a different harry potter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Loving the story so far? There's a whole world of magic and mystery waiting for you with over 85+ chapters still to come! By supporting my Patreon.

You not only get early access to new chapters but also exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and special perks just for fans like you.

Join us on this enchanted journey and help shape the future of the tale. Your support makes all the difference—discover more and become part of the adventure today!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)

If you're eager to delve deeper into the story, consider joining my Patreon for exclusive content

(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)

patreon.com/Kun_kunsi

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 10: Remnants of a Curse

A few days later, Harry followed Septima through the department store window that served as the main entrance to St. Mungos. It was his first visit to the wizarding hospital, and thanks to Septima, his notice-me-not charm was firmly in place. Не had barely slept the night before because his mind kept drifting to today's meeting. He had started to pick up some weight, and felt better than ever, and he knew it was largely due to Healer Stanhope's potions and Septima's insistence that he eat. He was still extremely nervous about meeting with Healer Stanhope again, and the healer who focused on curse damage. Since he had learned about the odd nature of his scar, he had worried about it. Luckily, he was able to distract himself some by reading and staying busy.

They had arranged to meet Healer Stanhope in the tea shop on the top floor rather than stopping at the welcome witch desk and asking for directions. Drawing attention to himself would negate the notice-me-not charm, and then others would know that Harry was back in the wizarding world. Harry appreciated Septima's efforts to protect his privacy, and keep him safe. He also had no idea how to deal with the idea of his fame, and did not feel prepared to deal with the reality of it anytime soon. He barely noticed as they made their way to the lift, and then to the appropriate floor.

Araminda Stanhope watched as Septima Vector approached her, and knew, that the slightly blurred figure next to her was Harry Potter. Unsurprised by the charm that kept her from focusing on the young man's features, she concentrated on what she knew and smiled at the changes that she could see already. He stood taller, and carried himself better. His skin no longer had the unhealthy pale look from before and he had filled out a little from the last time she saw him. Small changes, but still noticeable to her discerning eye.

Hello," Araminda Stanhope greeted the two as they approached the table she had taken to have a cup of tea while she waited for them. Frankly, it was a much needed break in her day, and it was great to see Harry looking so much better.

"Hello, Healer Stanhope," Septima and Harry stated returning her greeting one after the other.

"Would you like some tea before we head downstairs?" Harry looked to Septima, but knew it was his decision. It was odd getting used to the way an adult would defer to him on some decisions. The Dursleys would not have cared what his opinion was on anything, and would have suited themselves. Harry bit back a sigh as he thought about the fact that the Dursleys also would not have readily taken him to see a healer either. His life had changed drastically, and he kept waiting to wake up and realize it had all been a dream. Forcing his focus back to the moment, he knew he needed to give the witches an answer.

'No, thank you," he managed wanting to get this over with sooner rather than later now that he was here. The idea of some dark curse in his scar still made him cringe when he thought about it. He really wanted it gone.

"Very well, then, let's go to Healer Hopkins' office. He should be expecting us," and with that she ushered the two from the room and back towards the lift. Within moments the three were invited into a small office crowded with books and various objects. The man seated at his desk looked to be in his forties with thick, dark brown hair, and pale blue eyes.

"Septima, Harry, please allow me to introduce you to my friend and colleague, Healer Gaius Hopkins, Gaius, these are Septima Vector and Harry Potter." Harry noticed the healer's eyes widen as he took in exactly who was in his office, before they drifted inevitably to his scar.

Araminda, you brought me perhaps the most famous curse scar in the world," Gaius Hopkins breathed the reverence obvious in his voice.

"I brought you, Gaius, a young man who needs your expertise," she corrected her friend and colleague understanding his excitement, but also knowing that he was never as good with talking to patients. The man was truly brilliant though, and her first choice for someone to examine the curse scar and determine a treatment plan if necessary. Her chastisement to Gaius done, she turned to reassure Harry and Septima. "Please excuse, Healer Hopkins, his social skills are severely lacking. He is, however, the best when it comes to curses and curse damage," she informed them with a smile. Healer Hopkins flushed at her remarks worried that the two might leave his office.

"Yes, Araminda, Healer Stanhope, is quite right. I always seem to bollux up the social part of things. It's just, well, your scar is legend, Mr. Potter. I apologize for letting my excitement at the opportunity to examine it make me lose sight of you, as a person."

"Apology accepted," Harry replied after a moment of thought. He did seem sincere, and apparently the scar was both rare and famous.

"Excellent, thank you very much," Healer Hopkins said before adding, "please, have a seat. Shall we get started?" Harry and Septima took the two empty seats in front of the healer's desk. Healer Stanhope conjured one at the side of the desk that fitted nicely into the remaining free space.

