Harry Potter And The Lord Of Shadows

Chapter -01 On a cold night filled with darkness, only a few lights can be seen flickering across the small town. Outside of the town is a big forest and going deep inside it we can see flashes along with which boom sounds can be heard. Approaching the sounds we see a boy no more than ten years old standing amongst a mountain of corpses. As the last body dropped the boy collapsed on the ground sweating and panting for air. Soon the boy composed himself and took out a small bag and started collecting the corpses in the bag but there seems to be no way of filling the bag. Now that the quota to collect the beasts and herbs was full he can return home. Getting out of the forest the boy headed towards the town. Entering one of the inns he walked past the old haggard-looking man who was sleeping at the reception. The old man glanced at the blood-soaked clock of the boy before closing his eye once more. The boy entered the room and after washing up crashed on the bed and fell asleep before long. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Next morning In the early morning, the boy was on a train from the nearest town to London, settling himself in one of the compartments the boy fell asleep once again. After a journey of more than half a day, the boy finally reached London and exiting the station hitched a taxi to his home. Getting down the taxi the boy stood in front of a large gate with 'Hope Springs Home' written on it. As he walked in, he saw a group of children running around, some were playing, some were drawing on the walls. He swept his gaze around looking for a particular someone finally his gaze fell on a certain corner, a girl no more than ten same as the boy was silently drawing in one of the corners but no one was paying attention to her. After completing the drawing the girl stared at the drawing and smiled with satisfaction but a bit of sadness can be felt from her smile, the drawing was of a boy holding a girl's hand and walking down the road. The girl suddenly turned around and saw the boy. "Brother you are back!" the girl ran towards the boy and jumped into his arms. "Hmmm" the boy smiled slightly while stroking the head of the girl. "When did you come?" the girl asked looking at the boy while still hugging him. "Just now" "Look I drew both of us. How is it?" leaving the boy's embrace the girl pointed at the drawing. "Good" "I knew it you will like it, well what did you bring for me this time?" the girl who looked dispirited moments ago was now full of energy. "The place I went to was remote so I could only bring this" the boy replied while taking out a bracelet from his pocket. It was something he asked one of the ornament makers of the town to make from the core of one of the beasts he killed in the forest. "Wow! what a pretty bracelet, let me go show it to my friends" dazed by the pretty bracelet she took it and wanted it to her friends. "Wait, take these for them" taking out a bag full of gifts he gave it to his sister. "Thanks, brother" the girl kissed the boy on his cheeks and ran from there. Watching the girl running away the boy shook his head and turned around and went inside the building. All the nuns were looking at the boy and greeting him pleasantly. The boy was one of the largest sources of donations that came for the orphanage, how he did it nobody knew except for the head nun but every once in a while he would leave the orphanage and soon upon his return there will be donations for the church and orphanage. The boy stood outside the office of the head nun and knocked. "Come in" "Oh! you are back" the head nun looked at the boy and exclaimed. "Hmmm" "Was there any problem? Are you hurt anywhere?" the head nun asked with concern. "I am fine" "So when will he come?" the head nun continued to ask despite the short replies. "I don't know" "In that case why don't you go freshen up and rest?" "Hmmm" The head nun shook her head in distress. The boy ever since he was brought by that man to the orphanage never replied in more than one sentence and only smiled when he was with his sister. The boy never created any trouble, stayed out of any commotion and only minded his own business. The boy came to his freshened up had dinner and went to sleep. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At midnight The boy suddenly opened his eyes and looked towards the window, a man was standing dressed in black and even though the moonlight was coming through the window his face can't be seen. "Master" the boy left the bed and knelt in front of the man with his eyes towards the floor. "Did you collect all the ingredients I asked you for?" the man asked nonchalantly "Yes master" the boy picked a small from his bedside table and gave it to the man and knelt again. "3 trolls, 9 Alizors, 5 Limaxs, 7 Grindylow, 6 Ashwinder, Dittany, Moly, Shrivelfig. On top of that, you also got me Niffler's fancy and an unconscious Augurey" the man in black was highly pleased and somewhat surprised that the boy got all these in just a week that was out of his own expectations. Looking at the boy the man continued "You have done a good job all this time, now your training is over and soon your only and final task will start. I will support the orphanage as usual so you got to prepare yourself leaving the orphanage to me. "Yes master" "Rest well I will come back for you soon" saying this the man disappeared from the room. "Brother, why are you kneeling in front of the window?" a sleepy voice sounded in the room "Nothing go back to sleep," the boy told his sister and looked outside the window for the last time before going back to sleep. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Next day The boy woke up only to find his sister missing from her bed, he washed up and went outside. The whole orphanage was bustling with noises, the boy soon spotted his sister along with other children gathered around some trucks. The orphanage people and older children were unloading everything from the trucks. As soon the nuns spotted the boy they started gossiping with one another. "It happened again" "He surely is the benefactor of the orphanage but what will happen once he leaves?" "Yeah I heard he will leave soon" The boy without saying anything just turned around and started to leave but was stopped by a group of boys. "Hey! come here and help are you going to eat without working?" "..." not turning back the boy continued to enter the dormitory. "I said stop" the group of boys around fifteen years old stood in front of the boy ganging upon him.  "Step aside" the boy looked at the one yapping his mouth with emotionless eyes and said calmly. "You..you... are you above everyone else? All the others help around the orphanage only you don't do anything, don't you think it's unfair for all?" a little intimidated by the boy the leader took a step back before shouting out loud, he wanted to gain the support of all the other children. Surely enough listening to the boy other children also started to side with him. "Step aside" now the boy was angry. "What will you do if I don't?" seeing that the surrounding children were supporting him the boy asked haughtily. "What's going on?" just as everyone thought something interesting was about to happen a voice sounded. "Reverend mother!" all the children, nuns and orphanage workers greeted in unison. "What's all this ruckus about?" the head nun referred as reverend mother asked while looking around. "Reverend mother everyone here is helping out unloading the supplies except for Alex but when we asked him to..." "I have exempted him from any duties of the church or the orphanage. If he wants to help he can but if he doesn't then he is not obliged to do that and as far as I know you don't seem to have the authority to assign or force someone to do work here" the head nun spoke calmly. "But reve..." the boy wanted to argue but was cut short by the head nun. "I am sure I have made myself clear now you can all go back to work and Alex come with me" saying this the head nun turned around. In head nun's office "Here have some tea" the head nun poured a cup of tea for Alex. "So are these supplies from him?" the head nun wanted to confirm. "Hmmm" Alex replied while sipping the tea. "So now what? Did he say something?" the head nun was concerned about Alex a lot. The boy was only about ten years old yet he would frequently go out in this harsh world on his own to help the orphanage. Initially, when Alex started going out he would come covered in cuts and bruises but as time went by he managed to come unscathed but still, she worried about him and what future holds for him. "He will come to tell me about my next and final job soon," Alex told the head nun. "He came to visit me yesterday and told me that you will be transferred to another school so he asked me to do the necessary arrangements. Do you know anything about it?" the head nun wanted to pry something out of him. "No" "Alright you can go" Alex stood up to leave but when he was at the door he asked without turning back "Was it only me or he asked for my sister's documents also?" "As of now only yours," the head nun told Alex. "Hmmm" saying this Alex left the office. * * *