Me, myself and death
The entire world around me had been consumed by fog, I was floating in my own little patch of void with the only thing accompanying me being,
my SHADOW
It stared at me with the little pinpricks of light it had for eyes, it looked into me and I looked into it. I heard voices, I heard my own and those of people I had known, those who had passed on. They all spoke the same word, at the same time, with the same tone.
"HELLO"
A simple greeting, under any normal circumstance it would be a harmless way of communication. This was anything but normal. This entity...death, when they spoke it felt like the beginning chills of autumn as life slowly retreated until there was nothing but the bitter colds of Winter. My entire body felt frozen in...fear? Was I scared of death? I had died already, I knew what laid beyond the veil, so why was I so terrified?
I tried to reply, to answer back, but my throat was dry and I could do nothing but stare, like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming truck.
The being, 'death', approached me, they held my head steady in both hands and I could feel the heat draining from their touch. they brought their face closer to mine, everything in my body was screaming to leave, to pull away. I knew that if they did whatever it was they were going to do then I would be no more. I wanted to scream, to shout, to fight back. But all I could do was whimper.
Their face was barely touching mine, I could feel their breath, it was the coldest chill I had ever felt. As they got closer I closed my eyes and...
*chu*
I felt lips upon mine, a warm gentle embrace, so much caring and love condensed into one little smooch. I felt warmth all around me, I could move, I had never felt such peace and when I opened my eyes...
I saw a tall woman, her face was shrouded aside from her lips, her entire body seemed to be draped in darkness itself. The small bits of skin I could see were bone white, she had a gentle smile on her face and she spoke.
"There we go, I'm sorry. I forgot how traumatizing the experience can be to those who are still living, now then... what can I do for you?"
I looked at this woman before me, I felt like I could tell her anything. I could admit to the most heinous of sins, the vilest of crimes and she would look at me with that kind smile and forgive it all in a heartbeat. Such genuine love, affection, peace. I had only felt it once, when I had... I quickly respond my throat no longer dry.
"Am I dead?"
She smiled her beautiful smile and answered with all the caring of a doting mother, "Oh, of course not. I would never cut one short before their time. Besides, you're technically already dead" I was calming down but grew a bit weary at hearing this, I asked her to elaborate.
"I collected you once before remember? I was your guide, you did not want to join the light so I simply pulled back the curtain of darkness and let you loose to satisfy your curiosity. You never followed the light into the next life, you spent so long wandering the dark, making your own light that now...that darkness is a part of you. Even joining with the light of your new vessel will not banish this darkness."
I was stunned to say the least. I didn't pass on, so now I was forever dead? but she talks about the darkness of the void not... not death, unless...
"you speak as if the darkness of the void is that of death, is it?" She smiles like she's a mother watching her child say their first words.
"is it not? Before there was anything, at the true beginning of all, there was nothing. Then the first sparks bloomed into existence, with those sparks came great beings that brought more sparks into existence. Until the nothing, the infinite darkness, was filled with light. The darkness was no longer alone, it observed until it could think, until it could communicate with the other beings that populated it. That void, that darkness, is death in its most purest form. For when everything ends, there will only be darkness, and after the ending, a new spark will bloom and so the cycle repeats."
wow, okay... that is a lot to process. "So this magic, this energy I've been calling void in my head is really just... death?"
"In a way... Death magic in the world you currently inhabit is merely my energy diluted by that of my avatars" Wait what?
"Avatars? could you elaborate?"
"Every divine being titling themselves as death, every god of death, every master of death, they are all either avatars or those who have been blessed by me with such strength that they may as well be extensions of myself, even if they do not know it. Ways in which I can interact and guide my children, to watch them grow and when it is time for them to rest, to gently lay them to bed filled with peace and warmth."
"Your children? you have kids?" she seems confused until she realizes something at which point she responds with an amused tone in her voice.
"oh, not in the traditional sense. I see everything as my child, I was here in the beginning, I watched them, you, grow and change and learn, I watched you fail and fall and scream, I was there when the cold took away your last breath and I will be there to gently run my fingers through your hair as you sleep away the woes of your life." For the sake of security I'm trying my hardest to employ my occlumency and try and see if I can sense any form of deceit but... the only thing I can register, is that all consuming warmth and love a mother would have for her child.
"Oh... so the hallows, the whole master of death thing, what is that? Because I doubt any being out there could master death." She keeps the motherly tone of her voice but this time its also laced with excitement, I can see the slight crinkle around her lips as she smiles.
