FicWad

Author: Jasters1
Distribution: Up at ficwad (obviously), may be posted at schnoogle and ffnet. If you want it, take it. Just drop me an email, and make sure my names on it.
Pairing: None yet, probably Harry/OFC
Feedback: Please, feedback is the only payment I get! If you want a response though (if you ask a 'whats up with...' for example) Send me an email or leave you're email address.
Incidently people, this is only the prelude to the story - and it will probably be a while before any more is written (final exams coming up...). My final exam is on November 1, so I won't be writing any more until then. Hopefully chapters will be much longer than this...
Disclaimer: This old chestnut, okay, I don't own Harry Potter. I believe actually, that a lady named JK Rowling does. Yeah, I know! I thought it was just an urban myth. Who knew? Vampire:Bloodlines was created by Troika Games, and is set in the universe created by White Wolf. If you don't have this game - firstly why are you reading a cross with it? Secondly - get it. Troika have gone under, so you can get it pretty cheap - though it's rated 18+. I (Jasters1) own crap all in this story, all rights reserved by their respective holders, etc etc...

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"Another scotch thanks" Harry ordered.
"Here you go English" The bartender replied cheerfully, passing across a cup of the amber liquid. Harry took a deep sip, and let his thought return to the past. How could things had gone so increadably bad? One minute, he's depressed, next he gets a great idea to fight against Voldemort, then this. Everything had turned to crap, and chances were he would die of old age within the year. Old age! Harry sighed in resignation. There was nothing for it, no matter how many times he reminiced.

After Sirius's death, he had been shattered, and locked away to stew in his own anger, steadily growing argrier and angrier. If only he had not been fooled! If only he hadn't been stupid enough to try to rescue Sirius himself! But over time, his self-rage had turned into anger at others. Why hadn't Dumbledore trained him to fight? Why had he stuck him with that git Snape? Why coudn't Snape get over the fact that his childhood enemy was dead? Next time, Harry had vowed to himself, he would be ready. But how? If, as Dumbledore said, it would fall to him to defeat Voldemort, how the hell was he supposed to match wands with an extremely powerful and knowledgable wizard? With his current arsenal of tickling charms and disarming hexes, the only chance he had to win was if Voldemort was so stunned by his ineptitude that he accidently tripped and broke his neck. Even if he trained now, there was no way he could learn enough over the break - even if Dumbledore let him cancel all of his sixth year classes, he still would have no chance on catching up with the fifty odd years of experience Voldemort had on him. His glum mood was not helped by his OWLS, as apart from an Outstanding in defence, his best mark was an E in charms and transfiguration. He had been particularly devastated - though not particularly surprised - by an A in potions; a result which, unless McGonagall pulled some miracle, pretty much ended his goal of becoming an auror. He could just imagine the pleasure Snape took in that score - well at least he wouldn't have to take any more of Snape's crap anymore. Harry's summer was looking despondant, until the idea came upon him. It was a brilliant idea, truly Hermoine worthy. Harry honestly couldn't remember a single idea so genius. He remembered dancing around his room - though as quietly as posible to avoid waking the walrus otherwise known as Uncle Vernon - and gleefuly outlining the idea to Hedwig.

"You see girl! I've come up with a way I can catch up with Voldemort!" He claimed excitedly.

Hedwig hooted doubtfully.

"Oi, you havn't even heard my idea yet!" He exclaimed defensively.

Hedwig hooted again and ruffled her feathers.

"Some of my ideas works!" He protested

Hedwig hooted again, giving Harry the distinct feeling he was being mocked.

"Well, what about when Dobby tried to stop us from getting to Hogwarts? We got there didn't we?" Harry answered, triumphantly grinning.

If birds could sigh, Harry was sure that Hedwig had done so at this point, before clicking her beak, and hooting again.

"Er, well..." Harry stuttered before ralying valiently "the point is we didn't get expelled or arrested, and we got to Hogwarts on time!" he smiled, "well mostly," he added under his breath with a frown.

Hedwig stared at him for a second before hooting wryly.

