The Awakening of a Magus

The Awakening of a Magus
Chapter 3 - Fri, Jul 21 - Day 1
Code Purple

Sylvia was still muttering to herself. "A bad habit, that, girl," she said to herself. Well, she had the rare honor and burden of being on the team that had stumbled across the first Magus in over 600 years. And from the archives, that one back in the 14th century was the weakest of the bunch, if you could ever in your wildest dreams describe a Magus as weak. "Let's see ... if I'm remembering Albus' research paper correctly, there have been six Magi in the last four thousand years or so. I know Fudge will have conniptions, but it's my right by Ministry decree to choose the Mentor for a fledgling Magus as the ranking member of the discovery team. It's got to be Albus Dumbledore, even if the Magus in question wasn't Harry Potter."

She pulled out her amulet with her left hand. It was usually used for communicating with other Ministry personnel, but in her case, it was also specially keyed to the Hogwarts headmaster, to allow her through the considerable defenses around the school. As she tilted the amulet slightly upwards, the onyx disc, mounted in silver, developed a dark glow. With her wand, she drew a circle before her, about two feet in diameter, three clockwise circuits, as she uttered the incantation. "Telesensorium ad Albus ab Sylvia." The circle filled with a gray smoke.

A cultured voice whispered from the circle. "Quis vocatus?" (Who calls?). At the other end of the spell, Albus Dumbledore heard Sylvia's voice uttering the last part of the spell "ab Sylvia" (from Sylvia). "Volo!" Albus happily accepted the call and the gray smoke cleared as each saw the other within the circle.

"Sylvia, my dear, it's been too long! But, considering this is only the second time in your ten years at the Ministry that you have called me like this, I have to ask, what is wrong, child?" Dumbledore's voice shifted from happy to worried.

"Even through this spell, I don't dare say much. I'll just ask you to remember that research paper you did to upstage Amalthea, the one I was so fascinated with." Sylvia hated to be so evasive. "I'm at the scene of a practical demonstration of the subject matter."

"Powers above! Are you sure?" Dumbledore sounded excited, stunned, and slightly fearful all at once. "Please don't tell me it's ..."

"No! I know you always feared that possibility, but no, it isn't ... Tom." Sylvia hurried to reassure him. No, this definitely wasn't Voldemort. Dumbledore always secretly feared that Tom Riddle / Voldemort might develop into a Magus and become unstoppable. He somehow sensed that the next Magus would awaken in his lifetime. "How soon can you get here? You've got to be the Mentor!"

"Give me ten minutes: five to tell Minerva why I'm leaving, and another five to get outside the school grounds so I can apparate. I'll call you back in ten minutes so I can use the circle to reach you. You're in Muggle territory, aren't you?

"Yes. I'll be waiting. Erasmus is with ... him ... getting his description of recent events. I just finished interviewing some Muggle witnesses." Sylvia began pacing again. "Yes, I know that sounds backward, given our Ministry positions, but these Muggles had prior wizarding knowledge and are quite intolerant, and you know how Erasmus can lose his temper in such a situation. Call soon, please?"

"As soon as I can, child. Finis!" Dumbledore closed the connection.

"Sir, I was wondering ..." Harry asked as they tramped through the trees toward the deceased Death Eater. "You said your name was Trelawney?"

Erasmus chuckled. "Of course, you've met Sibyll. You've been at Hogwarts for ... what ... four years?"

"Yes sir," Harry answered.

"Well, she's mentioned you several times, always claiming she predicted every ... adventure ... you've had. I doubt she predicted this one. Ah, well. Even though she's my sister, I'm afraid she's the epitome of the saying: 'Those who can't, teach'." A wistful smile passed Erasmus's face as he thought about his eccentric sister.

"She had at least one genuine prophecy, though." Harry strangely felt he had to tell this man that his beloved sibling wasn't a total fraud.

"No! You're joking!" Erasmus laughed lightly, something he rarely did.

"Yes, it was completely different than usual and when I told him, Professor Dumbledore agreed it was the real thing ... for once. And that it had happened once before." Harry also smiled, something he hadn't been sure he could do just yet. Then he stopped suddenly. "He's over there, sir." Harry pointed to a clearing just ahead.