"Ah my little 'trials', ways for me to see who's ready to take up the 'family' business as it were. I'm always so happy when one of my children succeed, its so nice to be able to talk with them." The topic of the hallows seems to make her happy... which is ironic considering the story tells it as death being peeved for being cheated.
"So what is the actual story behind the hallows then?" Her smile brightens and she launches off into a story.
"Most universes with Hallows involve the Peverell brothers or an incarnation of them, In this universe the three brothers had been studying the concept of death. They had unearthed rituals to communicate with the various gods of death from the differing pantheons over years of research. They managed to find the common link between all my avatars and blessed. They traveled to an elder wood tree by a river, where a pack of Thestrals would graze, there they performed a ritual of their own making, they summoned me in my purest form. I was able to speak with my children, without the need of blessing them. I talked to them and they asked me to bless 3 items they had personally crafted."
Okay so Dumbledore's theory of them being master enchanters holds some truth to it. She continued on
"The eldest, Antioch, had taken a branch from the tree and the tail hair from a grazing thestral and had crafted a wand of significant power, he asked me to make it unbeatable, to make it the most powerful wand that would ever exist. I carved the runes into its handle and gave it my blessing. The second brother, Cadmus, presented me with a ball of light, it was every memory he had ever had of his love stabilized into a pure form. I took a rock from the river and I turned it over and over again in my hand until it had become a perfect black diamond, I took the ball of light and placed it within the crystal creating a stone with which he could talk to his lost love. Then finally there was the youngest, Ignotus, he presented me with a cloak he had taken from a Dementor, he had sewn the holes shut with Demiguise hair and weaved runes through its fabric with the hair from a unicorn. I peeled the shadows from the ground and wove them through the cloak until it resembled that of mist, shimmering through the air. Then I took a clipping of my own cloak and layered it on top, creating the Invisibility Cloak. The 3 Hallows had been created and should one person obtain them and then complete the trials necessary to unlock their full potential, then they shall become my equal." Her face then turns somber, as if in mourning.
"I informed the Peverells that truly mastering the hallows, would require great work. Antioch believed that by defeating powerful wizards he would earn the loyalty of the wand, however a thestral tail hair will only bond with someone who accepts death, not one that brings it. He might've eventually figured out how to unlock the wands full potential, but unfortunately he was murdered in his sleep and the wand taken. Cadmus, at first would ponder on the trial of the stone, however he would soon become obsessed with talking to his lost love, until it consumed him. I am powerful, but even I cannot force a soul back into the living once it has moved on, the fact that Cadmus could not feel the warmth of his love drove him mad. He used the stone to summon me, and he begged me to take him. I told him it was not his time, but he said he could no longer find the joy of living, so with pity in my heart and sorrow in my eyes I carried him away. Then finally, Ignotus, Perhaps the closest to ever becoming master of death. The cloak could hide one from vision completely, but if its potential was fully unlocked it could hide one from any form of detection, sight, smell, sound, scrying, you could even walk past ward lines as if they were not there. Even I would be unable to find you. Ignotus however did not care for immortality, he cared for his family." Her voice takes on a tone similar to a parent who was proud of their child.
"Ignotus discovered the method to complete the trial for his hallow, however he wished to pass the cloak on to his son, to keep him safe. He feared that by unlocking the cloaks true power he would attract unwanted attention, like his eldest brother, and endanger his family. He would gladly keep the cloak hibernating and accept his death rather than risk those close to him, when I came to collect him he greeted me with a smile and open arms. That is the tale behind the Hallows"
I had been completely enamored by the story, I had forgotten I was currently floating in darkness with a figure I could barely perceive. I took a second to collect myself before finally speaking.
"Huh, you sounded fond of them. The original story makes it seem like you set them up for failure as some form of revenge." My statement snaps her out of her melancholy
"Oh goodness no, I would never cut someone's life short, I am eternal I can wait for them to pass. It is of no difference to me and... I was proud of them, so clever, so smart... so tragic. I could not simply give them the full powered items, It must be earned through trial and dedication. It is the way of these things." She seems to stare off into the darkness pondering on something.
I speak up, "Would... would you be okay if I attempted the trials? to become master of death?" She looks at me, first with shock, then with joy.
"I would be delighted to be able to speak with you much more frequently! and to teach you how death operates, it is simpler than it seems. You've already taken the first step by accepting death, the void energies within you will help in your journey."
