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HARRYPOTTER
andtheTimeofGoodIntentions
(or:TheLastTemptationofHarryPotter)
B.L.PURDOM
akaBarb
(psychicserpent@yahoo.com)
2002
FirstpublishedonSchnoogle.comandontheHPPsychYahooGroup
Harry’ssixthyear
PartTwoofthePsychicSerpentTrilogy
Spoilers
ThefirstfourcanonbooksplusHarryPotterandthePsychicSerpent.
Summary
Duringhisfifthyear,TrelawneydidaTarotreadingforHarry.Shetoldhimhewould
havetomakeachoicethatcould“changetheworldasweknowit.”Atthebeginningof
hissixthyear,Harrychooses,andtheworlddoeschange.Doesitchangeforthebetter?If
hewants,canHarrychangeitback?OrisgivingHarryexactlywhathewantsVoldemort’s
ultimaterevenge?
Disclaimer
ThisstoryisbasedoncharactersandsituationscreatedandownedbyJKRowling,
variouspublishersincludingbutnotlimitedtoBloomsburyBooks,ScholasticBooksandRain-
coastBooks,andWarnerBros.,Inc.Nomoneyisbeingmadeandnocopyrightortrademark
infringementisintended.
Author’sNote
WARNING!IfyouhavenotreadHarryPotterandthePsychicSerpentthisisyour
lastchancetogetout!Thereismuchthatwillbeveryconfusingifyouhavenotreadthefirst
bookinthePsychicSerpentTrilogy.Don’tsayIdidn’twarnyou!
ItwasthroughreadingItaloCalvino’sIfOnaWinter’sNightaTravelerthatIfirstlearnedof
bookswithuncutpages.Ihighlyrecommendthisbook,plusthebeautifulInvisibleCitiesand
twoofCalvino’snovellas:TheNonexistentKnightandTheClovenViscount.
Typesetting
ThisbookhasbeentypesetusingL
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—C
HAPTER
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SowingtheSeeds
Heopenedhisbedroomdoorcautiouslyandputhisfaceagainstthesliverofspacebetweenitand
thejamb(banginghisglassesintheprocess),surveyingtheupstairshall.Therewashisaunt’sand
uncle’sbedroomdoorattheotherend,stillclosed.Hecouldhearhisuncle’ssnoringthroughit,
ratherlikeyoucanhearfireworksifyouputyourheadreallyclosetothem.
Theearlymorningsunwhisperedinthroughthesmallwindowatthetopofthestairs.His
foreshortenedviewofthewalltohisrightmeantthathewasonlyabletoseethedoorknobsforthe
twobedroomsandthebathroomthere.Helistenedforasoundthatwasn’thisuncle;otherwise
thehouseseemedtobeutterlysilent.Ofcourse,theColdStreamGuardscouldhavebeengivinga
concertinthelivingroom.Therewasnowayofknowing.
HarryPotteropenedhisbedroomdoorenoughtogothrough.Hewasdressedforrunningexcept
forthefactthathisrunningshoeshungbytheirlacesfromhislefthand.Hecreptstealthilytoward
AuntPetunia’sandUncleVernon’sroom,thenturnedlefttodescendthestairs.Sofarsogood.The
snoringhadmadeitimpossibleforhimtohearanythingelse,buthehopednowthatitwouldalso
concealanysoundhemightmake.Unfortunately,heknewthatnoamountofnoisecouldconceal
hisHarry-scent...
Damn!Harrythought,halfwaydownthestairs.Helookeddowntowherehisnewnemesisstood,
waitingforhimwithteethbared,averylowgrowlrumblingthroughhischest,smalltailtwitching
backandforthominously.
Harrynarrowedhiseyes,glaringatDunkirk.Thiswasgettingold.He’dbeenhomeforalmosta
week,andratherthanimproving,hisrelationshipwiththelittleYorkshireterrierhaddeteriorated
fromahighpointofDunkirkfailingtosinkhisteethintoHarry’shandthefirsttimehetriedtopet
him.
Gettingoutofthehousetogorunninginthemorningshadgrownprogressivelymoredifficult.
Harryhadstartedtowonderwhathisauntwasdoingwiththeoff-whitedogwhileheandhisuncle
wereattheirjobseveryday.HepicturedhergivingDunkirkphotosofhimandrewardingthe
dogwithloveandkibbleifhesucceededinthoroughlyshreddingtheimagesofHarry.Dogsare
creaturesofconditioning,heknew.Pavlovwashardlythefirsttodiscoverthis.