"Oh right" Harry answered, embarrasedly rubbing the back of his neck "I guess it kinda was Ron's idea..."

Hedwig rolled her eyes at him before hooting encouragingly. "Well this is a good idea. You remember when Hermoine had the time turner?"

Hedwig hooted affirmatively, a worried note entering her tone.

"Well," Harry continued excitedly, either not noticing or not caring, "I'm going to get my hands on it, then use it to keep going back in time until I'm strong enough to fight Voldermort!"

Hedwigs beak dropped, and she wobbled briefly on her perch before letting loose a spray of hooting and flapping that gave Harry the feeling that she didn't approve.

"It's a good plan!" He protested. Hedwig squarked rudely, before turning her back on him. "Well, I think it's a good plan" He sulked to himself quietly.

Harry sat at his creaky desk and pulled out a piece of parchment. Firsly he would need a timeturner. But from what he remembered Hermoine telling him, McGonagall had kept it after the third year had ended for some reason. So, it would probably be still in her office.

Harry picked up his quill, and carefully wrote 1: Get timeturner from McGonagall's office.
He tapped his quill against his teeth thoughtfully. Next he would need somewhere to train. If he kept coming back to the same time, it would need to be somewhere big enough that all the Harry's could train in peace, and somewhere with enough food to survive.
Harry carefully transcribed 2: Find somewhere big enough to train.
Next, he would need things to learn. Blundering about with a wand without any direction, no matter how long he took, didn't seem a productive means of learning.
Harry wrote 3: Find books and information about spells.
Harry looked at the list in concernation. "Where the hell can I find all of these?" He asked out loud "First I have to find a way to break into Hogwarts, then I have to find somewhere big enough for a whole school full of me to live and train," he added for Hedwig's benefit. Hedwig ignored him. Harry stared hard at the parchment as though it would reveal it's secrets. "Somewhere big enough to train, and a library of spell knowledge. Hmm." Harry thearised out loud, drumming his fingers on his desk.

Hedwig held out as long as she could before turning with a huff and hooting at him exasperatedly.

"What's that?" Harry murmured, his attention elsewhere. Hedwig flew to his shoulder with a huff, cuffing the back of his head while doing so, before hooting again.

"I don't understand girl," Harry replied "look I'm trying to work out where I can stay when I'm training, so unless you have any bright ideas..."

Hedwig rolled her eyes at him in irritation, before hooting insistently.

"Hogwarts?" Harry repeated, puzzled. "Yes, I have to break into Hogwarts at some point to get the timeturner, but I"ll worry about that when I work this out..."

Litterally hopping on his shoulder in exasperation, Hedwig let loose with a barage of loud hoots. Harry, unnerved by this display carefully stroked his pet in an attempt to calm her.

"Look girl, I know that breaking into Hogwarts won't be easy, but we can't worry about that until we have somewhere to go. Somewhere as big as a school..." Harry trailed off, his realisation coming over his sudenly. Hedwig hooted in self-satisfaction as he slapped himself on the forehead "Of course! I'm so stupid! We can stay at Hogwarts!"

Hedwig hooted in smug agreement.

"During the summer no teachers are around, there's a huge library, and the elves can cook for us!"

Hedwig hooted in self-satisfaction, ruffling her feathers importantly.

"Hogwarts" Harry breathed, before turning to Hedwig "Why didn't you think of that girl? The way you were going on about breaking in I'm surprised you didn't put the two together." Hedwig stopped absolutely still, turning to face him.

"Hedwig?" Harry asked tentatively, slightly wary of the look in her eye.
With raptor speed, Hedwig bit his nose. Hard. She then returned to her perch, facing away from Harry. "Ow! Harry yelled, gingerly touching his bleeding nose. "What the hell was that about? Bloody bird" He muttered, turning back to his paper with a wary glance at the fuming owl.

"Now all I need is a way to get into Hogwarts," he mused "I wish there was someone helpful," He directed loudly at the back of his bird, who continued to ignore him, before continuing "who could help me get into Hogwarts," He mused outloud. A quiet pop gave him half a second of warning before a green blur slammed into his legs. Harry collapsed with an undignified yelp, luckily missing any sharp corners, and fell against the wall. Feeling his legs trapped in a painful vice he reached desperately for his wand, before sudenly interpreting the high pitched babble coming out of the creature.