I give her a nod and with a new goal in mind and a fire lit inside me I ask her "Okay then, I know you can't exactly aid me. But could I at least get a starting point?"
She gives me a small smile "I would recommend the cloak first, it will recognize you as a direct descendant from Ignotus and the trials for the other Hallows will be easier with the cloak already unlocked. Once you have discovered how to fully empower your cloak, summon me and I shall give it my full blessing." She smiles a hopeful smile, then she opens her mouth to speak again.
"Is there anything else you would like to know before resuming your new life?" I ponder for a moment, There is a LOT I would want to ask someone as old and powerful as death, but half the fun is finding the answers for yourself. I can always call her back should the need arise.
"No. I believe I'm satisfied for now" She gives me one last parting smile before speaking for a final time.
"Then I shall see you soon, good luck" The darkness starts creeping closer until she is enveloped and I am by myself, it continues until I can barely see my own body. I try moving but at this point I am in complete darkness. I close my eyes and then...
I open my eyes, I'm lying in bed, at home. I glance out the window to see the rising sun, I look the other way at my bedside cabinet to see the bottomless bag I filled with Tom's ill gotten gains, sitting on top. I feel fully rested, like I had the best nights sleep in my two lives. It's then I notice in my lap is a black book with the symbol of the hallows on the cover. Inside is an account of the true story of the 3 brothers, as well as details about their lives. There is also a note that reads 'good luck on your journey, hope to see you soon :)' I'll be keeping this book in the cellar with the other rare tomes. I also see I'm still wearing the gaunt ring on my left hand, the stone is back in its slot and the aura of death I feel from it is now warm instead of cold.
I visited the ancient one the next day and recounted my experience, she could not gleam anything from the Hallow and all of Kamar-Taj's tomes on death were of the various gods of death from different pantheons. The ancient one was also surprised to learn that void energy was technically energy from death in its purest form. It is also then I realize Dumbledore still has my cloak, which... is a bit weird but at the same time if it was left in Godric's Hollow I'd be so fucked right now. Apparently a lot of looters got to the house before the Ministry sealed it off, because why would an orphan need reminders of his parents right? wankers.
I am already halfway through Winter and am preparing for a ritual I want to perform at the Spring equinox. The ritual should give me the potential to grow above peak human in terms of physical fitness and magical power, I learnt of this ritual through the memories from the ring. This ritual was made illegal because of one specific reason, it is very easy to end up being corrupted by dark magics when performing this ritual. It was known as 'The Kingdom's strength' and was intended for only the most chivalrous and noble of the kingdoms defenders to even attempt it. After a battle you would collect a piece of the fallen enemy, the more significance they held to you the better. You would then take a cutting of your own flesh and use it to make two potions, if the flesh had a scar on it from a battle then the ritual would have a greater effect.
The reason why the ritual is outlawed is because during the proceedings you have to essentially re-experience the trauma of facing your enemy and during this, the participant would have to hold on to the concept of killing their enemy in defense of their kingdom, and NOT out of anger or personal cruelty. Basically you're trying to justify your actions with good intentions and you'll come out with a calmer mind but the capability to grow beyond your natural limits. If you give in however, you still come out with the capability, but your anger is enhanced also, and many a man turned on the people they swore to protect. Giving in to their newfound cruelty. Tom also performed this ritual, you can guess how it turned out for him.
Anyway the ritual is actually a bit more flexible then you would think, magic is all about intent and the personal view of the wizard performing it. Rituals are old magic and old magic focuses heavily on the intent based rather than the more logical side. I'm going to use the ashes I collected from the Dursely's way back when, they were my fallen enemies and the abuse I had suffered from them can definitely work as a previous battle. (A long, painful, bloody battle) It is also the ashes of three bodies so the arithmancy will help strengthen the rituals effects. Its recommended the piece you collect is blood or something you can easily shape, as you need to draw the ritual circle out of it.
I have a large nasty scar above my right hip that I got from Vernon's belt buckle during my earlier years. I have already cut off the top layer of skin and am keeping it preserved down in my potions lab. Some dittany heals it right up but the scarring still remains. Even though I corrected the malnutrition many of my scars are still present, the trauma from gaining them has left a mark on my mind and magic and thus I can no longer separate them from myself. After all the reason why most transfigurations on people and potions wear off is due to the persons magic and sense of self, the person has a self image in their head and their magic will be subconsciously applying that self image to their physical bodies. so any damage to the mind (such as gaining a scar through a horrible event) will in turn scar your magic, making it that much harder to actually heal some scars, even if they aren't curse scars.