"Healer Hopkins will do a couple of basic diagnostic spells first so he has a better idea of what he is dealing with here," Araminda explained when Gaius made no further remarks after several moments.

"Yes, sorry, I'm getting excited. The spells won't hurt, and Healer Stanhope is correct in that I need to know as much as I can before I suggest any treatment."

"Okay," Harry voiced his consent taking a deep breath and watching as Healer Hopkins produced his wand and incanted a spell. He didn't recognize it, but did feel the faint tingle of the magic wash over him.

Gaius Hopkins was a veteran healer at St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies. He had just finished his training when Araminda Stanhope started, and the two had worked together over the years on many cases. He admired her for working with children, but far preferred his focus on curses and curse damage. To be able to examine the remnants of what was believed to be the only known scar left behind by a failed killing curse was amazing. As he performed each diagnostic spell, he marveled at the information revealed. After several incantations he touched his wand to a piece of parchment on his desk, and a copy of the results of each spell appeared there.

"Mr. Potter, what can you tell me about your scar?" He asked after reviewing the notes.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you remember about it? Has it ever caused you pain? Anything you can tell me would be great," he suggested quill poised over a second sheet of parchment. Harry had to think about it for a moment.

"It's always been there for as long as I can remember. My relatives told me it was the result of the car accident that killed my parents. I used to like it because it was different, but ever since Healer Stanhope said it had a dark curse, I have just wanted to get rid of it," once he got started Harry found himself talking more smoothly. "It's never really hurt, but sometimes when I wake from a bad nightmare it seems to throb a bit."

Good, very good, anything else?"

"No, sir, nothing else," Harry assured him.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter," Gaius acknowledged the new information adding it to what the spells had informed him. He turned and pulled a book from the shelf behind his desk and flipped through it quickly. Harry and the others watched in silence anxiously waiting to hear the results. Finally, after nearly twenty minutes of watching the healer review his notes and several additional books, he looked up at Harry with a smile. "I was hoping my first impression was wrong, but it appears that I cannot rule that out entirely. Nevertheless, I do think we can get rid of the residual dark magic in that curse, but we may have to get creative."

"What was your first impression?"

"It has similarities to a rather rare form of magic known as a horcrux. It does not share all of the known qualities of a horcrux, and I would imagine that is due to its' accidental nature."

"What's a horcrux?" Septima voiced the question though Harry wanted to know as well.

"A horcrux is a piece of one's soul that has been torn off and then placed into a container for safe keeping. It damages the soul irreparably, but will bind one's soul to the mortal plane even if one's body is destroyed. No doubt Voldemort made at least one, though likely more than that, before going to the Potter's home that night. His soul must have been incredibly unstable for part of it to divide off and latch on to you when his body was destroyed." Harry shuddered. He had part of Voldemort's soul in his scar?

"I am sure that the incident was unintended, Mr. Potter. And, there is a very powerful shield protecting you from it. No doubt, the shield was your mother's work, and I think the scar itself is more related to a rune she likely carved herself

to secure the protection to you," Gaius informed them marveling at the spell work. "I would love to see her notes regarding the spells if you come across them at some point." The healer's eyes were lit with excitement, and Harry wasn't quite sure what to think. 'Could his scar be a result of his mother's attempt to protect him?' No one had ever suggested that to him.

"The treatment, Gaius," Araminda reminded her colleague though she was both fascinated and horrified by what she was hearing.

"Ah, yes, the treatment," he began, "we shall need to transfer the remnants of the curse or horcrux to another object to be destroyed. It is difficult, but not impossible. I would like to call in a curse breaker friend of mine to assist. After all, goblins especially do not like it when they come across a valuable artifact, only to find that some dark lord has turned it into a soul receptacle."

"So, you can get rid of it without harming Harry?" Septima wanted to be clear on that point.

"Yes, I believe so, anyway. I've not seen one transferred from a person to an object, but I have observed the transfer from one object to another. The soul fragment typically fights the change a bit at first, but then goes with it as long as it doesn't sense that it is being destroyed. In Mr. Potter's case, the shield his mother set for him should also be helpful in insuring that he is not damaged during the process." The four sat in silence for several long moments, each lost in their own thoughts about what they had just learned.

"When can you do it?" Harry asked breaking the silence and hoping that it could occur sooner rather than later. He wanted no part of Voldemort near him. He would think about the protection his mother gave him later.

"Let me contact my friend, and see when he is available," Gaius stated excited at the prospect.

It was a fabulous learning experience, but certainly not something to make widely known unfortunately. Horcruxes were a nasty business, and not to be trifled with or encouraged in any way. He had only learned about them while studying curse breaking with the goblins as a young man. There were very few sources that discussed horcruxes and anything about them.

