Chapter Text
Harry had been at the Dursleys getting treated like crap and as a slave when suddenly he was somewhere else with Dudley standing next to him. Dudley hadn't been so bad toward him since he'd saved him from the Dementor the summer before so Harry was actually calm enough to try and figure out what was going on.
"What's going on?" Dudley cried moving behind Harry a bit. "What magic did this?"
"I don't know but stay close." Harry ordered.
Dudley nodded rapidly. Harry knew about magic and he didn't so he was sure that he would be okay with him around despite what his parents were always telling him and what he had used to believe.
Welcome to The Game!
You have all been chosen and will be paid to take part in our Game. Everyone around the world will be watching. In this game, you can do anything you want! But be warned, there are ways of getting kicked off the show! You will be taught how to work your screens which will help you in the game. If you are kicked out of the game you will lose your screen and not be able to return unless under special circumstances.
You've all been given a remedial home to live in while you are here but you can make your home better.
HAVE FUN!
"Oh, what fresh hell is this?" Harry sighed running his fingers through his hair. "Dudley, it's telling me to pick a class so start talking."
Dudley was frowning at his own screen. He began rambling off in-depth information about each of the classes that they were offered.
Harry had an option that Dudley didn't tell him about. A look at Dudley's screen said that Dudley didn't even have the option to be that class. He shrugged and chose it.
Due to who you are and your pure heart, you have been given access to a special class. This class can do everything and anything. It's called Guardian and it is assigned by the Game itself. It is very easy to lose this class, if you do you will get a total reset of everything.
"Figures, I'd get picked for a special class that has a total reset if I offend the game." Harry scoffed.
"You offend everyone!" Dudley cried.
"Hey, I'm not that bad. I just offend the people in your world because I speak my opinions. I'm actually not that bad in my world. Can't afford to be." Harry sighed. "Okay, choose my first weapon....That's hard. I'd like magic but I also want a physical attack. Well, I can learn anything so I guess I'll just go with these Dual Blades."
"Those are cool." Dudley told his cousin. "I'm going with the Axe myself."
They were taught how to equip their starter gear and their weapons.
"That's pretty straightforward." Dudley nodded. "I also just noticed something?"
"Our homes?"
"No, you're not wearing glasses."
"Well, I can see just fine without them." Harry shrugged. "Everyone in the world is watching us, huh? Okay, Hi, my name is Harry Potter. My birthday is 31st July. I'll be 16 this year. My favorite color is Black. I'm of the Wixen race. I'm an orphan who was raised by my mother's sister and her husband. My playing style is nice, relaxed, lazy, I'll do what I want when I want. I've never played an RPG or MMO before but I've seen Dudley play tons of them."
"I'm Dudley Dursley's. My birthday is 20th June. I'm 16. My favorite color is Blue. I'm of the Human race. I live with my parents and Harry here is my cousin. My playing style? Well, I guess I don't really know yet. I'm an avid RPG gamer who recently broke into MMOs so I'm still finding myself in the MMO world."
With introductions done the two boys looked around.
Harry was frowning in concentration while Dudley sat on a rock nearby. Dudley had gotten scolded for ruining his concentration.
"Okay, I've got something." Harry finally said and pointed. "A familiar magical signature coming from that direction."
"Can you tell who?" Dudley asked walking over. They set off.
"You kidding me?" Harry sighed shaking his head. "I shouldn't even be able to feel magical signatures at my age. We don't learn until next year. I've been able to do it for a few months now but without a teacher or proper material I'm just learning as I go. Get me close enough and yeah, I could probably tell you who it is depending on if I'm close to them or not."
"Got it." Dudley nodded. "Here's hoping it's someone who will help us."
Harry gasped. He was finally in range. They'd been walking for hours or what felt like hours.
"It would have to be Snape of all people." Harry growled.
"So....you do know this person?" Dudley asked looking down the hill. "Hey, this Snape person's in trouble."