They approached slowly. The Death Eater lay on the ground, his wand splintered so that nothing remained but a stub clutched in a blackened hand. His face showed the classic signs of the Killing Curse ... terror, agony, a faint sickly green glow. Erasmus bent over him to examine the body, then jerked his hand backward. "Harry, there's a great deal of residual magic here. I think a kind of binding. I know it's early to ask you to try, but I need to ask you to remove the binding so I can examine him, and so we can move the body.

Harry drew in a deep breath. "I'm not sure what to do."

"If I'm right about what has been happening to you, there is some instinctive knowledge in you. Try to relax, and call up a small amount of the purple aura, say just a bit in one hand. Then, try to see traces of the purple on the body, and draw it away." Harry had flinched at the term 'the body'. "Harry! Don't take it like that! This man used an unforgivable curse, served the darkest wizard in a millennium, and you have no reason to feel guilty that in defending yourself you turned the curse back at him. Now, try what I suggested. Potter! Come on! Pretend this is a Hogwarts exam!"

The verbal slap-in-the-face that Erasmus used did the trick. Harry breathed slowly, relaxing, and as he reached out his hand, it began to softly glow in a purple haze. He wiggled his fingers, and tendrils of purple light showed like a net around the body. They slowly unraveled and were drawn into the glow around his hand. When the tendrils were all absorbed, the glow faded away.

"Well done, Harry! See, I knew you could control it." Erasmus's words lifted a burden from Harry, relieved a bit his fears that he had become an out-of-control freak of some kind.

Now he could sense the pulse of power within him more clearly, more power than he ever dreamed was possible. Like the surge of a tide, but he knew that, even if ... when he made some mistakes learning to use this power, he wouldn't totally lose control. Just take it slow ... Harry thought to himself.

Erasmus put his own binding on the body in preparation for calling in a squad from the Ministry. "Let's check on the condition of the other one before I call in the clean-up crew."

The other Death Eater lay in a similar position, splintered wand, agonized face, but, "Oh Lord, I didn't notice it was a woman!" Harry shook his head slowly, painfully.

"Oh, Matilda, how could you?" Erasmus recognized the crumpled woman as an Obliviator from his department at the Ministry. He had no doubt that she had attacked Harry. Erasmus had quickly developed an unswerving trust in Harry. "Harry, please remove your binding as soon as you're ready, will you?" Erasmus hadn't been joking when he said he would know if Harry was putting him on. It was a gift of his, a kind of truth-seeing. He knew if he was being lied to, even if he didn't know what truth was being hidden by the lie. But he hadn't known Matilda well, and the conversations they did have never covered subjects that would allow him to catch her connection with Voldemort.

With more confidence this time, Harry drew the tendrils of the binding away from Matilda. It appeared to have some qualities of a suspension charm, because she drew a heavy breath as the binding was undone and began to shake and moan in pain. "No! No one should have to be caught in that spell," he declared intensely, remembering a few weeks earlier when he endured the Crucio repeatedly, lying at Voldemort's feet. He reached out both hands, palms down. The purple glow grew strong and bathed Matilda in a sparkling blanket. She stopped shaking and in moments, was breathing quietly in a deep sleep.

Erasmus could barely breathe himself. Harry had undone the effects of the Crucio, a curse apparently amplified greatly by the Magus shield that had protected Harry. He thought to himself, If there is anyone in the world that I would trust with the power of the Magi, it's this young man. He even tries to spare his enemies pain.

Erasmus placed his binding on the Death Eater, then rose and turned to Harry. "It's time to call in the clean-up crew, Harry. It would be best if you weren't here. There's a Ministry of Magic decree that says a ... someone like you ... needs to be kept secret until you've adjusted to the situation."

Harry looked up and stared Erasmus down. "Then you do know what's happening to me! Tell me!" In his anxiety, Harry didn't realize his eyes had begun to glow a bright emerald green with flecks of purple sparkling deep within.

