Chapter 3: Chapter 3: "The Awakening of Memories"
In the grim aftermath of that fateful night, the Potter house stood in shambles, a solemn testament to the tragedy that had unfolded. Amidst the ruins, Harry and Charles, the sole survivors, lay unharmed, their innocence a stark contrast to the devastation surrounding them.
The stillness of the night was abruptly broken by a subtle, scurrying sound. A rat, with beady, calculating eyes, crept into the room through a crack in the wall. In the blink of an eye, the rat transformed, revealing its true form: Peter Pettigrew.
Peter's eyes darted across the room, absorbing the surreal scene – the unscathed children and the remnants of the Dark Lord's visit - a dark cloak and the Dark Lord's wand lying on the ground.
Pettigrew's face twisted in panic. As a traitor to the Potters and now witness to his master's apparent downfall, he found himself in a precarious position. He had already betrayed the Potters, putting him at odds with the light side. Now, with his master apparently killed, he realized he was also in danger from the dark side. Fear for his own life overrode any other concerns.
Snatching up Voldemort's wand, he transformed back into his animagus form of a rat quickly. He didn't even consider doing anything to the children; whatever force had vanquished the Dark Lord was not something he wanted to reckon with.
His tiny rat heart pounding with fear, Pettigrew scurried out of the room and disappeared into the night, desperate to save his own skin.
Meanwhile, Harry, lying amidst the rubble of what was once his home, the invisibility cloak thrown away in the aftermath, and with tears in his eyes, felt something strange happening within his mind.
It was as though a hidden vault in his mind had been unlocked, releasing a deluge of memories that felt both foreign and intimately familiar.
These memories, vivid and extensive, connected all the fragmented nightly dreams he had experienced in the past, weaving them into a coherent narrative. As he lay unconscious, his mind embarked on an extraordinary journey through the life of a muggle in a world vastly different from his own.
In this mental journey, Harry found himself living through key experiences of this muggle's life, skipping over the personal and intimate details like birth, family dynamics, and romantic relationships. Instead, the memories focused on the acquisition of knowledge and life experiences. He attended school, where he learned mathematics and science, subjects alien yet fascinating to him. He then progressed to university, delving deeper into the world of academia.
After university, the memories shifted to an ordinary 9-5 job, portraying a routine yet insightful glimpse into a mundane adult life. These memories, however, abruptly ended when the muggle reached the age of 23, leaving a sense of unfinished business.
Among the most captivating elements of these memories was the muggle's deep fascination with the 'Harry Potter' book series. This interest led to an exploration of fan fiction, a realm where the canonical boundaries of the original story were creatively reimagined. Harry was captivated by the creativity and diversity of these fanfictions, which presented alternate realities and possibilities for characters he felt a strange kinship with.
Absorbing these memories and experiences, Harry could feel the emotions of that man as if they were his own. He could feel the man's joys, sorrows, and fears. Harry soon deduced that these memories were from his past life.
He had for some reason retained his past life memories and they were getting unlocked through his nightly dreams. But, due to this night's turmoil, the memories that were supposed to unlock slowly as he grew up, got released prematurely. Harry Potter, the three-year-old boy who had just lost his grandparents, was now also a 23-year-old man from another world, reincarnated into the Harry Potter universe.
However, the mental journey he had gone through did not contain any personal details, like he did not know his name in his past life or remember his parents in his last life. This ensured Harry did not have any attachment to his past identity.
Harry felt the joys, sorrows, and fears of his past life as if they were his own, yet he retained his identity as Harry Potter. His love for his current grandparents, his distant parents, and his younger brother Charles remained unaltered. He was still Harry Potter, yet he was now imbued with knowledge and wisdom that spanned beyond his young years.
In this unique state of being, Harry silently vowed to use his newfound knowledge to combat the dark forces that had shattered his family. He would grow into a wizard who would honor the legacy of Fleamont and Euphemia, a beacon of strength in a world shadowed by darkness.
From the memories of the Harry Potter books and fanfiction he had absorbed, Harry realized he was reborn into the very universe he had once read about. The world he knew was the Harry Potter universe, and he was its titular character. He understood that he had been born into an alternate reality, where his brother Charles would be hailed as 'The Boy Who Lived'.
From the things he knew about the prophecy's wordings, he could not be the Boy Who Lived since he was not born on 31st July like his brother.
However, this did not bother him. He did not care about the title or the status that came along with the title. All he wanted to do was become the strongest wizard in the world and restore the status of the Potter family in the wizarding world, making his grandparents proud.
As Harry drifted deeper into sleep, his thoughts did not go to the dormant fragment of Voldemort's soul nestled within him. Harry, who had read about his fictional counterpart's experiences in the books, was aware of this dark fragment yet did not feel any sense of urgency, knowing that the literary Harry had lived with it for seventeen years without any immediate harm.
This night had indeed marked the beginning of a new epoch in Harry Potter's life. He was a child in body, but within him resided the mind and memories of an adult. His path was set to leave an indelible mark on the magical world, a journey that would intertwine the threads of fate, magic, and an extraordinary destiny.
Chapter 4: Chapter 4: "The Duel Within the Mind"
As Harry regained consciousness, he found himself not in the familiar surroundings of his home but in an endless, stark white expanse. This surreal landscape was in sharp contrast to the chaos he had left behind.
A sense of déjà vu enveloped him, as this place uncannily resembled the setting from the final book of the 'Harry Potter' series, where Harry met Dumbledore after Voldemort's attack. A chilling thought crossed his mind: was he on the 'other side', having succumbed to the night's events?