Heconsideredhisoptionsnow.Hecouldleapoverthebanisterandsprinttowardthekitchen
andtrytomakeitoutthebackdoorbeforeDunkirkreachedhim,orhecouldtryleapingrightover
himandboltingforthefrontdoor,ameretenfeetfromthefootofthestairs.Whattodo,whatto
do...
Finallyheputhislegoverthebanister.Thesmalldogdarteddownthehalltointercepthim,
andHarryquicklytookhislegdownagain,dashingdowntherestofthestairs,stoppingtograbthe
knobonthefrontdoor.
Butthedogwasontohimalready,turningandreachinghimtooquicklyforHarrytoescape.He
sankhisteethintoHarry’ssock,rightabovetheheel.HisteethscrapedHarry’sskin,butdidnot
getapurchaseonhisflesh.Harryliftedhisfoot,thetenaciousdogdanglingfromthesockbyhis
teeth.Heshookhisfootrepeatedly,butthedogcontinuedtocling.
“Geroff!Stupidanimal–”hegrunted,standingononefootandcontinuingtoswingDunkirk
throughtheair.Thesockwasstretchingoutofshapeandslippingoffhisfootwitheachkick.The
terrierhungon.
“Sodding–little–”Harrygaspedashecontinuedtotrytoshakethedog.Withoutwarningthe
sockfinallyslippedoffhisfootcompletely.Thedogwentflyingdownthehall,sockstillinhis
mouth.Helandedheavilyonallfourofhislittlestumpylegs,momentarilyshaken.Harrywas
breathingheavily,angerroilingthroughhim.Suddenlyhehadathought;heknewwhatmightput
offDunkirkonceandforall.
2 H
ARRY
P
OTTER
Hestaredatthedogandconcentratedonmakingthechange–andinasecond,hewasstanding
onallfoursinhisownfronthall,hismaneticklinghisback,hislongtailswishing,alowrumbling
purrvibratingthroughouthisbody.
TheYorkshireterrier’seyesgrewsolargethatHarrycouldactuallyseewhitearoundtheiredges.
Hisjawdropped,andthesockfellontothefloor.Harrygaveasoftroar,hardlyevenafractionas
loudasVernonDursley’ssnores,andthelittleanimalsuddenlygaveasoftfrightened-sounding
whimperandscuttledintothelivingroomthroughtheslightly-opendoor.Harrysawhimdisappear
beneaththeottoman,hisbuff-coloredtailstillvisibleundertheslipcover.Harrychangedbackto
hishumanform,jointsaching.Hestoodinthedoorwayofthelivingroom,lookingatthedog’s
exposedtail,whichwasshakingvigorously.Hefeltsomewhatashamedofhimselfforamoment,
scaringalittledogbyappearingtobecomealion...
ButthenDunkirkemergedfromtheottoman,and,spyingHarry,ranfulltiltathimagain,as
thoughnothinghadchanged.Harryswiftlyslammedthedoorshut.HecouldhearDunkirkonthe
otherside,franticallyscrabblingatthewood,tryingtogetitopenagain,andcontinuouslygrowling.
Harrystoppedfeelingsorryforhim.IfDunkirkwasgoingtoleavehimalone,itwasobviouslygoing
totakemorethanseeingHarrychangeintoagoldengriffinjustonce.
Harryretrievedhissockfromthefloorofthehallandstartedtoputitbackon,butitwassodden
withdogsalivaandstretchedoutofshape.Heploddeduptohisroomwiththeruinedsock,threw
itintherubbishandretrievedafreshsock.Hereturnedtothefronthallandsatdownonthe
stepstotiehisshoes,grimacing.He’dletastupidlittledog(stillheardattackingthelivingroom
door)gettohimandhe’dperformedmagicoutsideofschool.Hedidn’tthinkanyonewouldfind
out–hewasn’tevengoingtohavetoregisterasanAnimagusuntilafterhefinishedhisseventhyear
ofschool–buthestillneededtoexercisemorerestraint.IfAuntPetuniaorUncleVernonhadseen
that,hethought,therewouldhavebeenhelltopay.
