BATTLEGROUND
The first day I set foot in the halls of Hogwarts was a troublesome one. It was eight days after the first day back, so I had to see the esteemed Dumbledore. It wouldn't be our first meeting, being something of an influential individual, I had met him over the tables of numerous important feasts held by powerful and well-connected wizards.
I was eyed curiously by students in the halls, it must have been between classes. With my long, dark black robes with their red trimming, high collar and unusual insignias, carrying my dark black staff tipped with an orb which burned with a constant blue flame, I must have been an unusual sight. As I approached Dumbledore's office, I noticed a knot of students watching something.
As I walked past, I saw what had their attention. A blonde boy with greasy hair and a strangely intimidating sneer was holding another boy by the wrist. The blonde boy, who I now recognised as Draco Malfoy, had cast some kind of spell on his left hand, so that it was now like a black gauntlet with long, wicked claws, which were deep in the young boy's flesh. Blood ran down his arm. He was laying on the floor, holding his torso up with his free arm. His wand was laying near him. As I noticed he was wincing with pain, my eyes widened. Harry Potter! Draco had his wand pointed at Harry, and a third boy with red hair was pointing his at Draco. The crowd seemed interested in the standoff.
I strode up to the group of students, given a wide berth by those who noticed me, and shouldering past those who didn't, and I placed the bottom tip of my staff against Draco's throat. There was a slight exclamation of objection from one student, but his peers quickly silenced him.
"Release him, Draco, or you shall have me to contend with. And think how Daddy would feel about that." I said, my staff still unwaveringly at his throat.
Upon hearing my voice, he started. He turned his head enough to confirm to himself that it was indeed me, and he was caught in a moment's indecision. Release Harry, and lose face, or hold fast, and be attacked by one of the few people his father feared? Lucius knew I didn't like him, and any attention his son drew towards him would not be appreciated.
"You meddle where you shouldn't, Gray," He spat, looking at me through the corner of his eye.
I pushed my staff into his neck a little harder, a wordless threat. He slowly released Harry, who slumped to the floor. He slowly replaced his wand in his robes.
I looked down at Harry, and then to the red haired boy, who was looked at me, dumbfounded.
"I imagine you have a medical wing?"
He started, and grabbed his friend. He nodded something of a thanks to me, and helped his friend away. Malfoy was looking at me contemptuously. I let my staff drop back to my side, and said, "Well, I think we all learned something here, didn't we?" and was off. As I strode swiftly away, I heard one girl saying to another,"Who was that boy?"
The sorting hat was actually rather comfortable. Dumbledore was sitting in his chair, ponderously. The sorting hat spoke freely, so that both of us could hear. "Hrmmmm, yeeees, the brains of a Ravenclaw, indeed... He wouldn't do at all in Slitherin, he has just demonstrated that in the hallway... My decision is made. He will be a Gryffindor... Yesss... Now that I think of it, there was never really any other option..."
"Thankyou." Dumbledore said, and replaced the hat on it's stand. "Now, Dorian, you have missed a few classes already, but catching up should not be hard. I will ask you to forgo all of your classes today, and I shall announce your presence at dinner tonight. Until then, my friend."
We shook hands, and he saw me out with that warm smile of his. Back at the Gryffindor common room, after providing the password given to me by Dumbledore to the Fat Lady, I quickly went through the empty room, and up the stairs to the 6th year's boy's room. There, I found Harry Potter, fully healed, but apparently resting, perhaps fatuiged by the medicine that the nurse had provided, or traumatised by the sight of having his wrist mangled like that. He was awake, on his bed.
"Hello," He said, sitting up.
"Hi. How are you?" I asked, nodding towards his wrist, and fishing the keys for the trunk at the foot of my bed from the pocket on the inside of my thick robes.
He held up his hand "All fixed," He said, "But the medication has made me feel strange. Thankyou for, uh, earlier." He held out his hand, the one that had been damaged. "I'm Harry Potter."
I had to take a step towards him to grip his hand. We shook firmly. "Dorian Gray. It's an honour."
He screwed up his nose. "I know that name from somewhere. Where is your accent from?"
"I just moved here from Germany, but my accent is Australian."