Back on topic, I will require a lot of meditation sessions and possible therapy before I perform this ritual. When I 'defeated' my 'enemies' my main motivation was anger, its what allowed me to first utilize the void through my magic. So trying to hold on to the idea of my murdering of the Dursley's as self defense rather than brutal slaughter is going to be very hard. I am going to need to make sure my occlumency is in tip top shape and that I've gotten through some of this with ancient one in our next few sessions.
As of now I was brewing the potions required, I had my lab in the cellar outfitted with a large refrigerator that was enchanted to preserve potions and ingredients. So I can get this step out of the way now, the first potion is currently a dark red. I've used my blood for a base and I've added in sliced troll hide, for physical fitness (diced will make your skin the same tone as a troll) and unicorn hair dissolved in dragon blood (DO NOT use tail hair or you will fucking die) for magical power. 7 turns clockwise for a nice stable magical number, then I add in my cutting of skin completely unchanged as well as a pinch of fluxweed to facilitate the change of my being. After adding I do 3 stirs anticlockwise for the number of enemies felled, at this point the potion turned a dark red bordering on black. With a wave of my hand I use my magic to finalize the potion, I bottle it in a crystal phial but there is still plenty in the cauldron.
The potion remaining in the cauldron will actually serve as the base for the second potion. Now many non magical plants are used in potion making, as they can have alchemical properties when properly prepared. So... I add in a banana which is a component in the ageing potion, this will let my body grow beyond its limits to a certain extent. 7 anticlockwise stirs then I add diced Grindylow scales for increase in intelligence (fish is good for your brain after all, though I wouldn't eat a grindylow) also I let one unicorn hair fall into the potion to ensure my magic remains un-corrupted and my body pure. I finish off with 3 clockwise stirs and a wave of my hand, the potion turns a bright silvery white. I bottle it and now have the 2 potions needed.
I've already done the necessary calculations needed for the ritual circles size and the runes needed, so now I have time to kill until Spring rolls around. This ritual, while it will push my limits further it won't actually give me any form of boost. I'll have to put in the work needed to reach my new capabilities. All that being said, this ritual is an excellent framework to use for the more advanced rituals and potions that do actually give immediate benefits, however rituals work on the concept of exchanging something for equal value, so any large boosts in power require sacrifices I am not willing to make. Tom had no trouble kidnapping and killing people to increase his own power, however he was ignorant to the muggle side of physical enhancements. What I am talking about specifically are the super soldier serums that exist in this world. There's the one Steve Rogers got and although Dr Erskine is dead I have the means to summon him and finally learn its formula. There is also the Hydra version that made the winter soldier corps insane, but that was based off the original serum which was said to make great good and bad worse. So it might be because the recipients were already psychopaths, there's the version Bucky got which didn't make him insane and I'm unsure if I'd be able to summon Zola with the resurrection stone, does uploading your mind into a computer upload your soul? Does it count as a horcrux? I digress, there is also extremis but I'm unsure if I should just steal it and fix it up myself, or wait for the events of Iron man 3 to occur.
Maybe I should make my own? I'd need to do more research into chemistry and potioneering respectively, but there are potions that have similar effects to the serums and combining the serums with potions could result in a mega super serum. Or I could just die a horrible death after ingesting it, but hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Actually all this talk of serums has given me an idea.
The next week I spent going over Tony's memories in between therapy sessions, specifically anything involving Vita radiation. Vita radiation was used to stabilize the super soldier serum during injection but would also vitalize the body and increase bodily processes such as healing, muscle formation and neuron formation when under exposure. Vita radiation is very hard, if not impossible, to find from natural sources, the only known method of producing Vita rays in large enough quantities for it to be useful, was Nitramene. Nitramene was an incredibly volatile substance invented by Howard Stark, it could create an implosion powerful enough to wipe out entire sections of a city. Now Howard shelved Nitramene because he deemed it too deadly and as far as I know the only place that has the formula is some SHIELD warehouse. Tony had actually looked into Vita radiation but never wrote down the formula because he had the same fears as his father. He had actually approached the board of SI with the idea of using Vita rays in medical use but the idea was canned because the board is a bunch of old fossils who should be left in the fucking past...okay, got some of Tony's personal opinions with that memory copy, good to know.