Harry let out an annoyed huff and took off running Dudley shrugged and joined him. Both drew their weapons. Harry couldn't believe that he was charging in to save Snape. He didn't even know how to weild his weapons. Luckily, he was good at fighting on instinct.
"Harry, listen, Dual Blade users are basically using daggers. They rely on speed. They strike multiple times as quickly as they can then get out of there and ready for another attack!" Dudley informed as he charged in to battle with his axe.
"That's useful and more my style." Harry smirked. He let Dudley distract the monster and went in from behind. He struck as hard as he could as many times as the game would let him then got out of their. He'd drawn it's attention making Dudley's next shot hit in the back doubling the damage. "Oh, I get it! Dudley, I've got a plan, draw it's attention away from me. It's back is it's weak point. When it turns to attack me get it!"
"Right!" Dudley agreed.
Severus sat stunned as he watched Potter and the other boy Dudley take down the creature that had been attacking him. Maybe he should have chosen a combat class. He couldn't believe that Potter had discovered the weakness so easily or that this Dudley person just went along with Potter's idea. But soon both boys were standing victorious and panting.
"We better get some good loot for that." Harry huffed. "That's how this works right?"
"Normally." Dudley agreed as they made their weapons vanish. "Yeah, here we go. Okay, there's 10 little gold pieces so five for you and five for me. Then this fur. How should we split that?"
"Keep it." Harry sighed putting the money in his money pouch. "I've already lost interest."
He watched Snape get to his feet and dust himself off.
"So let's call that a payback for one of the times you saved me, shall we?" Harry drawled.
"Very well." Snape nodded. "So you were brought here as well, Potter?"
"Yep, this is my cousin Dudley. Dud, this is one of my teachers Professor Snape. You ever need a potion? He's your guy. Best there is. Just don't ask him how teach you to brew because he's the worst teacher there is."
Harry smirked at the glare that was sent his way. He was used to it. Snape was always glaring at him.
"I'm a Potioneer." Snape finally said.
"So you can't fight." Dudley nodded. "Potioneer would have spawned in a town if this game follows normal rules. Which I'm guessing it doesn't because all players spawn in a town or at a gate. We spawned in a field."
"What is he saying?" Snape frowned at Harry.
"He's a muggle." Harry sighed. "So did you spawn in a town?"
"At a gate in a town, yes." Severus informed.
"Great, we'll see you back to town then." Harry decided. "Come on, Snape, I know you're an old man but get the lead out."
"Harry, the offending people thing." Dudley warned as they set off again.
"Oh, don't worry, Dud, this is how Snape and I get along." Harry shrugged. "It's harmless fun really."
Dudley was nervous the entire trip to Angel Falls. Harry could tell and was sure it was because he and Snape had traded insults almost the entire time. He didn't expect Dudley to understand that this was just how it worked between them. The place certainly lived up to its name. It was ideal and tranquil. He liked the place but was still wondering where his home was and when he could stop babysitting Dudley. He was sure that Dudley was more at home here than he was regardless of the fact that magic had brought them here. He was exhausted and just wanted to sleep.
"Don't be mad at me!" Dudley suddenly cried.
"What'd you do?" Harry moaned rubbing a hand over his face.
"Well, it's just that I forgot about the map function." Dudley explained. "Maybe if we check our maps we'll be able to able to find where our homes are located."
Harry was annoyed and let it show before checking his map. He was in the opposite direction. Close to where they'd come out.
"Hey, I live close to here." Dudley declared.
Harry decided to walk Dudley home to make sure nothing magical happened to him before he set off home himself. He couldn't believe it why hadn't Dudley remembered the map earlier? He wouldn't have had to come all this way. Oh well. He walked back the way they had come and found a small hut in a meadow. There was a bridge close to his home. A waterfall and lake behind it and tons of creatures all over. It was beautiful. Behind the meadow were mountains on one side, a forest on the other, a beach, and the road.