Erasmus felt he was being braver than he had ever been in his life. "Harry, trust me. It's not my place to explain, but yes, I think I know what's happening. Since Sylvia is the ranking member of our team, I expect that if those Muggles can convey half of what happened, she'll be contacting someone who will take charge and explain everything. Please, Harry. Trust me as I now trust you."

Harry was stunned. Erasmus trusted him, even after seeing what he had become, even when Harry wasn't sure he trusted himself? The last of the deep fears fell away. He was still cautious ... who wouldn't be with so much power simmering inside ... but he grasped at the faith Erasmus placed in him like a lifeline. "Thank you, Erasmus," Harry whispered. Then in a steadied voice, "Yes, of course I trust you and Miss Forester, sir. Shall I head back to the cottage, then?"

Erasmus nodded as he pulled an amulet out from under his shirt, a twin for the one Sylvia had used to contact Dumbledore, though he didn't know about that yet. As Harry walked back through the trees, he heard Erasmus cast the Telesensorium and talk to someone. He paused to listen. "I've got a couple of Death Eaters to take into custody. Well, one dead and one alive."

"What in hell is going on there, Erasmus?" came a thin voice.

"No questions, chum, this is a Code Purple." Erasmus said, regaining some of the pompous tone that Harry had first heard.

"You're joking, mate! It's been over 600 years since the last ..."

"I mean it!" Erasmus said coldly. "Don't you know the penalty for falsely calling a Code Purple? You just send someone out to pick up the side effects, eh?"

"Say, who is it, 'Ras old buddy, old pal." The thin voice became wheedling.

"You know bloody well that a Code Purple's identity, even existence, is the highest classified secret there is, until he's trained and ready to reveal himself. Ministry decree, and just plain good sense, too." Erasmus was losing his patience with his nosy co-worker. "Just send out the clean-up squad. Now!" he shouted.

Harry's thoughts raced. He was 'classified'? "Blast! I don't think the Dursleys will get off without a memory charm this time," he muttered The more he thought about it, the safer it would be if they didn't remember what happened. They had been in danger because of him. He hated the way they treated him, but as much as he often dreamed of some kind of revenge, this wasn't it. He had to insist that someone find a safer place for him to live over the summer, where those around him weren't helpless against his enemies. Where those around him weren't at risk from whatever power was growing within him.

The gray circle formed in front of Sylvia. "Finally! Volo!" she shouted, skipping past the query part of the ritual to the answering-the-call part.

Dumbledore's voice chuckled as his face appeared. "I assume you're ready, my dear." He valiantly tried to hold back his laughter. He truly loved this girl, so like Amalthea in temperament as well as looks.

"Vidi!" (I see) snapped Sylvia. The circle widened to almost 7 feet in diameter.

"Veni!" (I come) intoned Dumbledore, as he stepped through the expanded circle, which shrank into nothingness after he was through.

"It's so good to see you, Uncle Albus!" Sylvia almost jumped to hug the venerable headmaster.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry's voice squeaked as he stood stock-still after having come around the corner of the cottage.

Chapter 4 - Fri, Jul 21 - Day 1
Endings and Beginnings

"Harry?" Dumbledore looked over Sylvia's shoulder at the boy, no, young man before him. Even though it had only been a few weeks since he had last seen Harry, the headmaster could see, could sense the changes. Harry looked taller, broader, older, more confident and yet more burdened than ever. Dumbledore could sense the power simmering within, and there was no doubt that this was the fledgling Magus. "Harry. I should have guessed immediately that I would find you here. It explains so much."

"Yes, Uncle Albus, you should have," Sylvia smiled as she released him.

"Uncle?" Harry walked over to them, glancing back and forth between the headmaster and the Auror.

"To be precise, Sylvia's great-grandmother was my younger sister, Amalthea. Yes, Harry, I'm even older than I look!" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Sylvia has called me in to be your Mentor, Harry, which in some ways is nothing new. This is not a good place to explain everything. I assume the Dursleys were the witnesses you mentioned, Sylvia?"