Back on topic, I could spend however long reinventing the wheel OR I could use my new cool shiny death rock to summon the spirit of Howard Stark and get the formula that way. Guess which option I chose?
I had a long conversation with the spirit of Howard, turns out the man had a surface level knowledge of the wizarding world. He had heard tales from his grandmother and he calmed down a bit once he realized we were technically related. He got riled up again when I started asking about Nitramene but after promising him that I would not be making weapons and instead be using it for Vita rays and looking into the medical uses he, albeit reluctantly, told me how to create it. Now I could've just used the stone to force him to tell me, but I'd like to be able to sleep without guilt. It took a few days to get the necessary equipment and run through the calculations, also due to the fact that Howard could only spend so long in the mortal world before he'd start feeling pain. In the end, I was hunched over my chemistry station with a large smile, as my face was illuminated by the yellow glow of the Nitramene before me.
It took two weeks to assemble a machine that would be capable of having the Nitramene begin the reaction for producing Vita rays without having it implode. Winter was near its end and spring was approaching, I used the time I had left to refine the machine further. The machine itself looked like a large metal skeleton with the main torso holding the reaction chamber, the plan was for me to wear it like a suit as I would exercise to encourage rapid muscle growth. During this time I also asked Howard about his specs for the arc reactor and his study of the Tesseract, I was able to cobble together a rudimentary arc reactor that covered the entire back of the machine. I had gotten both it to and the machine to work around magic, I had carved runes into the plates of metal to ensure the machine was light enough as to not compromise me during exercise. Wearing it felt like I was wearing large baggy clothes with a few rocks in the pockets, uncomfortable but not completely unwearable. The arc reactor itself doesn't even compare to the one Tony would make in the cave, I had to substitute the Palladium for a magically altered metal that could provide a similar reaction (Because where the fuck can I get Palladium from?). This made the power output a bit shit, but I wasn't trying to power a super suit, Just start the Nitramene reaction. Also with the metal being made magically lighter I didn't require hydraulics or servos to lift the heavy weight.
During the first week of Spring I spent my time brewing potions I would use for my training. A lot of potions from the other pieces of media besides the main Harry Potter series existed in this universe, everything from Hogwarts legacy to the mobile app. I had a nice collection of potions brewed up using specific methods I had found in the Potter Grimoire which made them need less ingredients and give a stronger effect. I had potions that would increase strength, brain power and magical ability. What most don't realize is that the best ways to use these potions is for training, most use them for a quick solution to a specific problem. Need to lift something heavy? strengthening solution will sort that out. But if you wanted to have a long lasting effect? drink the potion and lift above your natural weight limit, come morning you'll be fucked for a while but you'll also have developed stronger muscles. This combined with the rapid cell growth from the Vita rays will speed up the process more, and once I've performed the ritual my own natural limits will be pushed further!
The Spring equinox approaches, the day where the earth sits with its axis tilted neither toward or away from the sun, which results in an equal 12 hours of day and night. Normally the ritual needs to be performed during the Summer solstice (or Winter depending on which Hemisphere you live in) the longest day of the year, this is so the ritual can give you long life and long lasting strength. I, however require it to be during an equinox, where day and night are equal in length.
This is because I am touched by death, Harry was touched when he was struck by the killing curse, I was touched when I was inhabiting the void, and we were both touched when I received Death's kiss. By having equality between the representation of life and death it will give me the most benefits, I'll not only become capable of making myself and my magic stronger, I also believe it shall make me more in touch with the void.
I spend a few days wearing the machine, drinking some of the potions and working out both my body, magic and mind. The days after my workout I'm left stiff and sore, but the Vita radiation speeds up the process resulting me only needing rest for a few hours rather than a whole day. I open my more esoteric and advanced texts in both science and magical topics, using mind enhancing potions to speed neural growth along with the vita rays. Finally I start trying the advanced spell work, I have a basic firing range where I work on transfiguring targets out of air and then shooting them with a number of spells, the magical enhancing potions are making up for my lack of wand by supplying more power and the Vita rays are increasing the amount of magic each individual cell can hold. I am now capable of throwing around bombarda's and Finite Incantatem's although it takes a few seconds of concentration to do so. Using spells feels like folding your magic into specific patterns and then having it keep shape while it leaves your body, a wand is able to use the movements and incantations to fold the magic much quicker than wandless casting. Those who have a strong bond with their wand can cast without movement or incantation as the wand can almost feel what the User's intent is, the tomes I have on wand lore also state that using a wand requires less magic over all. Luckily the potions make up for any excess used in my case.
