Phone Call
After the disaster that was called his shopping, Harry was left with a big problem.
Flames. Orange flames to be exact.
The flames had first appeared in his first year, when he was battling Quirrelmort. Right when he thought he was going to die, vibrant orange flames exploded and helped him stand up again to touch Quirrel and accidentally turn him to ash.
Then the flames appeared to have disappeared as if it was never there but the warm feeling in his chest stayed.
The flames made appearances soon as the years passed. All with the same pattern of appearing when he was in extreme danger.
Such as when battling the basilisk, facing Remus during the full moon, at the graveyard with Voldemort, and every single time he was at death's door. Danger and death opening its maw, sharp knives for teeth ready to bite off his head. Only for the flames to erupt and dragged him away to leave another day.
After finding out about the prophecy, Harry and the others labeled it as the 'power the dark lord knows not'.
Nobody was really sure as to what it was. Dumbledore had even speculated that it was a result of his mother's sacrifice.
During his years as a curse breaker, Harry had tried to find out more about the flames but even as he discovered multiple branches of magic and journeyed through multiple ancient ruins, he wasn't able to find out about the flames.
He was sure that it wasn't his mother's doing though. Harry discovered that Lily had expected that she may not be able to protect him from Voldemort. So the brilliant witch that she was, decided to venture into soul and blood magic in order to find a way to save her son.
She found a way so that by sacrificing her life and letting herself be killed without any resistance, a nearly indestructible protection around him would be casted. Which was enough to rebound even a killing curse.
The protection stayed on his blood and only after Voldemort managed to have the same blood used to resurrect him did the protection become void.
Harry discovered that the flames comes off like a boost. Giving him and his magic support to continue to fight back. And it only appears when in dire danger.
Unlike what happened last month.
While he tried to recall everything he could about the events. Harry discovered that maybe those auras were the same as his flames.
There were different colors but they had the same feel. Something familiar.
Maybe that was why fate sent him here. Or maybe she just likes fucking up his life.
Harry sighed and regretted not including Italy in his search for magic during his first year here.
Harry knew there was no magical society in Italy. It was too close to the Vatican. Too religious. It made wixens twitchy to even be near it.
That was why Italian wixens like Zabini were unusual.
But Harry's instincts told him to live in Italy of all places so he decided to stick around.
But now he was in real deep trouble because he could not for the life of him make the damn flames disappear.
Okay, not really the flames but his newly acquired orange aura that surrounds him like a Merlin damn halo. Like the backdrop lights that flashes behind the actors during their great reveal or something.
And Harry was not going out looking like a fucking orange glow stick.
He might have a bloody phoenix as an animagus but this was just too much.
He needed information about this and he needed it now.
So he was thankful when his phone connected to an acquaintance.
While traveling the world looking for signs of magic, Harry met various people and made connections to help him in his search. Through his journey, he found Felix. A German information broker that could answer your questions with the right amount of money. He mainly worked in Germany but Harry would like to have the man introduce another information broker whose territory is in Italy.
"Wer ist das"
A gruff voice answered in deep German over the phone that Harry held in his hand.
"It's Potter, Felix. I need information" he answered with calm and grace that didn't betray just how out of balance he was.
"Ah! Mr. Potter. It's nice to talk to you again junger Mann. What can I do for you?"
The sly tilt of the man's voice showed his anticipation for a new job. Harry was after all one of his best paying customers.
"I need information in Italy, find me an information broker you trust"
Harry knew there was no such thing as 'trust' in their type of work but it was the closest thing to a partnership that would hopefully not stab customers sent their way to spite each other.
"I see", Felix hummed under his breath with disappointment but he quickly bounced up again. "I know a guy. Works internationally but mainly in Italy. Real piece of work, can tell you anything you need. But comes in a real expensive price tag."
Felix's voice took on a sour note at the mention of other information broker. Jealousy bleeding over his voice.
Whoever this person was, they were good if Felix was jealous of them.
"It's Fine, just transfer my contact with them. I'll send my payment for you later for this"
Harry sighed before bringing out his other phone and transferring the cash to Felix's burner account which changes every transaction.