"Dobby had been waiting for Harry-Potter-sir to call him! Dobby was hoping that Harry-Potter-sir had wanted Dobby and Dobby is being only too happy to serve the wonderful, most powerful, most generous wizard in the world; no, Dobby is not being just happy - Dobbly is being honoured! Dobby is not worth to serve the greatest wizard in the world..."

"Dobby! Dobby, get off!" Harry hissed desperately attempting to pry the elf from his legs.

"Dobby is sorry sir" Dobby said, ears drooping "Dobby is bad elf scaring the great Harry Potter sir."

"No Dobby, it's okay" Harry quickly said, yanking the lamp Dobby had picking up presumebly to punish himself with. Harry cursed under his breath as Dobby's eyes filled up with tears.

"Harry Potter is the most merciful, most generous..." Dobby's lower lip wobbled dangerously,

"Look Dobby," Harry anxiously cut in, before Dobby could burst into happy wailings "Can you help me with a few errands?"

Dobby sniffed, before manfully (elffully?) pulled himself together "Yes Harry Potter sir, Dobby is being happy to be helping the greatest wizard in the world."

"Good" Harry smiled in relief "The main thing I need is to get into Hogwarts... what?" Harry asked as Dobby's ears dropped.

"Dobby is sorry," the elf began "But Dobby is not being able to take Harry Potter sir to Hoggywart, because Dobby is working for Hoggywart." Dobby dropped his head in shame, before looking around for something to bang himself against. Seeing the elf eye his firebolt speculatively, he hurredly cut in,

"What if you didn't work for Hoggy... Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

The elf's ears perked back up "If Dobby was working for Harry Potter sir, Dobby could help, yes!" The elf beamed,

"Er, work for me?" Harry asked, cautiously. Hermoine woudn't like this...

"Yes!" Dobby nodded his head so fast, his ears flapped. "If Dobby is working for Harry Potter sir, Dobby can be helping Harry Potter sir with everything." He beamed.

"Well, I guess that's okay..." Harry trailed off uncertainly, sending a pleading glance at his owl, who pretended to be asleep.

Dobby squeeled in a pitch so high it hurt Harry's ears, before slamming once more into Harry's legs "Dobby is so happy! Dobby is honoured to be working for best, most powereful, most merciful, the greatest..." Dobby burst into happy wails, unable to continue. Ignoring Hedwig, who appeared - in her avian way - to be laughing her head off, Harry tentatively patted Dobby on the head, as the elf slowly regained his composure. "Master won't be sorry! Dobby will be best house elf ever!" Dobby proclaimed, releasing Harry's legs. Harry winced and slyly massaged some life back into his lower regions, took a second to process that.

"What?! Master?" Harry stuttered, vissions of death by an angry SPEW wielding Hermoine. Dobby nodded, a beaming smile on his face.

"Yes! Master is Dobby's new Master! Dobby is so happy!"

"Good, good!" Harry replied hurredly, seeing the elf begin to tear up again. "I need you're help to get to Hogwarts," Dobby nodded emphatically, before popping out of the room, and popping back in a second later.

"Here master!" Dobby beamed holding out a wrinkled sock. Harry stared at the sock in slight bemusement. The sock was brown. Harry however had a sneaking suspicion that it had started life white. A brief whiff asured Harry that the sock was well used, and apparently never washed in it's long life span.

"Dobby?" Harry queried, moving discretely out of olfactive range "That's a sock."

"Yes master!" Dobby agreed with a smile "Master is most smartest wizard!" Ignoring an amused squark from Hedwig and scanning the elf's face for sarcasm, he was a little pertubed that Dobby appeared completely sincere.

"How will this help?" Harry asked with forced patience. Dobby's ears lowered secretively

"This is being Proffessor Dumblydore's portkey." Dobby explained in a futive whisper "It will be taking Master to the great hall."