Eventually its the day of the spring equinox, I have a large flat stone set outside upon which I have carved grooves and patterns for the ashes to sit in. The ritual circle has me sitting in the center and two smaller circles near its edge, each smaller circle contains a specific potion. The black potion on my left and white on my right, I am naked and kneeling as the sun begins to rise over the horizon. As soon as the first rays begin to touch the ritual site I begin chanting in parseltongue, certain rituals require certain languages but 'The Kingdom's Strength' will work for any language. By speaking in a magical language like Parseltongue I am adding extra power into the ritual itself.
"I kneel before the kingdom's magic, let it judge me in hopes I am a worthy protector of my people" as I say the first the line the main circle of ash lights on fire, it is a warm orange that matches the rising sun, my brow begins to sweat.
"From battles won, I hope to gain the strength necessary to protect myself and the compassion to protect others" Tom didn't bother with the last line, he saw anger as a way to ensure his magic was always strong. The circle holding the black potion lights on fire, I reach through the flames as if they weren't there, I uncork the phial and drink the bottle in one swallow, I quickly throw the phial out of the circle as I say the next line.
"Let my nobility temper the fires of my rage, I let magic judge me" as I say this I begin having flashes of memories from my first life, every minor inconvenience I've overcome, every problem solved, every battle won. I see the people who I slightly disliked to who I greatly hated. My mood goes from annoyed to angry as I try and keep a hold on my emotions.
Soon enough Harry's memories start playing in my head, the first surprises me. The night Voldemort tried to kill Harry, I should've known it counted as a battle won. I feel a great magical surge from this memory, as well as great anger at the bastard who robbed me of my parents, the fucker that ensured I'd be left with the animals that called themselves- I take a deep breath and I release, I nearly was overcome, but its not over yet.
The fire has turned from orange to a deep red, it starts climbing up my body until I am completely covered in flame. The pain is only second to the anger that fills me, every beating, every night spent starved locked away in the dark, the satisfaction from finally doing away with those piles of subhuman filth. Oh how I wish I could've held them under a crucio, to make them scream, to have them begging me for death. I wish I hadn't consumed their souls so I could keep torturing them and torturing them over and over, they deserve the worst fate imaginable those filthy, Disgusting, EVIL, VILE ANIMALS. I'LL MAKE SURE EVERY LIVING THING FEELS WHAT I FELT, I'LL BURN THE WORLD TO FEEL ITS-
I clamp down hard on my occlumency, employing every tactic taught to me by the ancient one to steady my breathing and right myself. I could feel myself slipping, Tom thought he was using the fire by embracing it, but it only consumed him. I have a tight hold on mine, ensuring its only use is as fuel for my drive, even then only in small quantities. The flames eventually stop hurting and the fire returns to its orange glow, although I am still aflame there is no damage to my body.
The final circle lights up and I reach over to drink the white potion, I throw away the phial after drinking and let out a sigh of relief as the flames turn pure white and the only thing I feel is a gentle warmth. I see my body consumed by the white glow and as I inhale, the fire follows the air into me. The fire has spread to every inch of my body inside and out, yet I do not burn, I do not feel pain.
I feel energized, like I can take on the world and slowly but surely, the flames die down until I am left kneeling in a burnt out circle, with the gentle rays of the sun kissing my face.
Months pass, as I work out my mind, body and magic. I've summoned Howard a few more times and have transcribed the various notes and discoveries he made while researching the Tesseract and Vita rays, I've refined the Vita ray machine I made which I am now calling the Vita body builder, or V.B.B. I've spent my time using the numerous potions from Baruffio's Brain Elixir to the Potent Exstimulo Potion to Strengthening Solution. I can already see and feel the benefits in every aspect of myself, my spell casting has gotten efficient and quicker, my muscle memory and muscles in general have grown, even my new super genius mind has improved somewhat with the increased neuron generation.
My Summer is spent training, studying and visiting Kamar-Taj. I've qualified for a sling ring and have begun using it for the more advanced forms of sorcery. I also start to make headway into enchanting and metallurgy so I can learn how to recreate a sling ring and eventually apply the properties to a wand. Another thing that has been happening are strange dreams, not horcrux dreams or visions of the future... they're visions of the past, an old transfiguration professor, an abandoned Tower at the coast, goblins, Hogwarts. It isn't until I have a dream about waking up in the Slytherin boys dormitory and making my way to a 5th year class that it clicks.
