Harry Potter, the Arch-Magus

by

the DragonBard


I do not own any of these characters, or any of the games, books, movies, skills, spells, items, or techniques mentioned in this story, except those specifically created by myself. All others are owned by their respective copywrite holders and/or creators. Especially any characters from the Harry Potter series, which is the property of J.K. Rowlings, or any parts of Dungeons & Dragons, which is owned by Wizards of the Coast.


Chapter 7.5

Harry sat in the Ravenclaw common room, thinking. One of the books he had read, 'Ghost,' by Piers Anthony, had a man with what was commonly called a photographic memory, though its true name was editic memory. The ability was described as being able to visualise things very well, to the point you could replicate in your head anything you ever saw. The hero of 'Ghost' also used it to make lists of things, and keep track of them, even playing a game of chess in his head. The concept had, in part, been the inspiration for Harry's alternate method behind performing the Will and the Word.

Harry had a plan which, while similar in concept, would be much more difficult, and complex in execution. While the hero had played games, and made lists in his head, Harry was going to take it several steps further. He was going to create a castle in there, his own sanctum sanctorum. A place he could go, at least in his head, if he needed to shut out everything and concentrate.

Also, if Harry did it right, he believed it might give him some protection against mental attacks. By sealing information and knowledge that the wanted to keep to himself within a safe, it would help prevent others from accessing it.

'Probably not as good as what the Jedi would do,' Harry thought to himself. 'But, I don't have access to a centuries old master, who has millenia of information backing him up.'

At the moment, Harry planned to start simple and expand. First, the defenses; a large castle wall surrounded by a thick fog that made it almost impossible to see. Within the walls lay a castle, surrounded by guardians... or at least it would be once Harry got around to imagining them. Harry wasn't sure what to choose just yet; monsters from fantasy, or simply soldiers, or maybe something from the movies, though at present the idea of using monsters was winning. The inside of the castle would be divided into a few rooms; the library, which would contain all of the knowledge he would need to be able to access, a vault, for those things he wanted to keep secret, a movie theater to replay his memories, and finally his secret place, which would represent his innermost being. A place he felt the most safe and at ease.

It was here that Harry encountered a problem... What to use as the core? It had to be a place where he felt confortable, a place which would be uniquely 'him.' Unfortunately, at present he couldn't think of anything. Living with the Dursleys hadn't exactly provided him with a wealth of environments to choose from.

'Guess I'll leave it for another day.' Harry thought to himself.

Completing that last elements of his personal mindscape wasn't something that he could do without, but it also didn't need to be done right that second. After all, this was a school. It wasn't like he was really going to need a complete set of mental defenses just yet, was it?

With that put to the side for the moment, Harry decided to do some work he had been meaning to do for a while. Namely, organising his spells. First dividing them by School, then by College, and finally by levels of difficulty. Spheres he could do later.

Harry decided to plan it out; first going over each spell he had recorded, and deciding on which School it seemed to fit best, then noting it, and the College. He would then make a list of every transfiguration spell, and what College it would belong to, and how difficult it was to perform. He would do the same for the other Schools, and then go from there.

"Be easier if I had a computer with the right software." Harry muttered to himself with a sigh. "Just input the spell's name, College, School, and whatever other information I want to give it, and presto, I can organise it any way I want. Then again, even if I 'did' have a computer, wouldn't work around this place... Wonder if it's the amount of magic in the area, or specific warding spells, or something else that does that? Something else to look into."

Harry glanced at what he had written so far. "I wonder if there's a spell that can do that, moving and altering stuff I've already written? Probably a touch too soon for me to be pulling it off just now, but something to look into." Harry made a mental note to ask Flitwick about wordprocessing and database spells next time he had charms. Maybe even a spell to expand the interior of a book; adding more pages as needed, while keeping the book from becoming awkwardly large and heavy. It would probably be a useful spell for editors and clerks.

Truthfully, as it was something that sounded very easy to visualise, Harry felt he could probably do it just by the Will and the Word, but the spell would likely let him do it without the need for constant concentration. 'I'll be so glad when I figure out how to cast self-sustaining spells using Will and the Word.'

A quick check of the time later, and Harry quickly put his things away.

'Almost time for Hermione's next lesson.' Harry thought to himself, rushing for the exit.

--

Harry shook his head as he watched his pseudo-apprentice, Hermione, leave the classroom. The girl wanted hard facts as to how and why what he taught her worked. Facts that he simply didn't have to give.

"She'd definitely be a wizard." Harry muttered to himself. "No way she'd be a sorceress."

In 'Dungeons & Dragons,' the RPG that Harry was most familiar with, mages had to choose one of two paths to follow; wizard or sorcerer. Wizards were the intellectuals, the scientists of magic. Their biggest strength was their intellect, which determined the power of their spells, as well as how many spells they could cast. Sorcerers, on the other hand, were those who were born magical. Relying on instinct, their magic drew strength less from their knowledge, and more from their force of will. To them, magic was less a science and more an art.

If anyone who was familiar with 'D&D,' and knew about his magic, had asked, Harry would have to say that he saw himself more as a sorcerer than a wizard, real world nomenclature notwithstanding. This seemed to place him in the minority of his house, which concentrated on the individuals intellect.

Someone more familiar with 'Mage: The Ascension,' would label Hermione as being most likely either a techno-mage, such as the Sons of Ether, or the Virtual Adepts, or maybe instead as a member of the Houses of Hermes, who used the hermetic magic system. In the 'Mage' system, Harry would probably label himself as an Orphan. Orphans were those who used magic, but didn't subscribe to any of the Traditions, prefering a more ecclectic view. To hermetics and techno-mages, magic was at least as much science as art, following very definite rules. Harry saw magic as being more an art, one he was still building skill in.

The Traditions were nine groups who joined together because of various similarities in magic system and worldview. They ranged in types from the shamans of the Dreamspeakers, to the computer programing Virtual Adepts. Each Tradition specialised in a different Sphere of the 'Mage' cosmology. The Virtual Adepts focused on Space aka Correspondence, the Dreamspeakers on Spirit, while the Houses of Hermes dealt with the Sphere of Force.

Harry sighed. He knew he should get back to organising his spell list, but he just wasn't in the mood. Harry felt the need to 'do' something.

He wandered around the castle for a bit. He told himself he was simply exploring the place, though he took little notice of his location. It wasn't until he found himself outdoors at the quidditch pitch that he realised where he was.

It was a perfect early autumn day. The air was clean and crisp, and there was a slight breeze. Harry had overheard a couple of the students on the house quidditch team calling it perfect flying weather.

"Too bad I don't have a broom, or a flying spell ready." He muttered to himself. "That'd be just the ticket."

It was then that it hit him.

Harry quickly ran back inside, dashing up to the Owlery, where he was quickly greeted by Hedwig. He offered her a conjured owl treat, which she quickly accepted.

"Hedwig, I've got a favor to ask of you."

Hedwig looked up at her master, questioningly.

"I need to study what you look like


This chapter is not complete. I'm still working on it, but more than one reviewer has suggested I put a partial chapter up so that my fans know that this fic IS NOT DEAD!

As this is only a partial chapter, I request that you not review, and wait until the full chapter is up. If you have comments, PM or e-mail me. I don't know when the chapter will be completed as I'm still stuck on the same single point; how to have Harry find out about Fluffy and the trap door without the fake duel with Draco (or anyone else) or without using something that feels too easy. However, I have no plans to stop writing it, as I know the pain of having one of your favorite fics just end without being completed.

To all the fans of this story, do not give up hope.