Hello there, some of you may already know me from some of my other works, namely a lot of...
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Embers (Harry Potter)
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chapter 1
Yuhabahha
Lord of Wandenreich
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Hello there, some of you may already know me from some of my other works, namely a lot of omakes, 'The quest for more Booty' (star wars) and its sequel 'one and a half booty', or maybe 'Saving remnant' (Rwby, gamer Jaune) (working on the next chapter dammit!) or my plot bunny thread (Caerbannog containment thread). {Yes it is a Monty Python joke}
To others, this might be our first meeting.
Whatever the case, I bid you all a very warm welcome. But in truth, this here story, is my 'true' first story. (at least my first after picking up my 'pen' again, so to speak, after more than a decade) And not the Booty one. I started it something like a year ago, back on Ffn. And after coming back, dusting it a bit off, and writing an update or two. Thought to myself why not cross-post, it's bound to be someone's cup of tea after all.
And so I am.
I hope you enjoy. Without further ado...
In a haze of blue flame, the goblet spat out one last name out of its bowels. Harry's chest clenched painfully as he watched its flight with trepidation filling his madly beating heart. The tiny scrap of parchment, having reached the peak of its short flight started drifting downwards, slowly, in a manner almost playful. Towards the surprised Headmaster's outstretched arm.
The proclamation of his involuntary participation in this year's death trap and the jeering gazes of his classmates, caused something inside Harry to bend and nearly crack.
'Of course, it wouldn't be any different this year, why would it.' His head spinning, he placed his palms upon the table, and ignoring his so-called Gryffindor family, stood with an angry shove against the wooden planks. Ron's accusing gaze hurt the most. Deliberately not paying any attention to the whispers and the stares he fixed his eyes forward, towards the great table and Dumbledore. Heeding the Headmaster's direction with nary a nod he started towards the small door off to the side of the hall, leading to the place the rest of the Champions had disappeared into.
Pulsing, something was pulsing within him like a second heartbeat.
Opening the door and stepping inside the modest room the noise of the great hall faded the moment he closed the door. The three senior students were conversing amongst themselves in soft tones, painting an almost cozy picture amidst the rich tapestries of Hogwarts and the hearth's glow emanating from the fireplace.
But the smell of merrily burning wood and the subsequent warmth suffusing the room refused to touch the youth, who felt as if a wide deep dark chasm separated him from his surroundings, refusing to allow the heat to cross over and to him. Leaving him alone with his dark thoughts.
Cedric, whose placement gave him the clearest view of the entrance noticed him first, pausing mid-word as he stared with a small amount of surprise. The French girl clad in delicate silver robes akin to a gently flowing river, frowned at that before turning her head to follow his gaze, seeing the Boy who Lived, and coupled with the teens vacant stare she sniffed in slight irritation coming to the wrong conclusion and spoke. "Yes, what is it little boy? Did the professors want something?"
Harry frowned at her haughty tone, "No..no, i-"
"Well, what is it then? Spit it out little boy."
As his frown started to turn into a scowl and a soft glow emanated from his eyes, Cedric interrupted.
"Peace, Fleur. Let him explain please. Well, what do they want Harry?" the brown haired Hufflepuff asked with a smile.
Taking a deep breath he replied, "The goblet, that blasted thing spat out another name. I am apparently the "fourth champion". All I wanted was one bloody normal year! Is that too much to ask?"
Krum, silent so far, the sullen eyed dark youth preferring to observe before speaking, a habit ingrained to him thanks to his experiences in Durmstrang, merely gave one solitary blink of surprise and raised a curiosity filled eyebrow towards the snarling teen.
"Err, is that right. Well. In that case, Harry this here is-" started the off-kilter Hufflepuf with a weirded-out expression but still trying to roll with the punches.
"A joke. As if the goblet would declare another champion, and one so..lacking as this..little boy."
Seeing her roll her eyes at him, Harry's own narrowed into slits, as he glared at the haughty blonde who just wouldn't stop, and things started shaking around him.
"Call me boy one more time, see what happens." He said with a wild-eyed smile.
She scoffed, "You will do what little bo-"
The beat of maddened drums within his skull came to an abrupt end, and after one agonizing moment that might have lasted an instant or an eternity, and in which the world around him seemingly froze, the thing that before had felt bent within him, cracked. Shattering into a million-billion pieces of sharp shards of stained glass. On the outside and with a wrathful yell a wave of force propagated outwards from Harry.
Blasting the rest of the champions into the corners of the room and making the very bricks groan in protest as well as shattering the furniture nearby Harry and nearly extinguishing the fireplace's flame. The tiny inferno quivering madly underneath its sudden assault by wild magic.
Fleur, was somewhat luckier than the other two, for she crushed into a couch, breaking the poor thing in half. Spluttering and coughing, she spat out the dust which had invaded her nostrils and shook her head so as to dislodge the small amounts of wooden pieces now infesting her hair. Taking a moment to regain her senses and realizing what happened, rage sparked in her heart. The ancestral blood within and the instincts accompanying it demanding penance from the uppity wizard who was even now smirking at her, obviously pleased with himself. Just like those arrogant bastards from her grandmother's tales.
Ignoring the other two groaning boys nearby, slumped against the walls, she erupted upwards with a screech and a burst of flame, almost reminiscent of a phoenix. In the process and due the heat emanating from her, ensuring that the once damaged couch was now beyond even the means of most magic to fix. After all, ashes are a little more difficult to repair compared to actual pieces of wood and cloth.
"You..how dare you!" She snarled, glaring as she did at the wizard in front of her. Who was glaring back at her with glowing eyes, wand aloft and a snarl of his own leaving his lips at her challenging tone.
Another incoherent screech left her lips at this further defiance, more reminiscent of an avian's croak rather than human speech. She slashed her wand and a fountain of flame exploded from its tip towards the teen. Further proving her worth as a champion, the young woman did not stop there. The instant she finished casting her first curse another left her lips and after a different motion that of her wand's.
Hastily, Harry cast a luminescent shield. Which the woman's spells barraged upon relentlessly, loud gongs emanating with each impact, reverberating throughout the room and causing the other two champions to utter further groans as they attempted to stand. The loud noises not helping with the ringing already present between their ears. At least, the broad-shouldered Bulgarian seemed to be made of sterner stuff and he steadied himself somewhat, even managing to send a quick healing spell, one of the few he knew, to his still green-looking compatriot still leaning against the wall on the other side of the room. Cedric, his nausea abating send a grateful nod.
"See little boy? This is but a taste of what awaits you before you earn forgiveness. Daring to call yourself a Champion? Hah! All you can do is cower behind that shield!" said Fleur before she started laughing, assured of her victory, and revenge.
"Are you done, is this it?"
"Excuzez-moi?"
"Is this the extent of your strength woman?" questioned Harry, wand held steadfast and with no sign of exhaustion upon his face despite the shield in front of him which shined like the moon from which it was inspired by, and which the girl knew was quite the draining spell to cast. Much less maintain. "You asked what will happen if you taunted me one more time. Well, let me show you. After all I make good on my promises."
His piece said an incoherent growl left the boy's lips and then he flared his magic, the pressure emanating from him causing cracks to form upon the ground all around him, making the very room tremble and dust to fall from where it had cozily rested for ages, between the bricks themselves, on the chandeliers and other such places, Fleur, wide-eyed, unconsciously took a stumbling step back with another disbelieving screech.
Harry, for his part had never felt so alive, whatever happened before, released something deep within him, something primal. The magic flowing within his veins was practically singing to him now, quite unlike the almost slugging sensation he felt whenever he had to cast a spell anytime before, it was all but begging him to use it, in fact. And so, he did.
With a taunting smirk upon his lips, he dissipated his shield, ignoring both the witch's bewildered double-take and then the victorious gleam in her eyes a moment later followed by a stab of her wand. And as her purple curse was about to strike him, he slapped it out of the air with a nearly translucent barrier of energy coating the outer portion of his forearm. Just like he did the rest that followed behind it.
The other three champions, could only stare gobsmacked, their eyes locked on to the complex piece of magic performed by Harry. Krum, for his part mentally re-evaluated his newest competitor. After all this was quite the complex bit of spell-work, one which he still had trouble with and, unsurprisingly, one that his esteemed Headmaster couldn't manage at all.
In a quick motion, and without even looking he passed his wand to his free arm, wandlessly maintaining the shield on his other arm. Leveling his wand towards her with his offhand he started casting back. Whereas Fleur's spells were like hammers landing upon an anvil, Harry's, she thought as she now cowered behind her trembling shield, counter attacking where she could. Could be likened to heavy lead cannonballs fired from a pirate ship looking to plunder her booty.
Cedric and Krum, now also stood behind shields, trying to defend against the magical backlash and the various deflected spells. For the air all around the room was now rich with wild magic, and neither of them was foolish enough to stay in such an environment without at least some kind of cover or protection.
"Harry-" Cedric tried.
But the young man, wild grin in place would not be deterred," Ah-huh-ah, Cedric old pall old chum. She wanted to see the mettle of a British wizard. And what sort of host would I be to deny a lady's desire?" he asked mockingly, never pausing in his casting. Spell after spell leaving his wand more akin to a muggle's semi-automatic rifle than a normal wizard casting their spells.
Fleur, on one knee, panting and with sweat braking across her brow and back could suffer this indignity no more! Letting out a ferocious snarl and feeding even more of her passion to her ancestral side, she felt everything starting to grow hazy, the beast inside starting to take over. But in return the potency of her spells increased and newfound strength flooded her limbs, increasing with each passing moment.
Unfortunately, Harry would not be denied. Seeing the girl starting to transform, he remembered that blasted summer tournament and one of the Quidditch's teams' mascots. He had no desire to see what an angry Veela looked like up close and personal, nor did he like to see what being a chicken in the pan felt like, courtesy of a fireball. So, he indulged the roaring in his blood, the magic within demanding it be let loose, and stopped holding back.
If his spells previously could be likened to cannonballs, then now they were like the hammer of Thor baying for the blood of a frost giant. His first spell, a variant of Bombarda that he had stumbled upon in the library sometime past, collapsed the girl's already flickering shield.
The second, knocked the wind out Fleur's lungs causing her to double over and knocking her back down. The sheer force behind it all but burning out Fleur's half-formed transformation, her roused innate magic hastily and instinctively diverting and expending itself in order to protect the young witch from the hammer of magic. Forcing her to resume her normal form as she lay there groaning and with her eyes pinched shut.
And finally with a trusty Expeliarmus, Fleur's wand left her nerveless fingers landing upon his own. With a wand in each arm and his rampant magic causing his cloak to billow, Harry looked like a warlord of old. Smirking at the defeated and once again normal looking witch. Whose eyes had snapped back open as was glaring at him from her place on the floor..
That is until.
"What is going on in here?!"
Shouted Karkaroff, as the door behind the teen slammed open and the professors entered.
Making a fist Harry looked on outwards, his ears still ringing from yesterday's ass chewing courtesy of the old farts. Still, looking upon the giant squid playing with some sort of tentacled creature from the depths, the mean-spirited thing trying and failing to outdo the gentle leviathan, a laugh bubbled out from Harry's chest.
He found that he didn't particularly care for the professors' opinions. Grinning, and with the wind caressing his face he aimed his wand at one of the creature's friends, who was seemingly seeking to escape, now that the squid's attention was on its compatriot. Freezing it in place and then throwing it at one of the many eager tentacles he grinned before his gaze hardened.
Once and twice was coincidence and all that. Enough was enough. Harry would survive this, no. He wouldn't just survive. Everyone thought he was a glory seeking prat? Well fuck them. He would win this.
Now a bit of warning.
I'm making no promises as to characters not being Oc and stuff. After all, while this here tale is one which I've outlined, (somewhat) I found over this past year that I quite enjoy flying by the seat of my pants.
To others, this might be our first meeting.
Whatever the case, I bid you all a very warm welcome. But in truth, this here story, is my 'true' first story. (at least my first after picking up my 'pen' again, so to speak, after more than a decade) And not the Booty one. I started it something like a year ago, back on Ffn. And after coming back, dusting it a bit off, and writing an update or two. Thought to myself why not cross-post, it's bound to be someone's cup of tea after all.
And so I am.
I hope you enjoy. Without further ado...
In a haze of blue flame, the goblet spat out one last name out of its bowels. Harry's chest clenched painfully as he watched its flight with trepidation filling his madly beating heart. The tiny scrap of parchment, having reached the peak of its short flight started drifting downwards, slowly, in a manner almost playful. Towards the surprised Headmaster's outstretched arm.
The proclamation of his involuntary participation in this year's death trap and the jeering gazes of his classmates, caused something inside Harry to bend and nearly crack.
'Of course, it wouldn't be any different this year, why would it.' His head spinning, he placed his palms upon the table, and ignoring his so-called Gryffindor family, stood with an angry shove against the wooden planks. Ron's accusing gaze hurt the most. Deliberately not paying any attention to the whispers and the stares he fixed his eyes forward, towards the great table and Dumbledore. Heeding the Headmaster's direction with nary a nod he started towards the small door off to the side of the hall, leading to the place the rest of the Champions had disappeared into.
Pulsing, something was pulsing within him like a second heartbeat.
Opening the door and stepping inside the modest room the noise of the great hall faded the moment he closed the door. The three senior students were conversing amongst themselves in soft tones, painting an almost cozy picture amidst the rich tapestries of Hogwarts and the hearth's glow emanating from the fireplace.
But the smell of merrily burning wood and the subsequent warmth suffusing the room refused to touch the youth, who felt as if a wide deep dark chasm separated him from his surroundings, refusing to allow the heat to cross over and to him. Leaving him alone with his dark thoughts.
Cedric, whose placement gave him the clearest view of the entrance noticed him first, pausing mid-word as he stared with a small amount of surprise. The French girl clad in delicate silver robes akin to a gently flowing river, frowned at that before turning her head to follow his gaze, seeing the Boy who Lived, and coupled with the teens vacant stare she sniffed in slight irritation coming to the wrong conclusion and spoke. "Yes, what is it little boy? Did the professors want something?"
Harry frowned at her haughty tone, "No..no, i-"
"Well, what is it then? Spit it out little boy."
As his frown started to turn into a scowl and a soft glow emanated from his eyes, Cedric interrupted.
"Peace, Fleur. Let him explain please. Well, what do they want Harry?" the brown haired Hufflepuff asked with a smile.
Taking a deep breath he replied, "The goblet, that blasted thing spat out another name. I am apparently the "fourth champion". All I wanted was one bloody normal year! Is that too much to ask?"
Krum, silent so far, the sullen eyed dark youth preferring to observe before speaking, a habit ingrained to him thanks to his experiences in Durmstrang, merely gave one solitary blink of surprise and raised a curiosity filled eyebrow towards the snarling teen.
"Err, is that right. Well. In that case, Harry this here is-" started the off-kilter Hufflepuf with a weirded-out expression but still trying to roll with the punches.
"A joke. As if the goblet would declare another champion, and one so..lacking as this..little boy."
Seeing her roll her eyes at him, Harry's own narrowed into slits, as he glared at the haughty blonde who just wouldn't stop, and things started shaking around him.
"Call me boy one more time, see what happens." He said with a wild-eyed smile.
She scoffed, "You will do what little bo-"
The beat of maddened drums within his skull came to an abrupt end, and after one agonizing moment that might have lasted an instant or an eternity, and in which the world around him seemingly froze, the thing that before had felt bent within him, cracked. Shattering into a million-billion pieces of sharp shards of stained glass. On the outside and with a wrathful yell a wave of force propagated outwards from Harry.
Blasting the rest of the champions into the corners of the room and making the very bricks groan in protest as well as shattering the furniture nearby Harry and nearly extinguishing the fireplace's flame. The tiny inferno quivering madly underneath its sudden assault by wild magic.
Fleur, was somewhat luckier than the other two, for she crushed into a couch, breaking the poor thing in half. Spluttering and coughing, she spat out the dust which had invaded her nostrils and shook her head so as to dislodge the small amounts of wooden pieces now infesting her hair. Taking a moment to regain her senses and realizing what happened, rage sparked in her heart. The ancestral blood within and the instincts accompanying it demanding penance from the uppity wizard who was even now smirking at her, obviously pleased with himself. Just like those arrogant bastards from her grandmother's tales.
Ignoring the other two groaning boys nearby, slumped against the walls, she erupted upwards with a screech and a burst of flame, almost reminiscent of a phoenix. In the process and due the heat emanating from her, ensuring that the once damaged couch was now beyond even the means of most magic to fix. After all, ashes are a little more difficult to repair compared to actual pieces of wood and cloth.
"You..how dare you!" She snarled, glaring as she did at the wizard in front of her. Who was glaring back at her with glowing eyes, wand aloft and a snarl of his own leaving his lips at her challenging tone.
Another incoherent screech left her lips at this further defiance, more reminiscent of an avian's croak rather than human speech. She slashed her wand and a fountain of flame exploded from its tip towards the teen. Further proving her worth as a champion, the young woman did not stop there. The instant she finished casting her first curse another left her lips and after a different motion that of her wand's.
Hastily, Harry cast a luminescent shield. Which the woman's spells barraged upon relentlessly, loud gongs emanating with each impact, reverberating throughout the room and causing the other two champions to utter further groans as they attempted to stand. The loud noises not helping with the ringing already present between their ears. At least, the broad-shouldered Bulgarian seemed to be made of sterner stuff and he steadied himself somewhat, even managing to send a quick healing spell, one of the few he knew, to his still green-looking compatriot still leaning against the wall on the other side of the room. Cedric, his nausea abating send a grateful nod.
"See little boy? This is but a taste of what awaits you before you earn forgiveness. Daring to call yourself a Champion? Hah! All you can do is cower behind that shield!" said Fleur before she started laughing, assured of her victory, and revenge.
"Are you done, is this it?"
"Excuzez-moi?"
"Is this the extent of your strength woman?" questioned Harry, wand held steadfast and with no sign of exhaustion upon his face despite the shield in front of him which shined like the moon from which it was inspired by, and which the girl knew was quite the draining spell to cast. Much less maintain. "You asked what will happen if you taunted me one more time. Well, let me show you. After all I make good on my promises."
His piece said an incoherent growl left the boy's lips and then he flared his magic, the pressure emanating from him causing cracks to form upon the ground all around him, making the very room tremble and dust to fall from where it had cozily rested for ages, between the bricks themselves, on the chandeliers and other such places, Fleur, wide-eyed, unconsciously took a stumbling step back with another disbelieving screech.
Harry, for his part had never felt so alive, whatever happened before, released something deep within him, something primal. The magic flowing within his veins was practically singing to him now, quite unlike the almost slugging sensation he felt whenever he had to cast a spell anytime before, it was all but begging him to use it, in fact. And so, he did.
With a taunting smirk upon his lips, he dissipated his shield, ignoring both the witch's bewildered double-take and then the victorious gleam in her eyes a moment later followed by a stab of her wand. And as her purple curse was about to strike him, he slapped it out of the air with a nearly translucent barrier of energy coating the outer portion of his forearm. Just like he did the rest that followed behind it.
The other three champions, could only stare gobsmacked, their eyes locked on to the complex piece of magic performed by Harry. Krum, for his part mentally re-evaluated his newest competitor. After all this was quite the complex bit of spell-work, one which he still had trouble with and, unsurprisingly, one that his esteemed Headmaster couldn't manage at all.
In a quick motion, and without even looking he passed his wand to his free arm, wandlessly maintaining the shield on his other arm. Leveling his wand towards her with his offhand he started casting back. Whereas Fleur's spells were like hammers landing upon an anvil, Harry's, she thought as she now cowered behind her trembling shield, counter attacking where she could. Could be likened to heavy lead cannonballs fired from a pirate ship looking to plunder her booty.
Cedric and Krum, now also stood behind shields, trying to defend against the magical backlash and the various deflected spells. For the air all around the room was now rich with wild magic, and neither of them was foolish enough to stay in such an environment without at least some kind of cover or protection.
"Harry-" Cedric tried.
But the young man, wild grin in place would not be deterred," Ah-huh-ah, Cedric old pall old chum. She wanted to see the mettle of a British wizard. And what sort of host would I be to deny a lady's desire?" he asked mockingly, never pausing in his casting. Spell after spell leaving his wand more akin to a muggle's semi-automatic rifle than a normal wizard casting their spells.
Fleur, on one knee, panting and with sweat braking across her brow and back could suffer this indignity no more! Letting out a ferocious snarl and feeding even more of her passion to her ancestral side, she felt everything starting to grow hazy, the beast inside starting to take over. But in return the potency of her spells increased and newfound strength flooded her limbs, increasing with each passing moment.
Unfortunately, Harry would not be denied. Seeing the girl starting to transform, he remembered that blasted summer tournament and one of the Quidditch's teams' mascots. He had no desire to see what an angry Veela looked like up close and personal, nor did he like to see what being a chicken in the pan felt like, courtesy of a fireball. So, he indulged the roaring in his blood, the magic within demanding it be let loose, and stopped holding back.
If his spells previously could be likened to cannonballs, then now they were like the hammer of Thor baying for the blood of a frost giant. His first spell, a variant of Bombarda that he had stumbled upon in the library sometime past, collapsed the girl's already flickering shield.
The second, knocked the wind out Fleur's lungs causing her to double over and knocking her back down. The sheer force behind it all but burning out Fleur's half-formed transformation, her roused innate magic hastily and instinctively diverting and expending itself in order to protect the young witch from the hammer of magic. Forcing her to resume her normal form as she lay there groaning and with her eyes pinched shut.
And finally with a trusty Expeliarmus, Fleur's wand left her nerveless fingers landing upon his own. With a wand in each arm and his rampant magic causing his cloak to billow, Harry looked like a warlord of old. Smirking at the defeated and once again normal looking witch. Whose eyes had snapped back open as was glaring at him from her place on the floor..
That is until.
"What is going on in here?!"
Shouted Karkaroff, as the door behind the teen slammed open and the professors entered.
Making a fist Harry looked on outwards, his ears still ringing from yesterday's ass chewing courtesy of the old farts. Still, looking upon the giant squid playing with some sort of tentacled creature from the depths, the mean-spirited thing trying and failing to outdo the gentle leviathan, a laugh bubbled out from Harry's chest.
He found that he didn't particularly care for the professors' opinions. Grinning, and with the wind caressing his face he aimed his wand at one of the creature's friends, who was seemingly seeking to escape, now that the squid's attention was on its compatriot. Freezing it in place and then throwing it at one of the many eager tentacles he grinned before his gaze hardened.
Once and twice was coincidence and all that. Enough was enough. Harry would survive this, no. He wouldn't just survive. Everyone thought he was a glory seeking prat? Well fuck them. He would win this.
Now a bit of warning.
I'm making no promises as to characters not being Oc and stuff. After all, while this here tale is one which I've outlined, (somewhat) I found over this past year that I quite enjoy flying by the seat of my pants.
CreepyUncleLuke
Superior Shut-In
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Is this meant to be in NSFW?
chapter 2
Yuhabahha
Lord of Wandenreich
- Joined
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- 88,031
With the sun's rays kissing his back, he stepped past the castle gates, their decorations just as pristine and majestic as the first time he saw them a couple years back, and into the castle proper. Whistling a jaunty tune as he did, some half-remembered melody from one summer's eve when the Dursleys were asleep and he had the TV all to himself for a few blissful hours.
Reaching the moving stairs and starting his climb, Harry couldn't help but let out a dry chuckle, Hermione's incessant nagging and basically being a walking encyclopedia, pertaining matters magical and not, had resulted in something positive for once.
"Blimey, its-"
"It's Potter!"
Snorting, Harry gave the awestruck firsties a cheeky wave before stepping past them and away from the already moving staircase.
"Oh no! Come on Sam, we're going to be late for transfiguration!" The teen snorted at the now panicking youths who were racing towards their class, robes billowing… in the wrong direction! Shaking his head, an amused smile on his face he continued his aimless wandering within the castle's halls. Gryffindor's dorm a couple floors higher still.
But back to the point, the fuzzy haired witch had proved useful. According to the girl, a champion was under no obligation to go to their classes, among other things. Encouraged, yes. Obligated? No. Preparations for the deadly tournament he now found himself in took precedence after all.
She had discovered this interesting little factoid in one her searches, in her attempt to discourage most anyone, but particularly Harry and Ron, from entering their names into that blasted goblet. She had researched the Triwizard tournament's laws utterly and thoroughly. And then shared all of those facts with anyone standing nearby her and looking unoccupied. Much to their chagrin. Needless to say, these days many of his house-mates seemed traumatized at the mere mention of her name for some mysterious reason.
