and reluctance to explain himself clearly.

It seemed Alex truly did perceive the world on a level most struggled to grasp. His knowledge wasn't merely being withheld out of secrecy or spite - communicating in terms others could readily understand likely proved genuinely challenging for the mercurial boy.

"I think I'm starting to see the issue more clearly now," Harry mused. "His perspectives are simply so far removed from ordinary frames of reference that translation ends up lost in translation, so to speak."

He shook his head ruefully. "No wonder our conversations go in endless circles. I keep expecting normal back-and-forth, but we might as well be speaking different languages."

Cassie nodded sympathetically. "Don't feel bad - even we have trouble following his train of thought sometimes. But it's not really his fault or yours. Your minds just operate on totally different wavelengths."

"Yeah, it's like trying to explain a tesseract to a 2D stick figure," Marco added unhelpfully. Seeing Harry's blank look, he waved a hand. "Eh, you get the point. Different conceptual dimensions."

Harry listened thoughtfully as Jake and the others tried to explain Alex's unique perspective and intellect. It was becoming clear that the dimensional traveler's mind worked on an entirely different level that made it difficult for him to communicate normally or care about social conventions.

"I think I'm starting to understand better now," Harry said slowly. "His brilliant but unconventional mindset combined with advanced knowledge makes it hard to relate on a typical human level."

Jake nodded. "Yeah, you got it. Me and the others have known him for years, fought by his side, but even we have trouble following his train of thought sometimes."

"It's like he's operating on a higher dimensional wavelength," Cassie added. "Even Ax only occasionally grasped what he was talking about, and Ax was a genius by human standards."

Harry's eyes widened slightly at the mention of this unknown individual named Ax who was supposedly highly intelligent himself yet still struggled to comprehend Alex's intellect. Just how smart was this boy?

"He does seem to make obscure references to concepts beyond most people's knowledge base," Harry acknowledged. "And he mentioned technology and abilities beyond anything in the wizarding world. I suppose expecting normal human discourse is unrealistic."

Marco let out a derisive snort. "Normal human anything is unrealistic with that guy. He may look like a teenager but his brain is totally alien sometimes."

"Yet you all share a bond and history together," Harry mused. "How did you come to be allied if you have such disparate perspectives?"

Harry watched as the four teens shifted uncomfortably, clearly reluctant to explain how they had become allied with Alex.

"Er, well, it just kind of happened..." Jake hedged. "We were all in the wrong place at the wrong time together you could say and Theta kind of wandered in, claiming he thought us interesting and someone was paying him to help us out, but you heard that earlier already."

Harry nodded, recalling Alex's vague explanation from earlier about happening upon this group and deciding to assist them on a whim.

"I understand you're wary of revealing too much," Harry said carefully. "But anything you can share to help me comprehend would be appreciated. Alex - or Theta, as you call him - remains quite an enigma."

The four teens exchanged uneasy glances. Finally Cassie spoke up gently.

"What you really need to understand about Theta is that he sees the world in a very different way than most people," she explained. "Brilliant, but detached. He looks at everything through the lens of logic and intellectual curiosity."

Marco let out a derisive snort. "Yeah, Mr. Spock has more human emotion than him sometimes. The guy thinks tearing holes in reality is fun."

Harry's brow furrowed in concern. "You mean he truly tampers with forces beyond safe control? Even after seeing the damage at the suburban house, I'd hoped that was an isolated incident..."

Jake waved a hand reassuringly. "No no, nothing like that here. Marco just means Theta has a very experimental, scientific mindset. He gets bored easily and likes testing theories."

"Oh, I see," Harry said, relieved. "Yes, he certainly is quite... intellectually adventurous, from what I've observed."

Rachel let out a short laugh. "That's putting it mildly. He once gave us this whole lecture on transdimensional mechanics that went so far over my head, he might as well have been speaking Greek."

"Ah yes, his 'technobabble' as he calls it," Harry said ruefully. "I must admit, I have very little hope of following when he launches into obscure physics and metaphysics."

The bushy-haired girl, Cassie, gave him a sympathetic look. "Don't feel bad, even we can barely understand him sometimes when he really gets going. The theories he comes up with are beyond most ordinary human comprehension."

"He does tend to ramble about quantum mechanics and multidimensional realities as if discussing the weather," Harry acknowledged wryly. "It's like trying to comprehend an entirely different conceptual dimension."

Jake nodded sagely. "Exactly. He just sees things on another plane of thought. There's this quote he told us once - 'There is nothing more entertaining than leaving someone speechless. Yet, there is nothing sadder than realizing that person was incapable of retaining half of what you said, and will repeat the story all wrong to someone else.'"

Harry blinked in surprise. "That's quite a philosophical insight for one so young. And rather fitting to describe his situation."

"Yeah, except he followed it up by saying the quote hadn't been made yet, so we were supposed to forget he ever said it," Marco added, shaking his head. "Like we said, the guy's mind works in weird ways."

