Chapter Text
'Vocalized Thoughts'
"Speech"
~Parseltongue~
>>> Game Message <<<
~~~
Harry floated in darkness. In front of him were letters glowing a fluorescent green:
>>> YOU HAVE DIED. Start a new game? (Y/N) <<<
"What the..." the young man murmured, his voice echoing oddly in the void. The last thing he remembered, he had been flying out of Gringotts on a dragon, when the ceiling collapsed, and Hermione screamed as something slammed into him.
'What game?' He said to himself with a frown. As he looked at the letters, a new message appeared underneath.
>>> WARNING. SELECTING 'N' WILL RESULT IN DEATH. <<<
'Well. That decides that.' He certainly didn't wish to die, especially if he left his friends behind to deal with Voldemort. He considered, then thought, 'Yes.'
There was a burst of light, and more text scrolled in front of him.
>>> Determining Current Stats... Done! <<<
>>> Welcome, Harry James Potter to the Game of Your Life! Fate and Destiny have chosen to aid you and have given you the chance to restart your life... with an advantage. Your life will now behave much like a video game. To see your stats, think 'STATS'. <<<
'This is absolutely crazy. A game? What the hell?' Harry's thoughts trailed off, before he thought, 'Stats'.
>>>
HARRY JAMES POTTER
Age: 13
Job: Student
Level: 1
XP: 0
Health: 200
Mana: 320
Strength: 8
Agility: 22
Endurance: 12
Intelligence: 20
Perception: 20
Charisma: 18 (9*)
Magic: 50 (20*)
Life Skills:
Cooking 5 [Journeyman], Dodging 68 [Apprentice], History 27 [Apprentice], Gardening 72 [Apprentice], History (Magical) 19 [Apprentice], Mathematics 65 [Apprentice], Persuasion 11 [Apprentice], Running 72 [Apprentice], Sciences 35 [Apprentice], Stealth 39 [Apprentice]
Magic Skills:
Charms 49 [Apprentice], Dark Arts 27 [Apprentice], Dueling 51 [Apprentice], Herbology 43 [Apprentice], Magic Creatures 42 [Apprentice], Magic Theory 37 [Apprentice], Potions 32 [Apprentice], Transfiguration 45 [Apprentice]
Talents:
Gamer's Body, Gamer's Mind, Heir of Black, Heir of Potter, Mother's Protection, Parseltongue, Powerful Magic
Status Effects:
Addled
Discord Potion
Horcrux
Loyalty Potion (Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore)
Loyalty Potion (Ronald Bilius Weasley)
Magic Binding
<<<
More text appeared in front of him.
>>> You will be restarting your life at the end of your third year in Hogwarts, the day after you arrived at the Dursley residence. Do your best to survive this time around! Help topics are available on the following topics, which will open up other help topic: STATS <<<
Suddenly, he could see his old room at the Dursleys, and he found himself sitting on his bed. As he looked around, he focused on his open trunk near the wall.
>>> NORMAL TRUNK (OWNED BY HARRY JAMES POTTER) <<<
>>> This is a normal trunk with no magical enchantments. <<<
>>> The skill OBSERVE has been learned. <<<
'Oookay. I wonder if I'm dying and this is a dream,' Harry thought morbidly, 'And what the hell? Magic binding? Loyalty potions?' After a moment, he thought, 'Help Stats'.
>>> Your stats consist of Attributes such as Strength, Life Skills, Magic Skills, Talents, and Status Effects. <<<
>>> Attributes range from one to twenty-five for most people, and there is a hard limit of fifty outside certain talents. Ten is the average attribute, though few people are utterly average in everything; everyone is good or bad at something. Attributes determine how quickly related skills are learned, and provide a small bonus to related skills. As you progress in level, attribute raises will become fewer, so plan accordingly! <<<
>>> Both Life Skills and Magic Skills range from 1 to 100, and have ranks: Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master. Someone with a skill of 5 [Journeyman] is much better than someone with a skill of 90 [Apprentice]. Certain skills and talents require a specific rank to even be learned or gained; for example, to learn the Alchemy skill requires at least Journeyman rank in Magic Theory and Potions. <<<
>>> Talents represent inherent traits. You either have them or you don't. You speak Parseltongue. You are the Heir of House Black. <<<
>>> Status Effects represent things that are affecting you, such as a magical spell cast upon you or weakness from hunger. They can be both positive and negative, though are often negative. <<<
'I feel like I'm playing a video game all right, this is nuts,' Harry thought before he shrugged and began to read through more of this help. First things first, those status effects looked scary. 'Help Addled. Help Discord Potion. Help Horcrux. Help Loyalty Potion. Help Magic Binding.'