Admittedly Harry was in no rush to emulate the redhead's worst habits, he had actual goals for his life you see. So, he would attend from time to time. But still, not having to rush each day from classroom to classroom and being able to sit down and think, but more importantly practice his magic for once? Yeah, he could get used to this. Plus, no Snape for a year! Who could say no to that? Not him at any rate.
Coming upon a fork in the corridors, he took a moment to admire the view from the window outside while pondering which path to choose. Loud voices coming from his left made the choice for him. His curiosity pinged.
Following the path for a few moments, he arrived at the source of the noises, an abandoned classroom. Gently opening the decrepit door —the world's premiere magic school, huh!— he peered in, a most peculiar sight greeting his eyes.
"Hey Loony. What's this then eh?" asked a redheaded girl, holding some weird item above the collapsed and silent blonde girl's head. Waving it in a taunting manner, and making silly noises as she did so.
From the gathered crowd another spoke up. "We don't like this you understand, but apparently you still haven't learned your lesson, and keep sprouting crap about-"
"Yeah, Loony Luna is still Loony!" said another girl. Causing the gathered group to laugh once more.
As the boy who spoke before leaned towards the apparently named Luna, in an effort to steal another of her item— was that food? Harry stepped away from the door and into the room proper and cast. Hey, who was he to waste an opportunity so graciously provided by the idiots in front of him. After all, as his newest defense professor liked to say, constant vigilance! Their stupidity was his gain.
Besides, this was a somewhat tricky spell, if he was being honest. But the oblivious fools in front of him had given him plenty of time to stabilize it. The results were as immediate as they were obvious. In a manner similar to his unconscious stunt back in the selection room yesterday, but with the tiny blonde as its center instead of him, each member of the group of pricks exploded backwards and away from the sitting girl, landing in a tangle of limbs and shouts of protests a short distance away, leaving the girl in the center of the spherical blast unharmed.
Said girl merely blinked before turning her head and gazing at him with large innocent eyes.
"You didn't have to help, usually they stop after a while." She said breaking her silence, as she motioned towards the groaning gaggle of bullies laying on the stone floor a few feet away from her.
"I had to. Ms.."
"Luna, I am Luna Lovegood."
Harry was surprised, for once his mind instantly making the connection, now that he was paying attention. "Oh, you are that friend Ginny talks about sometimes." He said and a small smile blossomed upon the girl's lips.
"She does? I hop-"
"Potter!"
The pair turned their heads and looked at the speaker, it was the same boy from before. Having managed to rise to one shaking knee while they were talking. Not all within his group had managed the same.
"Why did you interfere, this doesn't concern you," He spat, glaring as he did at the scowling champion. "This is house business you are interfering with. Get lost you bloody lion."
"Yeah!"
"You tell him Steve!"
"Hogwarts has three Champions!"
Harry closed his eyes, their unrepentant behavior and their words brought to mind some difficult memories from his youth. This group of so called Ravenclaws. Were nothing more than a bunch of hyenas, cowering and blustering before a teacher, or in this case a lion until it was bored enough to leave, so that they could then return to their hunt. Just like his cousin and his friends.
"Listen, and listen well." Said the boy who lived. "For I will only say this once."
An unseen pressure smashed into the hyena pack in front of him. Making them feel like a predator was right behind them and breathing down their necks, causing the group to break into cold sweats and freezing them in their spots. But for Harry the important thing was that they shut up.
"This stops. Now. If I ever hear a whiff of something like this happening to her again, or anyone for that matter. Well.." He gazed into each of the gathered Ravenclaws, pale and shivering they looked back. "I will remember your faces."
While Steve now seemed properly cowed the same couldn't be said for the redhead who was still holding onto one of Luna's..radishes? Seriously, what was up with that. "Yeah? And what if we don't, what then Potter. We'll just report you to Flitwick, enjoy having detention for the rest of the year."
Her words seemed to be somewhat effective in bolstering the group's spirit, judging by the fact that some of them were now sporting nasty grins. No doubt, intending to do just that regardless of if he backed down or not.
Harry rolled his eyes.
"Are you daft or just deaf you silly sow? I am a Champion. The normal rules don't apply to me, I'd expect the house priding itself on its cleverness to know all about the tournament and its rules." Smirking he spread his arms wide. "And if you do report me, or harass anyone again. Well, you did hear what I did to the French bird yesterday right? I am not in detention, am I?" He questioned with an arrogant smirk, doing his best to intentionally copy the expression often found on the blond Slytherin git's face. He gagged inside his head and promised to shower after this. "And really, is it such a good idea to draw the attention of a.. 'Crazed glory-hound illegally enters tournament, viciously attacks classmates'? " He said referring to this morning's front page in the Prophet.
His words seemed to do the trick, for after a moment spent thinking…
"Bollocks!" she said, palling
"Yes." said Harry with a nod. "Run along now, don't you have classes to go to? Scrum!" he said with an imperious gaze. He fancied that it was a 7 on the Snape scale. It was a 4 at best.
"Oh, and give back the foo…err the items"
Glaring, they still did as told. Vacating the room's premises with haste and all but throwing the girl's stuff back at her.
Taking a few moments more, so as to be certain they had left. Harry reined back in on his strength. If nothing else, this new trick he had discovered yesterday had proved useful once more. Even if he wasn't quite certain as to what exactly it was he was doing. But that was a problem for another time, and future Harry! He approached the still seated girl and offered a hand.
The tiny blonde merely looked owlishly at him for a moment, before her delicate fingers wrapped around his and Harry pulled her upwards with a gentle tug. Letting out a soft hum, she cocked her head and continued to stare..And stare.
Unused to such situations Harry blurted out the first thing that came to mind while looking anywhere else but her inquisitive face. "If they try to harm you again let me know alright?"
She just nodded her staring not letting up, "Very well I will, but you didn't have to get involved Harry."
He snorted, "No, I very much did. Still, it was nice meeting you and all Luna but I have places to be."
Turning he headed for the door, intending on retracing his steps towards the fork, maybe he would have better luck with the other path this time.
"Thank you, Harry." Said the girl with a soft tone and a small smile. Causing the teen to momentarily stumble and his cheeks to flush as he was pushing the door open. The curious girl still having not moved from her spot near the room's center.
"Odd, but nonetheless a good girl." He muttered to himself as he resumed his exploration for some time. Before growing tired of the aimless wandering and starting the return trip towards Gryffindor tower.
Mere moments after he stepped inside the lion's common room, Harry was blindsided by a fiery redhead. Said wizard having taken a moment to admire the tapestries hung on the walls, hewn in red and gold as they swayed with the wind. It would seem that someone had forgotten the windows open again.
"Harry, may I have a moment?"
"Huh?" Almost jumping in surprise, he turned and looked at the redhead proper. "Ginny? Sure, what about." He said, dreading inside him that this was about to become a repeat of last night and his inquisition at the hands of many of his classmates over his method of entry in the tournament. "Maybe somewhere a little bit less crowded?" he asked, giving a meaningful nod to the many curious heads around them.
It was Ginny's turn to be startled, biting her lip in thought and narrowing her eyes slightly she nodded. "Sure Harry, follow me." She said, and before the boy had a chance to respond, weaved her fingers with his, and started pulling him up the stairs towards the girls' dorms and into the third years room, currently empty sans them.
Letting go of his hand the moment they entered the girl headed towards her bed, and after a moment of straightening her skirt took a seat. Motioning as she did, for Harry to use a nearby empty bunk in a similar fashion.
"Marie won't mind Harry." She said with a snort at his momentary hesitance. "First of all, I wanted to apologize, for what's it's worth I believe you. Some of my brothers might have doubts but.." she closed her eyes, exhaling and pinching her nose with one hand. "-But, Ron's special brand of idiocy is unacceptable."
Harry felt something warm inside his chest at the girl's word and the intense stare with which she was attempting to convey her intent.
"I'm..glad Ginny. Flattered even, but I have to ask, was this all you wanted?"
She snorted, "What, unless Voldemort is invading or Merlin forbid Snape serenades his love for you it ain't important?" Both shuddered at that last one, before the girl withdrew her wand from her robes. "I could give you my special if it would make you feel better?"
He waved his hands against the redhead's mock threat, "Peace, Ginny. Peace. I will pass on the Boogie-hex special today, thanks." He said with a deadpan.
Ginny, stared stonefaced before her facade cracked and she started giggling a moment later with Harry joining her, before reaching over and swatting him playfully on the arm.
"Prat." She said with a roll of her eyes. "I've seen how stressed you were those last few days, or heavens when you came into the common room. Take a moment to relax, will you?"
At the reminder, and willfully ignoring the rest of her comment Harry winced, "ahh..about that, I met a friend of yours today.."
Harry proceeded to share the details of his encounter in the corridors, by the end of his tale the redhead was a glowering maelstrom of fury. Causing the young wizard to almost perform a tactical retreat out of the room in the face of this redheaded demon.
After a few moments Ginny relaxed and gave a tired exhaled, "Right, what's done is done. My thanks Harry, also please do point out those who were there when you get the chance. But enough of that." She said with finality and switched to a lighter topic.
Slowly, the mood lightened once more and it was no longer the boy who lived and the sufferer of Voldemort's shade inside the room, but just two friends enjoying each other's company.
Sometime later, having exchanged gossip, rumors and other curio Harry started pushing against the soft mattress he was sitting on.
"Right, thanks for this Ginny but I think it's about time I head to my own room." He said with a laugh. "I feel kinda sleepy, and unless you want your roommates to find a surprise guest..."he shrugged.
Ginny rolled her eyes with a snort and shooed him out with her palm, "Yeah, no. Off you go, and remember don't listen to what my idiot of a brother says. He doesn't mean most of it, he is just in one of his moods and being a jealous prat. As usual."
He just nodded at her and with one last wave, made his way out and down the stairs. Before ascending those leading to the boys dorm, and crushing into his bed mere moments after stepping inside the fourth years dorm.
Waking up some time later he sat up on his bed, blinking with confusion as his mind took a few moments to process the weirdness of it all. After all siestas were not something he could partake in before, what with the hectic schedule of Hogwarts and all.
Opening his beds curtains and donning his clothes, he made his way out and into the common room.
"Oi! Lookie here, its Lord Potter!" shouted a voice with faux surprise the moment he stepped off the stairs. "His holiness has graced us with his presence!"
Turning, his eyes fell upon Ron. Who was sitting smugly in the middle of one of the couches, with many of his housemates nearby. Causing said people to turn at the redhead's excited yell.
Harry just gave a thin smile in response. He wasn't in the mood for this again, "You know what Ron, I've already said my piece. And you keep being an idiot." Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I am not gonna keep bashing my head against a wall."
Ron face resembled an angry tomato as he leaned forward from his seat, "Oh yeah? Well Harry you are just proving my point, thinking you are somehow so much better than all of us all of a sudden. It's enough that you were enough of a pillock to not share your method for the goblet, but why weren't you at Flitwick's class this morning, or Potions for that matter huh?"
Harry felt torn between facepalming and laughing.
"Ron-Ron-Ron.."he said shaking his head. "It has all to do with this wonderful, unwanted Championship you keep pestering me about."
The amassed Gryffindors within the room were watching this conversation as if it was the Quidditch match of the century, their own discussions temporarily forgotten.
"How did she put it, ahem." He cleared his throat in a pompous fashion. "According to Hermione, 'It is the given Champion's prerogative whether or not they attend classes, detentions or any other such thing which might interfere with his or her performance in the tournament.' You were there when she was talking our ears off weren't you, Roniekins?" he asked with a taunting smirk.
His ears burning both at the hated nickname and the dig regarding his well-known laziness, Ron looked like he wanted to retort but as small titters of laughter filled the room, he remained silent and leaned back with scowl a moment later, turning his head with a 'tsk'.
"Harry.." tried the bookworm.
"Ah-huh. None of that Hermione," he replied, ignoring the girl's pleading tone. "Did you change your decision from yesterday?"
The girl lowered her eyes before raising the book she was holding so as to hide her face, trying her best to sink deeper into the sofa near the fireplace.
He rolled his eyes, "I thought not. Well, this has been fun and all but I have things to do. Championy things. Taly-ho" he said and started heading towards the Fat Lady's portrait, pointedly ignoring both of his traitorous friends.
As the portrait was swinging back down, he glanced backwards, moments before the entrance was shut he caught sight of a peeved Ginny marching towards Ron's rapidly paling direction with her wand in hand.
The easygoing smile on his face faded only to be replaced with a grim line, Harry shrugged to himself once more. Well Ron deserved it in his own modest opinion. Putting thoughts of his supposed friends aside Harry started on the path towards the owlery. He had a letter to write.
Arriving at the owlery some time latter he was greeted by a veritable barrage of hoots. It seems the owlery's residents were in a fine mood today.
Making his way inside and avoiding the many excited and eager owls, who seeing a human enter did their best to get some scratches and attention. And maybe some treats as well.
"Easy there, haha yes you are gorgeous but I have to talk to my friend here see?" He said attempting to placate a particularly friendly owl that just wouldn't take no for an answer. That is until an angry hoot from nearby caused it to flee as if in terror.
Snorting, Harry made his way towards the source of the noise. There sitting on her perch, Hedwig was glaring imperiously at any nearby owl who even as much as dared to look at her wizard.
"Hello luv, did you miss me?" He asked his second friend, whom he met thanks to his first. The kind hearted grounds-keeper. Before giving her a scratch at her favorite spot, just below the beak, earning him a pleased hoot.
"I've missed you too Hedwig, " he said at her soft cooing, before he reached inside his robes, pulling a strip of beacon. The owl's eyes narrowed into pinpricks as they zeroed in on the culinary delight. Harry flicked the piece towards the eager bird.
As his friend was scarfing down the treat, he kept petting her back, "I've got a letter for you if are up for it dear."
The owl stopped her chewing momentarily, giving her wizard a glare, as if offended.
"haha, I thought so. It's another special delivery Hedwig."
Catching her owner's meaning, the bird swallowed the last bit and gave an understanding nod.
Nodding back, Harry rolled out a parchment, heading towards a nearby table he took a seat and started writing his missive. Hedwig, seated atop her perch was watching her wizard curiously as his face cycled through expressions, one after another. Followed by cursing as he erased words here and there.
The owl cocked her head sideways, wizards were so silly in the owl's, not so humble, opinion. Maybe the boy was afflicted with that strange disease all teenage witches and wizards fell victim to before time cured it and they made hatchlings? Hedwig gave a proud hoot at her deduction, pleased that soon she might have little ones to fret over!
"And this should..do it!" Declared Harry with pride, finishing the letter and holding it up in the air like a spear. The owls around him kept hooting indifferent to the wizard, causing his cheeks to acquire a dusting of red. After a moment of feeling like a proper idiot, the teen lowered his arm and rolled up the parchment, grabbing the nearby stamp emblazoned with the Hogwarts logo he applied the wax seal and pushed his chair backwards with a loud scraping noise as he stood, causing another excited flutter to erupt from the avians around him as headed back to the snowy white bird.
Said owl was already waiting with her leg extended, waiting for Harry to tie the letter, her royal air not having dissipated in the slightest.
Harry just shook his head with a chuckle as he did so, "There, safe flights your highness" He said with a jesting bow.
Hedwig just gave another hoot before with a flutter of wings she landed on his shoulder, giving him a soft nip on his cheek as farewell and then lifting off again, disappearing outside one of the owlery's many windows moments later.
Letter sent; Harry watched as the sky's twilight hues slowly shifted to a darkening gray. Mind made up he started making his way back down and into the castle proper. While it was still quite a bit until curfew, and with his Champion status making it so that it didn't really..apply to him, Harry still headed towards the lion's tower. It would be a hassle non the less and besides, he had research to do tomorrow. He would..
Harry shuddered, he would have to emulate Hermione and visit the library. Willingly. Merlin damn it.
Apologies if some paragraph doesn't 'break' as intended, copying from 'Word', after a very long time seemed to mash the words together and i had to manually untangle them after pasting...
Reaching the moving stairs and starting his climb, Harry couldn't help but let out a dry chuckle, Hermione's incessant nagging and basically being a walking encyclopedia, pertaining matters magical and not, had resulted in something positive for once.
"Blimey, its-"
"It's Potter!"
Snorting, Harry gave the awestruck firsties a cheeky wave before stepping past them and away from the already moving staircase.
"Oh no! Come on Sam, we're going to be late for transfiguration!" The teen snorted at the now panicking youths who were racing towards their class, robes billowing… in the wrong direction! Shaking his head, an amused smile on his face he continued his aimless wandering within the castle's halls. Gryffindor's dorm a couple floors higher still.
But back to the point, the fuzzy haired witch had proved useful. According to the girl, a champion was under no obligation to go to their classes, among other things. Encouraged, yes. Obligated? No. Preparations for the deadly tournament he now found himself in took precedence after all.
She had discovered this interesting little factoid in one her searches, in her attempt to discourage most anyone, but particularly Harry and Ron, from entering their names into that blasted goblet. She had researched the Triwizard tournament's laws utterly and thoroughly. And then shared all of those facts with anyone standing nearby her and looking unoccupied. Much to their chagrin. Needless to say, these days many of his house-mates seemed traumatized at the mere mention of her name for some mysterious reason.
Admittedly Harry was in no rush to emulate the redhead's worst habits, he had actual goals for his life you see. So, he would attend from time to time. But still, not having to rush each day from classroom to classroom and being able to sit down and think, but more importantly practice his magic for once? Yeah, he could get used to this. Plus, no Snape for a year! Who could say no to that? Not him at any rate.
Coming upon a fork in the corridors, he took a moment to admire the view from the window outside while pondering which path to choose. Loud voices coming from his left made the choice for him. His curiosity pinged.
Following the path for a few moments, he arrived at the source of the noises, an abandoned classroom. Gently opening the decrepit door —the world's premiere magic school, huh!— he peered in, a most peculiar sight greeting his eyes.
"Hey Loony. What's this then eh?" asked a redheaded girl, holding some weird item above the collapsed and silent blonde girl's head. Waving it in a taunting manner, and making silly noises as she did so.
From the gathered crowd another spoke up. "We don't like this you understand, but apparently you still haven't learned your lesson, and keep sprouting crap about-"
"Yeah, Loony Luna is still Loony!" said another girl. Causing the gathered group to laugh once more.
As the boy who spoke before leaned towards the apparently named Luna, in an effort to steal another of her item— was that food? Harry stepped away from the door and into the room proper and cast. Hey, who was he to waste an opportunity so graciously provided by the idiots in front of him. After all, as his newest defense professor liked to say, constant vigilance! Their stupidity was his gain.
Besides, this was a somewhat tricky spell, if he was being honest. But the oblivious fools in front of him had given him plenty of time to stabilize it. The results were as immediate as they were obvious. In a manner similar to his unconscious stunt back in the selection room yesterday, but with the tiny blonde as its center instead of him, each member of the group of pricks exploded backwards and away from the sitting girl, landing in a tangle of limbs and shouts of protests a short distance away, leaving the girl in the center of the spherical blast unharmed.
Said girl merely blinked before turning her head and gazing at him with large innocent eyes.
"You didn't have to help, usually they stop after a while." She said breaking her silence, as she motioned towards the groaning gaggle of bullies laying on the stone floor a few feet away from her.
"I had to. Ms.."
"Luna, I am Luna Lovegood."
Harry was surprised, for once his mind instantly making the connection, now that he was paying attention. "Oh, you are that friend Ginny talks about sometimes." He said and a small smile blossomed upon the girl's lips.
"She does? I hop-"
"Potter!"
The pair turned their heads and looked at the speaker, it was the same boy from before. Having managed to rise to one shaking knee while they were talking. Not all within his group had managed the same.
"Why did you interfere, this doesn't concern you," He spat, glaring as he did at the scowling champion. "This is house business you are interfering with. Get lost you bloody lion."
"Yeah!"
"You tell him Steve!"
"Hogwarts has three Champions!"
Harry closed his eyes, their unrepentant behavior and their words brought to mind some difficult memories from his youth. This group of so called Ravenclaws. Were nothing more than a bunch of hyenas, cowering and blustering before a teacher, or in this case a lion until it was bored enough to leave, so that they could then return to their hunt. Just like his cousin and his friends.
"Listen, and listen well." Said the boy who lived. "For I will only say this once."
An unseen pressure smashed into the hyena pack in front of him. Making them feel like a predator was right behind them and breathing down their necks, causing the group to break into cold sweats and freezing them in their spots. But for Harry the important thing was that they shut up.
"This stops. Now. If I ever hear a whiff of something like this happening to her again, or anyone for that matter. Well.." He gazed into each of the gathered Ravenclaws, pale and shivering they looked back. "I will remember your faces."
While Steve now seemed properly cowed the same couldn't be said for the redhead who was still holding onto one of Luna's..radishes? Seriously, what was up with that. "Yeah? And what if we don't, what then Potter. We'll just report you to Flitwick, enjoy having detention for the rest of the year."
Her words seemed to be somewhat effective in bolstering the group's spirit, judging by the fact that some of them were now sporting nasty grins. No doubt, intending to do just that regardless of if he backed down or not.
Harry rolled his eyes.
"Are you daft or just deaf you silly sow? I am a Champion. The normal rules don't apply to me, I'd expect the house priding itself on its cleverness to know all about the tournament and its rules." Smirking he spread his arms wide. "And if you do report me, or harass anyone again. Well, you did hear what I did to the French bird yesterday right? I am not in detention, am I?" He questioned with an arrogant smirk, doing his best to intentionally copy the expression often found on the blond Slytherin git's face. He gagged inside his head and promised to shower after this. "And really, is it such a good idea to draw the attention of a.. 'Crazed glory-hound illegally enters tournament, viciously attacks classmates'? " He said referring to this morning's front page in the Prophet.
His words seemed to do the trick, for after a moment spent thinking…
"Bollocks!" she said, palling
"Yes." said Harry with a nod. "Run along now, don't you have classes to go to? Scrum!" he said with an imperious gaze. He fancied that it was a 7 on the Snape scale. It was a 4 at best.
"Oh, and give back the foo…err the items"
Glaring, they still did as told. Vacating the room's premises with haste and all but throwing the girl's stuff back at her.
Taking a few moments more, so as to be certain they had left. Harry reined back in on his strength. If nothing else, this new trick he had discovered yesterday had proved useful once more. Even if he wasn't quite certain as to what exactly it was he was doing. But that was a problem for another time, and future Harry! He approached the still seated girl and offered a hand.
The tiny blonde merely looked owlishly at him for a moment, before her delicate fingers wrapped around his and Harry pulled her upwards with a gentle tug. Letting out a soft hum, she cocked her head and continued to stare..And stare.
Unused to such situations Harry blurted out the first thing that came to mind while looking anywhere else but her inquisitive face. "If they try to harm you again let me know alright?"
She just nodded her staring not letting up, "Very well I will, but you didn't have to get involved Harry."
He snorted, "No, I very much did. Still, it was nice meeting you and all Luna but I have places to be."
Turning he headed for the door, intending on retracing his steps towards the fork, maybe he would have better luck with the other path this time.
"Thank you, Harry." Said the girl with a soft tone and a small smile. Causing the teen to momentarily stumble and his cheeks to flush as he was pushing the door open. The curious girl still having not moved from her spot near the room's center.
"Odd, but nonetheless a good girl." He muttered to himself as he resumed his exploration for some time. Before growing tired of the aimless wandering and starting the return trip towards Gryffindor tower.
Mere moments after he stepped inside the lion's common room, Harry was blindsided by a fiery redhead. Said wizard having taken a moment to admire the tapestries hung on the walls, hewn in red and gold as they swayed with the wind. It would seem that someone had forgotten the windows open again.
"Harry, may I have a moment?"
"Huh?" Almost jumping in surprise, he turned and looked at the redhead proper. "Ginny? Sure, what about." He said, dreading inside him that this was about to become a repeat of last night and his inquisition at the hands of many of his classmates over his method of entry in the tournament. "Maybe somewhere a little bit less crowded?" he asked, giving a meaningful nod to the many curious heads around them.
It was Ginny's turn to be startled, biting her lip in thought and narrowing her eyes slightly she nodded. "Sure Harry, follow me." She said, and before the boy had a chance to respond, weaved her fingers with his, and started pulling him up the stairs towards the girls' dorms and into the third years room, currently empty sans them.
Letting go of his hand the moment they entered the girl headed towards her bed, and after a moment of straightening her skirt took a seat. Motioning as she did, for Harry to use a nearby empty bunk in a similar fashion.
"Marie won't mind Harry." She said with a snort at his momentary hesitance. "First of all, I wanted to apologize, for what's it's worth I believe you. Some of my brothers might have doubts but.." she closed her eyes, exhaling and pinching her nose with one hand. "-But, Ron's special brand of idiocy is unacceptable."
Harry felt something warm inside his chest at the girl's word and the intense stare with which she was attempting to convey her intent.