"Yes. They're the worst sort of Muggles, you know. They can't even be bothered to remember what Harry's birthday is. They would be stifling for an ordinary young wizard, let alone a ... a wizard like Harry." Sylvia tone clearly showed her disgust for the Dursleys.

"Hmm." Dumbledore looked thoughtful. "Minerva said the same thing almost 14 years ago ... the worst sort of Muggles. Ah well, the past is just that: the past. Now, Harry. Normally we haven't used memory charms on your family, but this time, it will be necessary to change the details of what happened today so that they don't remember anything more than what a normal wizard would be capable of. Perhaps we'll have them think you had your wand with you, and play down whatever you did here. And I want to move you to the school. Immediately. What were you all doing out here before the magic began?"

"Picking up some stuff Uncle Vernon inherited from his cousin, Letitia. There are only three or four crates left to load." Harry brushed his hair back nervously, trying not to jump for joy that he was going back to Hogwarts, even if the school was mostly empty this time of year. "Sir, I overheard Mr. Trelawney tell someone about my being a classified secret. That I'm a ... Code Purple?"

"Erasmus has called in the clean-up crew, then. We must be off. First, the Dursleys." Dumbledore strode into the cottage as Vernon and Petunia were huddled, whispering fiercely, and Dudley had just snatched the last scone.

"Vernon Dursley! " Dumbledore said imperiously, his anger barely leashed. Harry, following, saw as he seldom had before, the fire hidden within the kindly headmaster; the power that even Voldemort feared. "You will no longer have the obligation to see to your nephew. He is now a ward of the Ministry of Magic and in my custody. By the time you return home, Harry will have moved out of your house. Fourteen years ago, I thought that leaving Harry with you was better than his growing up among wizards as a figure of legend ... yes, legend! I will tell you something that few people, wizards or Muggles have ever heard ... I was wrong. Hopefully, you will never encounter the wizarding world again, but I must in fairness warn you that the group responsible for the Potters' deaths may look for Harry. Just be yourselves," Dumbledore grimaced, "and tell anyone who asks that Harry is living at Hogwarts year-round now. They should leave you alone."

Temporarily dismissing the stunned Muggles as beneath his notice, Dumbledore raised his wand, looking at Harry. "Which crates are left?"

"Over there, sir." Harry pointed.

Then Dumbledore muttered, waved his wand, and the crates disappeared. "Sylvia, dear, is that your tea set?" Dumbledore asked. "Would you clean that up while I tend to the ... readjustment of details? I know that would normally be Erasmus' job, but this is a special case. And Harry, please go out and check that the trailer is secured. When I am finished here, we'll stop off at your room to pick up your belongings, then it's back to Hogwarts and explanations all around. Sylvia, I'd like you and Erasmus to join us there as soon as possible, though I realize you will have to file preliminary reports. And now, Vernon," he said turning back to the Dursleys, wand raised, eyes piercing, /* show me what you saw ... */

Erasmus was approaching the cottage as Sylvia and Harry came out. "Well, the clean-up crew is over there, but we should get Harry out of here, shouldn't we? Who did you call in, Sylvi?"

"Who do you think? Even if we weren't related, there's no one better for Harry than Albus." Sylvia glanced back at the cottage for a moment, then continued. "Since Harry heard you telling the crew about the Code Purple, I know you have things pegged just right. Albus is inside playing Obliviator ... he hopes you don't mind his stepping on your territory this time."

"Not at all. It's going to be a tricky one. If the incident were totally wiped, it would be suspicious, since we haven't done that before with Harry's family. Dumbledore will know exactly how to tweak things to cover up the true nature of the incident." Erasmus sighed. "What's next?"

"Uncle Albus has officially taken custody of Harry from the Dursleys. After a stop to collect Harry's things, they're off to Hogwarts. He's asked the two of us to meet him there after we get the minimum of paperwork filed. At the moment, the four of us are the only ones cleared, though I expect at least some of the people at Hogwarts will have to know more than Harry being there for summer school. Patience, my friend," Sylvia turned to a fidgeting Harry. "It really isn't safe to say any more outside of Hogwarts."