>>> The 'Addled' status is a result of being under multiple negative mental potions. It halves your Intelligence and Perception attributes. Inactive due to Gamer's Mind. <<<
>>> Discord potions make those who do not know you distrust you. Your charisma is halved in these cases, and even friends are more likely to view you negatively. <<<
>>> You have a horcrux in your scar from Tom Marvolo Riddle. It is draining some of your magic and is what links your mind to his. <<<
>>> Loyalty potions make the subject intensely loyal to the target of the potion, and will immediately trust and support the target. Inactive due to Gamer's Mind. <<<
>>> Your magic has been bound by Albus Dumbledore, reducing the total magic available by half. <<<
Rising from the bed, Harry began to pace. He had two options. Either this was a bad dream, possibly due to being knocked unconscious during the escape from Gringotts, or this was real. If it was real... he was in a lot of trouble. Loyalty potions? His magic bound? He was a freaking HORCRUX? He felt his panic rising, before he suddenly calmed down.
>>> Gamer's Mind activated. <<<
'Okay, what is that? I should look into those.' Harry mused. 'Help Gamer's Body. Help Gamer's Mind'. After a moment, he added, curious, 'Help Powerful Magic.'
>>> Gamer's Body gives you the body of a video game character. Your body will heal from nearly any damage after a good night's rest, and you are not affected or slowed down by health damage as long as you have at least one health point left. Spells can still cause such effects if it is their purpose, such as a Body Bind Hex. <<<
>>> Gamer's Mind allows you to always remain in control. All negative mental status effects targeting you are canceled. <<<
>> Powerful Magic means your magic is stronger than others. It gives a +10 bonus to your Magic attribute, and this boost will allow Magic to be raised past to 60 rather than 50. Those with Powerful Magic also learn spells requiring a great deal of power easier than others. <<<
'This will be useful,' Harry thought to himself, still trying to wrap his mind around this whole ... situation. 'What should I do first...? Get food, maybe visit Gringotts for money? Discover some way to deal with that horcrux without destroying it, er, me?'
>>> QUEST RECEIVED. 'Visit Gringotts' <<<
>>> Visit Gringotts Bank and ask about your current status. Ask the Goblins about procuring a trustworthy Healer. <<<
>>> Rewards: 1,000XP, 100G <<<
'Well.' Harry thought. 'That was easy.'
It didn't take long for Harry to prepare to leave the Dursleys. Storing everything in his trunk and closing the lid, he considered. It was the middle of the night. If he was careful, he could leave now and no one would know till the morning that he was gone. "Hedwig, I'm going to Diagon Alley, can you meet me there? I know you don't like the Knight Bus." The snowy owl hooted in agreement, rubbing against his hand before winging off through the open window. With this, Harry began to slowly creep his way down the stairs.
>>> STEALTH has leveled up and is now 40 [Apprentice]. <<<
It was difficult with the weight of the trunk, but he eventually managed to get outside, and after shutting the door held his wand out. With a loud *bang*, the Knight Bus appeared, and he got on, careful to keep his hair down to hide his scar. "Leaky Cauldron, please," he told Stan as he moved to settle down on one of the beds.
"Aye, Leaky Cauldron it is. You're our only rider this late at night, so we'll be there in five minutes. That'll be eleven sickles." Paying the man, Harry waited, holding tightly to the edge of the bed as he was thrown around by the movement of the bus. 'I hate the Knight Bus', he thought, trying to avoid becoming nauseous.
A few minutes later, the bus stopped outside of the Leaky Cauldron, and Harry got out, carrying his trunk alongside him. He moved quickly through the building, still looking down, and tapped the wall in the proper sequence to enter the alley.