"I'm..glad Ginny. Flattered even, but I have to ask, was this all you wanted?"
She snorted, "What, unless Voldemort is invading or Merlin forbid Snape serenades his love for you it ain't important?" Both shuddered at that last one, before the girl withdrew her wand from her robes. "I could give you my special if it would make you feel better?"
He waved his hands against the redhead's mock threat, "Peace, Ginny. Peace. I will pass on the Boogie-hex special today, thanks." He said with a deadpan.
Ginny, stared stonefaced before her facade cracked and she started giggling a moment later with Harry joining her, before reaching over and swatting him playfully on the arm.
"Prat." She said with a roll of her eyes. "I've seen how stressed you were those last few days, or heavens when you came into the common room. Take a moment to relax, will you?"
At the reminder, and willfully ignoring the rest of her comment Harry winced, "ahh..about that, I met a friend of yours today.."
Harry proceeded to share the details of his encounter in the corridors, by the end of his tale the redhead was a glowering maelstrom of fury. Causing the young wizard to almost perform a tactical retreat out of the room in the face of this redheaded demon.
After a few moments Ginny relaxed and gave a tired exhaled, "Right, what's done is done. My thanks Harry, also please do point out those who were there when you get the chance. But enough of that." She said with finality and switched to a lighter topic.
Slowly, the mood lightened once more and it was no longer the boy who lived and the sufferer of Voldemort's shade inside the room, but just two friends enjoying each other's company.
Sometime later, having exchanged gossip, rumors and other curio Harry started pushing against the soft mattress he was sitting on.
"Right, thanks for this Ginny but I think it's about time I head to my own room." He said with a laugh. "I feel kinda sleepy, and unless you want your roommates to find a surprise guest..."he shrugged.
Ginny rolled her eyes with a snort and shooed him out with her palm, "Yeah, no. Off you go, and remember don't listen to what my idiot of a brother says. He doesn't mean most of it, he is just in one of his moods and being a jealous prat. As usual."
He just nodded at her and with one last wave, made his way out and down the stairs. Before ascending those leading to the boys dorm, and crushing into his bed mere moments after stepping inside the fourth years dorm.
Waking up some time later he sat up on his bed, blinking with confusion as his mind took a few moments to process the weirdness of it all. After all siestas were not something he could partake in before, what with the hectic schedule of Hogwarts and all.
Opening his beds curtains and donning his clothes, he made his way out and into the common room.
"Oi! Lookie here, its Lord Potter!" shouted a voice with faux surprise the moment he stepped off the stairs. "His holiness has graced us with his presence!"
Turning, his eyes fell upon Ron. Who was sitting smugly in the middle of one of the couches, with many of his housemates nearby. Causing said people to turn at the redhead's excited yell.
Harry just gave a thin smile in response. He wasn't in the mood for this again, "You know what Ron, I've already said my piece. And you keep being an idiot." Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I am not gonna keep bashing my head against a wall."
Ron face resembled an angry tomato as he leaned forward from his seat, "Oh yeah? Well Harry you are just proving my point, thinking you are somehow so much better than all of us all of a sudden. It's enough that you were enough of a pillock to not share your method for the goblet, but why weren't you at Flitwick's class this morning, or Potions for that matter huh?"
Harry felt torn between facepalming and laughing.
"Ron-Ron-Ron.."he said shaking his head. "It has all to do with this wonderful, unwanted Championship you keep pestering me about."
The amassed Gryffindors within the room were watching this conversation as if it was the Quidditch match of the century, their own discussions temporarily forgotten.
"How did she put it, ahem." He cleared his throat in a pompous fashion. "According to Hermione, 'It is the given Champion's prerogative whether or not they attend classes, detentions or any other such thing which might interfere with his or her performance in the tournament.' You were there when she was talking our ears off weren't you, Roniekins?" he asked with a taunting smirk.
His ears burning both at the hated nickname and the dig regarding his well-known laziness, Ron looked like he wanted to retort but as small titters of laughter filled the room, he remained silent and leaned back with scowl a moment later, turning his head with a 'tsk'.
"Harry.." tried the bookworm.
"Ah-huh. None of that Hermione," he replied, ignoring the girl's pleading tone. "Did you change your decision from yesterday?"
The girl lowered her eyes before raising the book she was holding so as to hide her face, trying her best to sink deeper into the sofa near the fireplace.
He rolled his eyes, "I thought not. Well, this has been fun and all but I have things to do. Championy things. Taly-ho" he said and started heading towards the Fat Lady's portrait, pointedly ignoring both of his traitorous friends.
As the portrait was swinging back down, he glanced backwards, moments before the entrance was shut he caught sight of a peeved Ginny marching towards Ron's rapidly paling direction with her wand in hand.
The easygoing smile on his face faded only to be replaced with a grim line, Harry shrugged to himself once more. Well Ron deserved it in his own modest opinion. Putting thoughts of his supposed friends aside Harry started on the path towards the owlery. He had a letter to write.
Arriving at the owlery some time latter he was greeted by a veritable barrage of hoots. It seems the owlery's residents were in a fine mood today.
Making his way inside and avoiding the many excited and eager owls, who seeing a human enter did their best to get some scratches and attention. And maybe some treats as well.
"Easy there, haha yes you are gorgeous but I have to talk to my friend here see?" He said attempting to placate a particularly friendly owl that just wouldn't take no for an answer. That is until an angry hoot from nearby caused it to flee as if in terror.
Snorting, Harry made his way towards the source of the noise. There sitting on her perch, Hedwig was glaring imperiously at any nearby owl who even as much as dared to look at her wizard.
"Hello luv, did you miss me?" He asked his second friend, whom he met thanks to his first. The kind hearted grounds-keeper. Before giving her a scratch at her favorite spot, just below the beak, earning him a pleased hoot.
"I've missed you too Hedwig, " he said at her soft cooing, before he reached inside his robes, pulling a strip of beacon. The owl's eyes narrowed into pinpricks as they zeroed in on the culinary delight. Harry flicked the piece towards the eager bird.
As his friend was scarfing down the treat, he kept petting her back, "I've got a letter for you if are up for it dear."
The owl stopped her chewing momentarily, giving her wizard a glare, as if offended.
"haha, I thought so. It's another special delivery Hedwig."
Catching her owner's meaning, the bird swallowed the last bit and gave an understanding nod.
Nodding back, Harry rolled out a parchment, heading towards a nearby table he took a seat and started writing his missive. Hedwig, seated atop her perch was watching her wizard curiously as his face cycled through expressions, one after another. Followed by cursing as he erased words here and there.
The owl cocked her head sideways, wizards were so silly in the owl's, not so humble, opinion. Maybe the boy was afflicted with that strange disease all teenage witches and wizards fell victim to before time cured it and they made hatchlings? Hedwig gave a proud hoot at her deduction, pleased that soon she might have little ones to fret over!
"And this should..do it!" Declared Harry with pride, finishing the letter and holding it up in the air like a spear. The owls around him kept hooting indifferent to the wizard, causing his cheeks to acquire a dusting of red. After a moment of feeling like a proper idiot, the teen lowered his arm and rolled up the parchment, grabbing the nearby stamp emblazoned with the Hogwarts logo he applied the wax seal and pushed his chair backwards with a loud scraping noise as he stood, causing another excited flutter to erupt from the avians around him as headed back to the snowy white bird.
Said owl was already waiting with her leg extended, waiting for Harry to tie the letter, her royal air not having dissipated in the slightest.
Harry just shook his head with a chuckle as he did so, "There, safe flights your highness" He said with a jesting bow.
Hedwig just gave another hoot before with a flutter of wings she landed on his shoulder, giving him a soft nip on his cheek as farewell and then lifting off again, disappearing outside one of the owlery's many windows moments later.
Letter sent; Harry watched as the sky's twilight hues slowly shifted to a darkening gray. Mind made up he started making his way back down and into the castle proper. While it was still quite a bit until curfew, and with his Champion status making it so that it didn't really..apply to him, Harry still headed towards the lion's tower. It would be a hassle non the less and besides, he had research to do tomorrow. He would..
Harry shuddered, he would have to emulate Hermione and visit the library. Willingly. Merlin damn it.
Apologies if some paragraph doesn't 'break' as intended, copying from 'Word', after a very long time seemed to mash the words together and i had to manually untangle them after pasting...
Yuhabahha
Lord of Wandenreich
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2019
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I don't see a reason for it, no. There won't be any explicitly lewd stuff or (too much) graphic violence , of course if the mods and everyone else reading it feels the need, it can certainly be moved.
chapter 3
Yuhabahha
Lord of Wandenreich
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2019
- Messages
- 2,027
- Likes received
- 88,031
Next day he woke with the softest of aches caressing his temple, making him frown as he squinted at his curtains with irritation. But it disappeared by the time he was dressed and out of the dorms rushing, in part, to get to breakfast and also to avoid having to deal with his year mates and their nagging.
Still, he was thankful for small mercies, for it would seem that he wouldn't need to visit the unholy matron of the doom ward to request a headache-relieving potion. It wasn't his fault that he often ended up in the healing ward, honest! So if Poppy would stop glaring at him suspiciously every time he visited it would be nice dammit.
Sliding past the great hall's already open doors and as he was nearing the lion's table, he found that he was not the only one being an early bird today. Waving at the Weasley twins after seeing one elbow the other in his direction, he made a beeline for the empty seat by one of the twins side.
Graciously waiting until he had filled his plate with a healthy proportion of food stuff, one of them spoke.
"So, Harry, how is it going? We've heard from trusted sources that there is-"
"-trouble in paradise? A little lovers spat, mayhaps? Now we don't know about it from firsthand experience-"
"But Dad did say that the muggles have this thing called, 'marriage counselors". Maybe-"
"-You three should check it out?" finished..Fred?
Eyes switching from twin to twin and their shit eating grins, Harry could only let out a gag of disgust at their teasing words.
"I'd rather french Malfoy thanks. Also, you're..George right?" he pointed to the more distant redhead. Who immediately looked offended.
"I think not! I am Fred, the handsome one!"
"Oi, I am the handsome one," retorted the other one, "and I thought I was Fred today."
"No, you are the beautiful one, remember?"
"Ahh, yes how sil-"
"Guys, cut it out." Groaned Harry, rubbing his temples, feeling a headache forming. He pointed to the nearest twin. "You are Fred for now and you are George."
The boys just gave him a mocking salute, indicating their agreement. This issue dealt with, the teen focused on his food for a few moments more before putting down his spoon, damn but the elves made one mean pudding. He was gonna have to do something to work that off later, emulating his "family's" looks was the last thing he wanted.
"So, guys I am glad to have stumbled upon you, to put it in your terms. Rumors say-" He made finger quotes, "that you know where one can find what they are searching for."
'Fred' gave an agreeing nod, reaching for an extra helping of pudding with his hand, only to grasp air and find that his twin had the bowl in firm hands, serving himself first.
"That's correct Harriekins, hypothetically what could we help you with?" he asked, before seeing that his twin was still not inclined to relinquish the tasty item. "Oi, you prick! Let me have some!"
Harry just snorted at their antics, "Well that's easy, thanks to your 'special gift', I have no problems finding interesting locations. But I need a little more than just some empty or interesting classrooms if I am to win this." He said alluding to the magical map, making the twins nod. "I intend to win this, and despite what others may say, you are quite brilliant. So, as upper classmen care to help a fellow student by naming some spells or books that are illegal or frowned upon, but which might prove to be highly useful in this tournament, spells that I definitely won't search for?" He winked.
Both twins set their plates aside for a moment, and looked at one another, their gazes serious. Silently conversing with one another, before coming to an agreement. Breaking the eye-lock, they turned and once again stared at Harry, grins back in place.
"While we must say, that you shouldn't learn those spells. In the name of doing a good deed and helping the younger generation, I feel we can share the names of some of those spells." Said George.
"-of course, you didn't learn them from us if anyone asks." Added Fred.
Harry simply nodded. That went without saying.
"Now we have some ideas of our own, but what exactly are you looking for, maybe we can narrow the list down a little?" Asked George.
Harry started talking and the conspirators started building the list, using a couple of… napkins as their writing implement. None of the three had bothered to carry any parchment with them so early in the morning. They weren't Hermione after all.
Sometime later, the dubious work was finished and all of them went back to their breakfast making light conversation here and there. Slowly the great hall started filling out as well, and so did the staff table. They didn't pay it any mind, that is until their head of house approached them directly, or rather, approached Harry.
"Mr Potter," she said, her nostrils flaring in their usual manner, voicing her usual disapproval regarding anything student related. "The headmaster would like for you to meet with him this morning as soon as you are able." She said before doing a 180 and heading back towards the staff table.
"She is in an especially fine mood today." Noted a sarcastic Harry.
"Gee, I wonder why that would be, maybe it's the fact that one of her lions has been skipping class?" wondered an equally sarcastic Fred. "I mean don't get me wrong I get you, it's Snape. But why poor Flitwick as well?"
"Dunno, maybe it's that time of the month?" said George, adding his own guess.
Harry just smirked, refusing to fall for the twin's taunt. "Champion privileges guys, there is at least something good to come out of this tournament. And don't worry it's not like I plan on making it a habit. But when its useful.." he eyed the napki…parchment collection with a meaningful gaze.
It was around that time that he saw some unwanted faces entering the hall and he sighed, "Well, thanks for the help and the company guys, but I guess it's time to see what Dumbledore wants." He said, pushing himself upwards with a flex of his arms and gave a wave to the twins, before departing with vigorous steps out of the hall. Ignoring the voices calling out his name.
Stepping past the Gargoyle and making his way up the winding stairs, he found himself before the headmaster's door. He knocked.
"Ahh! Harry, come in, come in." Came the jovial and welcoming voice from inside.
The young man did as instructed, finding himself inside one of the more beautiful if weird, rooms he had the pleasure of witnessing inside the castle. It was filled with all manners of gizmos and magical instruments, and of course the animated paintings of past headmasters. Some sleeping, some pretending to do so, and some vacant at the time. And of course, there was the perch of Fawkes, upon which the majestic bird currently roosted. Giving Harry a soft trill upon noticing him, before it went back to grooming its plumage.
And at the center of the room, in a similar fashion to those muggle mockups of the solar system, was the headmaster. Seated behind his grand desk, glasses upon his crooked nose and a warm smile lighting his face. Which upon seeing the youth only widened further. He gestured towards one of the empty seats opposite his.
Harry walked towards it, averting his eyes and valiantly ignoring the garish eyesore the headmaster wore, opting instead to pat the phoenix's head as he went and took the proffered seat.
"Lemon drop Harry?" asked the twinkling elder, his polka dotted robe making Harry fight the urge to gag.
He rolled his eyes at the usual, and always somewhat hopeful greeting. But then after giving it a moments consideration, he reached with a hand for the offered bowl and took one of the yellow candies. 'Hell, why not try them for once' he thought and took a bite.
His eyes widened as his taste-buds practically sang in joy. A pleasantly crunchy exterior crumbled under the onslaught of his teeth, just the right amount of hardness and somewhat sour. But right before the taste of lemon could prove overwhelming the sweet cream filling the innards of the lemon drop was there to counterbalance that. In fact, the contrast was quite pleasant.
He reached for another.
"They are quite good!"
The headmaster almost puffed up with pride, "I know Harry, but for some reason few if any take me up on my offer." He said with regret. "But alas, I did not ask for you to come so we can discuss culinary delights."
The wizard groaned, "It's about Snape and Professor Flitwick, isn't it?"
"Professor Snape, Harry."
"Yeah sure, look Professor. We've tried this before so pardon me, and with all my respect but I'll be blunt. Snape doesn't like me, and I sure as Morgana don't like him."
"Ahh, but Harry, be that as it may. You still need to learn potions I am afraid. And charms for that matter." He added with a twinkle in his eyes.
Harry showing the usual grace and tact of teenagers everywhere just scoffed and crossed his arms.
"Whatever," he muttered with an eyeroll, before pausing and wincing, "And I will apologize to professor Flitwick but I'm well within my rights to avoid attending classes. I've checked. Champion's privilege and all that rot."
At the Headmaster's insistent stare and raised eyebrow, Harry flushed and avoided his gaze.
"A-alright, it was Hermione who checked." The venerable man let out an acknowledging hum, twinkle returning. Harry simply continued. "And I have to say that I feel that attending potions will harm my tournament duties and obligations. And it's not like I can't learn from my books."
Hearing the youth's words, the headmaster's shoulders sagged and he seemed to age a decade. Letting out a contemplative sigh and reaching for one of the candies himself. Chewing it absentmindedly as he contemplated matters. Fawkes sensing the plummeting mood let out a melancholic trill, and flew towards the duo. Landing on one of Harry's shoulders, and after a moment of cocking his head, the fire-bird's eyes narrowed and he started nipping at the wizard's hair. Trying his best to untangle them, without much apparent success.
Dumbledore seeing the phoenix being so friendly towards Harry smiled, his cheery mood returning somewhat. As if a great burden was lifted from his shoulders.
"Yes..the tournament." Said the wizard, letting out another sigh.
"We still have no clue who put my name in, do we?"
Dumbledore lifted his head and looked at him, "No Harry, I am afraid we don't, that is of course if we believe your claim that you didn't somehow enter yourself." Seeing the youth's clenching fists, Dumbledore lifted his hands in a placating manner, "For the record I do believe you Harry. I am just stating all the possibilities."
It was Harry's turn to sigh, "And I guess no headway was made in removing me from the blasted thing either?"
"Unfortunately, that would be correct. Unwilling or not, the goblet does enforce a magical contract. Breaking it, assuming my responsibilities permitted me the time, would be time consuming and demanding, for me." He said with a meaningful gaze. "Now I am not saying anything about the capabilities, or even the desire of the fine people at the ministry to do so but.."
Harry just snorted, "Don't worry Professor, I got you."
The man just shrugged as if he had no idea what the youth meant, his mirthful gaze saying otherwise.
"If that's the case, then could I ask you for a favor sir? And no, before you ask. I am not going to return to Snape's classroom this year, willingly at least."
Making no comment the headmaster simply waved his hand.
"I've heard the other headmasters say that this would be an 'impartial' and 'fair' tournament." He said making air quotes. "Sir, I would eat my socks if they don't help their champions." Seeing the older man open his mouth he hurried to add. "Yes Professor, I know how much socks mean to you." He closed his mouth.
Harry wet his lips as he thought about how to phrase this. At the same time, Fawkes finally gave up, disgust evident in his features, accepting the fact that attempting to comb Harry's hair was a lost cause.
"Now I know you are much too honorable to do something like breaking the rules to help me or train me, plus I doubt you have the time sir, but unfortunately I am not in my sixth year like Cedric and I need all the help I can get." He turned to stare out the window. "But if hypothetically, you could give some recommendations on useful spells.."
Dumbledore hummed in thought for a few moments, coming to a conclusion soon after and grasping his wand. "Now, as you've said Harry. I'm afraid I could never violate the rules of the tournament so brazenly. But it seems that I've turned somewhat forgetful and blind with age, wouldn't it be a shame if this paper of useful books and spells were to be stolen hmm." He said waving his wand, causing an empty parchment to appear on the table, before a series of somethings was written on it.
Harry's eyes widened in gratitude as he turned his head, the older man was currently examining the sorting hat with unbridled curiosity.
"If that was all sir?"
"Mmh." Agreed the distracted Dumbledore.
Lifting himself off his seat, and causing Fawkes to let out a squawk of protest and vacate his shoulder. Harry quickly snatched the parchment and placed it within one of his pockets, next to the twins' recommendations.
"Thank you, sir, I won't let you down."
"Oh dear, I seem to have gone deaf as well there for an instant." Mused the older wizard. "Still, Harry.."
"Sir?" questioned Harry, pausing on his way to the door and turning to look back.
"Your education is important, please do remember that my dear boy." Pleaded the man, gazing at the youth over his half-moon shaped glasses.
"I know sir." He said with a sigh.
The man nodded, before frowning as Fawkes had just stolen the lemon candy, he was holding in his hand a moment before, the avian looking quite pleased with itself as he swallowed the yellow piece of candy. Causing Dumbledore to reach for another with a chuckle and wave Harry off.
Harry's first stop after his conversation was to the library..well actually it was the second, first he made a quick trip back to Gryffindor tower. To stock up on some parchment and books. He wouldn't be able to stay in the library as long as he wanted today, thank Merlin, cause today he had Defense. And unlike Potions, he had no desire to miss that. This year's weird Professor was awesome, and he clearly knew his stuff. Even if Harry suspected that something foul would occur at the end of the year again, hey even a dim-witted troll could notice a pattern this obvious.
Still, after his trip, Harry found himself ensconced within a small corner of the library. Almost buried under a tower of books, as they leaned threateningly at the corners of his table. Mindful of the misanthropic librarian, he had gathered a mix of the books the headmaster and the twins had recommended, as well as some who had simply caught his eye.
He spent a few hours poring over the tomes until his head felt like it was close to bursting and he pushed the tome he was holding away with a disgusted groan, massaging his aching head. Sighing he unsheathed his wand and cast a quick Tempus, the results left him with mixed feelings. On the one hand his extracurricular studying for the day had come to an end. On the other it was almost time for defense! And besides, it wasn't like his time had been unproductive or anything. Some of the things he had seen so far were definitely promising.
Using an easy spell which had been on top of the headmaster's list, and finally figuring out why, he sent the many books scattered across his table back towards their rightful locations. Unfortunately, natural talent or not his first attempt at the spell left something to be desired and one of the tomes hit a chair, getting a scratch. Luckily the librarian wasn't nearby.
Muttering curses, he packed his stuff and quickly made his way to defense.
Harry was right, today's lesson had been interesting.
Waving his wand, the scarred Professor cleared his table of the messy remains of his previous example. Most of the classroom seeming a bit queasy. Some more than others.
"Hrk!" Malfoy hurled, painting the floor by his desk green and causing an odious stench to begin emanating.
Moody just rolled his non magical eye in response and with a swish of his wand vanished the gunk. Not doing the same for the dribble still on Malfoy's face. "Oh, grow up kid. This was nothing. Not even 'dark'. Really what sort of louts has Dumbledore been hiring for the past few years?" he questioned with a growl, before snorting. "Doesn't matter, I guess. Now, let's move on. Answer me this, you come across some dark cretin who threatens you. How do you make him not a threat?"
"Err, cast stupefy?" tried one of the Slytherins.
The scarred man was not impressed.
"Use a shield charm to outlast him?" tried another student, a Gryffindor.
"Wrong!" Barked Moody with an eyeroll. "Have you been reading your books? Shields can be bypassed and there's a cost to maintaining them, I-..yes Potter?"
"Disarm him then stun him?"
His magical eye, along with his normal one, zeroed in on the youth. Letting out a considering hum.
"Partial credit Potter." He said with a softer growl, his way of praise. Before turning back to the rest of the class. "Alright you maggots, consider this then. He ain't alone, plus he has hostages. What now?"
Some of the class shared weary gazes with one another.
"Err call the authors?" tried Hermione.
"Congratulations, by waiting you just killed the hostages and probably yourself."
Some blonde Slytherin girl intervened, "Use transfiguration to restrain them?"
The Professor's gaze focused on her, "I bet you excel in Minerva's class, eh?" He asked causing the girl's cheeks to darken. "No matter, partial credit like Potter. Assuming you are quicker than your enemies, stronger in magic and better in transfiguration..That's a lot of if's lass." Growled the ex-auror.
"How abo-"
"Kill them."
Ignoring the protesting pout from the interrupted student Moody turned a hungry gaze towards Harry. Appraising him once more, and with his approval visible in his ghastly visage. He let out a barking laugh. Before waving his arm over the class.
"Potter gets it! Explain your reasoning." He ordered.
Harry's intense gaze met that of the Professor, "It's as you've said sir, there are hostages plus it's not one combatant. And both of them are hostile and up to no good."
Moody gave a proud nod. "Good, one of you gets it. What did you say you wanted to be lad?"
"Auror sir, at least I did."
The teacher raised an interested eyebrow, "Did, you say..well in any case, you have the correct mindset for the job at least." He said before focusing back on the rest of the class. "Listen up you whelps; you think that the aurors have time to play house with the evil pricks they encounter? Now admittedly, it is nice when you can take the evildoer back to headquarters breathing, but it's not always possible. And you think that maybe they will show you the same kindness back?"
He shook his head, seeming to age. "You don't want to know what they will do to you if they catch you kids." His magical orb raced over the girls. "Or what some of them do to women..or men even.." He added as a trailing afterthought.
Before a sudden explosion shook the room, causing most students to jump and Moody to grin a nasty one.