Harry looked at the sock with renewed interest, as Dobby placed it carefully on the ground. "Well Dobby," Harry grinned "Looks like we are in business."

"Yes master!" Dobby agreed with a grin, before curiousity came up "Master," He queried tentatively "What business is we being in?"

"The good kind!" Harry grinned.

It took Harry about ten minutes to pack his room - with Dobby's enthusiastic help, and about another ten to work up the courage to take hold of the sock; and using the activation word (lemon drop) Harry was at Hogwarts.

Then, in the company of the ghosts and Dobby, he proceeded to live out his days studying - over and over and over, continuously studying a day, then repeating that same twentyfour hours, then studying again. He had worked out earlier that about thirty or so Harry's would be pushing the limited supplies in the kitchens available during the break. Luckily for him, not only could he train in the library, and abandoned classrooms, but if he needed anything else - or simply more room, the Room of Requirements was happy to oblige. The only people he needed to avoid was Filch and Mrs Norris, who during breaks appeared hard at work repairing damage sustained the previous year - most caused by the Weasley twins, if his ranting Harry heard one night while sneaking past was any indicator. The only other person living in the castle was Professor Snape, who apparently had no home to go to. It wasn't as hard to avoid Snape, as he lurked in his dungeons only emerging to go to the greathall for dinner. With the use of his map, it was easy enough to avoid detection for a good month. Harry had however quite lost track of time - though it would probably suprise his that he had, in the period of a month, spend three years training. That jump however, from fifteen years old to eighteen was not the worst that happened.

"Harry." Harry jerked with suprise. It had been a long time since he had herd any other voice than his own or Dobby's. He turned to see Dumbledore gazing at him, a disapointed look in his eye. "Come with me, please." Saying no more, Dumbledore turned, and left the room of requirements. Harry followed silently as the pair made their way to the Headmaster's office, posible excuses running through his head. "Sit," Dumbledore commanded, before taking a seat at his desk. Harry sat down uncomfortably as Dumbledore stared silently for a second, disapointment still in his gaze. "Harry, I want to ask you why you did this" Dumbledore asked quietly.

"Did what?" Harry shot back defensively. A scene from a tv show ran through his head for a second 'you got nothin' on me coppa!'

Dumbledore sighed sadly "Must we do this?" He mused rhetorically before continuing before Harry could reply "I know that you left the safety of your aunt's home, despite what I had told you, putting yourself in danger, as well as every order member who was subsiquently forced to stop what they were doing for the war effort to look for you., and causing much anguish for your friends." He stated quietly. "I know you broke into your Head of House's office, and stole a restricted ministry artifact - possesion of such carrying a strict penalty." Dumbledore continued, "I know that you have used said artifact recklessly, putting not only yourself in danger, but the entire world in danger of a cataclismic event." Dumbledore stopped, an uncomfortable silence falling over the room. Even the portraits had stopped snoring and were listening in interestedly "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Dumbledore asked in that same tone.

"Yes" Harry answered, gathering his anger again "I did what you refused to do. I wanted to learn how to fight - how to defeat Voldemort."

Dumbledore sighed again, slumping in his seat "I had told you already Harry," He chided "It is not magical strength or knowledge that will help you defeat Voldemort but..."

"But what?" Harry replied derisively "What's going to help me defeat Voldemort? Not knowing how to defend myself." He snorted, ignoring the tisking and whispers of 'how rude!' of the portraits.

If anything, Dumbledore looked even more depressed at that. "Did you really think it was worth the sacrifice though?" He asked.

"What sacrifice?" Harry shot back slightly confused.

"Your age." Dumbledore answered grimly "How long have you been using that timeturner?"

With a start, Harry realised that he had quite lost track. "Dobby" He commanded. Dobby popped into view immediately "Master called?" Dobby asked, before cowing slightly in Dumbledores gaze "You are working for Harry now, are you?" Dumbledore asked gently. Dobby ralied under this reminder, and faced Dumbedores gaze proudly "Dobby is working for Harry Potter, the greatest wizard in the world!"