Harry sank into a chair, rubbing his temples. Trying to wrap his mind around Alex's enigmatic intellect and unconventional mental state felt akin to grasped at smoke. The more he learned, the more elusive true comprehension seemed.

"I appreciate you all attempting to provide some insights," Harry said wearily. "Though I confess, the more I hear, the more out of my depth I feel trying to understand him."

Jake gave him a sympathetic clap on the shoulder. "Don't feel bad, we've known him for ages and still find Theta pretty inscrutable ourselves sometimes. But he's got a good heart under all that eccentric genius. Just don't take everything he says literally."

Marco let out a derisive snort. "A good heart? We sure we're talking about the same guy here?"

Jake shot him a quelling look. "You know what I mean. Theta may be odd, but he's helped save our butts plenty of times when it counted."

Harry sank into a chair, rubbing his temples wearily as he tried to process everything Jake and the others had told him about Alex, or Theta as they called him. The dimensional traveler was clearly far more complex and enigmatic than Harry had realized.

Brilliant yet detached, with a mind that worked on an entirely different conceptual level. Even his closest allies admitted to finding him inscrutable at times, despite having fought side by side with him.

Harry was drawn from his musings by the sound of footsteps, and looked up to see none other than Alex himself sauntering back into the room, looking utterly unconcerned as always.

"Speak of the devil," Marco muttered under his breath.

"Finished with the calculations, we can head out whenever you guys are ready," Alex announced nonchalantly as he grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter.

"Wait, what calculations? Head out where?" Harry asked in confusion, glancing between Alex and his friends.

"To another dimension of course," Alex replied breezily before taking a big crunchy bite of the apple. "I've been working on an interdimensional portal while you all were chatting. Turns out your Veil in the Department of Mysteries should do the trick with some tweaks."

Harry stared at Alex, flabbergasted. "You created an interdimensional portal using the Veil? That thing is notoriously unstable and unpredictable!"

Alex rolled his eyes. "Please, child's play to calibrate the quantum resonance generators to isolate vectored quark streams. I could do it in my sleep." He paused. "Well, theoretically at least, this will be my first practical test."

"Theoretical or not, the Veil is dangerous meddling you can't possibly comprehend," Harry insisted. "Tampering with forces like that risks lives!"

But Alex seemed utterly unconcerned. "Yeah yeah, you worry too much. The galaxy could use more reckless innovation if you ask me. Progress demands taking risks."

He tossed the apple core over his shoulder. "Anyway, dimensional joyride awaits whenever you guys are ready to go."

The other four teens seemed worryingly eager about this proposed interdimensional trip. Harry noticed they were all sporting backpacks now, as if prepared for travel.

"Now hold on, we can't simply let you tear open the fabric between realities on a whim!" Harry objected, rising from his chair. "There are procedures, precautions-"

"Blah blah precautions, blah blah procedures," Alex interrupted in a mocking tone. "Don't get your robes in a knot, we'll be fine."

He headed for the door, beckoning the others to follow. "Come on gang, dimension hopping time! Race you to the veil."

With whoops of excitement, the four teens hurried after him, leaving a dismayed Harry alone in the kitchen. He stared after them helplessly for a moment before rushing to follow.

"Alex, wait!" Harry called urgently, chasing the boy down the hall towards the front door. "You have no idea the forces you're dealing with. That veil leads only to death!"

Alex paused with his hand on the doorknob, looking back at Harry with an un readable expression. "Death huh? Guess we'll find out. Always did wonder what comes after."

And with that ominous statement, he pulled the door open and stepped outside, his friends following behind. Harry rushed out the door after them, only to find the street empty. No sign of the teens remained.

Harry stared around wildly, panicking now. He had to stop them before they tore a hole in reality itself with their reckless experiment.

Closing his eyes, Harry turned on the spot and Disapparated, focusing his mind firmly on the Department of Mysteries. He only prayed he could reach them in time.

Alex was already sauntering casually through the Department of Mysteries when Harry apparated directly into the circular room and came rushing down the stairs after him.

"Alex, stop!" Harry shouted in desperation. "You don't understand the forces you're tampering with!"

But Alex ignored him, entering the Death Chamber without hesitation. The shimmering Veil stood on its stone dais, faint whispers emanating from its depths. Alex's friends hesitated at the entrance, looking suddenly uneasy.

"You sure this is safe, Theta?" Jake asked, eyeing the Veil warily.

"Yeah yeah, perfectly safe once I finish the calibrations," Alex said dismissively, pulling some odd device from his pocket and fiddling with it as he circled the Veil.

Harry drew his wand, prepared to Stupefy the reckless boy if necessary to stop this madness. But before he could act, Alex let out a triumphant "Aha!" and pointed his device at the Veil.

Alex finished fiddling with the strange device and pointed it at the shimmering Veil. A beam of light shot out, hitting the fluttering fabric dead center. At first nothing happened, but then the whispers grew louder and the Veil began to shift and ripple more violently.