"Caught you unaware, eh? Constant Vigilance!" he barked, causing another jump. Before inclining his head towards Harry. "Now, while Dumbledore wants me to treat you lot like babies..i think you are made of sterner stuff. This here is a special spell; you could say it's a deadlier variant of a favorite of yours Potter."
"Sir?" Blinked Harry.
"The Expelliarmus brat." He said with an eyeroll. "This Lil 'old variant here not only relieves someone of their wand, but most of their arm too!" he said, cackling with glee.
The majority of the students looked grim and green. Ignoring them, and noting Harry's hungry gaze he waved his wand a number of times. Conjuring some pebbles on his table, before transfiguring them into gnomes, the kind that wouldn't be out of place in the Weasley's home, 'arming' them with sticks and animating them. The stubby little figures patrolling the desk in an almost comical manner.
"Look closely." He ordered before waving his wand in one of the gnome's direction and muttering something too softly for the class to overhear.
The results were as immediate as they were obvious, with a cry of anguish the stick the gnome held was liberated from its grip, along with most of its forearm, causing it to collapse on its knees and hyperventilate. Clutching its ruined arm while it bled profusely.
Some among the class fainted.
"Can we..will we learn that?" asked an eager Harry.
Moody just snorted as some of the other students turned scandalized eyes upon the Boy who Lived.
"No brat, I am afraid not. I will teach you the variant shield spell to protect yourselves from it though. Now let's discuss…"
The rest of the class was interesting too, in Harry's humble opinion. As the lesson ended and they were dismissed, Harry stood up from his seat, intending on visiting the great hall once more. He was a tad hungry you see.
"Potter, a word." The Professor's grizzled voice put a damper on those plans for the moment, as the man beckoned him closer.
Waiting until the rest of the class had departed the premises, and after checking thoroughly with both his eyes, a Sneak scope and some spells, the paranoid man turned to Harry.
"So, Potter, did you know that you've been quite the hot topic at the teachers meetings' these days?" he asked with growl.
Harry groaned, "Sir, not you too. I've been hearing about it from everyone and their mother. Both for 'skipping' and the fight after the selection."
Moody stared, "You think I care about that Potter, or that I would scold you? Not putting up with anyone's shit and using every opportunity available? I say good for you." He said with an amused snort. "Nay, it's just these past days have shown me that you have potential. And I'd hate to see it wasted. So, since it's been a while since I've practiced this disarming spell, you are interested in, I am just going to refresh my memory on the wand motions and the incantation." His eye whirled on Harry. "Now you better not overhear."
Harry made a zipping motion, shit eating grin visible.
Moody proceeded to do just that, enough times that even Ron..no even one of Malfoy's dim witted goons would get it.
"Professor?" asked Harry once the definitely not a demonstration, had concluded.
"Hm?"
"Would it be possible to get a permission slip for the forbidden section of the library, or if not, maybe you could forget one on the tab-"
Moody just gave a rare chuckle, eyeing Harry with interest again before writing the slip and handing it to Harry, and then jerking his head for the teen to leave.
Thanking the grumpy teacher and with the last rays of light leaving the horizon outside, Harry left, finally making his way to the great hall to sate his hunger.
Still, he was thankful for small mercies, for it would seem that he wouldn't need to visit the unholy matron of the doom ward to request a headache-relieving potion. It wasn't his fault that he often ended up in the healing ward, honest! So if Poppy would stop glaring at him suspiciously every time he visited it would be nice dammit.
Sliding past the great hall's already open doors and as he was nearing the lion's table, he found that he was not the only one being an early bird today. Waving at the Weasley twins after seeing one elbow the other in his direction, he made a beeline for the empty seat by one of the twins side.
Graciously waiting until he had filled his plate with a healthy proportion of food stuff, one of them spoke.
"So, Harry, how is it going? We've heard from trusted sources that there is-"
"-trouble in paradise? A little lovers spat, mayhaps? Now we don't know about it from firsthand experience-"
"But Dad did say that the muggles have this thing called, 'marriage counselors". Maybe-"
"-You three should check it out?" finished..Fred?
Eyes switching from twin to twin and their shit eating grins, Harry could only let out a gag of disgust at their teasing words.
"I'd rather french Malfoy thanks. Also, you're..George right?" he pointed to the more distant redhead. Who immediately looked offended.
"I think not! I am Fred, the handsome one!"
"Oi, I am the handsome one," retorted the other one, "and I thought I was Fred today."
"No, you are the beautiful one, remember?"
"Ahh, yes how sil-"
"Guys, cut it out." Groaned Harry, rubbing his temples, feeling a headache forming. He pointed to the nearest twin. "You are Fred for now and you are George."
The boys just gave him a mocking salute, indicating their agreement. This issue dealt with, the teen focused on his food for a few moments more before putting down his spoon, damn but the elves made one mean pudding. He was gonna have to do something to work that off later, emulating his "family's" looks was the last thing he wanted.
"So, guys I am glad to have stumbled upon you, to put it in your terms. Rumors say-" He made finger quotes, "that you know where one can find what they are searching for."
'Fred' gave an agreeing nod, reaching for an extra helping of pudding with his hand, only to grasp air and find that his twin had the bowl in firm hands, serving himself first.
"That's correct Harriekins, hypothetically what could we help you with?" he asked, before seeing that his twin was still not inclined to relinquish the tasty item. "Oi, you prick! Let me have some!"
Harry just snorted at their antics, "Well that's easy, thanks to your 'special gift', I have no problems finding interesting locations. But I need a little more than just some empty or interesting classrooms if I am to win this." He said alluding to the magical map, making the twins nod. "I intend to win this, and despite what others may say, you are quite brilliant. So, as upper classmen care to help a fellow student by naming some spells or books that are illegal or frowned upon, but which might prove to be highly useful in this tournament, spells that I definitely won't search for?" He winked.
Both twins set their plates aside for a moment, and looked at one another, their gazes serious. Silently conversing with one another, before coming to an agreement. Breaking the eye-lock, they turned and once again stared at Harry, grins back in place.
"While we must say, that you shouldn't learn those spells. In the name of doing a good deed and helping the younger generation, I feel we can share the names of some of those spells." Said George.
"-of course, you didn't learn them from us if anyone asks." Added Fred.
Harry simply nodded. That went without saying.
"Now we have some ideas of our own, but what exactly are you looking for, maybe we can narrow the list down a little?" Asked George.
Harry started talking and the conspirators started building the list, using a couple of… napkins as their writing implement. None of the three had bothered to carry any parchment with them so early in the morning. They weren't Hermione after all.
Sometime later, the dubious work was finished and all of them went back to their breakfast making light conversation here and there. Slowly the great hall started filling out as well, and so did the staff table. They didn't pay it any mind, that is until their head of house approached them directly, or rather, approached Harry.
"Mr Potter," she said, her nostrils flaring in their usual manner, voicing her usual disapproval regarding anything student related. "The headmaster would like for you to meet with him this morning as soon as you are able." She said before doing a 180 and heading back towards the staff table.
"She is in an especially fine mood today." Noted a sarcastic Harry.
"Gee, I wonder why that would be, maybe it's the fact that one of her lions has been skipping class?" wondered an equally sarcastic Fred. "I mean don't get me wrong I get you, it's Snape. But why poor Flitwick as well?"
"Dunno, maybe it's that time of the month?" said George, adding his own guess.
Harry just smirked, refusing to fall for the twin's taunt. "Champion privileges guys, there is at least something good to come out of this tournament. And don't worry it's not like I plan on making it a habit. But when its useful.." he eyed the napki…parchment collection with a meaningful gaze.
It was around that time that he saw some unwanted faces entering the hall and he sighed, "Well, thanks for the help and the company guys, but I guess it's time to see what Dumbledore wants." He said, pushing himself upwards with a flex of his arms and gave a wave to the twins, before departing with vigorous steps out of the hall. Ignoring the voices calling out his name.
Stepping past the Gargoyle and making his way up the winding stairs, he found himself before the headmaster's door. He knocked.
"Ahh! Harry, come in, come in." Came the jovial and welcoming voice from inside.
The young man did as instructed, finding himself inside one of the more beautiful if weird, rooms he had the pleasure of witnessing inside the castle. It was filled with all manners of gizmos and magical instruments, and of course the animated paintings of past headmasters. Some sleeping, some pretending to do so, and some vacant at the time. And of course, there was the perch of Fawkes, upon which the majestic bird currently roosted. Giving Harry a soft trill upon noticing him, before it went back to grooming its plumage.
And at the center of the room, in a similar fashion to those muggle mockups of the solar system, was the headmaster. Seated behind his grand desk, glasses upon his crooked nose and a warm smile lighting his face. Which upon seeing the youth only widened further. He gestured towards one of the empty seats opposite his.
Harry walked towards it, averting his eyes and valiantly ignoring the garish eyesore the headmaster wore, opting instead to pat the phoenix's head as he went and took the proffered seat.
"Lemon drop Harry?" asked the twinkling elder, his polka dotted robe making Harry fight the urge to gag.
He rolled his eyes at the usual, and always somewhat hopeful greeting. But then after giving it a moments consideration, he reached with a hand for the offered bowl and took one of the yellow candies. 'Hell, why not try them for once' he thought and took a bite.
His eyes widened as his taste-buds practically sang in joy. A pleasantly crunchy exterior crumbled under the onslaught of his teeth, just the right amount of hardness and somewhat sour. But right before the taste of lemon could prove overwhelming the sweet cream filling the innards of the lemon drop was there to counterbalance that. In fact, the contrast was quite pleasant.
He reached for another.
"They are quite good!"
The headmaster almost puffed up with pride, "I know Harry, but for some reason few if any take me up on my offer." He said with regret. "But alas, I did not ask for you to come so we can discuss culinary delights."
The wizard groaned, "It's about Snape and Professor Flitwick, isn't it?"
"Professor Snape, Harry."
"Yeah sure, look Professor. We've tried this before so pardon me, and with all my respect but I'll be blunt. Snape doesn't like me, and I sure as Morgana don't like him."
"Ahh, but Harry, be that as it may. You still need to learn potions I am afraid. And charms for that matter." He added with a twinkle in his eyes.
Harry showing the usual grace and tact of teenagers everywhere just scoffed and crossed his arms.
"Whatever," he muttered with an eyeroll, before pausing and wincing, "And I will apologize to professor Flitwick but I'm well within my rights to avoid attending classes. I've checked. Champion's privilege and all that rot."
At the Headmaster's insistent stare and raised eyebrow, Harry flushed and avoided his gaze.
"A-alright, it was Hermione who checked." The venerable man let out an acknowledging hum, twinkle returning. Harry simply continued. "And I have to say that I feel that attending potions will harm my tournament duties and obligations. And it's not like I can't learn from my books."
Hearing the youth's words, the headmaster's shoulders sagged and he seemed to age a decade. Letting out a contemplative sigh and reaching for one of the candies himself. Chewing it absentmindedly as he contemplated matters. Fawkes sensing the plummeting mood let out a melancholic trill, and flew towards the duo. Landing on one of Harry's shoulders, and after a moment of cocking his head, the fire-bird's eyes narrowed and he started nipping at the wizard's hair. Trying his best to untangle them, without much apparent success.
Dumbledore seeing the phoenix being so friendly towards Harry smiled, his cheery mood returning somewhat. As if a great burden was lifted from his shoulders.
"Yes..the tournament." Said the wizard, letting out another sigh.
"We still have no clue who put my name in, do we?"
Dumbledore lifted his head and looked at him, "No Harry, I am afraid we don't, that is of course if we believe your claim that you didn't somehow enter yourself." Seeing the youth's clenching fists, Dumbledore lifted his hands in a placating manner, "For the record I do believe you Harry. I am just stating all the possibilities."
It was Harry's turn to sigh, "And I guess no headway was made in removing me from the blasted thing either?"
"Unfortunately, that would be correct. Unwilling or not, the goblet does enforce a magical contract. Breaking it, assuming my responsibilities permitted me the time, would be time consuming and demanding, for me." He said with a meaningful gaze. "Now I am not saying anything about the capabilities, or even the desire of the fine people at the ministry to do so but.."
Harry just snorted, "Don't worry Professor, I got you."
The man just shrugged as if he had no idea what the youth meant, his mirthful gaze saying otherwise.
"If that's the case, then could I ask you for a favor sir? And no, before you ask. I am not going to return to Snape's classroom this year, willingly at least."
Making no comment the headmaster simply waved his hand.
"I've heard the other headmasters say that this would be an 'impartial' and 'fair' tournament." He said making air quotes. "Sir, I would eat my socks if they don't help their champions." Seeing the older man open his mouth he hurried to add. "Yes Professor, I know how much socks mean to you." He closed his mouth.
Harry wet his lips as he thought about how to phrase this. At the same time, Fawkes finally gave up, disgust evident in his features, accepting the fact that attempting to comb Harry's hair was a lost cause.
"Now I know you are much too honorable to do something like breaking the rules to help me or train me, plus I doubt you have the time sir, but unfortunately I am not in my sixth year like Cedric and I need all the help I can get." He turned to stare out the window. "But if hypothetically, you could give some recommendations on useful spells.."
Dumbledore hummed in thought for a few moments, coming to a conclusion soon after and grasping his wand. "Now, as you've said Harry. I'm afraid I could never violate the rules of the tournament so brazenly. But it seems that I've turned somewhat forgetful and blind with age, wouldn't it be a shame if this paper of useful books and spells were to be stolen hmm." He said waving his wand, causing an empty parchment to appear on the table, before a series of somethings was written on it.
Harry's eyes widened in gratitude as he turned his head, the older man was currently examining the sorting hat with unbridled curiosity.
"If that was all sir?"
"Mmh." Agreed the distracted Dumbledore.
Lifting himself off his seat, and causing Fawkes to let out a squawk of protest and vacate his shoulder. Harry quickly snatched the parchment and placed it within one of his pockets, next to the twins' recommendations.
"Thank you, sir, I won't let you down."
"Oh dear, I seem to have gone deaf as well there for an instant." Mused the older wizard. "Still, Harry.."
"Sir?" questioned Harry, pausing on his way to the door and turning to look back.
"Your education is important, please do remember that my dear boy." Pleaded the man, gazing at the youth over his half-moon shaped glasses.
"I know sir." He said with a sigh.
The man nodded, before frowning as Fawkes had just stolen the lemon candy, he was holding in his hand a moment before, the avian looking quite pleased with itself as he swallowed the yellow piece of candy. Causing Dumbledore to reach for another with a chuckle and wave Harry off.
Harry's first stop after his conversation was to the library..well actually it was the second, first he made a quick trip back to Gryffindor tower. To stock up on some parchment and books. He wouldn't be able to stay in the library as long as he wanted today, thank Merlin, cause today he had Defense. And unlike Potions, he had no desire to miss that. This year's weird Professor was awesome, and he clearly knew his stuff. Even if Harry suspected that something foul would occur at the end of the year again, hey even a dim-witted troll could notice a pattern this obvious.
Still, after his trip, Harry found himself ensconced within a small corner of the library. Almost buried under a tower of books, as they leaned threateningly at the corners of his table. Mindful of the misanthropic librarian, he had gathered a mix of the books the headmaster and the twins had recommended, as well as some who had simply caught his eye.
He spent a few hours poring over the tomes until his head felt like it was close to bursting and he pushed the tome he was holding away with a disgusted groan, massaging his aching head. Sighing he unsheathed his wand and cast a quick Tempus, the results left him with mixed feelings. On the one hand his extracurricular studying for the day had come to an end. On the other it was almost time for defense! And besides, it wasn't like his time had been unproductive or anything. Some of the things he had seen so far were definitely promising.
Using an easy spell which had been on top of the headmaster's list, and finally figuring out why, he sent the many books scattered across his table back towards their rightful locations. Unfortunately, natural talent or not his first attempt at the spell left something to be desired and one of the tomes hit a chair, getting a scratch. Luckily the librarian wasn't nearby.
Muttering curses, he packed his stuff and quickly made his way to defense.
Harry was right, today's lesson had been interesting.
Waving his wand, the scarred Professor cleared his table of the messy remains of his previous example. Most of the classroom seeming a bit queasy. Some more than others.
"Hrk!" Malfoy hurled, painting the floor by his desk green and causing an odious stench to begin emanating.
Moody just rolled his non magical eye in response and with a swish of his wand vanished the gunk. Not doing the same for the dribble still on Malfoy's face. "Oh, grow up kid. This was nothing. Not even 'dark'. Really what sort of louts has Dumbledore been hiring for the past few years?" he questioned with a growl, before snorting. "Doesn't matter, I guess. Now, let's move on. Answer me this, you come across some dark cretin who threatens you. How do you make him not a threat?"
"Err, cast stupefy?" tried one of the Slytherins.
The scarred man was not impressed.
"Use a shield charm to outlast him?" tried another student, a Gryffindor.
"Wrong!" Barked Moody with an eyeroll. "Have you been reading your books? Shields can be bypassed and there's a cost to maintaining them, I-..yes Potter?"
"Disarm him then stun him?"
His magical eye, along with his normal one, zeroed in on the youth. Letting out a considering hum.
"Partial credit Potter." He said with a softer growl, his way of praise. Before turning back to the rest of the class. "Alright you maggots, consider this then. He ain't alone, plus he has hostages. What now?"
Some of the class shared weary gazes with one another.
"Err call the authors?" tried Hermione.
"Congratulations, by waiting you just killed the hostages and probably yourself."
Some blonde Slytherin girl intervened, "Use transfiguration to restrain them?"
The Professor's gaze focused on her, "I bet you excel in Minerva's class, eh?" He asked causing the girl's cheeks to darken. "No matter, partial credit like Potter. Assuming you are quicker than your enemies, stronger in magic and better in transfiguration..That's a lot of if's lass." Growled the ex-auror.
"How abo-"
"Kill them."
Ignoring the protesting pout from the interrupted student Moody turned a hungry gaze towards Harry. Appraising him once more, and with his approval visible in his ghastly visage. He let out a barking laugh. Before waving his arm over the class.
"Potter gets it! Explain your reasoning." He ordered.
Harry's intense gaze met that of the Professor, "It's as you've said sir, there are hostages plus it's not one combatant. And both of them are hostile and up to no good."
Moody gave a proud nod. "Good, one of you gets it. What did you say you wanted to be lad?"
"Auror sir, at least I did."
The teacher raised an interested eyebrow, "Did, you say..well in any case, you have the correct mindset for the job at least." He said before focusing back on the rest of the class. "Listen up you whelps; you think that the aurors have time to play house with the evil pricks they encounter? Now admittedly, it is nice when you can take the evildoer back to headquarters breathing, but it's not always possible. And you think that maybe they will show you the same kindness back?"
He shook his head, seeming to age. "You don't want to know what they will do to you if they catch you kids." His magical orb raced over the girls. "Or what some of them do to women..or men even.." He added as a trailing afterthought.
Before a sudden explosion shook the room, causing most students to jump and Moody to grin a nasty one.
"Caught you unaware, eh? Constant Vigilance!" he barked, causing another jump. Before inclining his head towards Harry. "Now, while Dumbledore wants me to treat you lot like babies..i think you are made of sterner stuff. This here is a special spell; you could say it's a deadlier variant of a favorite of yours Potter."
"Sir?" Blinked Harry.
"The Expelliarmus brat." He said with an eyeroll. "This Lil 'old variant here not only relieves someone of their wand, but most of their arm too!" he said, cackling with glee.
The majority of the students looked grim and green. Ignoring them, and noting Harry's hungry gaze he waved his wand a number of times. Conjuring some pebbles on his table, before transfiguring them into gnomes, the kind that wouldn't be out of place in the Weasley's home, 'arming' them with sticks and animating them. The stubby little figures patrolling the desk in an almost comical manner.
"Look closely." He ordered before waving his wand in one of the gnome's direction and muttering something too softly for the class to overhear.
The results were as immediate as they were obvious, with a cry of anguish the stick the gnome held was liberated from its grip, along with most of its forearm, causing it to collapse on its knees and hyperventilate. Clutching its ruined arm while it bled profusely.
Some among the class fainted.
"Can we..will we learn that?" asked an eager Harry.
Moody just snorted as some of the other students turned scandalized eyes upon the Boy who Lived.
"No brat, I am afraid not. I will teach you the variant shield spell to protect yourselves from it though. Now let's discuss…"
The rest of the class was interesting too, in Harry's humble opinion. As the lesson ended and they were dismissed, Harry stood up from his seat, intending on visiting the great hall once more. He was a tad hungry you see.
"Potter, a word." The Professor's grizzled voice put a damper on those plans for the moment, as the man beckoned him closer.
Waiting until the rest of the class had departed the premises, and after checking thoroughly with both his eyes, a Sneak scope and some spells, the paranoid man turned to Harry.
"So, Potter, did you know that you've been quite the hot topic at the teachers meetings' these days?" he asked with growl.
Harry groaned, "Sir, not you too. I've been hearing about it from everyone and their mother. Both for 'skipping' and the fight after the selection."
Moody stared, "You think I care about that Potter, or that I would scold you? Not putting up with anyone's shit and using every opportunity available? I say good for you." He said with an amused snort. "Nay, it's just these past days have shown me that you have potential. And I'd hate to see it wasted. So, since it's been a while since I've practiced this disarming spell, you are interested in, I am just going to refresh my memory on the wand motions and the incantation." His eye whirled on Harry. "Now you better not overhear."
Harry made a zipping motion, shit eating grin visible.
Moody proceeded to do just that, enough times that even Ron..no even one of Malfoy's dim witted goons would get it.
"Professor?" asked Harry once the definitely not a demonstration, had concluded.
"Hm?"
"Would it be possible to get a permission slip for the forbidden section of the library, or if not, maybe you could forget one on the tab-"
Moody just gave a rare chuckle, eyeing Harry with interest again before writing the slip and handing it to Harry, and then jerking his head for the teen to leave.
Thanking the grumpy teacher and with the last rays of light leaving the horizon outside, Harry left, finally making his way to the great hall to sate his hunger.
chapter 4
Yuhabahha
Lord of Wandenreich
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With the, unusually hot, for this time of the year, Scottish sun shining overhead and his old pall the headache once again returning for a visit, idiotic giggling reached Harry's ears making him frown and want to punch something. Turning, he saw Malfoy and his squad of goons laughing to themselves, in the midst of prodding the newest of Hagrid's 'cute and cuddly' creatures, goading it towards said man's unsuspecting back.
Rage filled every inch of his body and his eyes started glowing, the blond prat would get his. But now was not the time. Whipping out his wand, he hurriedly aimed and pinged the beast's carapace with a blasting curse. It nary left a scratch.
The blast ended skrewt paused in the mist of its charge. And turned to glare at Harry with its beady bug eyes. The spell had only served to piss it off further. Which was far from Harry's intent, admittedly he hadn't put his all into it, far from it in fact but still, only a scratch?!
With widening eyes, and thanking his reflexes Harry rolled to the side and practically kissed the dirt. The hissing abomination's form sailing like a bullet right past where he was mere moments ago. With a loud 'thump' it stuck one of the fences head on and fell to the ground dazed.
Harry, for his part, simply spat out a bit of dirt and rose to his feet in a hurried scramble. His wand's lit tip pointing towards the bug, who was quick to turn its face towards him. Its dark mandibles quivering in both hunger and anger as it started slithering towards him, hissing and with black foul smelling acid dripping from its fanged maw. Before it suddenly quieted and lowered its bulbous head, a submissive hiss escaping its mouth.
The teen blinked in confusion.
"Ahh Harry, I see that you are already playing with my newest friends. Aren't they great?!" Questioned a beaming Hagrid as he approached and let a callused meaty palm land on Harry's shoulder, pushing the teen nearly a foot into the ground.
With Malfoy's and his company's renewed snickers behind him, the Champion just snorted. Now everything made sense, for all that the half giant had a heart of gold. That didn't change the fact that he packed quite a bit of strength in his enormous frame. Thus, the beastie's submission in front of a superior, and now aware, predator…Theoretically speaking at least. For the only thing Hagrid was likely to 'attack' were those rock cakes of his. He practically devoured the stuff! Harry's teeth ached at the mere memory of 'em, for all that they tasted surprisingly good they had the consistency of…well, a rock sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.
Spatting out another globule of dirt, Harry half turned towards his first friend with a smile. Keeping the skrewt in his eye's periphery, and cursing inside. Why did he have the suspicion that he was gonna face the armored bastard and its siblings before the year's end?
He was gonna need something stronger if he was going to pierce their shell. Or more power. Either would work…
The days started blurring together, and Harry's mood became locked into an ever downwards spiral.
"Potter, you still haven't turned your rock into a spear."
Massaging his temples, the youth lifted his head from one of the library's "borrowed" books, an expression most charming etched on his face. Causing his classmates to draw back in fear off another 'Potter incident'.