Asheleft,hecouldstillhearDunkirkscratchingatthelivingroomdoor.Heshookhishead,
thenwentoutintothebrightsummermorning,pullingthecool,still-dewyairintohislungsashis
feetpoundedthepavement,runningtowardthevillage.Ithadbeenaconsciousdecisionofhisto
runadifferentroutethanhehadwithDudleyandHermione.Heusedtoturnleftuponleavingthe
house;nowheturnedright,thespireofSt.Bede’sandtheclocktowerofhisoldschoolrisingup
abovethehousesandshopsandgrowinglargerashenearedthem.He’dneverreallymindedthe
quaintvillageofLittleWhinging,justthefactthathehadtolivetherewiththeDursleys.Hedidn’t
havemuchtocompareitto,neverhavebeen–anywhere(intheMuggleworld).Inthewizarding
world,hehadn’tbeenmuchofanywhere,either,buthe’dnowbeentoanoperaandaceilidhatthe
HogsmeadetownhallandtoapartyataprivatehomeinHogsmeade.He’dalsobeentotheMinistry
ofMagicinLondon(orratherunderLondon).
Harrystartedslowingdown,thenstopped.Heputhishandonthestonegatepostsatthe
entrancetothegraveyard.Afteramoment’shesitation,heentered.HereachedDudley’sgrave
quickly.Hestoodlookingatthemoundofdirt,whichwasstillhigherthanthesurroundinggrass.
Someonehadscatteredgrassseedinthesoil,andsmallgreenshootswerestartingtoburstthrough.
Soonthestone(whichwasn’tinplaceyet)wouldbetheonlyindicationofwhereDudleyhadbeen
buried;theearthwouldbeflatagain,allofitcoveredinendlessgrass.Earthtoearth,ashesto
ashes...
HarryturnedfromDudley’sgraveandwalkedupthehillwherehenowknewhisparentswere
buried.Hekneltbytheirstoneandpulledsomeweedsfromthegrassthatblanketedthem.Shred-
dingtheweedswithhisfingers,hespreadthebitsaroundtherootsofthecallalilieshe’dplanted
oneithersideofthestone.He’dputtheplantsintwodaysbefore.Heliketheideaofcomingto
theirgraveinthemornings,justsittingpeacefully.Hewonderedwhetherheshouldtalktothem,
ortoDudley,buteventhoughhewasutterlyalone,theideaembarrassedhim.Hewasn’tatalking-
to-dead-peoplesort.Itannoyedhimwhenthiswasdoneintelevisionprogramsorfilms,largelyto
lettheaudiencehearaperson’sthoughts.Hewouldhavefeltself-consciousdoingit.
Afteralittlewhile,Harrypattedthestonefondly,thenlefttoresumehisrunning.Whenhe
returnedtothehouseonPrivetDrive,althoughhisauntandunclehadn’tseenhimturnintoa
goldengriffin,therewasstillhelltopay.Whenheopenedthedoor,heimmediatelymissedthe
peaceandquietofhisuncle’ssnoring.Hisheadpromptlystartedhurting,fromboththenoiseand
thefactthathewastryingtoprocessnothingbutsentencefragments.
“...couldhavebeenhurt,poorbaby...”
“...yourauntinhysterics...”
“...cryingandcrying...”
“...peedonmyfavoritechair...”
“...justasweetlittlebaby...”
S
OWINGTHE
S
EEDS
3
“...doorneedspaintingnow,scratchesallover...”
Harrywincedashisunclegrabbedhisearandpulledhimintothelivingroomtoseethedeep
gougesthedoghadputinthepaintontheinsideofthedoor.WhatamI,six?hethought.
“Geroff!”heyelped,escapingfromhisuncle’sgrip.“Heattackedme!Iwasjusttryingtoget
out!”Hewasmomentarilysurprisedtofindthathewastallerthanbothofthem.Whenhadthat
happened?Notthatitwashelpfulatthismoment.
HisAuntPetuniastoodinthedoorway,cuddlingDunkirkinherarmslikeababy.“He’sclaus-
trophobic!Hewasscared.Weren’tyoumylittleDunkirk...”shecooedtohim.Harryrolledhiseyes;
hisheadwasreallythrobbingnow.Ifonlytheywouldshutup!Ifonly–
“Aaaah!”hecriedinagony,pressinghishandsoneithersideofhisheadasthepainspiked.
Hiseyesweresqueezedshut;ontheinsidesofhiseyelids,hecouldseeshadowyfiguresinaglen.
Dappledshadows...agreencastoneverything...itwouldbeabeautifulsummermorninginacool,
leafyforestifitweren’tforthetorture...