In the middle of the night, the alley was empty. He moved quickly towards the white marble front of Gringotts Bank, and entered. At least the bank was open. He approached a teller, "Hello, sir. I need to speak to someone about my account. I don't have my key, is there any way to fix that?"
"You don't have your key? If you're who you claim to be, there'll be a fee for replacing the key," the teller snapped, looking at Harry with a frown. "Who are you?"
"Harry Potter, sir," Harry said politely, blinking as the goblin's eyes opened in surprise.
"Right this way," he said, hopping from his seat and putting a Closed sign at his window, leading him down one of the halls to a small room. "An account manager will see you soon," he stated before shutting the door.
The room was a simple one, just a long conference table and a few chairs to either side. Sitting in one of the chairs, Harry nervously clasped his hands in front of himself, looking around the room. Examining the table, his eyes focused upon it briefly.
>>> Conference Table (Owned by Gringotts Bank) <<<
>>> Enchanted with privacy enchantments. <<<
>>> OBSERVE has leveled up and is now 2 [Apprentice]. <<<
'I should start using that a lot, level it up as much as I can,' Harry thought, trying to keep his mind off the upcoming conversation. He was nervous. Then again, the last time he was in Gringotts, he was trying to rob it ... and apparently died.
The door opened, and an old-looking goblin with dark gray hair entered the room. He looked carefully at Harry and said, "I am Ragnok. You are allegedly Harry Potter?"
>>> Ragnok [Goblin Account Manager] <<<
>>> OBSERVE has leveled up and is now 3 [Apprentice]. <<<
"Yes, sir," Harry said nervously.
"We shall see." He approached Harry, sitting across from him and pulled a small parchment from a sheaf of papers and a small silver knife. "Prick your finger and drip three drops of blood here," he ordered. "I warn you that if you do so and are /not/ Harry Potter, there will be repercussions."
>>> Heritage Parchment <<<
>>> This parchment determines heritage via blood magic. <<<
>>> OBSERVE has leveled up and is now 4 [Apprentice]. <<<
"Uh...okay," Harry muttered, holding the knife and wincing as he pricked his finger. He held the finger over the parchment and after three drops fell upon the page, he moved his hand away. The goblin waved his hand, healing the tiny wound and examined the parchment.
"Mmm. It would seem you are who you say you are. Teller Narnok said you lacked the key to your trust vault?" Ragnok asked.
"Uh, yeah, I was never really given the key to my vault. Hagrid had it when I came to shop for my things first year, and then Mrs. Weasley...they never gave me the key." Something the goblin said registered, and he asked, "Uh, wait a minute. Trust vault?"
"You are unaware that you have more vaults here in Gringotts? Your magical guardian should have made you aware of this fact, Mr. Potter." Ragnok stated with a frown. "Your family is very wealthy and influential. The vault you have access to currently is a trust vault, meant to provide money for schooling and other incidentals. Your family currency vault is quite sizable, as is the family heirloom vault. You gain access to these vaults when you come of age, though you are allowed minor access to the Heirloom vault at fifteen. You gain your title of Lord Potter at the same time you gain full access to all vaults."
"Wait. LORD POTTER?" Harry's voice rose incredulously, placing his hands on the table in front of him. "I'm some sort of lord or something?"
"...again, your magical guardian should have given you this information," the goblin stated tersely. "Yes. The Potters have a seat on the Wizengamot. Your family has been an important part of Magical Britain for a long time and are very wealthy. There are only a very few families that equal your inherited wealth." Ragnok frowned again, appraising him, "These are all things you should have been told. Did your magical guardian not show you your statements? We send them out every quarter."
"I have seen nothing, and been told nothing about this. The only thing I was told is I had money for school when I first came here, Hagrid had my key and we picked out money for my books. The next year, Mrs. Weasley had my key..." Harry trailed off. "I've been careful not to spend too much, as I was worried I'd not have enough money for school."
"Your trust vault is refilled to 5,000 galleons every July 31st, Mr. Potter," Ragnok told him. "While it's good to be frugal and you can run out of your yearly stipend, you certainly would never run out of money for school."