Blinking, and parsing once more the transfiguration mistress' request he lazily waved his wand in the rock's direction. Transforming it into a beautiful scarlet hued ornamental piece, red and brown vibes climbing the magnificent spear's sides, before returning to his studies a moment later.
The class and the stunned professor forgotten.
"Fuuuuuuu-", shouted a red-faced Harry, nested as he was somewhere in one of the library's corners. Slowly getting control of his breathing and his temper again, at the very least he had remembered to cast a bubble of silence around him at the start of today's studies.
Madam Pince hounding his ass was the last thing he wanted today. Still..
Looking downwards and upon the giant mess of books and scrolls infesting his table, Harry let out another groan. How the hell was he supposed to prepare for the tournament..when he didn't have the faintest idea as to what he might face?
Even more days passed followed by nights in abandoned classrooms or the lake and the forest, practicing the spells he deemed interesting in the day.
Botching the spell and causing electricity to arch backwards and up his arm caused Harry to drop his wand. "Motherfu-". Glaring at the offending piece of wood lying serenely by his feet, he kicked a pebble into the water, causing a tentacle to break the surface deeper in, the squid waving merrily at him.
His stomach growled. He started swearing in parseltongue.
"Everything alright there Harry?"
Startled, and with black circles underneath his eyes, Harry stopped his absentminded glaring towards the poor pudding in front of him and turned his head. Right, right, he was in the great hall having breakfast.
There, sitting by his side was none other than that waif of a blonde he had meet the..shit how many days had it been?
"Harry?" questioned the girl again with a cute tilt of her head.
"Shit, sorry Luna." He said as he shook his head, dispelling the previous thoughts within. "How can I help you?" he asked with a smile.
Luna shook her shoulders, "I simply wanted to see how you were doing Harry. From what I saw when I came into the hall, you are suffering from quite the Nargle infestation."
"Err..yeah sure." He said, confusion clear on his face. "What is a..Nargle, again?"
The girl, her entirely too wide eyes, shining with mischief simply rose a hand and patted Harry on the top of his head. "Oh, they are a beast most vicious and evil. They gather around lonely and..demanding people, driving others away from them."
Looking into the girl's luminous orbs and entirely too innocent face, he was almost tempted to believe her.
He snorted instead, "Luna are you calling me a prat?"
She hummed innocently.
"Oh you minx!" said Harry before reaching with one arm and starting to tickle the girl. "Who's difficult now, eh?"
As Luna's laughter stopped and her breath started returning to normal the young man sighed, "But even if I wanted too, I don't have time to waste partying with people Luna." He said, reaching with his other arm into the bag by his feet and pulling out a hefty tome, his forearm straining due to its weight, a surprising amount of muscle definition showing. "Maybe next year, when I won't have the tournament to deal with eh?"
The blonde just let out a sad sigh, "Everyone needs friends Harry, people like us more than most."
Harry only rolled his eyes in response, "But I do have friends, I am talking to you now, no? And I talk with the twins from time to time and.. Hmm.."
Thankfully for the young wizard the arrival of Hedwig interrupted his troubled thoughts.
Letting out a royal hoot, the owl landed on his shoulder, letter clutched in her talons. Sirius had responded it would seem.
"Some bacon for the weary traveler?" Asked Harry as he untied the letter from his snowy companion. Causing the owl to glare and cuff him on the head with her wing. "What?" asked Harry, rubbing his head.
The owl, in an entirely too human motion, rolled her eyes and jerked her head towards the blonde seated by the wizard's side.
"Oh right hehehe.. Luna this is Hedwig, one of my first friends as well as an entirely too smug owl." Said Harry.
Hedwig just hooted in agreement.
"Oh, she is beautiful, may i?"
"Of course." Said Harry, before bending slightly towards the girl for easier access.
"If you glare at that book any harder it might catch fire," said an amused voice.
Looking upwards and into amused blue eyes, Harry's brain took a moment to reboot itself. In front of him, with her entirely too tight robe swaying in the wind, particularly around the chest area, stood a blonde Slytherin. A somewhat familiar Slytherin at that. Even if he couldn't remember from where.
"Come again? Can I help you?"
"Ease up there on the 'charm' Potter. I am not here to bite you." Said the girl with a smirk while also raising her palms in a soothing gesture. "May I sit?" she asked pointing to one of the few spots of grass empty of book and parchment.
Annoyed at the interruption, yet also curious, and somewhat thankful for the break as well. Harry nodded back, trying for a smile. It came out as more of a pained grimace instead.
"Sure."
If she noticed, the girl didn't say anything before lowering herself to the ground.
And then staring at the teen's face with naked curiosity.
"What? Do I have something on my face?"
"No, I'm simply..curious."
Harry blinked, "about what?"
"You, Heir Potter." Seeming to remember something the girl suddenly had difficulty meeting his eyes, rising to her feet once more in a hurry, her cheeks darkened. "Apologies, I am Daphne Greengrass. Heir of the Greengrass family. Please excuse my manners" she said giving him a short curtsy.
Waving the girl's worries away with a snort, Harry looked at her with a furrowed brow.
"Ok, nice meeting you Ms Greengrass. But what can I help you with? I am kinda busy as you can see." He said indicating the book he was holding and its many, many siblings all around them. "Busy trying to survive this year's special that is." He said and it was the girl's turn to snort. "So, curious about me you said? Can't the Hogwarts rumor mill help you with that? I am the savior of the country, Merlin reborn and the devil himself you see."
Ignoring the wizard's grin, the blonde reached over and gave a gentle shove, "If I wanted rumors and Malfoy's tall tales, I wouldn't be here Potter." Snarked the girl, where had he heard that voice.. "And don't worry, I don't have some sort of nefarious purpose, assuming you can trust a Slytherin" she said with an eyeroll causing Harry to scoff.
"Don't worry, unlike Ron or Malfoy, I have at least three brain cells to rub together."
She shook her head, "It's just.. those past few days you've been acting..mmh interesting, and it intrigued me. I wanted to get to the bottom of it."
Harry waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Daphne snorted, "Prat." Before waving an arm towards him. "See? The Potter everyone knew wouldn't dream of something like that, and.." she bit her lip, making the teen's face feel warm for some reason. "I do love a good mystery.."
The wizard put down the book in his hand, turning his focus upon the witch at his side. "And is that all I am to you Ms Greengrass?" he asked in a frosty tone, the girl's innocuous words souring his mood for reasons he couldn't quite explain himself. "Just another 'mystery'? I suppose you want my life story too?"
She winced, " I can..see how that could cause offense, my apologies Heir Potter." she said slowly, casting her eyes to the side. "I assure you it wasn't my intent, as for the why.." she paused mulling it over. "I am sorry, but I wish for it to remain private for now, but I see that I've overstayed my welcome.."
Seeing the girl making to stand, a war erupted inside Harry. Lasting but a few short, if intense moments. "I..but.." he sighed and closed his eyes. "Wait, Greengrass." He said, making the girl stop. "I can tell you didn't mean anything bad with it, stay. Let's talk."
Seeing a radiant smile blooming on the girl's face, he felt like he had made the correct choice. His brow scrunching but a moment later.
"By the way, Greengrass."
"Yes?"
"Drop the formal stuff will ya? It makes my skin crawl worse than Lockhart's bullshit." He said with a shudder.
It was the girl's turn to frown, 'and it only made her seem cuter'. Thought Harry before shaking his head.
"I..hmm, yes. I see. I will..try." she said giving a serious nod, drawing a chuckle out of Harry. The girl's serious tone sounding as if he had just asked her to pull Excalibur from the stone.
With the sun hanging overhead they talked, and talked some more. Both, slowly, relaxing more and more in each other's presence. The ever-present vice Harry felt around his heart, slowly relaxing its grip as the minutes passed. He even found himself smiling back at Daphne.
"Right, I can safely say it's been a pleasure, Heir Potter."
"It's Harry, or Potter, I told you that!"
A fleeting smile formed on her lips as she continued. "-But I do have to go back to my friend, I suspect she's grown quite anxious with my absence." Said the girl, using one of the stacks of books by her side as an aide with which to push herself upwards.
Dusting her robe off she turned to Harry, "I thank you for the company and humoring my curiosity, I would not be averse to a repeat."
He shrugged, "No problems on my end here either, Greengrass. Most days I am either in the library..or here by the lake I guess. Hell, swing by tomorrow if you want."
A cute snort escaped the blonde's lips, "Unlike you Potter, not all of us can just skip class whenever we wish. But I think I.. will visit you again." She said with a nod, turning after the pair exchanged farewells and heading towards an anxiously awaiting redhead some distance away.
'Cute girl', came the unbidden thought. Vanishing but a moment later, as the girl, in her departure had touched one of the towering stacks of books. Causing it to wobble dangerously for a few moments, before one final gust of wind caused the tower to crumble.
"oof!"
And for a book from near the top of the tower to land in Harry's stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Cursing he straightened himself and grasped the offending item, looking it over. Pausing for a moments as semi loud voices reached his ears, turning in their direction his eyes landed on a surprisingly animated Greengrass being engrossed in a heated argument with her friend.
Shaking his head, Harry looked back at the book in his hand.
"Curses most foul & potent"
He let out an appreciative hum, it seemed interesting. At least, more so than the boring crap he had been suffering through previously.
Deep in the bowels of the forbidden forest, moon shining overhead and the invisibility cloak draped around his shoulders. Harry panted with glee. Sweat dripping from his brow and hot breaths escaping his mouth as he hungrily gulped for air, yet Harry simply vibrated with excitement as he took in the devastation around him.
It seemed that Daphne had really given him a blessing. The tome that had landed on him, contained curses and spells most useful. Few, if any of them seeming useless, or weak, so far.
Ignoring the newly created cursed and withered trees surrounding him, Harry raised his wand once more. Ready to try one of the tougher ones that had caught his eye. Before pausing after thinking it some more, and reaching for the book resting on the exposed roots by the tree behind him.
Leafing through the tome once more, he found the required page and went over the steps once again. Satisfied he threw the book behind him with a careless toss and lifted his wand.
Guttural tongues escaped his mouth, the eldritch chants making his vocal cords cry out in anguish and the very air around him to take on a foul taint. The few critters whose voices he had still heard up until now, fell silent as the sinister air grew, and a malicious, almost living, glee seemed to seep into the area.
Small embers seemed to appear and vanish at random, causing parts of his robe to glow and smoke. Only his silvery cloak remaining pure and pristine as the scent of brimstone and charcoal filled the air.
Harry, for his part paid no heed to any of that. Lost as he was to the euphoria of the sheer power he felt about to burst out of his wand. With a mad grin splitting his lips, he raised his wand into a knight's salute, its tip glowing a molten red and spoke the final syllable.
"..Malefiquous Infernus!"
And night turned into day, as molten sinewy ropes of sentient hell-flame leapt from his wand to surround him. Scorching the air. The ground. The very soil around him, and flash frying some of the trees closest to him.
Whereas before he was grinning, Harry, with sweat rushing down his frame like a river, now strained to control the cursed beast surrounding him in a molten sphere and seeking to crush him. Still, with his heart thundering in his chest he found that his excitement hadn't diminished any.
Even though he was balancing on the edge of a knife, as well as being moments away from seeing how Fawkes felt during his rebirth and his head felt like it was about to split in two. He found that he had never felt more alive.
But excitement or not, wrestling with the sentient inferno around him proved a task most taxing and vexing. His breathing growing shorter and shorter, Harry marshaled his will as the dancing phantasms around him edged closer towards him. Seeking to exceed his control and destroy him.
Letting out a reverberating yell, almost sounding as two voices shouting in tandem, the wizard caused the flames to contract and yield to his will. A series of unholy screeches escaping from the maws of the flaming beasts. Before finally, at last. With one last push the Fiendfyre surrendered.
"Bow before your KING!" Snarled Harry, his wand arm trembling with exertion.
Whereas moments ago, he was surrounded by a blazing inferno, now Harry found himself the master of shapeless fire. Fire eager to mold itself into whatever shape he commanded it as he swished his wand this and that way.
Still, heeding the book's warning, he allowed himself only the briefest moments of fun. Knowing that the cursed flame was even now seeking to free itself, and feeling it in the back of his mind, slithering and crawling in apparent subservience as it pushed and prodded against his tired will. Many an overeager wizard had met their end like this if the book's warnings were to be believed.
With an angry snarl he swiped through the air as if he was wielding a hammer, bringing his will down upon the cursed flames, causing them to let out a pitiful whine as they collapsed in on themselves.
Suddenly, Harry found himself alone and shivering in a no longer welcoming forest. The exaltation of mere moments ago giving way to wariness and bone deep exhaustion. Looking around him with now clear eyes he winced.
The devastation of before seeming as nothing compared to now. He found himself in the center of a circle with a radius of at least a dozen meters. Black soot drifted through the wind and the stench of brimstone lingered in the air. At least the half-ignited trees in the distance had extinguished themselves with the quenching of the hellfire.
Swaying, Harry landed on a knee as the world spun around him. "Woah! Not even the uber Patronus from last year left me feeling this drained.." muttered Harry. "And I don't think I am gonna practice this again in the forest." He said before he felt something drip from his eyes and ears, accompanied by a metallic taste in his mouth.
Raising a hand with a frown he touched his eyes and found his fingers coated with blood, causing him to blink.
"Hello Harry, I do believe we need to talk."
aaand originally this is where I cock-blocked my readers over at ffn for something like a year, if any of you can be counted amongst said number...
Then I offer my apologies, but as I said there, it was a mighty case of writers block, irl stuff and then forgetting some key details about this which prevented me from starting to write once more. (One of the negatives of outlining)
Rage filled every inch of his body and his eyes started glowing, the blond prat would get his. But now was not the time. Whipping out his wand, he hurriedly aimed and pinged the beast's carapace with a blasting curse. It nary left a scratch.
The blast ended skrewt paused in the mist of its charge. And turned to glare at Harry with its beady bug eyes. The spell had only served to piss it off further. Which was far from Harry's intent, admittedly he hadn't put his all into it, far from it in fact but still, only a scratch?!
With widening eyes, and thanking his reflexes Harry rolled to the side and practically kissed the dirt. The hissing abomination's form sailing like a bullet right past where he was mere moments ago. With a loud 'thump' it stuck one of the fences head on and fell to the ground dazed.
Harry, for his part, simply spat out a bit of dirt and rose to his feet in a hurried scramble. His wand's lit tip pointing towards the bug, who was quick to turn its face towards him. Its dark mandibles quivering in both hunger and anger as it started slithering towards him, hissing and with black foul smelling acid dripping from its fanged maw. Before it suddenly quieted and lowered its bulbous head, a submissive hiss escaping its mouth.
The teen blinked in confusion.
"Ahh Harry, I see that you are already playing with my newest friends. Aren't they great?!" Questioned a beaming Hagrid as he approached and let a callused meaty palm land on Harry's shoulder, pushing the teen nearly a foot into the ground.
With Malfoy's and his company's renewed snickers behind him, the Champion just snorted. Now everything made sense, for all that the half giant had a heart of gold. That didn't change the fact that he packed quite a bit of strength in his enormous frame. Thus, the beastie's submission in front of a superior, and now aware, predator…Theoretically speaking at least. For the only thing Hagrid was likely to 'attack' were those rock cakes of his. He practically devoured the stuff! Harry's teeth ached at the mere memory of 'em, for all that they tasted surprisingly good they had the consistency of…well, a rock sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.
Spatting out another globule of dirt, Harry half turned towards his first friend with a smile. Keeping the skrewt in his eye's periphery, and cursing inside. Why did he have the suspicion that he was gonna face the armored bastard and its siblings before the year's end?
He was gonna need something stronger if he was going to pierce their shell. Or more power. Either would work…
The days started blurring together, and Harry's mood became locked into an ever downwards spiral.
"Potter, you still haven't turned your rock into a spear."
Massaging his temples, the youth lifted his head from one of the library's "borrowed" books, an expression most charming etched on his face. Causing his classmates to draw back in fear off another 'Potter incident'.
Blinking, and parsing once more the transfiguration mistress' request he lazily waved his wand in the rock's direction. Transforming it into a beautiful scarlet hued ornamental piece, red and brown vibes climbing the magnificent spear's sides, before returning to his studies a moment later.
The class and the stunned professor forgotten.
"Fuuuuuuu-", shouted a red-faced Harry, nested as he was somewhere in one of the library's corners. Slowly getting control of his breathing and his temper again, at the very least he had remembered to cast a bubble of silence around him at the start of today's studies.
Madam Pince hounding his ass was the last thing he wanted today. Still..
Looking downwards and upon the giant mess of books and scrolls infesting his table, Harry let out another groan. How the hell was he supposed to prepare for the tournament..when he didn't have the faintest idea as to what he might face?
Even more days passed followed by nights in abandoned classrooms or the lake and the forest, practicing the spells he deemed interesting in the day.
Botching the spell and causing electricity to arch backwards and up his arm caused Harry to drop his wand. "Motherfu-". Glaring at the offending piece of wood lying serenely by his feet, he kicked a pebble into the water, causing a tentacle to break the surface deeper in, the squid waving merrily at him.
His stomach growled. He started swearing in parseltongue.
"Everything alright there Harry?"
Startled, and with black circles underneath his eyes, Harry stopped his absentminded glaring towards the poor pudding in front of him and turned his head. Right, right, he was in the great hall having breakfast.
There, sitting by his side was none other than that waif of a blonde he had meet the..shit how many days had it been?
"Harry?" questioned the girl again with a cute tilt of her head.
"Shit, sorry Luna." He said as he shook his head, dispelling the previous thoughts within. "How can I help you?" he asked with a smile.
Luna shook her shoulders, "I simply wanted to see how you were doing Harry. From what I saw when I came into the hall, you are suffering from quite the Nargle infestation."
"Err..yeah sure." He said, confusion clear on his face. "What is a..Nargle, again?"
The girl, her entirely too wide eyes, shining with mischief simply rose a hand and patted Harry on the top of his head. "Oh, they are a beast most vicious and evil. They gather around lonely and..demanding people, driving others away from them."
Looking into the girl's luminous orbs and entirely too innocent face, he was almost tempted to believe her.
He snorted instead, "Luna are you calling me a prat?"
She hummed innocently.
"Oh you minx!" said Harry before reaching with one arm and starting to tickle the girl. "Who's difficult now, eh?"
As Luna's laughter stopped and her breath started returning to normal the young man sighed, "But even if I wanted too, I don't have time to waste partying with people Luna." He said, reaching with his other arm into the bag by his feet and pulling out a hefty tome, his forearm straining due to its weight, a surprising amount of muscle definition showing. "Maybe next year, when I won't have the tournament to deal with eh?"
The blonde just let out a sad sigh, "Everyone needs friends Harry, people like us more than most."
Harry only rolled his eyes in response, "But I do have friends, I am talking to you now, no? And I talk with the twins from time to time and.. Hmm.."
Thankfully for the young wizard the arrival of Hedwig interrupted his troubled thoughts.
Letting out a royal hoot, the owl landed on his shoulder, letter clutched in her talons. Sirius had responded it would seem.
"Some bacon for the weary traveler?" Asked Harry as he untied the letter from his snowy companion. Causing the owl to glare and cuff him on the head with her wing. "What?" asked Harry, rubbing his head.
The owl, in an entirely too human motion, rolled her eyes and jerked her head towards the blonde seated by the wizard's side.
"Oh right hehehe.. Luna this is Hedwig, one of my first friends as well as an entirely too smug owl." Said Harry.
Hedwig just hooted in agreement.
"Oh, she is beautiful, may i?"
"Of course." Said Harry, before bending slightly towards the girl for easier access.
"If you glare at that book any harder it might catch fire," said an amused voice.
Looking upwards and into amused blue eyes, Harry's brain took a moment to reboot itself. In front of him, with her entirely too tight robe swaying in the wind, particularly around the chest area, stood a blonde Slytherin. A somewhat familiar Slytherin at that. Even if he couldn't remember from where.
"Come again? Can I help you?"
"Ease up there on the 'charm' Potter. I am not here to bite you." Said the girl with a smirk while also raising her palms in a soothing gesture. "May I sit?" she asked pointing to one of the few spots of grass empty of book and parchment.
Annoyed at the interruption, yet also curious, and somewhat thankful for the break as well. Harry nodded back, trying for a smile. It came out as more of a pained grimace instead.
"Sure."
If she noticed, the girl didn't say anything before lowering herself to the ground.
And then staring at the teen's face with naked curiosity.
"What? Do I have something on my face?"
"No, I'm simply..curious."
Harry blinked, "about what?"
"You, Heir Potter." Seeming to remember something the girl suddenly had difficulty meeting his eyes, rising to her feet once more in a hurry, her cheeks darkened. "Apologies, I am Daphne Greengrass. Heir of the Greengrass family. Please excuse my manners" she said giving him a short curtsy.
Waving the girl's worries away with a snort, Harry looked at her with a furrowed brow.
"Ok, nice meeting you Ms Greengrass. But what can I help you with? I am kinda busy as you can see." He said indicating the book he was holding and its many, many siblings all around them. "Busy trying to survive this year's special that is." He said and it was the girl's turn to snort. "So, curious about me you said? Can't the Hogwarts rumor mill help you with that? I am the savior of the country, Merlin reborn and the devil himself you see."
Ignoring the wizard's grin, the blonde reached over and gave a gentle shove, "If I wanted rumors and Malfoy's tall tales, I wouldn't be here Potter." Snarked the girl, where had he heard that voice.. "And don't worry, I don't have some sort of nefarious purpose, assuming you can trust a Slytherin" she said with an eyeroll causing Harry to scoff.
"Don't worry, unlike Ron or Malfoy, I have at least three brain cells to rub together."
She shook her head, "It's just.. those past few days you've been acting..mmh interesting, and it intrigued me. I wanted to get to the bottom of it."
Harry waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Daphne snorted, "Prat." Before waving an arm towards him. "See? The Potter everyone knew wouldn't dream of something like that, and.." she bit her lip, making the teen's face feel warm for some reason. "I do love a good mystery.."
The wizard put down the book in his hand, turning his focus upon the witch at his side. "And is that all I am to you Ms Greengrass?" he asked in a frosty tone, the girl's innocuous words souring his mood for reasons he couldn't quite explain himself. "Just another 'mystery'? I suppose you want my life story too?"
She winced, " I can..see how that could cause offense, my apologies Heir Potter." she said slowly, casting her eyes to the side. "I assure you it wasn't my intent, as for the why.." she paused mulling it over. "I am sorry, but I wish for it to remain private for now, but I see that I've overstayed my welcome.."
Seeing the girl making to stand, a war erupted inside Harry. Lasting but a few short, if intense moments. "I..but.." he sighed and closed his eyes. "Wait, Greengrass." He said, making the girl stop. "I can tell you didn't mean anything bad with it, stay. Let's talk."
Seeing a radiant smile blooming on the girl's face, he felt like he had made the correct choice. His brow scrunching but a moment later.
"By the way, Greengrass."
"Yes?"
"Drop the formal stuff will ya? It makes my skin crawl worse than Lockhart's bullshit." He said with a shudder.
It was the girl's turn to frown, 'and it only made her seem cuter'. Thought Harry before shaking his head.
"I..hmm, yes. I see. I will..try." she said giving a serious nod, drawing a chuckle out of Harry. The girl's serious tone sounding as if he had just asked her to pull Excalibur from the stone.
With the sun hanging overhead they talked, and talked some more. Both, slowly, relaxing more and more in each other's presence. The ever-present vice Harry felt around his heart, slowly relaxing its grip as the minutes passed. He even found himself smiling back at Daphne.
"Right, I can safely say it's been a pleasure, Heir Potter."
"It's Harry, or Potter, I told you that!"
A fleeting smile formed on her lips as she continued. "-But I do have to go back to my friend, I suspect she's grown quite anxious with my absence." Said the girl, using one of the stacks of books by her side as an aide with which to push herself upwards.
Dusting her robe off she turned to Harry, "I thank you for the company and humoring my curiosity, I would not be averse to a repeat."
He shrugged, "No problems on my end here either, Greengrass. Most days I am either in the library..or here by the lake I guess. Hell, swing by tomorrow if you want."
A cute snort escaped the blonde's lips, "Unlike you Potter, not all of us can just skip class whenever we wish. But I think I.. will visit you again." She said with a nod, turning after the pair exchanged farewells and heading towards an anxiously awaiting redhead some distance away.
'Cute girl', came the unbidden thought. Vanishing but a moment later, as the girl, in her departure had touched one of the towering stacks of books. Causing it to wobble dangerously for a few moments, before one final gust of wind caused the tower to crumble.
"oof!"