"I see," Dumbledore smiled, his customary twinkle returning to his eye for a brief minute "Congratulations Dobby, lemon drop?" Dobby hesitantly took a yellow sweet, examined it for a second, popped it in his mouth, before discretely spitting it out on the floor when the headmaster turned back to Harry.

"Dobby," Harry asked, attempting to mask his humour, "How long have I been using the time turner?"

"Master has been using the time turner for three years" Dobby replied promptly. Harry sat back in shock.

"Thank you Dobby," Harry weakly answered. Dobby popped out again.

18! He was now 18! "That's not too bad," Harry muttered, not sure who he was trying to convince "If i'm 18 I might have a better chance of surviving whatever happens this year..." He trailed off as Dumbledore shook his head sadly at him.

"I'm afraid that there is more." Dumbledore stated, "I take it you did not study the effects of long term timeturner use?" Harry wordlessly shook his head, "Well, I'm afraid that with the amount you must have used it, to spend three years in a month..." Dumbledore shook his head in disbelief "I'm afraid that your process of aging has increased, and will continue to increase exponentially."

"What?" Harry gasped, heart beating painfully.

Harry didn't remember much of what Dumbledore said after that, snipits such as his curent age was actually 20, not 18 as it should be, and, as Dumbledore's quick calculations found, would age to 25 by the end of July.

To add insult to injury, it turned out that fast aging was an effect of only several artifacts in the Wizarding world - most of them dark, and all of them restricted by the British Ministery of Magic. In fact, Dumbledore had concluded sadly, the only thing which could be done would be to queitly get Harry out of the country, come up with a solution to halt the effects when time permited, then explain that the effect was done in a country with more relaxed laws by an an object not restricted there. Unfortunatly, Dumbledore had said, it would take some time for this to happen, as the order had a month of work it had to catch up with, he had said with a pointed glance, it wouldn't be possible to do until October, so until then Harry would have to make do in Los Angeles, living off a small amount of money Dumbledore had graciously granted him. Of course while a small apartment would be set up, no one could be sent with him for various reasons, and perhaps Harry should think before trying such foolish behaviour again. Dumbledore had shaken his head at him, disapointment in his voice, and banished him to America until he could be bothered to help. If Harry hadn't been so devistated by the events, he most certainly would have done a far better job of the headmaster's office than he had done at the end of the year. As Dumbledore had said, there was no way to reverse the effects - he was, for all extents and purposes, 20, and would continue to age at fast speed. In essence, the longer it took to find a way to halt the progress, the older he would be and the more time would be taken from his life. Those two years he had already aged he would never get back and, if Dumbledore was being honest, he soonest he would be able to stop the effects - in November, he would be in his mid fifties - older in fact than Snape, and Mr and Mrs Weasley.

Which brought him here. 'Celebrating' his 25th birthday in a shady bar in Santa Monica. Well, Harry thought grimly, ordering another scotch, at least I don't have to worry about getting carded. The thought made him smile for a second.

"Penny for your thoughts" A smoky voice by his ear purred. Though it was close enough to normally make him jump, Harry had enough alcohol in him that his reactions were dulled. He turned slowly, to see an increadably hot woman staring at him, with a scrutinising look in her eyes.

"Wha?" He asked stupidly. The woman laughed, a tinkling sound which sent a pleasant shiver to go down his spine.

"I was wondering what it was to make you smile. I've been watching you, and you've looked so down" She answered with a smile.

Harry shrugged "Just celebrating my birthday" he said with a sigh, taking a sip from the drink in front of him. He winced slightly at the taste, before the fierce liquid left his mouth with a pleasant numbness.

"Really?" the woman asked, raising a sculptured eyebrow, "Then may I ask the birthday boy's age?"

Harry gave a single bark of laughter "I guess I'm twenty five" He answered bitterly, slamming down the rest of his scotch, coughing as the harsh drink raked his throat.

The woman smiled, though amused by his antics "I take it that it's not a happy occasion?" She asked rhetorically "Let me guess, girlfriend broke up with you? Lose your job?" She asked, her voice somewhere between sympathetic and teasing. She leaned into him slightly, a friendly gesture that nevertheless caused a pleasant tingle to run through Harry's body.