"I'm beginning to see that. Who is my magical guardian?"
"According to our records, your current legal magical guardian is Albus Dumbledore. He claimed magical guardianship when your godfather, Sirius Black, was sent to Azkaban." Ragnok looked through the papers before him after giving Harry a considering look, "This gives him access to your trust vault, and allows him to draw on a stipend for your care from the Potter currency vault. This stipend is presently set to 500 galleons per quarter."
"Wait, Dumbledore has access to my trust vault? And he's getting money for my CARE?" Harry's voice cracked at the last word. "Where is it going, do you know?"
"The money is being transferred to a vault owned by an Arabella Figg," said with a shrug, "Is she not the one taking care of you in the muggle world?"
"No." Harry said, voice low and shaking. "She isn't. All this time that I was staying with my Aunt and Uncle," he snarled, "and someone else was receiving money to take care of me." He took a deep breath, "I can't have this stopped, yet. Something weird is going on. Dumbledore doesn't have any other access to vaults, you said, just my trust vault and the stipend? Can I open a new vault and transfer my trust vault contents to it on a regular basis?"
"You may open a new vault. The trust vault transfer is possible as well." The goblin's fingers steepled in front of him. "The current balance of your trust vault is five thousand galleons and is noted when we send a quarterly report. However, you can as the primary account holder request that the report not be sent. If Albus Dumbledore shows up at the bank, we will have to give him the balance of your trust vault, but that's all the information he's entitled to."
"So, I can open a new account, move the money over in case he uses it for something, and hope he doesn't notice the lack of a report." Harry nodded once. "I'd like that. Can I open a personal vault in the name of Harry James Potter?"
"Certainly. A pure currency vault will cost one galleon per quarter. A low-security vault that holds both currency and items will cost five galleons per quarter. A medium-security vault will cost twenty-five galleons per quarter. High-security vaults are not available for personal use. Would you like a currency vault, a low-security, or a medium-security vault?" Ragnok asked as he began to look through papers in front of him.
"Medium security, please. And move all of the funds from my trust vault, taking the money for the vault from the transferred funds." Harry requested. "Is there a way I can access the vault without having to go down there?"
"For a fee of ten galleons, I can provide you with an Gringotts enchanted money pouch. It will hold up to one thousand galleons and can be refilled by a teller at no fee other than the purchase of the pouch." Ragnok offered. "We will also refill a non-Gringotts pouch at the counter for a one galleon fee."
"So in the long run, buying a Gringotts pouch is better. Can it be stolen?" Harry asked.
"Gringotts enchanted money pouches are enchanted in many ways. Only you will be able to even see the pouch, and even if someone managed to see it, only you may open it." Ragnok answered Harry as he filled out papers in front of him. "I need you to sign here to authorize the vault opening, purchase of the enchanted pouch, and transfer of all funds into your new vault."
Harry read the papers over carefully, which seemed to see him in good stead with Ragnok, who nodded approvingly. "I'll want a transfer of five thousand galleons on July 31st, when the vault is refilled." After signing the papers, he took a deep breath, "All right, next thing. Do goblins have healers? I think I am need of one."
A slow frown appeared on Ragnok's face. "... why do you think that, Mr. Potter? We do, but most wizards prefer to go to wizard healers."
"I have been told that I may have certain spells cast upon me, and I don't entirely trust a wizard healer to properly deal with the situation. Especially after what I've discovered about my magical guardian," Harry explained. "I'm hoping Gringotts can handle the situation quickly and quietly." With a slow shrug, Harry looked down, "I have been made aware of certain things that I really want dealt with as soon as possible."
"All right, Mr. Potter," Ragnok answered after a moment's thought, examining him carefully. "Follow me. I will lead you to our Healers. I should note that goblin healers are expensive. You should expect to spend at least one hundred galleons, and the price can rise far higher in certain cases."
"If they deal with this situation, it's money well spent," is all Harry said as he followed the goblin through the maze of halls. Eventually, they came into a large room with beds along one wall.
Ragnok spoke in his guttural voice to a goblin waiting in the room, before turning to Harry, "This is Healer Smegrok. He will examine you and appraise you of any treatment you require."