And for a book from near the top of the tower to land in Harry's stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Cursing he straightened himself and grasped the offending item, looking it over. Pausing for a moments as semi loud voices reached his ears, turning in their direction his eyes landed on a surprisingly animated Greengrass being engrossed in a heated argument with her friend.
Shaking his head, Harry looked back at the book in his hand.
"Curses most foul & potent"
He let out an appreciative hum, it seemed interesting. At least, more so than the boring crap he had been suffering through previously.
Deep in the bowels of the forbidden forest, moon shining overhead and the invisibility cloak draped around his shoulders. Harry panted with glee. Sweat dripping from his brow and hot breaths escaping his mouth as he hungrily gulped for air, yet Harry simply vibrated with excitement as he took in the devastation around him.
It seemed that Daphne had really given him a blessing. The tome that had landed on him, contained curses and spells most useful. Few, if any of them seeming useless, or weak, so far.
Ignoring the newly created cursed and withered trees surrounding him, Harry raised his wand once more. Ready to try one of the tougher ones that had caught his eye. Before pausing after thinking it some more, and reaching for the book resting on the exposed roots by the tree behind him.
Leafing through the tome once more, he found the required page and went over the steps once again. Satisfied he threw the book behind him with a careless toss and lifted his wand.
Guttural tongues escaped his mouth, the eldritch chants making his vocal cords cry out in anguish and the very air around him to take on a foul taint. The few critters whose voices he had still heard up until now, fell silent as the sinister air grew, and a malicious, almost living, glee seemed to seep into the area.
Small embers seemed to appear and vanish at random, causing parts of his robe to glow and smoke. Only his silvery cloak remaining pure and pristine as the scent of brimstone and charcoal filled the air.
Harry, for his part paid no heed to any of that. Lost as he was to the euphoria of the sheer power he felt about to burst out of his wand. With a mad grin splitting his lips, he raised his wand into a knight's salute, its tip glowing a molten red and spoke the final syllable.
"..Malefiquous Infernus!"
And night turned into day, as molten sinewy ropes of sentient hell-flame leapt from his wand to surround him. Scorching the air. The ground. The very soil around him, and flash frying some of the trees closest to him.
Whereas before he was grinning, Harry, with sweat rushing down his frame like a river, now strained to control the cursed beast surrounding him in a molten sphere and seeking to crush him. Still, with his heart thundering in his chest he found that his excitement hadn't diminished any.
Even though he was balancing on the edge of a knife, as well as being moments away from seeing how Fawkes felt during his rebirth and his head felt like it was about to split in two. He found that he had never felt more alive.
But excitement or not, wrestling with the sentient inferno around him proved a task most taxing and vexing. His breathing growing shorter and shorter, Harry marshaled his will as the dancing phantasms around him edged closer towards him. Seeking to exceed his control and destroy him.
Letting out a reverberating yell, almost sounding as two voices shouting in tandem, the wizard caused the flames to contract and yield to his will. A series of unholy screeches escaping from the maws of the flaming beasts. Before finally, at last. With one last push the Fiendfyre surrendered.
"Bow before your KING!" Snarled Harry, his wand arm trembling with exertion.
Whereas moments ago, he was surrounded by a blazing inferno, now Harry found himself the master of shapeless fire. Fire eager to mold itself into whatever shape he commanded it as he swished his wand this and that way.
Still, heeding the book's warning, he allowed himself only the briefest moments of fun. Knowing that the cursed flame was even now seeking to free itself, and feeling it in the back of his mind, slithering and crawling in apparent subservience as it pushed and prodded against his tired will. Many an overeager wizard had met their end like this if the book's warnings were to be believed.
With an angry snarl he swiped through the air as if he was wielding a hammer, bringing his will down upon the cursed flames, causing them to let out a pitiful whine as they collapsed in on themselves.
Suddenly, Harry found himself alone and shivering in a no longer welcoming forest. The exaltation of mere moments ago giving way to wariness and bone deep exhaustion. Looking around him with now clear eyes he winced.
The devastation of before seeming as nothing compared to now. He found himself in the center of a circle with a radius of at least a dozen meters. Black soot drifted through the wind and the stench of brimstone lingered in the air. At least the half-ignited trees in the distance had extinguished themselves with the quenching of the hellfire.
Swaying, Harry landed on a knee as the world spun around him. "Woah! Not even the uber Patronus from last year left me feeling this drained.." muttered Harry. "And I don't think I am gonna practice this again in the forest." He said before he felt something drip from his eyes and ears, accompanied by a metallic taste in his mouth.
Raising a hand with a frown he touched his eyes and found his fingers coated with blood, causing him to blink.
"Hello Harry, I do believe we need to talk."
aaand originally this is where I cock-blocked my readers over at ffn for something like a year, if any of you can be counted amongst said number...
Then I offer my apologies, but as I said there, it was a mighty case of writers block, irl stuff and then forgetting some key details about this which prevented me from starting to write once more. (One of the negatives of outlining)
chapter 5
Yuhabahha
Lord of Wandenreich
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2019
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"Quickly! Make haste my friend!" urged the mysterious voice from within.
Harry, his vision still swimming and with the scent of soot and smoky earth digging into his nose, bit his tongue, deciding to show some of the fabled Potter tact and not tell this newest pain in his butt where exactly he could shove it.
His arm shot outwards, grasping one of the charred low hanging branches, the burned wood's remaining bark biting deep into his hand as a measure of one last spiteful revenge, but he paid no mind to the small stinging sensation as he steadied his breath, forcibly calming himself and driving back the darkness creeping in from the edges of his vision and threatening to swallow him whole in a dark abyss. One he doubted he would wake up from.
"Harry!"
In the distance, through blurry eyes he could make out something dark, hairy, and multi legged skittering and eerie howls accompanied by ethereal singing reached his ears from further in the forest. The sounds enough to trigger faint recollections of the previous year's lessons. A quick glance upwards, the branches of the now charred trees no longer obscuring his view revealed that it was indeed a night of the full moon. He cursed. The ethereal singing drew closer and the hairs on the nape of his neck stiffened as he remembered the rest of the lessons. And more importantly their warnings, warnings of beings most fair and beautiful came to mind along with the accompanying tales, the sweat now rushing down his frame had little to do with the cursed flames aftereffects.
And he had no cold iron with him…
"Hurry up you fool!"
Deciding that the voice and its urging had a point, the boy wizard, gripping his wand tight in his left arm pushed against the branch, standing tall and throwing his silvery cloak around his form, immediately pivoting and starting to follow the charred path out of the forest, daring one last glance backwards in his hurried pace made his heart grow cold. The path he had burned through root and tree lead almost all the way to edge of the forest, and as he stood upon it, and thanks to the courtesy of some lingering cursed embers he found that he could see —to an extent— all the way to the clearing he had been some mere moments prior. Baleful emerald eyes filled with dark malevolence and hunger; ones attached to graceful long shapely bodies clad in transparent dresses met his gaze. Straight through his cloak. Harry paled as the singing resumed, the soothing song filled with dreadful undertones and now dreadfully close while the howls of the forest's wolves had fallen silent.
Wrenching his head forward and with his heart beating madly within his chest he found new strength flowing through his weary limbs courtesy of his desperation. Heavy labored breaths escaped his lungs as he dashed towards the castle and the safety of its stalwart white halls. With each step further away from the woods he could swear that he could feel the malice cloying the air around him dissipating, the springy gnarly digits reaching for his form withering, the dark tendrils snapping underneath the weight of the castle's protective wrath and receding before the brilliant aura of magic emanating from Hogwarts herself.
Welcoming him yet all but crushing those who would dare to step into her realm with the intent to do harm to one of her own.
He blinked and shook his head, and the pale aura which was overlaying the castle but an instant prior, vanished from his vision leaving behind only smooth marble as far as he could see.
Panting and drenched with sweat he reached the castle's majestic double doors at last. The singing having thankfully faded to nothing by now with only the gentle swaying of grass and the hoots and squeaks of nightly critters reaching his ears.
Still, despite his terrible state, or the relief he now felt at having apparently escaped his predicament, he did not allow himself a moments respite, the mysterious voice's continued words of urging and caution helping in that regard. For he could feel the forest's denizens' eyes upon him, and he dared not look back. Something within warning him, telling him that those whom his careless use of that darkest of magics had stirred were waiting for the merest moment's weakness to spring out from underneath their foreboding cover and pull him off to parts unknown.
For despite her majesty, or the power conveyed to her through sheer age. The brilliant castle all around him, who was even now doing her best to shield him and ward of the baying beings hungering at the borders of the forest, could only do so much. And under his circumstances a look could be likened to an invitation…
Clutching his thin wooden rod tightly and letting instinct once more guide him, he pushed open the castle's majestic double-sided doors with his free arm, his magic somehow invigorating him and imbuing him with strength beyond the capacity of his mortal limbs, yet this too came at a cost. Only after stepping inside and Hogwarts herself hurriedly closed the doors behind him, the act itself pulling him fully underneath her aegis and thus being enough to truly break the low-level dark bindings he had foolishly placed upon himself. Only then did he allow himself the luxury of raising his trembling free limb and wiping it across his face.
The act revealed the source of the wetness he had felt and it had little to do with the rivulets of sweat even now rushing down his trembling body. For his limb and silverly robe both were coated in red, partially rendering his father's cloak ineffective momentarily. For his lifeblood refused to cling or sip into the cloth for some reason, slowly sliding off of it and unto the ground.
Well, that was just peachy wasn't it. But, at the very least, the worst was now behind him.
'But, what now?'
"Now, you must find an abandoned spot, we mustn't be disturbed!"
The voice's return brought forth new waves of agony, making his brain pulse and throb.
"Gkh!"
His wand dropped down with a clatter, breaking the dead silence all around them as Harry raised his now freed hand. Clenching the side of his head, trying and failing to drive back the lances of agony.
"Hmm, we are worse off than I thought," murmured the voice from within. "We'll pay for that latter but needs must and all that."
Saying that the stranger did something and Harry felt a renewed sense of vigor flow through his veins, driving back the edges of exhaustion and the fiery needles stabbing through his nerves. His eyes no longer feeling like they were boiling within their very sockets, rather, the newest sensation he imagined must be rather close to what one felt when an experienced masseur worked out a particularly tight kink in their back.
Gasping in surprise and wonder, the young man lowered his arm away from his temple, obscuring his eye no longer. For but a moment he gazed around him in wonder before the urgency of his situation returned to him and he hastily bend down, retrieving his old friend. The phoenix feather serving as the wand's core pulsing in joy at the renewed contact.
Smiling at the sensation, Harry nonetheless obeyed the voice's instruction, making haste for the castle's stairs, all the while searching through his memories of the castle, seeking a place which would serve his purpose.
For despite his apparent clean bill of health not all was as it first seemed, thanks to his recently discovered magical aptitude he could tell that whatever alien magic was now pulsing through his body, it was only masking the underlying symptoms, momentarily deadening nerves and their pain signals, amplifying the body's metabolism and healing capabilities, enhancing the muscles, the bones, the brain, and even the soul. But, somehow he knew, that what the muggles called overclocking and what the mages of another reality would call a faulty reinforcement would not last much longer.
And soon enough, the sensation of velvety hands lovingly kneading his tired muscles would abate and the fiery hungering needles of pain would return…
Kicking open the wooden door with his heart hammering within his chest, the first thing Harry noticed was the stale air, the scent of mold, old parchments and rotting wood hit his nostrils as he strode in. From a nearby unopened window, rays of moonlight streamed inside the room from the dirty panes of glass. The agitated dust swirling in the air in joy, forming dancing dust devils.
But the wizard paid little heed to any of that, he wasn't Hermione after all and he cared little for the scent of parchment and books, noticing only that that the room was just as empty as he remembered it.
Still, his nose twitched and a small grimace of discomfort formed on his face. Harry absentmindedly flicked his wand and the nearby window opened for the first time in decades.
"Good, good. This will do my friend." Said the stranger, his voice, and somehow, he just knew that it was a he, sounding as exhausted as Harry currently felt. "Now, please cast some silence spells and get comfortable we wouldn't want to be dist—Harry?!"
Right as the youth lifted his hand and the wand held within it, the weird magik boosting him puttered out, causing all the aches and pains to return. The youth bit his lip, trying his hardest to hold back an agonized scream, the unexpected return of the pain catching him unaware and causing his muscles to grow taut, his posture rigid. Freezing him in place. He bit down hard, feeling his teeth grind against one another and tears start running down the sides of his face, and in his mouth, his tongue could taste something warm and coppery.
The sensations along with the overwhelming pain and his previous exhaustion proved altogether too much, and an instant later his knees lost their strength, his vision blackened. 'At least I managed to lock the door..' Was Harry's last thought as his face met the pavement and the sounds of broken glass reached his ears along with the sound of broken cartilage. Thankfully he was out before the pain from his broken noise could reach him.
His eyes slid open and he gazed downwards in wonder and not a small amount of confusion. For it would seem that some git who fancied themselves too smart for their own good had charmed the hell out of his bed. Not only did they make it unbelievably soft —it was almost as if it wasn't there— but they also made it so that he could breathe facedown and the smartasses had even gone out of their way to copy the magic of Hogwarts enchanted ceiling, only instead of a starry sky they put a dark abyss bellow hi—
The memories hit him like a brick to the face. Wide eyed he rolled to the side and pushing with his arms leapt to his feet. The sudden motion making him lose his balance and with his arms flailing, land right back on his ass. On the air, or rather void. What the fu—
Groaning in discomfort, Harry, after seeing that he somehow wasn't falling into the darkness, rolled with it and took a moment to look around. Where the hell was he? This looked nothing like the abandoned classroom he had been in moments prior. In fact, this looked like nothing he had ever seen before. And more to the matter, his aches and pains were nowhere to be found.
Dark, purple mists surrounded him and he fought the urge to sneeze due to the high amounts of humidity while above him a starry night sky hang, the distant points of light glimmering merrily while below him an endless void seemingly stretched. Quickly, he teared away his gaze from the maddening visage below, which he finally decided had little to do with the castle's magicked ceiling, or the nothing upon which he was seemingly siting or more accurately hovering upon.
"The hell?"
"Hello Harry."
The older, cultured voice breaking through the until now deafening silence, something which he only now realized had even been a thing, caused him to startle and jump to his feet, the void and his surroundings in general momentarily forgotten. His plethora of previous experiences serving as a lesson ensured his wand sprang to his hand in an instant while his neck snapped towards the voice's direction.
A darkly garbed figure, their robes swaying at their frayed edges due to an unseen wind, gazed back at him, somehow, the youth knew a pair of piercing vermilion eyes lay behind the dark cowl obscuring the stranger from his sight.
"Who are you, where am I?" he thundered and lifted his wand arm, an ominous glow emanating from his stick's tip. Warning and intent rolled up into one.
The figure appeared unconcerned by the sight in front of him as well as the youth's actions. Opting instead to continue staring, his arms intertwined in front of him and hidden beneath the loose tattered robes. Robes almost as dark as the surrounding fog and upon which said robes Harry could swear he could see faint reflections of the stars above dance in merriment and joy while said fog was even now drifting in an almost lackadaisical manner between and all around them.
"We'll get to my identity soon enough my friend, as for where we are," The figure parted his arms and spread them wide in a theatrical motion. "Well, I do hope you realize we are within your head."
The boy's arm momentarily trembled and his eyes widened at those words, before his expression hardened and his arm was firm once more.
"My..head?" he asked with suspicion.
The stranger nodded, "Why yes. I realize it's surprising, after all, not many witches and wizards attempt the inward journey, it's something rare even amongst the practitioners of the mind arts. Be proud Harry, even if it was mostly unintentional you've performed an act few ever have."
Harry pursed his lips and kept staring. It was seeming less and less likely that this was a figment of his imagination. Bollocks.
"That so, then, mind telling me why it all looks like this?" he said with an absentminded wave of his free arm.
The man tilted his head to the side as he regarded the youth for a moment, before at last he shrugged. "It's your mind Harry, it can look however you want it too. But, since you've never been here before it remains malleable, unformed. With only the barest whispers of your subconscious guiding it." He said and pointed upwards, to the mesmerizing stars hanging above them.
Harry merely grumbled in response, not certain if he liked what his head being filled with nothing but distant stars, fog and a gnawing void baying for his soul beneath his feet said about him. Shaking his head he refocused upon the hooded figure, refusing to be distracted. Or more distracted at least.
"That's all well and good, but you still haven't answered my question. Who are you?" he said as the tip of his wand burned an eldritch red.
"And now we come to the crux of the matter…" muttered the figure to himself and before the confused teen could speak, he hastily continued. "Let me answer your question with a riddle."
"A riddle?" skeptically questioned Harry, his wand still pointed at the shade but with his grip somewhat looser. Now that the threat of violence didn't seem so close anymore.
The man nodded, "Yes, humor me if you please. Now, let me ask you this. The past couple of days, did you happen to notice a…difference to yourself. Or how you seemed a mite changed after that night and the debacle with the Cup?"
"Yes…I mean I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Please Harry, we are in your mind. There is no need to lie to a part of yourself."
"A part of myse—"
The figure paused. "Shoot, I spoiled the reveal." He said with muttered grumble. "Well, yes, Harry, I'm in fact a part of you."
The boy who lived frowned, ignoring the man and his apparent love of theatrics. "But how can that be?" Memories flashed through his mind, despite being within said organ, of fragments of conversation overhead back in the muggle world. Sometimes between the walking talking pig that was his cousin and others between various people he had overheard.
"I'm pretty sure wizards can't develop a split personality."
"You'll be surprised…" muttered the man once again, his voice thick with disdain. "But I digress. Putting aside the subject pertaining to the ailments of the mind, the answer I'm afraid lies in your past."
Harry felt the beginnings of a headache and had to fight the urge to rub his forehead.
"Your words make little sense and only serve in further confusing me." He finally said with an annoyed groan.
Worse, the youth could somehow tell that his words amused the older man. The same way he could be certain that he was indeed a man.
"My apologies for that was not my intention my friend," yeah sure, and his fat oaf of a cousin had the willpower to say no to an extra serving of pudding. "Still, I can see that you don't believe me so I will speak plainly. The gift of snake speech was not the only thing that that…man gifted you that night."
The stranger's words and their implications caused a spark of lightning to race up Harry's spine, the grip on his holy wand growing tight enough for the mystical object to groan in protest.
"You…you don't mean," he started in a raspy tone.
"Indeed I do," continued the man with a nod. "Your victory over Voldemort, the accord he unknowingly entered —and subsequently broke—, courtesy of your genius of a mother, as well as the ruined nature of his soul, afforded you great rights and privileges as the winner."
Even though most of the man's words meant little to Harry, flying over his head in fact, and for the most part only ensured that he now had even more questions, Harry got the gist of it. And he didn't like it, not one bit.
"So, I'm part-Voldemort?" a green faced Harry asked in a queasy tone while at the same time fighting to keep his late lunch within his stomach. He had no idea what puking inside your own mind meant or the damage it could cause, but he doubted it was somehow good.
"What? No, that…" The man paused, a hand rising up to scratch at the chin hiding underneath his cowl. "Wait, no actually…yeah, I guess that's not that far of the mark." He finally said with a shrug. "Or if you prefer, and it helps, you can think of it like those silly cartoons you caught glimpses off at the TV. The aspects you won are serving like an extra fuel source for you." He said with good humor.
Harry was not amused.
"That doesn't help at all." He snarked.
Another shrug was all the answer he got for his troubles.
The youth's shoulders slumped and a tired sigh left his lips, seeing that the stranger was willing to talk and at the very least, did not seem immediately hostile, as well as the fact that he was —supposedly— within his own darn mind! And after the night he had, he decided that it was high time to relax at least a tad, constant vigilance was all well and good but to hell with it if it meant he had to be high strung all the time.
Plus, he had the suspicions that ending up looking like Moody would make landing a bird a mite difficult. After all, looking beyond the physical was all well and good but he doubted most girls would be too keen in dating him if he looked like that. And he intended to have a family of his own one day thank you very much!
"Let's say I believe you," begun Harry. "What would that make you, some part of Voldemort himself?" he asked, tone weary and ready to act if his gut's hints were any indication.
"I…I am not sure." Begun the stranger, his tone displaying confusion and a deep sense of irritation for the first time. Seeing Harry about to speak he hastened to continue. "Let me show you what I mean," he said and raised his hands towards his cowl. Throwing it back in one swift motion.
The young savior's eyes widened and his mouth hang low, for the self-proclaimed aspect of his soul was even weirder than he thought. Where a mouth, a nose, ears and hair were supposed to be, or hell an actual face. Only a translucent see-through approximation of a face could be found. So thin and wisp like in fact that Sir Nick's pale, ghostly visage was like that of a healthy living wizard's by comparison.
And as if that wasn't enough, the face staring at him held only the faintest of similarities to that of a normal human's, in fact, if Harry was quite honest with himself the whole thing brought to mind images of the test dummies muggle companies used before deciding that a product, usually a car, was safe for release.
Seeing the pale see through vapors leaving the edges of the man's 'face' he amended his statement in the privacy of his mind. A test dummy if said dummy was somewhat ethereal, wisps constantly leaving him at the edges and with the most vivid pair of red eyes he had seen. In fact, said eyes whose scarlet coloring was rich enough to make a vampire hunger were the only part that wouldn't be out of place on a normal face, aside from their creepiness that is.
"Ok, I can see how that would be somewhat of an issue." Said Harry in a deadpan.
Hmm, apparently I misspoke, it seems to be less of an issue with word and more with...whatever I did to the earlier chapters while editing them. For this one pasted, seemingly correctly.
Harry, his vision still swimming and with the scent of soot and smoky earth digging into his nose, bit his tongue, deciding to show some of the fabled Potter tact and not tell this newest pain in his butt where exactly he could shove it.
His arm shot outwards, grasping one of the charred low hanging branches, the burned wood's remaining bark biting deep into his hand as a measure of one last spiteful revenge, but he paid no mind to the small stinging sensation as he steadied his breath, forcibly calming himself and driving back the darkness creeping in from the edges of his vision and threatening to swallow him whole in a dark abyss. One he doubted he would wake up from.
"Harry!"
In the distance, through blurry eyes he could make out something dark, hairy, and multi legged skittering and eerie howls accompanied by ethereal singing reached his ears from further in the forest. The sounds enough to trigger faint recollections of the previous year's lessons. A quick glance upwards, the branches of the now charred trees no longer obscuring his view revealed that it was indeed a night of the full moon. He cursed. The ethereal singing drew closer and the hairs on the nape of his neck stiffened as he remembered the rest of the lessons. And more importantly their warnings, warnings of beings most fair and beautiful came to mind along with the accompanying tales, the sweat now rushing down his frame had little to do with the cursed flames aftereffects.
And he had no cold iron with him…
"Hurry up you fool!"
Deciding that the voice and its urging had a point, the boy wizard, gripping his wand tight in his left arm pushed against the branch, standing tall and throwing his silvery cloak around his form, immediately pivoting and starting to follow the charred path out of the forest, daring one last glance backwards in his hurried pace made his heart grow cold. The path he had burned through root and tree lead almost all the way to edge of the forest, and as he stood upon it, and thanks to the courtesy of some lingering cursed embers he found that he could see —to an extent— all the way to the clearing he had been some mere moments prior. Baleful emerald eyes filled with dark malevolence and hunger; ones attached to graceful long shapely bodies clad in transparent dresses met his gaze. Straight through his cloak. Harry paled as the singing resumed, the soothing song filled with dreadful undertones and now dreadfully close while the howls of the forest's wolves had fallen silent.
Wrenching his head forward and with his heart beating madly within his chest he found new strength flowing through his weary limbs courtesy of his desperation. Heavy labored breaths escaped his lungs as he dashed towards the castle and the safety of its stalwart white halls. With each step further away from the woods he could swear that he could feel the malice cloying the air around him dissipating, the springy gnarly digits reaching for his form withering, the dark tendrils snapping underneath the weight of the castle's protective wrath and receding before the brilliant aura of magic emanating from Hogwarts herself.
Welcoming him yet all but crushing those who would dare to step into her realm with the intent to do harm to one of her own.
He blinked and shook his head, and the pale aura which was overlaying the castle but an instant prior, vanished from his vision leaving behind only smooth marble as far as he could see.
Panting and drenched with sweat he reached the castle's majestic double doors at last. The singing having thankfully faded to nothing by now with only the gentle swaying of grass and the hoots and squeaks of nightly critters reaching his ears.
Still, despite his terrible state, or the relief he now felt at having apparently escaped his predicament, he did not allow himself a moments respite, the mysterious voice's continued words of urging and caution helping in that regard. For he could feel the forest's denizens' eyes upon him, and he dared not look back. Something within warning him, telling him that those whom his careless use of that darkest of magics had stirred were waiting for the merest moment's weakness to spring out from underneath their foreboding cover and pull him off to parts unknown.