"I understand," Harry sighed deeply. "Hagrid once told me that Hogwarts was even safer than Gringotts." Then he glanced at the cottage. "Am I really done with the Dursleys after all these years? I didn't think there was any hope as long as I was underage and Sirius was still on the run ... oops ... I shouldn't have said that." Harry was upset he had made such a mistake in his weariness.

Erasmus smiled gently. "Yes, Harry. That part of your life is over. Once you leave here, you need never see them again. It's your choice, though. And we both know that Sirius is really innocent, so don't worry about the slip." Erasmus looked around, reaching out with his senses in the direction of the trailer. "Harry, there's a great deal of residual over where the tree used to be. Would you help us clean that up before you go?" He smiled at a surprised Sylvia. "There was a lot of residual and a binding on the Death Eaters. Harry cleaned it up like a pro after I gave him a couple of hints." For some reason, Erasmus actually felt proud of him.

"Well, then. You help us with the cleanup and we'll help you secure the trailer, hmm? And 'Ras, I think both of us will be spending more time at Hogwarts in the near future. I mean, we have a right to keep up on his progress since we're the discovery team, don't we?" Sylvia looked excited, not fearful, which went a long way towards reassuring Harry that he had at least two new friends that wouldn't be too afraid of him.

Friends ... Oh no! How will Ron and Hermione take this? Harry suddenly thought.

Dumbledore came out of the cottage to see Harry performing magical decontamination near the trailer. He stayed back to watch unobtrusively. Even though he had seen Harry's powers at work in Vernon's memories, it was beautiful to watch him work in reality. Harry already was more at ease now that he was controlling what happened to some extent. He had a sure, elegant touch as he manipulated the purple energies, drawing them back to their source ... himself.

As the Magus aura faded, Dumbledore joined the group. He saw that Sylvia and Erasmus were almost acting like proud parents! I must remember to involve them in Harry's training, he thought. They are the discovery team. And look at Harry! Smiling in satisfaction, basking in their approval.

Dumbledore looked at Harry. "One more thing before we go. I wanted to clear up the cause of the argument you were having with your uncle before things got ... interesting. Which trunk was Vernon so interested in, Harry?" He looked over at the trailer.

"This one." Harry reached over the side of the trailer to lay his hand on a disreputable leather trunk.

"Bring it here, Harry, please," Dumbledore asked, stepping back a few paces.

Harry pulled the trunk back to the edge of the trailer, which tilted as the trunk moved. He then grabbed the heavy steel handles on both ends and heaved up. After settling the weight for a moment, he turned and walked the few steps to Dumbledore, who raised his wand, pointing at the trunk. Harry felt the trunk float up and let go of the handles. "Yes ... interesting ... I'd estimate about 250 pounds, Harry. No wonder your uncle thought you were cheating. I thought you looked as though you had grown since you left school, but this is not your typical growth spurt." Dumbledore swished his wand and the trunk was back in the trailer where Harry had originally left it.

"I wondered about that too, Albus," Sylvia said thoughtfully. "Erasmus, did Harry mention that part?"

"No, he didn't." Erasmus looked pointedly at Harry, who had turned deathly pale, and stuttered, "B-but, I would have sworn it wasn't more than about 75 pounds."

Dumbledore sighed, but smiled gently at Harry. "Well, obviously when we get to Hogwarts, we won't only be trying to determine your magical limits, but your physical limits as well. I will tell you this much now, Harry. The kind of magic you have now is so strong that no normal human body can channel it. So, the magic changes your body so that it can. This will be most enlightening."

As they finished securing the trailer, the Dursleys slowly ventured out of the cottage. Harry looked at them calmly now. "Well, Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, I suppose this is goodbye. Dudley, you can have your second bedroom back now. You won't see me again, for a long time, if ever. We'll be using magic to go straight to the house and pick up my things, so when you get home, you'll hardly know I was ever there. In spite of everything, have a good life, whatever that means to you."

He turned away to step beside his Mentor. "Whenever you're ready, Professor." The Dursleys didn't say a word, just headed for the car, got in, and drove out of Harry's life.

"Just relax, Harry. Let me do the work or the magic will clash."

(continued)