"Just aging" Harry answered somberly after a brief pause to recompose himself "It's amazing, how people don't think about life, how short it is," he continued absently, not noticing the knowing expression on the woman's face, "One minute you're in your prime, then you're an old man, then it's all over." He sighed, slumping down.

"You seem a little young to be worring about old age." Her voice held a questioning note.

"It seems it's all I think about," He answered quietly. He sighed again, before looking down at his watch. 2.30. Time to go. Harry sighed and stood up "Look, I enjoyed our chat, but I've got to go. Goodbye."

"Wait," She called, placing a smooth hand on his forearm. Harry paused and turned to her questioningly. She hesitated for a second, an inscrutable look in her eye, before she appeared to come to a decision "What is it about you?" She mumbled lowly to herself, before speaking addressing Harry again, "Come with me, I have something to show you." She smiled invitingly.

Harry paused for a second as suspision rose within him. Was she a death eater who had recognised him? He shook himself out of his stupidity. Not only did no-one yet know he was in America, he was completely unrecognisable to what he looked like before. Where he was once short and skinny, his body had filled out in all the strength and power of a man in his prime, and he stood at a respectable 6'2. His hair, once an unruly black, had softened with a slight red tinge reminicent of his mother. Rather than kill him, Harry had a pretty good idea of what the woman - whos name he still didn't know he realised with a start - wanted to do with him; and her feline grace and smoking beauty had little Harry quite definate on what his decision should be. And, since his lower brain had got him in far less trouble than his upper, he decided to hell with it, and took the ladies outstretched hand. She beamed at him, lighting up her pale face, before tugging him gently towards the exit, every male including Harry thinking the same thing 'Lucky bastard'.

Her apartment was small, though well kept. Harry noted as he absently tugged off his jacket and slung it on a couch. "Into the bedroom!" The woman called, leading the way. Harry moved faster, as she disapearing into the room before stopping dead in the doorway, mouth agape. The woman grinned, pleased at his reaction. "Come on," she invited softly, lying across the bed. Harry moved as if compelled, brief thoughts of 'how the hell did she strip so quickly' running into and out of his brain, into the womans arms.

Harry was happy. It was probably the happiest he had ever been. He lay on his back, the woman whos name he still didn't know snuggled against his side, with the biggest grin on his face. He was infact somewhat worried that he would damage his jaw if his smile got any bigger - in fact he didn't think he could remove it if he tried. And why would it! He asked himself with a triumphant mental laugh. He smiled up at the celing. Sometimes in the past he wasn't sure about religion, the idea of God - any faith he did have wasn't from the Dursleys - 'good' Protestant family who sat in church piously every Sunday, though didn't seem to follow any of it's teachings. All the things that had happened in his life, his parents being killed, all the danger he had been through at school, Sirius - how could there be a God if there was all those bad things happening? And if there was a God, it was obvious that He didn't like Harry one bit. But Harry could say with absolute faith, for the first time in his life, that he was completely certain that not only was there a God, but He was very happy with Harry. Harry grinned at the celing "thanks mate," he mouthed cheerily "I always knew you were a good bloke."

As though a cue, the woman shifted in his arms, and raised herself up over him. He smiled at her "Hello." He smiled, she grinned back at his wide smile.

"Hello yourself," She laughed "You're in a good mood."

Harry shrugged modestly "Well you had a lot to do with that!" He chuckled, running a hand up her smooth side "I must thank you, that was worth seeing."

His smile faltered slightly as her grin took a mysterious edge "Oh no, that was just the prelude" She purred, straddling him. He grinned before a shiver of unease ran through him as she moved with a quickness that surprised him, holding his wrists to the bed, and moving her mouth to his neck. Harry shivered at her close contact remembering suddenly that her teeth had seemed... unusually sharp. Her tongue danced briefly against his neck before she retreated to his ear. She blew sofly, causing a brief pleasurable shiver, "I have something to show you," she whispered, her voice thick with promise. A second later, a scream rang out.