For despite her majesty, or the power conveyed to her through sheer age. The brilliant castle all around him, who was even now doing her best to shield him and ward of the baying beings hungering at the borders of the forest, could only do so much. And under his circumstances a look could be likened to an invitation…
Clutching his thin wooden rod tightly and letting instinct once more guide him, he pushed open the castle's majestic double-sided doors with his free arm, his magic somehow invigorating him and imbuing him with strength beyond the capacity of his mortal limbs, yet this too came at a cost. Only after stepping inside and Hogwarts herself hurriedly closed the doors behind him, the act itself pulling him fully underneath her aegis and thus being enough to truly break the low-level dark bindings he had foolishly placed upon himself. Only then did he allow himself the luxury of raising his trembling free limb and wiping it across his face.
The act revealed the source of the wetness he had felt and it had little to do with the rivulets of sweat even now rushing down his trembling body. For his limb and silverly robe both were coated in red, partially rendering his father's cloak ineffective momentarily. For his lifeblood refused to cling or sip into the cloth for some reason, slowly sliding off of it and unto the ground.
Well, that was just peachy wasn't it. But, at the very least, the worst was now behind him.
'But, what now?'
"Now, you must find an abandoned spot, we mustn't be disturbed!"
The voice's return brought forth new waves of agony, making his brain pulse and throb.
"Gkh!"
His wand dropped down with a clatter, breaking the dead silence all around them as Harry raised his now freed hand. Clenching the side of his head, trying and failing to drive back the lances of agony.
"Hmm, we are worse off than I thought," murmured the voice from within. "We'll pay for that latter but needs must and all that."
Saying that the stranger did something and Harry felt a renewed sense of vigor flow through his veins, driving back the edges of exhaustion and the fiery needles stabbing through his nerves. His eyes no longer feeling like they were boiling within their very sockets, rather, the newest sensation he imagined must be rather close to what one felt when an experienced masseur worked out a particularly tight kink in their back.
Gasping in surprise and wonder, the young man lowered his arm away from his temple, obscuring his eye no longer. For but a moment he gazed around him in wonder before the urgency of his situation returned to him and he hastily bend down, retrieving his old friend. The phoenix feather serving as the wand's core pulsing in joy at the renewed contact.
Smiling at the sensation, Harry nonetheless obeyed the voice's instruction, making haste for the castle's stairs, all the while searching through his memories of the castle, seeking a place which would serve his purpose.
For despite his apparent clean bill of health not all was as it first seemed, thanks to his recently discovered magical aptitude he could tell that whatever alien magic was now pulsing through his body, it was only masking the underlying symptoms, momentarily deadening nerves and their pain signals, amplifying the body's metabolism and healing capabilities, enhancing the muscles, the bones, the brain, and even the soul. But, somehow he knew, that what the muggles called overclocking and what the mages of another reality would call a faulty reinforcement would not last much longer.
And soon enough, the sensation of velvety hands lovingly kneading his tired muscles would abate and the fiery hungering needles of pain would return…
Kicking open the wooden door with his heart hammering within his chest, the first thing Harry noticed was the stale air, the scent of mold, old parchments and rotting wood hit his nostrils as he strode in. From a nearby unopened window, rays of moonlight streamed inside the room from the dirty panes of glass. The agitated dust swirling in the air in joy, forming dancing dust devils.
But the wizard paid little heed to any of that, he wasn't Hermione after all and he cared little for the scent of parchment and books, noticing only that that the room was just as empty as he remembered it.
Still, his nose twitched and a small grimace of discomfort formed on his face. Harry absentmindedly flicked his wand and the nearby window opened for the first time in decades.
"Good, good. This will do my friend." Said the stranger, his voice, and somehow, he just knew that it was a he, sounding as exhausted as Harry currently felt. "Now, please cast some silence spells and get comfortable we wouldn't want to be dist—Harry?!"
Right as the youth lifted his hand and the wand held within it, the weird magik boosting him puttered out, causing all the aches and pains to return. The youth bit his lip, trying his hardest to hold back an agonized scream, the unexpected return of the pain catching him unaware and causing his muscles to grow taut, his posture rigid. Freezing him in place. He bit down hard, feeling his teeth grind against one another and tears start running down the sides of his face, and in his mouth, his tongue could taste something warm and coppery.
The sensations along with the overwhelming pain and his previous exhaustion proved altogether too much, and an instant later his knees lost their strength, his vision blackened. 'At least I managed to lock the door..' Was Harry's last thought as his face met the pavement and the sounds of broken glass reached his ears along with the sound of broken cartilage. Thankfully he was out before the pain from his broken noise could reach him.
His eyes slid open and he gazed downwards in wonder and not a small amount of confusion. For it would seem that some git who fancied themselves too smart for their own good had charmed the hell out of his bed. Not only did they make it unbelievably soft —it was almost as if it wasn't there— but they also made it so that he could breathe facedown and the smartasses had even gone out of their way to copy the magic of Hogwarts enchanted ceiling, only instead of a starry sky they put a dark abyss bellow hi—
The memories hit him like a brick to the face. Wide eyed he rolled to the side and pushing with his arms leapt to his feet. The sudden motion making him lose his balance and with his arms flailing, land right back on his ass. On the air, or rather void. What the fu—
Groaning in discomfort, Harry, after seeing that he somehow wasn't falling into the darkness, rolled with it and took a moment to look around. Where the hell was he? This looked nothing like the abandoned classroom he had been in moments prior. In fact, this looked like nothing he had ever seen before. And more to the matter, his aches and pains were nowhere to be found.
Dark, purple mists surrounded him and he fought the urge to sneeze due to the high amounts of humidity while above him a starry night sky hang, the distant points of light glimmering merrily while below him an endless void seemingly stretched. Quickly, he teared away his gaze from the maddening visage below, which he finally decided had little to do with the castle's magicked ceiling, or the nothing upon which he was seemingly siting or more accurately hovering upon.
"The hell?"
"Hello Harry."
The older, cultured voice breaking through the until now deafening silence, something which he only now realized had even been a thing, caused him to startle and jump to his feet, the void and his surroundings in general momentarily forgotten. His plethora of previous experiences serving as a lesson ensured his wand sprang to his hand in an instant while his neck snapped towards the voice's direction.
A darkly garbed figure, their robes swaying at their frayed edges due to an unseen wind, gazed back at him, somehow, the youth knew a pair of piercing vermilion eyes lay behind the dark cowl obscuring the stranger from his sight.
"Who are you, where am I?" he thundered and lifted his wand arm, an ominous glow emanating from his stick's tip. Warning and intent rolled up into one.
The figure appeared unconcerned by the sight in front of him as well as the youth's actions. Opting instead to continue staring, his arms intertwined in front of him and hidden beneath the loose tattered robes. Robes almost as dark as the surrounding fog and upon which said robes Harry could swear he could see faint reflections of the stars above dance in merriment and joy while said fog was even now drifting in an almost lackadaisical manner between and all around them.
"We'll get to my identity soon enough my friend, as for where we are," The figure parted his arms and spread them wide in a theatrical motion. "Well, I do hope you realize we are within your head."
The boy's arm momentarily trembled and his eyes widened at those words, before his expression hardened and his arm was firm once more.
"My..head?" he asked with suspicion.
The stranger nodded, "Why yes. I realize it's surprising, after all, not many witches and wizards attempt the inward journey, it's something rare even amongst the practitioners of the mind arts. Be proud Harry, even if it was mostly unintentional you've performed an act few ever have."
Harry pursed his lips and kept staring. It was seeming less and less likely that this was a figment of his imagination. Bollocks.
"That so, then, mind telling me why it all looks like this?" he said with an absentminded wave of his free arm.
The man tilted his head to the side as he regarded the youth for a moment, before at last he shrugged. "It's your mind Harry, it can look however you want it too. But, since you've never been here before it remains malleable, unformed. With only the barest whispers of your subconscious guiding it." He said and pointed upwards, to the mesmerizing stars hanging above them.
Harry merely grumbled in response, not certain if he liked what his head being filled with nothing but distant stars, fog and a gnawing void baying for his soul beneath his feet said about him. Shaking his head he refocused upon the hooded figure, refusing to be distracted. Or more distracted at least.
"That's all well and good, but you still haven't answered my question. Who are you?" he said as the tip of his wand burned an eldritch red.
"And now we come to the crux of the matter…" muttered the figure to himself and before the confused teen could speak, he hastily continued. "Let me answer your question with a riddle."
"A riddle?" skeptically questioned Harry, his wand still pointed at the shade but with his grip somewhat looser. Now that the threat of violence didn't seem so close anymore.
The man nodded, "Yes, humor me if you please. Now, let me ask you this. The past couple of days, did you happen to notice a…difference to yourself. Or how you seemed a mite changed after that night and the debacle with the Cup?"
"Yes…I mean I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Please Harry, we are in your mind. There is no need to lie to a part of yourself."
"A part of myse—"
The figure paused. "Shoot, I spoiled the reveal." He said with muttered grumble. "Well, yes, Harry, I'm in fact a part of you."
The boy who lived frowned, ignoring the man and his apparent love of theatrics. "But how can that be?" Memories flashed through his mind, despite being within said organ, of fragments of conversation overhead back in the muggle world. Sometimes between the walking talking pig that was his cousin and others between various people he had overheard.
"I'm pretty sure wizards can't develop a split personality."
"You'll be surprised…" muttered the man once again, his voice thick with disdain. "But I digress. Putting aside the subject pertaining to the ailments of the mind, the answer I'm afraid lies in your past."
Harry felt the beginnings of a headache and had to fight the urge to rub his forehead.
"Your words make little sense and only serve in further confusing me." He finally said with an annoyed groan.
Worse, the youth could somehow tell that his words amused the older man. The same way he could be certain that he was indeed a man.
"My apologies for that was not my intention my friend," yeah sure, and his fat oaf of a cousin had the willpower to say no to an extra serving of pudding. "Still, I can see that you don't believe me so I will speak plainly. The gift of snake speech was not the only thing that that…man gifted you that night."
The stranger's words and their implications caused a spark of lightning to race up Harry's spine, the grip on his holy wand growing tight enough for the mystical object to groan in protest.
"You…you don't mean," he started in a raspy tone.
"Indeed I do," continued the man with a nod. "Your victory over Voldemort, the accord he unknowingly entered —and subsequently broke—, courtesy of your genius of a mother, as well as the ruined nature of his soul, afforded you great rights and privileges as the winner."
Even though most of the man's words meant little to Harry, flying over his head in fact, and for the most part only ensured that he now had even more questions, Harry got the gist of it. And he didn't like it, not one bit.
"So, I'm part-Voldemort?" a green faced Harry asked in a queasy tone while at the same time fighting to keep his late lunch within his stomach. He had no idea what puking inside your own mind meant or the damage it could cause, but he doubted it was somehow good.
"What? No, that…" The man paused, a hand rising up to scratch at the chin hiding underneath his cowl. "Wait, no actually…yeah, I guess that's not that far of the mark." He finally said with a shrug. "Or if you prefer, and it helps, you can think of it like those silly cartoons you caught glimpses off at the TV. The aspects you won are serving like an extra fuel source for you." He said with good humor.
Harry was not amused.
"That doesn't help at all." He snarked.
Another shrug was all the answer he got for his troubles.
The youth's shoulders slumped and a tired sigh left his lips, seeing that the stranger was willing to talk and at the very least, did not seem immediately hostile, as well as the fact that he was —supposedly— within his own darn mind! And after the night he had, he decided that it was high time to relax at least a tad, constant vigilance was all well and good but to hell with it if it meant he had to be high strung all the time.
Plus, he had the suspicions that ending up looking like Moody would make landing a bird a mite difficult. After all, looking beyond the physical was all well and good but he doubted most girls would be too keen in dating him if he looked like that. And he intended to have a family of his own one day thank you very much!
"Let's say I believe you," begun Harry. "What would that make you, some part of Voldemort himself?" he asked, tone weary and ready to act if his gut's hints were any indication.
"I…I am not sure." Begun the stranger, his tone displaying confusion and a deep sense of irritation for the first time. Seeing Harry about to speak he hastened to continue. "Let me show you what I mean," he said and raised his hands towards his cowl. Throwing it back in one swift motion.
The young savior's eyes widened and his mouth hang low, for the self-proclaimed aspect of his soul was even weirder than he thought. Where a mouth, a nose, ears and hair were supposed to be, or hell an actual face. Only a translucent see-through approximation of a face could be found. So thin and wisp like in fact that Sir Nick's pale, ghostly visage was like that of a healthy living wizard's by comparison.
And as if that wasn't enough, the face staring at him held only the faintest of similarities to that of a normal human's, in fact, if Harry was quite honest with himself the whole thing brought to mind images of the test dummies muggle companies used before deciding that a product, usually a car, was safe for release.
Seeing the pale see through vapors leaving the edges of the man's 'face' he amended his statement in the privacy of his mind. A test dummy if said dummy was somewhat ethereal, wisps constantly leaving him at the edges and with the most vivid pair of red eyes he had seen. In fact, said eyes whose scarlet coloring was rich enough to make a vampire hunger were the only part that wouldn't be out of place on a normal face, aside from their creepiness that is.
"Ok, I can see how that would be somewhat of an issue." Said Harry in a deadpan.
Hmm, apparently I misspoke, it seems to be less of an issue with word and more with...whatever I did to the earlier chapters while editing them. For this one pasted, seemingly correctly.
chapter 6
Yuhabahha
Lord of Wandenreich
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The stranger's eyes continued to bore straight into him, doing his best through sight alone to convey his sincerity and confusion.
Personally, Harry for his part believed him. Or rather his whole life up to now had been nothing but a series of weird events after weird events, so what was the revelation that he had, apparently, eaten a part of Voldemort at birth but merely the latest in said series of unlikely events.
The fact that while the two of them were talking, his body and nose, were doing their level best to bump uglies with the tiles of the abandoned classroom's floor had nothing to do with it, nor did the image, more like a nightmare, of Malfoy finding him in such a state and deciding to do things to his poor rear make him want to be done with the whole thing. No sir, definitely not.
"Ok, you are me, or part of me, or whatever." He said with a sigh, his tone indicating quite clearly that he was done, he barely even paid attention to the wave of magic he felt suddenly appear and reverberate throughout the whole space the two men found themselves in at his words. "I assume you aren't going anywhere so we can talk later, but I really need to be going back to the outside world, you see all my things are in it. So, if you could tell me how to fix whatever's wrong with me that would be great." Harry snapped his fingers, a sudden thought coming to mind. "Oh, and for that matter, what's your name?"
The translucent faced man nodded his head in response to the young wizard's words, listening aptly while his arms slowly lowered away from the retracted cowl and down by his sides.
"Indeed, we can and must talk later my friend. But fret not, you don't need to come back 'here'." He said, his see-through lips tugging upwards in a teasing smirk. "Not unless you need to, or know how." He said and Harry blinked, realizing that he, indeed knew not how to pull off that bit of magic. "Worry not, I will teach you." He said, preemptively voiding the youth's concern. "But that's indeed best left for later. As for your question…"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"You just 'solved' it by yourself."
Harry tilted his head to the side in confusion.
"Eh?"
He just nodded again, "Your words just now?" he asked. "Accepting me, and whatever else you earned that night as part of your soul?" that was enough for the old magic to finish the integration and for your very magic to stop trying to tear itself apart.
"Just like that?" the bespectacled youth couldn't help but ask.
"Just like that." Agreed the man and Harry fought the urge to curse. What, he expected magic off all things to make sense? Foolish of him, really. "But we can discuss the specifics later. If you wish to."
At the man's excitement filled tone, his voice thick with wistfulness, Harry blanched. After all the tone was eerily familiar to him, a certain bushy haired girl's face springing to mind made him whimper and take an unconscious step back.
He had one would be professor hounding him in real life, he needed not one within his brain as well.
"M-maybe some other time!" he squeaked. Causing the translucent aspect to slump dejectedly and making a pang of guilt grow within Harry's heart. "But-"
At the sound of his voice the specter perked up, looking back at Harry again.
"You still haven't told me your name."
The spirit frowned at that, his lips pursing into a thin flat line.
"My name, huh?" he mumbled to himself, growing silent for a few moments seemingly warring with himself before nodding and once more looking back up and straight into Harry's own eyes. "Call me…call me Requiem. It's an apt enough name for me, I think."
Ignoring the now named Requiem's self-deprecating tone, Harry arched an eyebrow in response. "A tad pretentious don't you think?" he asked and before the spirit could respond he continued. "But still, it's your choice. Call yourself what you will." He said with a shrug.
Requiem flashed him a warm smile. "I appreciate this, Harry." He said and waved an arm. Due to a nagging in his head, the teen gazed downwards, goggling at the state of his arms and body.
"Morgana's tits!" he shouted, "what the hell is this?" he asked his voice coated thick with suspicion as he glared at Requiem and made to raise his, also see-through, wand.
The man by contrast was at ease and smiling. "Relax Harry, I am simply…sending you 'back' so to speak."
Harry opened his mouth, yet before he could reply, much less blink, his sight warped and he was back in the abandoned classroom. Silence once more caressing his ears and bits of dust dancing in his nostrils. Just as he thought that, the pain of his broken nose hit him like a flaming truck loaded with ghost peppers, its driver laughing as it careened straight into hell.
"Son of a-" he shouted, repressing the memories of the time the twins let him try the spicy muggle delicacy, one arm unconsciously rising, or rather sliding against the floor to reach and massage his broken cartilage. Something which he immediately regretted once his digits touched the bruised bit of meat. His fingers immediately retracting as a pained hiss left his lips.
"Great thinking there Potter." he mumbled with a pained groan, his normally blazing green eyes closing shut while he put his hands underneath and pushed himself upwards with a grunt. Only after coming to a stand on his feet realizing with a startling moment of clarity that the pain which had ravaged his body after his foolish stunt in the forest had vanished as if it had never existed. The feeling of each of his cells being poked by tiny burning needles and his very blood screaming as it alternated between feeling like a freezing river and slushing molten magma being no more. Broken nose excluded of course.
"Huh, guess he was speaking the truth. At least in that regard." He mumbled, or at least tried to, his voice sounding a bit off, courtesy of his aching snout. His eyes lowered, landing upon his hand and the piece of holy still clutched tightly between his fingers. Thankfully unbroken, in fact not as much as a blemish could be seen upon his old friend.
That is with the exception of a small layer of dust, the fine particles having gleefully taken the chance to land upon it and form a thin gray line upon the wood in the brief interval Harry spent inside his head.
Grumbling, he set about cleaning it, using the edges of his robe as a makeshift towel.
One last curse leaving his lips he eyed the now spotless bit of wood critically. Satisfied with it he gritted his teeth and set about what he knew he must do.
Carefully aiming the now glowing tip of his wand towards his nose he muttered softly one of the few healing incantations he knew and a small howl left his lips as the pain hit. Thankfully it didn't last long and with a loud 'crunch' his nose went back into its normal spot. Or at least an approximation of it. Further examination would have to wait until he was back in his dorm.
Once more muttering curses and lifting the dropped invisibility robe pooled around his feet, he proceeded to wrap it around himself. Disappearing from view and setting about doing just that. The call of his bed and a certain meeting in mind.
With a breathy whisper, barely audible a hair's breath away from his lips, he uttered the password. Still hidden underneath his family heirloom's concealing magic. Yet thankfully, the words and the proximity, along with the familial magic tagging him as a lion was enough for the portrait of the Fat Lady. The sleeping woman stirring not one bit as the door, and thus her portrait's frame slid up and out of view.
Slipping in, his wits about him, Harry, seeing that the coast was clear, breathed a sigh of relief and allowed his taut limbs to relax at last.
Muttering a tired 'Tempus' his eyes glanced at the modified spell's display, a result of the many days spent making the library his second home. Said results hovering in front of his eyes, and his eyes alone. Invisible to anyone else.
His shoulders slumped, the nagging sense of worry departing from his mind. Good he still had time it would seem.
All but dragging his lead like feet, he slowly made his way towards one of the magnificent, and oh so soft couches — a fact he knew from first hand experience— right by the fireplace. In fact, during the winter months. The softness of said pieces of furniture coupled with their proximity to the cozy source of heat and merriment made them a prized spot, with many a battle having been fought for seating rights by more or less each and every lion at some point in time.
Rumor had it, that back when, in ages long ago, even the headmaster had done so as well.
Harry could believe it. For as another rumor had it. Quite a few of the seventh year Gryffindors, had over the years added their own bit of charm work to said couches, —or asked their significant other in Ranenclaw to help with the task.
Further adding to the softness and comfort experienced by the lucky future recipient. The many centuries of piled upon charm-work crafting a true, and very highly prized, temple to Sloth.
Whether this was done as a way to repay the couches for the comfort they provided over the years or to ensure that future generations would get to experience that bit of Gryfindor tradition…none but said alumni knew. And they sure as hell weren't telling.
Slumping into one of said pieces of furniture, all but sinking and being swallowed by its red velvety depths. Harry, letting out a tired groan of pleasure found that he cared little for all that.
Only belatedly realizing that he forgot to cast a silencing charm around himself.
Muttering things best left unsaid, he glanced warily around him. Thankfully it seemed that nobody had noticed, nor cared for his momentary lapse in caution. Opting instead to continue whatever it is they had been doing, most likely sleeping.
Rectifying the issue with a careless flick, the magic setting easily around him, followed right after by a monitoring and alarm charm both he set about waiting.
The soothing crackle of the fireplace and the smell of softly burning logs started to soothe and smoother the worries crowding his mind, causing his limbs to grow slack. And as the exhaustion of the day finally settled on his tired body coupled with the joyful dancing colors emanating from the hearth right in front of him, gently heating his face and body along with the smell of burning wood, caused his eyelids to grow heavy and slowly slide downwards.
"Harry, psst! Harry!"
The insistent, yet trying to be quiet voice startled him awake, pulling him out his peaceful slumber and the relaxing, already half-forgotten dream.
Drowsily blinking his eyelids open he blearily glanced around himself. The mirthful, eyes of his godfather gazed back at him out of the center of the fire-pit in front of him. Most of the logs spent, leaving behind some smaller pieces surrounded by mounds of ash, the remnants having come together to form a pretty good approximation of Sirius's face. The bit of magic used by the man even managing to add a touch of color to his looks.
Not that said looks were much to speak off if either of the two were to be quite honest. Not anymore at least. But a decade spent in the living hell that was Azkaban would do that to anyone.
The unjust imprisonment had robbed the older man of his once roguish good looks. Where once a cheeky smirk and bubbly cheeks, which highlighted his aristocratic cheekbones could be found, covered by short trimmed hair and a pointy stub on the once young man's chin. Now…now only hollow, gaunt cheeks could be seen. Stretching taut weather beaten and leather-like pale skin, the salty air around the prison not having helped the man's complexion not one bit. As for his hair…a wild untruly mess that would put Harry's own to shame could be seen, and Sirius' beard looked like it had never known the loving touch of a razor, much less a barber.
Still, neither the Boy who Lived nor the escaped fugitive cared much for the other's looks, aside from what it hinted pertaining the other's health.
"Sirius?" croaked the youth in a raspy voice, still somewhat addled from his sleep and a tad irritated. For the half-forgotten dream was a good one dammit! At least the fading images of Greengrass and that French bird suggested it to be so.
The burning face gave a nod, or as much as it was able to at least.
"Aye. It's me." He said, and frowned. "Are you ok, Harry? I'm sorry to say it but you look like you've been snogging a dementor. If you would like we could reschedule for—"
"No need," said Harry with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I'm fine." At Sirius' raised eyebrow he amended. "Well, ok not 'fine' fine, but still. I'm up for this."
The dog animagus' eyes clearly said that he didn't believe him but he was also unlikely to press the issue.
"Well alright, as you wish." He said and grinned, a hint of boyhood returning to his face. "Far be it from me to dismay you from becoming a prim and proper rascal by flaunting rules and authority…Or experience the joys that lack of sleep brings the morning after."
Watching Sirius glimmering eyes, Harry had one thing to say. "Piss off you wanker," he said with a snort.
"Hey!" cried Sirius with faux irritation, the crinkles around his eyes showing it to be false. "I resent that! I'll have you know that girls love me."
"Yeah, maybe the furry and four-legged variant. Should I be worried, Sirius? Is the Most Ancient and Noble house of Black about to have a hairy heir?"
"Bite me, Harry. Methinks, you count already." His godfather snarked, and the youth was pretty sure if he could he would be showing him the finger. "Although… Maybe I should, I can only imagine the…joy it would bring my wonderful luss of a mother."
Harry shook his head with a grin, laughter bubbling out of him.