In the distance, a figure that Harry recognized all too well stood—Voldemort. This version of Voldemort, however, seemed different; less malevolent, yet undeniably sinister. His cold, red eyes locked onto Harry's, and with a predatory grace, he closed the distance between them. Harry prepared to confront him.
"Ah, so this is where I've ended up," Voldemort mused aloud. "In the mind of a mere child." A sinister smirk played on his lips. "And given the circumstances of this night, I deduce that I'm not the full Voldemort but a mere fragment, a shard of my soul split off during the bizarre events of tonight and latched on to you."
Fixing his gaze on Harry, Voldemort said "You must be the older Potter boy. I'm uncertain how I ended up within you. Though you're not the prophesied one, you'll suffice. Once I annihilate you here, I can take over your body and resurrect stronger than ever."
Understanding the danger he faced, Harry knew he couldn't let Voldemort prevail.
Harry's mind started racing, trying to find ways to get out of this predicament. He tried to conjure various muggle weapons like guns from his past life that could help him defeat Voldemort through his thoughts but failed. He also failed to summon other weapons and even magical wands from his memories.
After many failed attempts, it was only when he imagined the familiar phoenix-feather wand from the Harry Potter stories that he felt a wand appear in his hand and a surge of power course through him.
Voldemort's smirk faded slightly, replaced by a look of genuine surprise. "Oh, young Potter, you amuse me. I am surprised you even know how to hold a wand properly. But, do you think a mere wand can save you?" he taunted.
Harry replied with a confidence that belied his years, "You see... Voldy. This is my domain. Here, you cannot defeat me."
"A child," Voldemort sneered. "You think you can defeat me? I've vanquished the greatest of wizards. Your end is inevitable. Once your soul is crushed, I shall inhabit your shell. Imagine the world's reaction when someone from the Potter family becomes a Dark Lord!"
The duel began. Harry, drawing help from his grandmother's stories he loved, conjured spells far beyond the capacity of a toddler. "Diffindo!" he cried out, surprising Voldemort with the cutting curse. Harry himself was equally surprised and excited that the spell had worked. He felt a thrill he had never known; he was dueling with the most feared Dark Lord and holding his own.
As the battle raged on, Harry found himself learning and adapting. He was having fun, a stark contrast to the dark intentions of his opponent. Voldemort, initially toying with Harry as if he were mere prey, gradually increased his efforts as he realized the child was no ordinary opponent. Even though he felt significantly weaker due to being a mere soul shard, he couldn't fathom his inability to kill an inexperienced child who, inexplicably, could wield magic so effectively.
The duel escalated, spells flying back and forth like a deadly dance. Harry, growing more confident and fluid in his movements, was a stark contrast to the increasingly frustrated Dark Lord.
In a fit of rage, Voldemort, maddened by his inability to kill the boy, cast his defining spell, "AVADA KEDAVRA!".
Harry, seeing the green spell coming towards him, remembered the cliché scene from the books and instinctively cast "Expelliarmus."
Just like in Harry's fourth year in the original timeline, a tug-of-war between the spells ensued. It went on for a long time, and neither was willing to give up.
"Give up, boy! You cannot defeat the greatest Dark Lord of all time, Voldemort!" hissed the Dark Lord, his voice laced with venom.
Harry, undeterred, retorted, "Remember this defeat on your journey to hell, Voldemort or should I say Tom Marvolo Riddle!"
Hearing his true name uttered, Voldemort faltered, his focus wavering momentarily. Harry seized this opportunity, pushing the spell back with all his might. Voldemort's efforts to regain control proved futile.
As the rebounding curse struck Voldemort, he screamed in disbelief, "Noooo! How could I lose to a child!" His form began to disintegrate, his existence within Harry's mind crumbling away.
In the wake of his monumental victory over the fragment of Voldemort's soul, Harry felt an internal transformation. The energy of the vanquished soul shard was absorbed into his being, fortifying his soul.
Contrary to his expectations, influenced by fanfiction narratives, he acquired no memories of Voldemort. Yet, this did not dampen his spirits. He had faced and conquered a part of the most feared Dark Wizard in history, marking his first triumphant battle in this world. The exhilaration of this victory, his inaugural encounter with combat in the wizarding realm, was heady and empowering.
Emboldened by this experience and the knowledge from his past life, Harry felt a resolute determination solidifying within him. He recognized the daunting path ahead, littered with challenges and uncertainties. Yet, with this newfound resolve, he was ready to embark on this journey. His aim was clear: to prepare, to learn, and to grow into a formidable wizard. The trials that lay ahead would be arduous, but Harry was determined to face them with unwavering courage and strength.
As this internal resolution took hold, the scene shifted back to the physical world. In the ruins of the Potter house, where Harry's young body lay in an unconscious state, a sinister black sludge oozed from his scar. This dark residue, the last vestige of Voldemort's corrupting influence, slowly evaporated into the night, leaving no trace.
In a moment of magical purification, a brilliant white light enveloped Harry, healing his scar. The magic within him acted as a purging force, cleansing him of the last remnants of the Dark Lord's presence. The once prominent lightning-shaped scar on his forehead, a stark reminder of that fateful night, now faded completely.
As Harry lay there, his small form still and serene, the invisibility cloak that had shielded him earlier now lay crumpled beside him. The house, which once rang with the laughter of a family, stood wounded and silent, its walls echoing the night's grim battle.
Outside, the neighbourhood slumbered on, blissfully unaware of the profound struggle that had unfolded in the quiet house at the end of the lane.
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