'm dreaming of the life of my Hogwarts legacy character, I am unsure of the implications of this. I know Hogwarts legacy is canon to the main series but with this universe being a mashup I was unsure. The fact this universe also has my character specifically instead of someone else's is strange...
I mean infinite universes and I choose the one I happen to have already inhabited, albeit not exactly but still. What are the odds?! Actually what if it wasn't random... My time spent as a spirit can feel like a dream sometimes, but I remember feeling a pull to this universe. A slight nearly non existent pull, but present all the same. Naturally I visit the Kamar-Taj library and after sifting through tomes about souls, the afterlife and reincarnation I get to a specific topic, over-souls.
I mentioned before how Reality is layered, with the void being the foundation and the beings that inhabit it creating universes, then the inhabitants of that universe creating more universes and so on and so forth. An over-soul is described as a higher being that has avatars in other realities, every variant of the same person is connected to the main oversoul. Everyone has an over-soul and its theorized that over-souls are connected via a higher being until it all links back to one entity, the highest being there is.
Anyways by my playing of Hogwarts legacy in my first life, I had created a branching universe that contained an avatar of myself, after all, like many others I modeled my character after myself. Being in Harry Potter was a childhood dream, now that this universe has 2 souls that are variants of the same person existing, the connection to my over-soul has grown stronger and is causing me to merge with my own character. I won't suddenly change appearance, just gain the memories and experiences of my 'other' life.
I practiced Occlumency more often to help ease the assimilation of these new memories but other then that things went on as normal. My 12th Birthday passes and with it I am left with one more year until Hogwarts, The ancient one gifted me a text written by an old sorcerer who had spent his life trying to study the void. Albus gifted me with a pair of black robes that seemed to suck in all light, they were decorated with shining stars like a slice of the night sky. As I imparted more memories from my Legacy life I learned of a challenge my character had set up.
Apparently my character had known he was connected to an entity from a higher world and that it was possible that eventually another version of himself would come to this world. He had all his belongings sealed away in his tomb that was hidden from anyone not of his own blood. Ironically I had named my Legacy character as Peverell so Harry could've technically stumbled across it being of the same blood.
My final resting place was on Hogwarts ground funnily enough, so with a quick hop skip and a jump I apparated over to Hogsmeade, immediately upon my arrival I throw up around the back of the Hogshead, due to the Potter luck, someone, who I can only assume to be Aberforth is out back at that moment.
"Bloody bludgerin fuck lad' How'd you learn to apparate? you splinch yerself? should I call someone?" I quickly gather myself and reply
"No, I'm just not use to the spinning yet ugh, could you um... get Albus for me? if its not a bother?" He quickly gives me the once over, before taking me to the bar and calling Albus on the floo.
He puts a mug of butterbeer infront of me. "Here you go lad, to get the taste out of your mouth. Its on the house, just try not to apparate anymore until your older will ya?"
I give Aberforth my thanks and he heads off to attend to his other customers, soon enough Albus walks in and once I've downed my drink I get him to walk with me toward the forbidden forest.
"Harry my boy I take it this isn't a social call?" Dumbledore asks with a slight twinkle in his eye.
"Not exactly sir, I've uh... recently found out I'm a seer of a sort, but instead of seeing the future I see a past life." I look up at him to gauge his reaction.
"Ah yes, many a wizard and witch have had visions of a past life. It is not an uncommon thing to occur in the magical world, I take it you require me for something that has happened many years ago?" He seems to take it well, I guess after the obscurial, horcrux thing, he has learned to go with the flow.
"Yeah, in my past life I was so fond of Hogwarts that I had my tomb hidden away within the forbidden forest, I'd like to go there to retrieve some of my belongings" Albus gives me a grandfatherly smile
"I could do with a nice stroll, being cooped up in my office all day can make my legs rather stiff, especially with my old age" With that we're off into the forest, I feel Albus letting his magic radiate outwards, likely to ward off any predators or creatures from trying to pick a fight.
We reach a small stone wall with a statue in front, I recognize this as the dark arts arena. I open it up and we venture in to the underground chamber. The arena is dark and a lot of the structures have collapsed from age. There are no Rookwood wizards or goblin rebels that appear so its safe for us to venture through.
In the center of the arena is a seal on the ground, the Peverell coat of arms.
