Erased and Replaced

Part 28~Mind Tricks

"Harry!" Luna knelt beside Harry, helping him sit up.

"Oh great, he's awake." James sneered at Harry who gulped. No way... There was no way this man was here.

"And who exactly are you?" Draco glared at James who cackled.

"That's James," Neville announced, tightening his grip on his wand. "Morning Star's second in command. He's the one who tortured my parents!"

Elijah grabbed Neville to stop him from attacking James. Harry's mind was running. "But I thought Regulus said you died during the first war."

James laughed insanely, leaning back. "Oh, that's what everyone thinks but I turned myself into a Stag. They couldn't find me. Or at least they that's how it was until the little bat here told all the Aurors that I was an animagus. They found me. Sentenced me without a trial even! But I got out! And now, I can kill you all!"

"James," Remus called out causing James to stop and turned to him. "Shut up. Now, Elijah, why don't you hand over the prophecy?" Remus held out his hand expectantly but Elijah just scoffed.

"Never."

James smirked as he drew his wand, ready to attack Elijah but Remus stopped him yet again. "No! If the prophecy is smashed..." Taking a deep breath, he spotted and turned back to Elijah.

James scowled, turning to the other Agents of the Light. "Take the youngest girl. We'll see how committed Snape is as we torture her."

Elijah pushed Ginny into the centre of the group, surrounding her as Harry stumbled up. He took the prophecy from Elijah, standing in front of all of them. "You want this? Then back off. You try anything and I'll smash it." Harry juggled the prophecy in his hand as the Agents gasped in horror.

"You have to be kidding?"

Harry smirked as he chuckled. "Oh come now, didn't your precious lord tell you who I am? Even if I smashed this it wouldn't make a difference to me. Something tells me there is another copy of this that I can get. If this one breaks, we'll still have the information. I'll have to steal back my book, but other than that, it'll be easy." Of course, Harry left out the fact he has to travel the multiverse to do that but that's not what's important.

"Tough talk for someone who only joined this group of misfits this year."

Harry closed his eyes with an annoyed expression. "Well, that's rude. And for your information, I am a Gryffindor! I do stupid stuff all the time!" Harry smirked as he spun the prophecy in his hand. "So, how come Morning Star wants it?"

"You dare speak the Dark Lord's name?"

"Well, usually I would say Volde to piss him off but I don't know what the teasing version is here. Morny? Stary? Eh, I'm going to go with Albus. That always pissed Tom off."

"How dare you say his birth name?!" James charged forward, pointing his wand at Harry's throat.

Giving James an unimpressed expression, Harry threw up his hands in fake submission. "I hate to do this, but if this is what you're really like, then I have to agree with Snape. And I hate agreeing with Snape." Harry really hated seeing his father like this but he just had to believe this wasn't what he was like back home.

Remus and James shared a look. "You don't like Sniveilous?"

Harry let out a laugh, doubling over. "What?! Of course, I don't like that greasy dungeon bat! I am a Gryffindor! It's a mutual hate going back years! Plus, he never liked me."

Elijah felt the need to defend his dad. How dare Harry diss him after everything he did for Harry.

"You know, once, to teach him a lesson, my best friend dyed his hair pink. It was so funny to watch the dungeon bat screaming in horror!" Harry laughed as he lied easily. He could hear the others whispering behind him.

James burst out laughing from the image in his head. "You know kid, you're not that bad. Maybe you should join us."

Remus's eyes sparkled as he smiled. "Yes, yes. Just hand over the prophecy."

Harry looked at the orb before looking back at the two. "You know, I've always wanted to meet you... I spent my childhood imagining what you would be like... But... You're not the Prongs I remember! Now!"

Together, everyone fired into the shelves. The Agents covered their faces as debris fell to the ground.

"Run!" Shelves crashed down. Glass rained in sharp shards. Dust filled the air, choking the students who ran for the door. Remus launched forward, grabbing Elijah by the shoulder.

"Stupify!" Neville grabbed Elijah, pulling him away as Remus was thrown into the shelves.

Spells exploded around them as Remus growled. "Stop them!" He basically roared as he charged forward. Harry ducked under Remus's reach as he fell through the door.

Hermione slammed the door closed as she pointed her wand at it. "Colloportus!"

Elijah took heavy breaths as he glared at Harry. "What the hell was that?! Why did you run off alone?! What were you saying to that Agent?!"

Sighing, Harry rolled his eyes. "Can't we talk about this later?!" Harry looked around, Hermione, Neville and Elijah were the only ones still in here. "Where'd the rest go?"

Neville looked around in alarm. "They went the wrong way!"

Harry cursed under his breath as he ran after the others. He didn't get to them before the door was blasted off its hinges. He ducked underneath the nearest desk- Neville, Hermione and Elijah doing the same. Agents entered the room, slowly moving between the clocks and desks.

"They might have gone on to the hall," one agent announced as they walked through the hall.

James tutted. "Check under the desks."

Harry gripped onto his wand as he leapt out from under his desk. "Stupify!" The jet of right light hit the Agent right in the chest, knocking him into a wall. Hermione jumped from under her desk, running for the exit but James saw her.

"Avada-" Thankfully, he didn't get the chance to finish as Neville emerged as shot his wand from his hand. Elijah easily finished him off, throwing him to the ground.

Spinning, Harry's eyes widened from the scream that echoed off the walls. "Ron!"

Two Agents charged into the room, their wands raised as they blasted Harry, Elijah and Neville backwards. Neville flew into a desk as Elijah crashed into a bookshelf, the contents almost burying him. Harry screamed in pain as he hit the wall. Hermione dodged at the way, about to strike back when she was thrown to the side as well.

"We've got him!"

Neville pushed himself off the ground, a little dazed. "Silencio! Stupify!" The Agent fell silent as they collapsed to the ground. Elijah staggered a little as he hit the second Agent with the freezing spell. The mute Agent, snuck up, attacking Neville with a slashing movement with his wand. The purple flames rose up, burning across Neville's chest as Harry shot the Agent away.

Elijah was by Neville's side instantly, the Hufflepuff unconscious in his arms. Elijah teared up as he whispered under his breath. "Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead..." Elijah shook him insanely as Hermione rushed over.

"What'd they do to him?" Elijah shook his head, he didn't have an answer. Hermione gently reached out, trying to take Neville's wrist.

"Don't touch him!"

"Hey, it's okay. I just want to check his pulse." Hermione pushed back Neville's sleeve, feeling for any signs of a heartbeat. "He's alive, Elijah. There's a pulse."

Pulling Neville closer, Elijah let out a relieved sigh. Neville was alive!