>>> Smegrok [Gringotts Healer] <<<
>>> OBSERVE has leveled up and is now 5 [Apprentice]. <<<
"All right," Harry said nervously, taking a look at the goblin. "Nice to meet you, Smegrok, sir."
"Yes, yes. Take a seat, Mr. Potter." the goblin said brusquely, and waved a hand over Harry. A slight frown, and he did so again, more slowly, "I'm detecting multiple potions, as well as a magical binding and two sources of foreign magic, one beneficial and one ... not." He turned and spoke to Ragnok quickly, who nodded and left. "I have asked him to summon a master curse breaker. I have a suspicion, and if I'm right, they will be required. Please lay down. I have also discovered some malnourishment, but that is easily fixed."
Slowly, Harry lied down on the bed, taking a breath. "Can everything be dealt with, sir?" He asked, his voice a little tremulous. This was not what he was expecting when he ... died this morning? Er. His life was so weird.
The answer from the healer was mostly encouraging. "A purging potion will deal with the potions easily, though it will be uncomfortable. Removing the magical binding will not be difficult, though I will need to be careful to do so slowly. I will provide you with potions to take daily to repair the malnourishment. One of the sources of foreign magic is some sort of emotional ward, and is not harmful. The other will need a master curse breaker to remove, if I'm right."
>>> Garek [Master Curse Breaker] <<<
>>> OBSERVE has leveled up and is now 6 [Apprentice]. <<<
It was at that moment that Ragnok returned with a goblin who looked positively ancient, with a long, white beard that might put Dumbledore's to shame. Smekrok looked at him and spoke quickly, gesturing, and the goblin frowned, snarling. "Don't move." the new goblin ordered, voice slightly harsh, as he waved a hand in front of Harry. After a moment, he started to swear in the goblin tongue. "You, Mr. Potter, have something called a horcrux, a foreign soul, in your scar. It can be removed, but it will be most painful."
"I don't care if it's painful, I want it removed," Harry said firmly. "I don't want to think of having someone else's soul in my head."
"All right, Mr. Potter," Smegrok said. "I will deal with the binding and then Master Garek will deal with the horcrux. Once that is done, I will give you a purging potion. You will need to remain here for the next six hours while your body purges the potions from your system."
"It will take at least an hour to prepare the ritual chamber for the removal," Garek stated. "So you have time. I will be expecting him then." He turned and left, leaving Smegrok and Ragnok.
"I will return to my office, Mr. Potter. You may ask to be led there when you are finished." A nod, and Ragnok left, which left Harry with the healer, who was gathering materials from a cabinet.
"First, Mr. Potter, I need you to drink this," the goblin said, offering a potion. "Once you have drank it, close your eyes and do not move." Harry obeyed the goblin, nearly gagging at the taste of the potion. "The potion will make your magic more easily distinguished, so I can more easily sense the binding." The goblin stood over Harry, with one hand over his head and one hand over his heart. "Now, relax, Mr. Potter."
Harry felt warmth over his heart, and an icy chill over his temple. It felt like a wave of energy was passing from his head to his heart, getting warmer as it flowed. The sensation grew stronger until it was almost painful, and then a warm flush of energy filled his entire body, and he felt a pins and needles sensation that slowly faded. To the side, the goblin swayed. "That was more difficult than I had expected, Mr. Potter. You should rest for a few minutes, and then I can lead you to the ritual chamber to wait for Master Garek to begin his ritual. Normally, I'd have waited to do that, but having your magic unbound could be beneficial soon."
Harry nodded his head, still feeling a bit dizzy. After a while, Smegrok nodded at him and led him through the halls to a large door. Pushing open the door easily in spite of its size, Smegrok led the young wizard into a large, circular room. In the middle of the room was a large circle with many symbols etched into it. Garek could be seen adding more symbols around the circle in some sort of white ink. "I will be ready in a few minutes. Simply stand and wait for the moment. Healer Smegrok, you can leave, I will lead him back to you when I am finished."