"My boy do you know what this symbol is?" Albus looks over at me.
"Yes, the Peverell coat of arms or the symbol for the deathly hallows. I also know Grindelwald used it during his war" Albus nods at me.
"I see you have not neglected your studies into history, I wonder if perhaps you will still be this way once you start attending Hogwarts? I've heard professor Binns class can be quite the chore to get through" Dumbledore chuckles to himself, I smile back before returning to the seal in the ground.
Suddenly I am overcome with a vision from the beginning of the game, The tower off the coast, the ancient magic there. When I am back in the present I notice the seal is now glowing, Dumbledore doesn't seem to have noticed anything. I place my hand on the seal and I can feel something now, magic but old, ancient. Not of the void, but magic of the earth itself.
I speak under my breath before reaching out with my magic "Surely, I can't..." Yet despite my disbelief, as soon as my magic touches the seal it glows brighter and the arena starts melting away like paint being washed, until we are standing within a stone room filled with piles of galleons, books, ingredients and a sarcophagus in the center.
Albus looks around amazed "truly my boy you keep amazing me with your use of magics, I've only felt this kind of magic in the deepest parts of Hogwarts herself". It was implied in game that the castle was at least partially built with ancient magic.
I approach the sarcophagus holding my characters body, I close my eyes and place my hand on top before saying a silent prayer. As I go to pull away the Sarcophagus glows for a brief moment and then opens. I step away expecting to find the decayed body of my avatar but instead...
Inside my sarcophagus lies a bottle of glowing light and a wand. I recognize the wand as the one my character used from the game. Elder wood with the same knobs as the 'death stick' but more natural looking than carved, dark brown with a pheonix feather and a matching dark brown polished handle, 14 inches, slightly flexible.
I grab it and feel my magic connect and sing in a way I've never felt before, the ancient magic in the room becomes just that much clearer to me. The wand recognizes me, but I've changed greatly so there is still a slight disconnect. Regardless after testing it out with a simple Lumos and Revelio I can already notice the difference in spell casting.
I pick up the bottle of light and show it to Albus. "Do you know what this is sir?"
He takes it from me and begins gently waving his wand around it "Hmm... as far as I can tell this bottle contains memories, I happen to have a few that I like to revisit. But to have it glowing this brightly? There must be a lifetimes worth of them in here" He hands it back to me.
My character had taken their entire life and bottled it up, maybe so they could live on in a way, but most likely because they somehow knew I would one day enter this world.
"Should I drink it sir?" I ask.
"They are your memories Harry, albeit from a past life. Ultimately it is up to you to decide what to do with them." Albus gives me a small smile. I look up at him, then look at the bottle I hold, I uncork it and bring it to my mouth.
As I drink I am hit with every memory from the significant to the trivial, every moment from my character performing their first bit of accidental magic to their graduation of Hogwarts, an entire lifetime. Guess I'm getting a real huge head start from the other students huh? I remember my N.E.W.T.S and my O.W.L.S. Hey turns out my character took enchanting and alchemy as a class, cool.
Soon enough its over, these memories don't feel like someone else's that I have copied or assimilated, they feel like they've always been mine. I had just forgotten them for awhile. Speaking of forgotten things.
I walk over to a chest near the wall and open it, I pull out the house cloak. It was my favorite piece of clothing in game, I felt like the ultimate wizard wearing this thing. It doesn't have the Slytherin symbol like I remember, its blank. Apparently it doesn't change until you've been sorted.
Donning my new cloak I turn to face Albus, he seems amused at my antics and also proud of my fashion choices.
"You may have have all the galleons in here sir, donate it to the Hogwarts fund." Albus seems slightly surprised at my exclamation.
"Are you sure my boy? It is your money technically."
"Yeah I'm sure. Its my money and I want to donate it to the school that I loved" The proud look on Albus face comes back stronger with his eyes twinkling.
I get all the tomes and other personal items bagged up and Albus transports the galleons away into the Hogwarts fund, as we leave the forest we are greeted by the setting sun, the sky has that light blue, yellow look and the clouds are pink. Albus faces me and speaks.
"That was a nice outing my boy, truly I can't remember the last time I went exploring old ruins and having such an enjoyable time. Is there anything else you'd like to discuss before I take my leave?" Albus asks.
"Uh... could you apparate me home, last time I tried I kind of... threw up outside your brothers pub" I request sheepishly.
Albus nods with an amused smile and states "Of course my boy, after all. Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it"