The opening widened, the fabric parting to reveal a swirling vortex of color unlike anything Harry had ever seen. It was like staring into the heart of a nebula - brilliant purples, blues and greens twisting and spinning hypnotically. The lights seemed to pulse in time with the ethereal music now echoing around the chamber.

"Whoa..." Jake breathed, staring wide-eyed at the mesmerizing sight.

"It's beautiful," Cassie said softly. Even Rachel and Marco seemed enraptured by the swirling cosmic vista.

Only Alex looked nonplussed, checking readings on his device. "Hmm, quantum resonance stability looks decent. This thing has definitely been used for interdimensional travel before, the metaphysical channels are already well-worn."

Harry tore his gaze away from the hypnotic colors, mind racing. "Used before? What do you mean? The Veil has only ever led to death!"

Alex waved a hand idly. "Oh I'm sure lots of people like you blundered through unprepared and snuffed it. But whoever created this portal obviously traversed the interdimensional void regularly."

He leaned casually on the stone dais, seemingly unconcerned about the awakened vortex inches away. "My guess is it connects to some hub world where various dimensional gates converge. Should be fun to explore!"

Alex's friends looked uneasy at this prognosis, eyeing the shimmering portal warily, but Alex seemed utterly unperturbed. Harry's mind reeled - a hub world of dimensional gates? It made no sense! The Veil was a death sentence, nothing more.

"Now see here, this has gone too far," Harry interjected angrily. "The Veil is not some cosmic gateway, it's perilous dark magic! I can't allow you to continue tampering with forces you don't understand."

He raised his wand threateningly. Alex merely looked amused.

"Please, if anyone's tampering blindly it's you," he retorted. "I understand interdimensional mechanics far beyond your comprehension."

To prove his point, Alex tossed a loose stone into the swirling void. Instead of disappearing, it popped back out a moment later as if spit forth.

"See? Perfectly safe transit," Alex declared smugly.

Harry wavered, unsettled by this display but still unwilling to stand by. "Even so, I cannot condone this reckless meddling. There are dangers beyond your ken at work here."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Merlin, you're such a killjoy. Loosen that corset and live a little!" He checked his device again. "Portal is still stable. We should get going soon before it closes."

He pulled several small metal cubes from his pocket and tossed one to each of his friends. "Here, these are locked onto the portal's quantum signature. Click the green button to align your atoms for safe traversal once I'm through."

Alex's friends looked uncertainly down at the mysterious cubes. Harry felt rising panic. He had to stop them before it was too late! Before he could act, Alex pressed a button on his own cube, causing the portal to flare bright blue.

"Last one to the interdimensional metropolis is a rotten Flargen egg!" Alex called with a whoop of excitement before diving headfirst into the shimmering vortex. He disappeared instantly.

"Wait, Theta!" Jake yelled, but their friend was already gone. The other teens hovered anxiously on the dais, cubes gripped tightly.

Harry seized his chance in the confusion. "Quickly, get away from there!" he urged the teens. "I can close the portal before anyone else gets hurt."

But Jake shook his head resolutely. "No way, we're going after Theta. He'd do the same for us." Before Harry could stop him, Jake pressed the navy button on his cube. With a blue flash, he vanished into the portal.

Cassie was next, giving Harry an apologetic look. "We have to stand together," she said softly before activating her cube as well.

Harry made a desperate grab for Marco and Rachel but missed by inches as the final two teens pressed their cubes' buttons in unison. Twin flashes of blue, and they were gone.

Harry was left alone, staring aghast at the swirling portal and the innocuous looking metal cube laying discarded on the dais. Those reckless, foolish children! He had to go after them, to try and pull them back from whatever deadly dimension the Veil led to.

Steeling himself, Harry seized one of the extra cubes that were likely there in case one malfunctioned, and pressed the green button as Alex had instructed. The portal flared green this time. Harry took a deep breath... and stepped into the void.

As Harry stepped into the shimmering portal, he had a brief moment to appreciate the hypnotic beauty of the swirling colors engulfing him. It reminded him of Dumbledore's descriptions of death as the next great adventure.

Then the colors turned ominous, bleeding to crimson. The ethereal music shifted to a menacing drone. Pain like Harry had never known tore through his body and a hideous shrieking filled his ears.

This was no portal, but a nightmare tearing his soul asunder! Harry desperately tried to turn back but the vortex pulled him in deeper. The shrieking grew louder, joined by cruel laughter.

Harry stared in horror at the blood-red torrent engulfing him. He realized with despair Alex had tricked them all. This was no hub world, but a direct path to death.

The scarlet maelstrom dragged Harry deeper into fathomless darkness. His molecules burned as the vortex ripped him apart. The last thing Harry knew was agony and betrayal.

Maybe he should have wondered why Alex had pressed the blue button instead of the green one.