Harry stood rather nervously as he waited, watching Smegrok leave the chamber. He opened his mouth, then shut it, not wanting to disturb the goblin as he worked. Time passed, and after fifteen or so minutes, the goblin rose to his feet. "All right, you. Take off your shirt. I need access to your head and chest. Lay down on the floor with your head at my feet, please."
Harry blinked a moment, cringing back a moment before he moved to comply, taking off his shirt to reveal his lean frame. He moved and lay down in the specified location, and the goblin knelt beside him and began to write with the white ink on his body. First his forehead, then over his heart. Finally lines along his arms and down from his heart towards his stomach. The man's hand was deft, and the ink was oddly cold, almost icy.
Finally, the goblin finished and put the ink bottle and quill to the side. "Now, I am going to cast a spell to paralyze you so you cannot move. Movement during this ritual would put you in great danger, and you would move; it will hurt a great deal. If we're lucky, you'll get through this with no repercussions." Wait, what? The goblin gestured, and Harry found his entire body stiffening up, similar to how a Body Bind curse. And then, the goblin began to chant, leaning over Harry.
At first, Harry began to wonder if something was wrong. There was no pain, he just felt warmth running through his body, nothing mo-- It was then that pain erupted in his forehead, where his scar was, it felt like someone was jabbing a white-hot needle into his skull. He shuddered; even with how used he was to pain, this was torture. The pain continued, and grew, until waves of it ran through his skull, centered on his scar.
It felt like hours, though it could have only been minutes, when he felt something burst, and fluid ran down the side of his face. The goblin continued to chant, even as he produced a small cloth and a stone container from his pocket, and began to wipe Harry's face. A final flash of pain, and he heard a terrible, echoing cry as some dark shadow appeared above him, only to fade away even as the pain did. Continuing to wipe away at the liquid on his face, Garek stored the cloth in the stone bowl, closing it. "You will need to relax a few minutes. Your magic may be unstable, you should practice your magic to regain focus and control." Garek waved his hand, and Harry felt the spell binding him release. "Lay here for a few minutes while I get rid of this, then I will return you to the Healer."
Harry just nodded, even as he tried to recover from the truly excruciating pain. After a few minutes, Garek gestured to him and he rose unsteadily to his feet, swaying as if about to pass out. Leaving the room with Garek, he was led through the halls and entered the infirmary. "Ah! Mr. Potter," Smegrok greeted him. "Now, I need you to go into that room there, it's a bathroom facility. Then you drink this and stay within for six hours. It will not be a comfortable process."
>>> Purging Potion <<<
>>> A potion designed to purge magical potions from the body. <<<
"Uncomfortable how?" Harry asked, hesitantly as he looked at the potion, wrinkling his nose as he saw the goopy brown mixture roll in the vial.
"Prolonged incontinence," Smegrok said with an amused glance, "I would suggest taking off your clothes in the room, to keep them clean. You will need to shower after you finish."
With this alarming statement, Harry found himself directed into the room. Within, he found a normal-looking bathroom. Shutting and locking the door, Harry undressed. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself.
Then he drank the potion.
---
>>>
HARRY JAMES POTTER
Age: 13
Job: Student
Level: 1
XP: 0
Health: 200
Mana: 620
Strength: 8
Agility: 22
Endurance: 12
Intelligence: 20
Perception: 20
Charisma: 18
Magic: 50
Life Skills:
Cooking 5 [Journeyman], Dodging 68 [Apprentice], History 27 [Apprentice], Gardening 72 [Apprentice], History (Magical) 19 [Apprentice], Mathematics 65 [Apprentice], Persuasion 11 [Apprentice], Running 72 [Apprentice], Sciences 35 [Apprentice], Stealth 40 [Apprentice]
Magic Skills:
Charms 49 [Apprentice], Dark Arts 27 [Apprentice], Dueling 51 [Apprentice], Herbology 43 [Apprentice], Magic Creatures 42 [Apprentice], Magic Theory 37 [Apprentice], Observe 6 [Apprentice], Potions 32 [Apprentice], Transfiguration 45 [Apprentice]
Talents:
Gamer's Body, Gamer's Mind, Heir of Black, Heir of Potter, Mother's Protection, Parseltongue, Powerful Magic
<<<