Themanwrithedontheground,ontheleaves.Harrycouldn’tseehisface;hecouldseethe
wizardcastingthespell,cracklinglightconnectedhiswandwiththevictim’sbody.Thered
eyesseemedtoborerightintoHarry’s,eventhoughthatwasimpossible,hewasn’treally
there.Asthetorturecontinued,hisscarbegantofeelhot.Heknewhewasstillscreaming
becausehisthroathurt,buthefeltlikehisearswerestoppedup.Allhecouldhearwere
thesoundscomingdirectlyintohisbrainfromthatdeceptivelypleasant-lookingwood.
Thetall,thinwizardwiththeredsnake-eyesliftedhiswandatlast,breakingthespell.
Themanwho’dbeenwrithingonthegroundpantedandtriedtorise.Ittooksomeeffort.
Whenhewasfinallyonhisfeet,Harryhadaglimpseofhisface.Thenitwasasthougha
memorycharmhadbeenplaceduponhim,andasplitsecondlater,hehadnoideawhose
facehe’dseen.Iknowhim!hethought.Who–?
Butnowtheinstrumentoftorturewaspointingatthecrookoftheman’sleftelbow.
IknowhimIknowhimIknowhimIknowhim...
“MORSMORDRE!”
Harrywrinkleduphisnoseatthesmelloftheburningflesh.Itwasasthoughthewere
there.Themancriedoutinagonyasthemarkwassearedintohisarm.Thestenchfilled
Harry’snostrils.Theman’stormentedhowlingincreasedinpitchasthemarkbecamepart
ofhim.Harry’sscarwasstillthrobbing.Hemaystillhavebeenscreaming,hedidn’tknow.
Finally,themanwassilent.Hehadgonedownonhisknees,whereheremained,his
breathinglabored.Historturerputhishandonhisshoulder,almostfondly,saying,“At
last.Iacknowledgeyouasmyheir.”
“Aaaaah!”Harry’sscreamcontinued.Hecouldhearhimselfagain.Heopenedhiseyesandlooked
around.Hisscarhurt,butnotaspersistently.Hisunclewascoweringbehindhisarmchair;his
aunt,stillclutchingthewrithingdog(tryingdesperatelytoescapehergrip)hadbackedupagainst
thetableinthehall.
Harrywilledhimselftostopscreaming,butitwasdifficult.Theheir.Iknowtheheir.Hejust
didn’tknowwhoitwas.Whycan’tIremember?hewondered.Maybeitwasliketheanti-Muggle
magicthatkeptpeoplefromseeingthingsliketheLeakyCauldron.AMugglemightactuallyseeit
forasplitsecond,butthenhisorhereyeswouldglidepast,forgettingaboutit.WheredoIknow
himfrom?hewondered,tryingtoputthepiecesofthepuzzletogether.Damn!Theimagewas
slippingawayfromhimagain.
Heswallowedandlookeduncertainlyathisauntanduncle.
“S–sorryaboutshuttingDunkirkinthelivingroom.I–Ihavetogetreadyforwork...”
Hesprintedupthestairstothebathroom.Heslammedthedoorshutandleanedheavilyagainst
it,hisheartthuddinginhisears.IneedtowritetoSirius,hethoughtdesperately.Ineedtotell
him.AndIneedtoremember.Rememberrememberremember...
Heremovedhissweatyrunningclothesandsteppedintotheshower.Voldemorthashisheir
byhissidenow,hethought.Andit’ssomeoneIknow.IsitsomeoneItrust?Allheknewwas
thatitwassomeonetall,withdarkhairandparchment-coloredskin.Hell,hethought.Thatonly
describeshalfthemenandboysIknow...AtleastitletsofftheWeasleysandGilderoyLockhartand
LeeJordan...Great.Thatreallynarrowsitdown.
Whileheshowered,hethoughtofsomemorepeopleitcouldn’tbe.SeamusFinnigan,Will
Flitwick,DeanThomas,NevilleLongbottom...Thiswasgettinghimnowhere.
HeneededtosendHedwigofffortherestofthesummeranyway.Hecouldn’triskMrs.Figg
askingquestionsaboutthesnowyowl.Hehadn’tactuallystayedwithhersincehe’dfoundouthe
wasawizardonhiseleventhbirthday.AfterworkhewouldbegoingtoMrs.Figg’shouseratherthan
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