"What did I do to get such a wonderful place?" he wondered out loud. He entered his home. It wasn't much. A small living room, a kitchen/dining room area, a bedroom, and a bathroom. He didn't need much so this was okay. Even if the bed was a futon which meant that he'd be sleeping on the floor. He checked the cupboards and sure enough, he was fully stocked. He was grateful because he was starving. He was confused by some of the ingredients but managed to make something.
Cooking-1
"How dare you insult me." Harry snapped at his screen. He sat and ate his food. "I made too much. I'm used to cooking for my aunt, uncle, and Dudley. Living on my own is going to be great but it'll take some getting used to cooking-wise."
He stored the rest of the food in his Inventory and washed his dishes. He'd just finished putting them away when there was a knock on his door. He frowned. Who could that be? He answered it and was not thrilled about who was at his door.
"Er...." one of the two men facing Harry said. He cleared his throat. "We thought this was a non-player house."
"They're called NPC or Non-Player Characters according to my cousin." Harry stated. "What can I do for the Lestrange brothers today? If you're here to PK me may I ask that you don't? I've only just gotten here."
"PK?'" the older of the brothers asked. What was his name? Rodolphus? Or something like that.
"Player Killer." Harry clarified. "A Player who kills other Players."
"Oh, no we're not here for that." Rodolphus? stated. "We are looking for a town so that we can get food."
"My kitchen was fully stocked so I'm guessing the problem is the two little purebloods don't know how to cook without a house-elf." Harry scoffed. Neither answered him. "Poor. Poor. Purebloods. Don't know what to do without a house-elf to wait on them hand and foot."
"Are you finished insulting us, Potter?" Rodolphus growled.
"Brother, please." the younger brother asked and stepped in front of his brother. "What do you want for the information that we require?"
Harry sighed.
"You're lucky that I'm so nice." Harry told them. "Show me your map."
The younger brother, Rabastan?, did so and Harry quickly figured out how to mark a town or city.
"It's called Angel Falls." he informed. "Feel free to tell Snape that I sent you. Now kindly leave."
With that, he shut his door in their faces. Did they live nearby? Why were they in this game? Were other people he knew in this game? That was logical he supposed. But there had to be other players beyond the U.K. had to be playing too right? He wondered what other people were playing. He didn't want to run into Ron, Ginny, or Hermione. He was so over them. He wished Sirius could be here so that they could spend some time together but Sirius was gone. Sirius had died.
Harry had passed out on his bed and had woken early to sunrise through his window. Oh, joy that was going to be a thing. Well, he supposed that it was okay because he'd always been an early riser. He had to be. He ate some of his dinner from the night before because what was the use of cooking if you still had food left over? After washing his dishes and putting them away he went outside and headed for the waterfall and lake. It was a nice walk. He enjoyed walking in the early mornings or at night. When he could just be alone with his thoughts. He was soon resting by a lake of crystal blue water. It was the freshest most delicious water ever.
He was just enjoying his lazy time when a creature bounced onto his chest. It didn't hurt. It hardly weighed anything. It was a round jelly-like creature with some kind of core in the middle of it. It was blue. He petted it and it seemed to like him.
"You wanna relax with me, little guy?" he chuckled. "Okay, I don't mind."
So they relaxed there. Harry noticed that the Lestrange brothers were close by. Their homes were closer to the mountains, Harry could barely make them out but the brothers were standing close by. In fact, the younger brother motioned to him a few times. Harry for the most part ignored them and just relaxed. This was great. Doing nothing and being lazy. No life-threatening situations or people out to kill him. No school work and tests, no annoying so-called friends. Just peace, quiet, and the new little friend who was content to lay on his chest. In this world, every day could be like this. Eventually, he would have to find some hobby or something but for now, this was it. This was all he needed. In fact, that was true, this was exactly what he needed. He didn't have a care in the world. There was a word for this. Bliss.