A soft smile spread across Sirius' lips. "So, how you've been, lad?"
Getting his laughter under control, the tired teen's eyes met those of his godfather and he begun to speak. The older man listening patiently, interjecting and adding his own ideas and warnings at points.
They spent quite a while like that. Sharing stuff and catching up, before inadvertently they circled back to the, no doubt, latest attempt on Harry's life, the tournament.
"Yes, I concur. It's most likely another such plot." Said Sirius, his tone…serious. "Still, I have to say I quite approve of what you've been up to so far. You even managed to snub that unwashed git, Snape. Even if you weren't the heir of Messier Prongs, that alone would ensure you were granted an honorary position in the Marauders."
"Gee, thanks, Sirius."
"Oi! Don't you sass me. Tis a great honor." He mock lectured. "But…" Sirius tone turned grave. "That mishap with the…kitchen-fire earlier? That was very stupid, Harry."
The teen opened his mouth to reply.
"Or at least, that's what I would like to say," continued the man and a bone-weary sigh escaped his smoldering lips. "I understand the need for an ace up your sleeve. For despite what the pillocks over at the ministry and even the old poof might say, this tournament is deadly. Hell, the Blacks of old even approved of it and thought it to be 'reasonably exciting'."
"Crap."
He nodded at his godson's words. "Quite so. Cause you know that if my family approves of something, then it would be wise of you to best steer clear of it...in most cases." Sirius pursed his lips. "Still, that doesn't the change the fact that you need to prepare. But that bit of magic is…special, trust me, I have some experience with it. Unfortunately though this isn't the place or time for that discussion, but I have an idea." He said. "Send Hedwig to me again, I think I have a solution to help with your training. In the meantime, do you have some parchment with you?"
Harry snorted. "I'm not 'Mione, Sirius" he said but still picked up his wand and with a series of flicks, conjured a bit of paper and an ink quill. Temporary, yes. But they would more than last until he copied their contents to a normal bit of parchment.
Sirius nodded at the boy's words. "Fair point, none of us used to carry the stuff either. Not even Remus. It was Lily who was the bookworm. So, and until, Hedwig returns I have two things for you." He said, eyeing the expectant youth, his hand clutching the conjured quill. "The first, and most useful for you is silent casting. But more about that in a bit, first, check those books out of the library. I do believe you will find them interesting." He said and in a quick barrage shared the names of books which Harry, from the titles alone, very much doubted he would find outside the Forbidden Section. Moody's permission slip proving its value once again. In fact, at this point it wouldn't be inaccurate to say it was worth its weight in gold.
With Sirius pausing and Harry finishing transcribing, he nodded and rolled the parchment up, setting it aside, before turning his eyes back to his godfather.
"You spoke of 'silent casting', what is that?" he asked, his curiosity pinged.
Sirius smiled and winked. "I think you'll quite like it. To put it in simple terms, haven't you wondered how Dumbledore and other adults, or hell, some of your fellow students, namely sixth and seventh years, cast so fast and without seeming to speak?"
At his words, gears begun to turn within Harry's head and his eyes widened. No way, could it be that something so obvious…
"Don't tell me…"
"Why yes, it's perfectly possible to cast without speaking. Out-loud that is." Sirius said and guffawed at Harry's expression. "Your father and I had the same expression when we first learnt of it, according to Remus at any rate."
"It is so bloody obvious…" muttered the youth, irritation filling his voice.
Sirius shrugged, the barest hints of his upper neck and shoulders flashing into view for an instant. "Well yeah, but don't beat yourself up, most wizards don't seem to think of it until they are told its possible. But," he added, a tone of warning to his voice. "It's not as easy as it sounds Harry. Try it of course, there's little harm in doing so, and some of the books I told you about will give you more details, but still, there's a reason why it's usually reserved for the sixth years and up.
"You see, it requires a great deal of focus and strength, on the other hand it's also a very good way to help build both of those qualities."
Harry nodded determinedly as he leaned forward. "Believe me, I will."
Sirius' lips quirked into a fond smile. "I had no doubt you would. It's clear that within you burns both Lily's fire and James' willpower." He said. "But if you find it overly hard don't fret. Just be patient and I'll help you."
Harry blinked and opened his mouth but Sirius just winked.
"Be patient, you'll see." He said and a teasing glint entered his eyes. "But enough about such dreary subjects, why don't you tell me more about those birds you are so fond off? That Frenchie and, Greengrass was it? Although your father would be torn between disappointment and pride with you over the Frenchie. On the one hand, she is a toad lover. On the other hand… A Veela! My boy you make me proud." Tears of pride welled up in the corners of the clearly senile man's eyes
The youth stared, his jaw hanging open. "T-The hell? First of all, I think you mean 'frog', not 'toad'—"
The man rolled his eyes, "Tomato, tomahto. Don't change the subject Harry."
"—and second, it's not like that, but even still. Daphne I could understand, I've told you about meeting her."
"Oh, Daphne, is it?"
Harry showed him the finger. "Bite me you mangy mutt."
"Oi! I'll have you know I wash on the regular! One time per decade, just as my healer ordered!"
"Must be one lousy healer then," snarked Harry, and Sirius waggled his eyebrows opening his mouth to speak. "I don't want to know!" he hastily interjected, intent on not hearing things man, and more importantly, Harry, was not meant to know. Sadly, the flea-bitten pain in his ass did not shut up immediately and thus Harry, caught words like: 'stacked', 'flexible', works for the ministry now, and could swallow a golf club through a straw. He valiantly ignored the implications…And the traumatizing mental images of a naked Sirius. "But how the hell do you know about the walking turkey?"
The escaped convict raised an eyebrow. "I have a subscription to the Prophet you know, I'm not a savage. And before you ask, a clever little bit of charm work and a wonderful muggle invention called the drop-box help with my status and thus the owl deliveries. Now, spill."
Harry threw his arms up into the air. "What's there to 'spill' you old codger?" he cried with irritation, still a fond smile was on his face as he gazed at his godfather. The man for his part chuckled and the duo continued to talk and needle one another for sometime yet before bidding each other farewell. And Harry, seeing his godfather face disappear from the fireplace decided that it was about time he hit the sack. Scooping up the parchment filled with the man's suggestions, he flew up the stairs, all but crushing into his bed.
Far away, between burned branches and resting next to a charred tree-trunk, a black, leather-bound book rested with not a scratch on its frame. A slim, pale hand reached down and scooped it up.
And with this we come to the end, for now.
Personally, Harry for his part believed him. Or rather his whole life up to now had been nothing but a series of weird events after weird events, so what was the revelation that he had, apparently, eaten a part of Voldemort at birth but merely the latest in said series of unlikely events.
The fact that while the two of them were talking, his body and nose, were doing their level best to bump uglies with the tiles of the abandoned classroom's floor had nothing to do with it, nor did the image, more like a nightmare, of Malfoy finding him in such a state and deciding to do things to his poor rear make him want to be done with the whole thing. No sir, definitely not.
"Ok, you are me, or part of me, or whatever." He said with a sigh, his tone indicating quite clearly that he was done, he barely even paid attention to the wave of magic he felt suddenly appear and reverberate throughout the whole space the two men found themselves in at his words. "I assume you aren't going anywhere so we can talk later, but I really need to be going back to the outside world, you see all my things are in it. So, if you could tell me how to fix whatever's wrong with me that would be great." Harry snapped his fingers, a sudden thought coming to mind. "Oh, and for that matter, what's your name?"
The translucent faced man nodded his head in response to the young wizard's words, listening aptly while his arms slowly lowered away from the retracted cowl and down by his sides.
"Indeed, we can and must talk later my friend. But fret not, you don't need to come back 'here'." He said, his see-through lips tugging upwards in a teasing smirk. "Not unless you need to, or know how." He said and Harry blinked, realizing that he, indeed knew not how to pull off that bit of magic. "Worry not, I will teach you." He said, preemptively voiding the youth's concern. "But that's indeed best left for later. As for your question…"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"You just 'solved' it by yourself."
Harry tilted his head to the side in confusion.
"Eh?"
He just nodded again, "Your words just now?" he asked. "Accepting me, and whatever else you earned that night as part of your soul?" that was enough for the old magic to finish the integration and for your very magic to stop trying to tear itself apart.
"Just like that?" the bespectacled youth couldn't help but ask.
"Just like that." Agreed the man and Harry fought the urge to curse. What, he expected magic off all things to make sense? Foolish of him, really. "But we can discuss the specifics later. If you wish to."
At the man's excitement filled tone, his voice thick with wistfulness, Harry blanched. After all the tone was eerily familiar to him, a certain bushy haired girl's face springing to mind made him whimper and take an unconscious step back.
He had one would be professor hounding him in real life, he needed not one within his brain as well.
"M-maybe some other time!" he squeaked. Causing the translucent aspect to slump dejectedly and making a pang of guilt grow within Harry's heart. "But-"
At the sound of his voice the specter perked up, looking back at Harry again.
"You still haven't told me your name."
The spirit frowned at that, his lips pursing into a thin flat line.
"My name, huh?" he mumbled to himself, growing silent for a few moments seemingly warring with himself before nodding and once more looking back up and straight into Harry's own eyes. "Call me…call me Requiem. It's an apt enough name for me, I think."
Ignoring the now named Requiem's self-deprecating tone, Harry arched an eyebrow in response. "A tad pretentious don't you think?" he asked and before the spirit could respond he continued. "But still, it's your choice. Call yourself what you will." He said with a shrug.
Requiem flashed him a warm smile. "I appreciate this, Harry." He said and waved an arm. Due to a nagging in his head, the teen gazed downwards, goggling at the state of his arms and body.
"Morgana's tits!" he shouted, "what the hell is this?" he asked his voice coated thick with suspicion as he glared at Requiem and made to raise his, also see-through, wand.
The man by contrast was at ease and smiling. "Relax Harry, I am simply…sending you 'back' so to speak."
Harry opened his mouth, yet before he could reply, much less blink, his sight warped and he was back in the abandoned classroom. Silence once more caressing his ears and bits of dust dancing in his nostrils. Just as he thought that, the pain of his broken nose hit him like a flaming truck loaded with ghost peppers, its driver laughing as it careened straight into hell.
"Son of a-" he shouted, repressing the memories of the time the twins let him try the spicy muggle delicacy, one arm unconsciously rising, or rather sliding against the floor to reach and massage his broken cartilage. Something which he immediately regretted once his digits touched the bruised bit of meat. His fingers immediately retracting as a pained hiss left his lips.
"Great thinking there Potter." he mumbled with a pained groan, his normally blazing green eyes closing shut while he put his hands underneath and pushed himself upwards with a grunt. Only after coming to a stand on his feet realizing with a startling moment of clarity that the pain which had ravaged his body after his foolish stunt in the forest had vanished as if it had never existed. The feeling of each of his cells being poked by tiny burning needles and his very blood screaming as it alternated between feeling like a freezing river and slushing molten magma being no more. Broken nose excluded of course.
"Huh, guess he was speaking the truth. At least in that regard." He mumbled, or at least tried to, his voice sounding a bit off, courtesy of his aching snout. His eyes lowered, landing upon his hand and the piece of holy still clutched tightly between his fingers. Thankfully unbroken, in fact not as much as a blemish could be seen upon his old friend.
That is with the exception of a small layer of dust, the fine particles having gleefully taken the chance to land upon it and form a thin gray line upon the wood in the brief interval Harry spent inside his head.
Grumbling, he set about cleaning it, using the edges of his robe as a makeshift towel.
One last curse leaving his lips he eyed the now spotless bit of wood critically. Satisfied with it he gritted his teeth and set about what he knew he must do.
Carefully aiming the now glowing tip of his wand towards his nose he muttered softly one of the few healing incantations he knew and a small howl left his lips as the pain hit. Thankfully it didn't last long and with a loud 'crunch' his nose went back into its normal spot. Or at least an approximation of it. Further examination would have to wait until he was back in his dorm.
Once more muttering curses and lifting the dropped invisibility robe pooled around his feet, he proceeded to wrap it around himself. Disappearing from view and setting about doing just that. The call of his bed and a certain meeting in mind.
With a breathy whisper, barely audible a hair's breath away from his lips, he uttered the password. Still hidden underneath his family heirloom's concealing magic. Yet thankfully, the words and the proximity, along with the familial magic tagging him as a lion was enough for the portrait of the Fat Lady. The sleeping woman stirring not one bit as the door, and thus her portrait's frame slid up and out of view.
Slipping in, his wits about him, Harry, seeing that the coast was clear, breathed a sigh of relief and allowed his taut limbs to relax at last.
Muttering a tired 'Tempus' his eyes glanced at the modified spell's display, a result of the many days spent making the library his second home. Said results hovering in front of his eyes, and his eyes alone. Invisible to anyone else.
His shoulders slumped, the nagging sense of worry departing from his mind. Good he still had time it would seem.
All but dragging his lead like feet, he slowly made his way towards one of the magnificent, and oh so soft couches — a fact he knew from first hand experience— right by the fireplace. In fact, during the winter months. The softness of said pieces of furniture coupled with their proximity to the cozy source of heat and merriment made them a prized spot, with many a battle having been fought for seating rights by more or less each and every lion at some point in time.
Rumor had it, that back when, in ages long ago, even the headmaster had done so as well.
Harry could believe it. For as another rumor had it. Quite a few of the seventh year Gryffindors, had over the years added their own bit of charm work to said couches, —or asked their significant other in Ranenclaw to help with the task.
Further adding to the softness and comfort experienced by the lucky future recipient. The many centuries of piled upon charm-work crafting a true, and very highly prized, temple to Sloth.
Whether this was done as a way to repay the couches for the comfort they provided over the years or to ensure that future generations would get to experience that bit of Gryfindor tradition…none but said alumni knew. And they sure as hell weren't telling.
Slumping into one of said pieces of furniture, all but sinking and being swallowed by its red velvety depths. Harry, letting out a tired groan of pleasure found that he cared little for all that.
Only belatedly realizing that he forgot to cast a silencing charm around himself.
Muttering things best left unsaid, he glanced warily around him. Thankfully it seemed that nobody had noticed, nor cared for his momentary lapse in caution. Opting instead to continue whatever it is they had been doing, most likely sleeping.
Rectifying the issue with a careless flick, the magic setting easily around him, followed right after by a monitoring and alarm charm both he set about waiting.
The soothing crackle of the fireplace and the smell of softly burning logs started to soothe and smoother the worries crowding his mind, causing his limbs to grow slack. And as the exhaustion of the day finally settled on his tired body coupled with the joyful dancing colors emanating from the hearth right in front of him, gently heating his face and body along with the smell of burning wood, caused his eyelids to grow heavy and slowly slide downwards.
"Harry, psst! Harry!"
The insistent, yet trying to be quiet voice startled him awake, pulling him out his peaceful slumber and the relaxing, already half-forgotten dream.
Drowsily blinking his eyelids open he blearily glanced around himself. The mirthful, eyes of his godfather gazed back at him out of the center of the fire-pit in front of him. Most of the logs spent, leaving behind some smaller pieces surrounded by mounds of ash, the remnants having come together to form a pretty good approximation of Sirius's face. The bit of magic used by the man even managing to add a touch of color to his looks.
Not that said looks were much to speak off if either of the two were to be quite honest. Not anymore at least. But a decade spent in the living hell that was Azkaban would do that to anyone.
The unjust imprisonment had robbed the older man of his once roguish good looks. Where once a cheeky smirk and bubbly cheeks, which highlighted his aristocratic cheekbones could be found, covered by short trimmed hair and a pointy stub on the once young man's chin. Now…now only hollow, gaunt cheeks could be seen. Stretching taut weather beaten and leather-like pale skin, the salty air around the prison not having helped the man's complexion not one bit. As for his hair…a wild untruly mess that would put Harry's own to shame could be seen, and Sirius' beard looked like it had never known the loving touch of a razor, much less a barber.
Still, neither the Boy who Lived nor the escaped fugitive cared much for the other's looks, aside from what it hinted pertaining the other's health.
"Sirius?" croaked the youth in a raspy voice, still somewhat addled from his sleep and a tad irritated. For the half-forgotten dream was a good one dammit! At least the fading images of Greengrass and that French bird suggested it to be so.
The burning face gave a nod, or as much as it was able to at least.
"Aye. It's me." He said, and frowned. "Are you ok, Harry? I'm sorry to say it but you look like you've been snogging a dementor. If you would like we could reschedule for—"
"No need," said Harry with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I'm fine." At Sirius' raised eyebrow he amended. "Well, ok not 'fine' fine, but still. I'm up for this."
The dog animagus' eyes clearly said that he didn't believe him but he was also unlikely to press the issue.
"Well alright, as you wish." He said and grinned, a hint of boyhood returning to his face. "Far be it from me to dismay you from becoming a prim and proper rascal by flaunting rules and authority…Or experience the joys that lack of sleep brings the morning after."
Watching Sirius glimmering eyes, Harry had one thing to say. "Piss off you wanker," he said with a snort.
"Hey!" cried Sirius with faux irritation, the crinkles around his eyes showing it to be false. "I resent that! I'll have you know that girls love me."
"Yeah, maybe the furry and four-legged variant. Should I be worried, Sirius? Is the Most Ancient and Noble house of Black about to have a hairy heir?"
"Bite me, Harry. Methinks, you count already." His godfather snarked, and the youth was pretty sure if he could he would be showing him the finger. "Although… Maybe I should, I can only imagine the…joy it would bring my wonderful luss of a mother."
Harry shook his head with a grin, laughter bubbling out of him.
A soft smile spread across Sirius' lips. "So, how you've been, lad?"
Getting his laughter under control, the tired teen's eyes met those of his godfather and he begun to speak. The older man listening patiently, interjecting and adding his own ideas and warnings at points.
They spent quite a while like that. Sharing stuff and catching up, before inadvertently they circled back to the, no doubt, latest attempt on Harry's life, the tournament.
"Yes, I concur. It's most likely another such plot." Said Sirius, his tone…serious. "Still, I have to say I quite approve of what you've been up to so far. You even managed to snub that unwashed git, Snape. Even if you weren't the heir of Messier Prongs, that alone would ensure you were granted an honorary position in the Marauders."
"Gee, thanks, Sirius."
"Oi! Don't you sass me. Tis a great honor." He mock lectured. "But…" Sirius tone turned grave. "That mishap with the…kitchen-fire earlier? That was very stupid, Harry."
The teen opened his mouth to reply.
"Or at least, that's what I would like to say," continued the man and a bone-weary sigh escaped his smoldering lips. "I understand the need for an ace up your sleeve. For despite what the pillocks over at the ministry and even the old poof might say, this tournament is deadly. Hell, the Blacks of old even approved of it and thought it to be 'reasonably exciting'."
"Crap."
He nodded at his godson's words. "Quite so. Cause you know that if my family approves of something, then it would be wise of you to best steer clear of it...in most cases." Sirius pursed his lips. "Still, that doesn't the change the fact that you need to prepare. But that bit of magic is…special, trust me, I have some experience with it. Unfortunately though this isn't the place or time for that discussion, but I have an idea." He said. "Send Hedwig to me again, I think I have a solution to help with your training. In the meantime, do you have some parchment with you?"
Harry snorted. "I'm not 'Mione, Sirius" he said but still picked up his wand and with a series of flicks, conjured a bit of paper and an ink quill. Temporary, yes. But they would more than last until he copied their contents to a normal bit of parchment.
Sirius nodded at the boy's words. "Fair point, none of us used to carry the stuff either. Not even Remus. It was Lily who was the bookworm. So, and until, Hedwig returns I have two things for you." He said, eyeing the expectant youth, his hand clutching the conjured quill. "The first, and most useful for you is silent casting. But more about that in a bit, first, check those books out of the library. I do believe you will find them interesting." He said and in a quick barrage shared the names of books which Harry, from the titles alone, very much doubted he would find outside the Forbidden Section. Moody's permission slip proving its value once again. In fact, at this point it wouldn't be inaccurate to say it was worth its weight in gold.
With Sirius pausing and Harry finishing transcribing, he nodded and rolled the parchment up, setting it aside, before turning his eyes back to his godfather.
"You spoke of 'silent casting', what is that?" he asked, his curiosity pinged.
Sirius smiled and winked. "I think you'll quite like it. To put it in simple terms, haven't you wondered how Dumbledore and other adults, or hell, some of your fellow students, namely sixth and seventh years, cast so fast and without seeming to speak?"
At his words, gears begun to turn within Harry's head and his eyes widened. No way, could it be that something so obvious…
"Don't tell me…"
"Why yes, it's perfectly possible to cast without speaking. Out-loud that is." Sirius said and guffawed at Harry's expression. "Your father and I had the same expression when we first learnt of it, according to Remus at any rate."
"It is so bloody obvious…" muttered the youth, irritation filling his voice.
Sirius shrugged, the barest hints of his upper neck and shoulders flashing into view for an instant. "Well yeah, but don't beat yourself up, most wizards don't seem to think of it until they are told its possible. But," he added, a tone of warning to his voice. "It's not as easy as it sounds Harry. Try it of course, there's little harm in doing so, and some of the books I told you about will give you more details, but still, there's a reason why it's usually reserved for the sixth years and up.
"You see, it requires a great deal of focus and strength, on the other hand it's also a very good way to help build both of those qualities."
Harry nodded determinedly as he leaned forward. "Believe me, I will."
Sirius' lips quirked into a fond smile. "I had no doubt you would. It's clear that within you burns both Lily's fire and James' willpower." He said. "But if you find it overly hard don't fret. Just be patient and I'll help you."
Harry blinked and opened his mouth but Sirius just winked.
"Be patient, you'll see." He said and a teasing glint entered his eyes. "But enough about such dreary subjects, why don't you tell me more about those birds you are so fond off? That Frenchie and, Greengrass was it? Although your father would be torn between disappointment and pride with you over the Frenchie. On the one hand, she is a toad lover. On the other hand… A Veela! My boy you make me proud." Tears of pride welled up in the corners of the clearly senile man's eyes
The youth stared, his jaw hanging open. "T-The hell? First of all, I think you mean 'frog', not 'toad'—"
The man rolled his eyes, "Tomato, tomahto. Don't change the subject Harry."
"—and second, it's not like that, but even still. Daphne I could understand, I've told you about meeting her."
"Oh, Daphne, is it?"
Harry showed him the finger. "Bite me you mangy mutt."
"Oi! I'll have you know I wash on the regular! One time per decade, just as my healer ordered!"
"Must be one lousy healer then," snarked Harry, and Sirius waggled his eyebrows opening his mouth to speak. "I don't want to know!" he hastily interjected, intent on not hearing things man, and more importantly, Harry, was not meant to know. Sadly, the flea-bitten pain in his ass did not shut up immediately and thus Harry, caught words like: 'stacked', 'flexible', works for the ministry now, and could swallow a golf club through a straw. He valiantly ignored the implications…And the traumatizing mental images of a naked Sirius. "But how the hell do you know about the walking turkey?"
The escaped convict raised an eyebrow. "I have a subscription to the Prophet you know, I'm not a savage. And before you ask, a clever little bit of charm work and a wonderful muggle invention called the drop-box help with my status and thus the owl deliveries. Now, spill."
Harry threw his arms up into the air. "What's there to 'spill' you old codger?" he cried with irritation, still a fond smile was on his face as he gazed at his godfather. The man for his part chuckled and the duo continued to talk and needle one another for sometime yet before bidding each other farewell. And Harry, seeing his godfather face disappear from the fireplace decided that it was about time he hit the sack. Scooping up the parchment filled with the man's suggestions, he flew up the stairs, all but crushing into his bed.
Far away, between burned branches and resting next to a charred tree-trunk, a black, leather-bound book rested with not a scratch on its frame. A slim, pale hand reached down and scooped it up.
And with this we come to the end, for now.
Cosmic Dream
dreaming of utopia
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Mmh, so the binding of the Goblet unbound that not-a-Horcrux part? Interesting.
I'll be watching to see where this goes
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I'll be watching to see where this goes
.Gindjurra
Versed in the lewd.
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Moments, like minutes and seconds, is a frequently misused unit of time measurement - just a second, just a minute, etc. But it actually is a unit of time measurement, and shouldn't be misused in the common usage/hyperbolically spoken way in narration. A moment is 1.5 minutes. So that sentence should probably use seconds, not moments.
Fun fact: the word warlock means oath-breaker, but not someone who breaks promises they have made - no, a warlock has the magic to break the oaths of other people, thereby freeing them from inconvenient bindings, legal or magical or both.
Kinda makes you think, when his official title in the British magical government is Chief Warlock, eh?
While I have no doubt Hermione believes authors to be a great help to anyone in need, the word you want there is aurors.
*midst
While holly is indeed holy to some, the word you want there is holy not holy.
Uh oh…