Harry tends to avoid using electronics such as phones since magic and technology didn't really mix well. But in this day and age, it was nearly impossible to live without it so he learns to always have back up phones ready when the ones he's using inevitably explode soon after a month of use.
He made sure to buy the cheapest phones which only ever function for calls and texts. This shit burns money more than his grocery.
"Of Course sir. Lovely working with you, auf Wiedersehen"
Then the call ended and Harry just needed to wait until this new information broker gave him a call and robbed him of his gold for information.
He would already be dead and impoverished if he hadn't dried up and packed up his vaults. Thank Merlin for that.
————
Harry's phone rang the next day. The wizard was in the middle of cooking a simple breakfast of toast and egg when the loud tune broke out.
He turned the stove off and proceeded to answer the call.
"Mou, time is money. Hurry up unless you're going to pay"
Harry raised an eyebrow and a wry expression appeared on his face. Even Felix, that greedy goblin, wasn't this blunt.
He was unable to discern the gender of the speaker but they didn't seem that old. Maybe even the same age as him. Interesting.
"Don't worry, I'll pay for your time and information. You're the one Felix sent over I believe?"
While Harry knew that they were it, it was polite and proper to ask first. Besides with his Potter Luck, he may indeed end up with the wrong guy.
"Mou, yes. Now, what do you want to know? I'll send the location for the exchange of information for your payment"
Alarm blared into Harry's head at the thought of leaving the safe confines of his home while still blaring those orange aura, especially since he was going to meet a possibly dangerous stranger. Scratch that— definitely dangerous stranger.
But he doubted that he could make this person reconsider. Harry is a pretty good judge of character because of his instincts, so he can guess that this person is as paranoid as a Black.
And seeing just what malevolent curses lurked in the wards of Grimmauld Place was enough to justify that.
"Fine, I just want to know about something very odd I stumbled upon. But before that may I have a name to address you with?"
It wouldn't do for Harry to just keep calling them information broker in his head. It might also help him get some lead on this person just in case things turn awry.
"....Viper"
Harry held back a snort and couldn't help but think of the irony. An information broker named after a snake. What a reassurance.
"Well then Viper, I would like to have information considering a weird phenomenon I saw in Italy. Of flames and auras of different colors. I may also inquire as to what it means to have the same uniqueness"
While Harry would prefer to be answered, he doesn't have much hope. If this was their branch of magic then there has to be some form of the statute of Secrecy.
And based on just how well hidden it is compared to the wizarding world, he had a hunch that the rules may be more stricter or deadly.
The line went silent for a while and it edges off Harry's nerves before Viper seemingly focuses back.
"Do you have the same aura?"
The tone of the voice made the hair on Harry's neck stand up at the seriousness and intent behind it. He knew that Viper would know if he lied and he would not like the consequences of it.
"Yes. That is why I'm asking about the flames"
He confessed and let his weariness seep into his voice to show just how frazzled he had been because of this mess.
Merlin knows that he would soon sport a shock of white hair rather than black if this continues. Magic not needed.
"What color?"
Viper curiously asked and Harry suddenly felt that things were gonna get complicated.
"Um... Orange? Just like the fruit"
Again the line went dead and even longer this time. Harry was beginning to think that maybe things were deeper than he thought. Suddenly he was regretting talking to an outside source rather than doing his own investigation.
"Check again idiot. What color"
A vein threatened to burst from his forehead as Harry grew irritated at this deaf rude bastard. Did he think Harry was blind. He fucking knew what orange looks like.
"As I said, it's fucking orange and now I'm shining like a damn glow stick and I can't leave my house", he growled over the phone. While Harry had learned patience and was now far from the bullheaded boy that he was, the stress was piling up and he was now turning into a ticking time bomb.
Harry plus large volatile magic that responded to his emotions plus stress, down not equal to a good combination.
He then heard a loud thud at the other end of the phone followed by an exasperated voice.
"Troublesome–too troublesome. You're going to have to pay me double– no triple. 9 PM at Ponte Vecchio, Olive Garden Cafe. You better show up and have my money"
Then the call ended. Great.