"Ah, cool. I've never seen anyone deal with Draco like that."
I pulled my broom from my trunk, and replied, "Draco and I have met before. I don't approve of him, nor his father. To be honest, they're both quite scared that I'll become angry at them. You'll learn more about that at dinner, I believe. I hear you're quite the Seeker."
"Yes," He responded, eying my Firebolt. "Do you play?"
"Keeper." I replied with a nod. "All of my stuff appears to be here, so I think I'll take a shower. Where are they?"
He told me, and I headed to the showers. On the way, a grizzled looking man stopped me. He leaned close to me, trying to think if he could remember who I was. He didn't recognise my robes.
"New student?"
"Yes."
"Hrmm," He seemed to be thinking. "Dumbledore mentioned you, said you were of some importance. I'll have none of it, though, you see. I shall be on your back if you do anything, same as the other students."
"I ask nothing more." I replied, and was off.
The dining hall was as noisy as usual. Harry had saved a seat next to him. Before dinner appeared, Dumbledore stood and adressed the school.
"We have a new student at Hogwarts. His name is Dorian Gray. I beleive that some of you have met him already, during an altercation in the halls." He glared slightly at Draco, then continued. He is originally from Australia, though he has relatives in Germany who thought it best he attended a powerful magic school there, Rammstein. In his fifth year, it was discovered that he was even more physically and politically powerful than anyone knew, when it became evident that he was in fact the true heir to the school, and that he should be headmaster. While he did not want immediate headmastership, he decided that he would go through with the ceremony, Die Boses Getose immediately, so that when he was old enough, he could take control of the school and it's various influences, even it's army."
"However, the principal had other plans. Last night, four days before the ceremony, the principal and a large portion of the faculty came into his room while he slept. Another child woke the boys, and there was a fight. Of the seven other boys, four were killed. Dorian drove the teachers down the stairs into his common room, where he killed them, and the waiting soldiers in the school's private army. He knew that he could not stay in Germany, and so he came to me. I trust that you will all treat him with the same respect that you would any other student at Hogwarts. He has been sorted into Gryffindor already. Dorian, if you would."
I made my entrance. I was wearing my school robes, the same ones I had been wearing when I arrived. The room was silent as I entered swiftly, my boots strangely loud to my ears.
"Master Gray, I will have to ask that you formally surrender your weapons to me now." Dumbledore said.
I nodded, and walked up to the teacher's table. I pulled my robes open and back. Underneath I wore a black tunic and black pants. I removed my sword from my belt, and layed it before Dumbledore. I pulled the various daggers from their places and layed them out as well. From two shoulder holsters I pulled Barretta M9s. I layed them on the table also.
"I'll bring the rest to your office." I said quietly. I turned, and saw Harry beckoning to me. Happy that I had found a place to sit, I went over to him, and sat next to him, all eyes on me as I walked. I was concious of it.
"Well, that was all very formal." He said. "Were those guns?"
"At Hobel, my old school, the carrying of swords is allowed. At home I have collected guns for a long time."
It seemed everyone wanted to talk to me. The red-haired boy introduced himself as Ron Weasley, and a pretty girl with as Hermione Granger. To my right was a girl named Parvati Patil, and various other Gryffindors introduced themselves. I was the center of attention all through dinner, and I spoke about Germany, Australia, the Boses Getose and other things with the Gryffindors. They asked what my wand contained, and I showed them my staff, telling them that I didn't have a wand, and that the staff drew it's power from The Orb of Aldur, the artifact which adorned the top.
A small annoying boy asked what killing someone was like.
"It's not pretty, and it's not fun, but it is sometimes necessary." I responded. "It's just my opinion, of course, but I beleive that certain people deserve it."
Those around me considered this in silence for a moment.
Ron asked about my timetable. I showed it to them, and was told that I was in all of Ron and Harry's classes, and a lot of Hermione's. After dinner, I went with Harry, Hermione and Ron back to the common room, where we sat by the fire with several other Gryffindors, and they outlined what I'd missed in class already. Harry, then Ron, both left for bed, and slowly, the common room emptied.. Only me and Hermione remained. When she realised this, she became a little nervous in my presence. I decided to go to bed.
"No, don't on account of... