Worthy Of Magic

Part 23 - House of Black

Twenty Fifth February Nineteen Ninety-Four – Hogwarts: Library

"Why are you living in a juvenile home Harry?"

It had taken her long enough. Daphne had finally summoned the courage to ask Harry about the elephant size question about his past.

Harry smiled. He didn't look up from writing in his journal. He was modifying his runes. They lacked the power they needed. He had to find a way to bridge the gap between them. To eliminate the tunnel through which magic was summoned. It had to be wider. Or it had to be smaller. How to do it?

"Is it a funny story?" Daphne asked drily. Harry was smiling too much.

"I killed my Aunt and Uncle."

He said it with such nonchalance that Daphne didn't believe him. There was no regret, no emotion behind that statement except for the small smile playing on his lips.

"You're messing with me aren't you?" Daphne asked suspiciously. Harry never messed around with his words. But she couldn't help but not believe him. If it were true, Harry wouldn't be at Hogwarts. The Ministry could not allow it even if they wanted to.

Harry shrugged.

Slow horror began to rise in her. It didn't feel like Harry was lying. "You really killed them?" she whispered.

Harry didn't reply. Instead, he frowned at his notes. He pulled the Dark Arts tome from under the book on chakras and flipped to the page about runes. Blood is the most powerful catalyst, it said. Harry thoughts began to turn in a new direction.

"Harry?"

"Yes," Harry replied absently. He was too focused on his runes. Daphne was beginning to disturb his thoughts. "Now keep quiet," he added.

Daphne on the other hand felt her mind spin out of control. It couldn't be true could it? It just wasn't possible. Or maybe it was. Maybe it was why he was the way he was. He was a murderer. Just like her.

Emotions that Daphne had long supressed rose dangerously high and she felt like throwing up. "I gotta go," she said queasily and left the library.

The silence of her absence made Harry sigh in pleasure. He didn't fully understand why he put up with her. But anyway, that was not important. Nothing was as important as it was to perfect his runes. To see his vision for magic made real. He dreamt about it now. Every time he slept, he could see himself. Standing on the largest sand dune in an endless desert. Feeling the scorching heat on his back while magic reigned supreme. Testing the endurance of witches and wizards.

But first. He had a new catalyst to test.

It was almost eight in the evening. One hour till curfew so it would be easy to sneak out. Lately Harry was seeing aurors randomly coming to Hogwarts to make pointless patrols. Prefects making double the rounds at night. Even teachers who patrolled through Hogwarts looking for troublemakers.

The Weasley twins had their work cut out by rebelling against the cage closing around their freedom. Prank attacks were happening more often than ever. Parts of the castle were creatively redecorated at night, leaving teachers to attempt to sanitise the decors for the rest of the day.

Harry began to suspect there was something going on. He had noticed the red cores of many children taste of fear. But he had dismissed it without a thought. They didn't concern him. The late night security, on the other hand, did. He had a secret and he didn't want eyes prying. He didn't want to share his dream. It was personal and he obsessed over it day and night.

His feet had taken him towards the secret exit to the Great Hall but then he remembered the Entrance would still be open so he could leave from there. He turned right instead of left and walked face first into a taller boy.