"I would like you to do it today if possible," Harry stated simply and firmly.

"Alright, Mr. Potter, I will contact my friend immediately. Why don't you three grab some tea, and I will send Araminda a message when I know more."

"Alright," Septima agreed standing slowly. She understood Harry's desire to get this over with quickly, though she felt like she was still processing the information. It was honestly one big reveal after another with the young man, and she marveled at how well he seemed to be handling the whole thing.

"Thank you, Healer Hopkins, I appreciate your willingness to help me," Harry stated formally as he too rose from his chair.

"I am happy to do so, Mr. Potter," Gaius replied meaning it. It was a unique problem, and one he was looking forward to fixing. He smiled as the others filed out of his office before closing and locking the door. He then gleefully turned to his fireplace, and called upon one of his oldest friends, a master curse breaker for Gringotts with whom he had trained many years ago. He knew that Riptear would enjoy the challenge as well.

-ADI-ADI-

Several hours later, Harry lay on the cold stone floor of a Gringotts ritual room. He was paying the goblins a premium rate for use of the room, along with a separate fee for Master Curse Breaker Riptear and his team to remove the horcrux from his scar. He was scared and doing his best not to tremble as he listened for the first lines of the spell that would transfer the horcrux to the silver cup next to his head in the ritual circle. Master Curse Breaker Riptear had examined Harry's scar as soon as they reached a private room in Gringotts, then conversed with Healer Hopkins for several long moments. Harry, Septima, and Healer Stanhope had waited patiently for details of the planned procedure. Thinking back, Harry almost wished he had not asked.

The goblins were hesitant to do anything at first considering the possible implications if Harry died during the procedure. The goblin nation did not want to be blamed for the death of the Boy-Who-Lived. Harry had signed several documents with a quill that carved his name into the back of his hand painfully to reassure the goblins that he understood the risks and wanted them to proceed with the ritual regardless of possible harm to himself. Healer Hopkins believed that his mother's protective shield would offset a lot of the risk of damage to himself, but there were no guarantees as it was not a procedure that the others had used previously on a living receptacle. A goblin healer had agreed with Healer Hopkins and Master Curse Breaker Riptear, and so, Harry was lying on the cold stone floor with only his pants for modesty and warmth, waiting.

"Remain completely still, Mr. Potter. We are ready to begin," Healer Hopkins informed him. Harry closed his eyes and tried unsuccessfully to relax. A moment later he heard the goblins begin chanting, but did not understand the guttural sounds at all. He could feel the magic building around him though. This was not the mild touch of magic from the diagnostic spells of the healers. This was intense, almost like a physical presence pressing against him. The voices of the goblins grew and suddenly pain exploded across his head bringing tears to his eyes as his vision darkened and he screamed. And then he knew no more.

-ADI-ADI-

Septima Vector's knuckles were white as she clenched her hands in her lap as she watched the goblins and healers with Harry. Harry was far braver than she felt she would be in a similar situation. Frankly, it amazed her how mature and self-contained he could be at times. Healer Hopkins and Master Curse Breaker Riptear had made it very clear that although the ritual had worked multiple times to remove a horcrux from one object to another, neither could predict the exact effects the same procedure would have on him. And, yet, Harry was convinced it was worth a try. He wanted the horcrux gone, and no one could know the result of the situation without trying it.

When Harry screamed, she shivered at the sound. And then she saw it. A cloud of black mist rose from his forehead and disappeared into the silver goblet next to him. The goblins chanting ended, and she just barely restrained herself from rushing to the child's side. Healer Hopkins, Healer Stanhope, and the goblin healer, Clawtear, converged almost as one on the tiny figure in the ritual circle. She knew she would only be in the way at this point. Finally, when she could stand it no longer and had stepped forward to ask how he was, Healer Stanhope turned towards her and gave her a grim smile.

"He's sleeping. The horcrux is gone, and the wound is closed. It was a close thing though."

"Thank you," Septima replied as she approached Healer Stanhope.

"I am just happy it worked. He's been through a lot, certainly more than anyone should have to go through," Healer Stanhope stated softly.

"He did very well," Healer Hopkins added

approaching the two as well now that Harry was ....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Loving the story so far? There's a whole world of magic and mystery waiting for you with over 85+ chapters still to come! By supporting my Patreon.

You not only get early access to new chapters but also exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and special perks just for fans like you.

Join us on this enchanted journey and help shape the future of the tale. Your support makes all the difference—discover more and become part of the adventure today!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)

If you're eager to delve deeper into the story, consider joining my Patreon for exclusive content

(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)

patreon.com/Kun_kunsi

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~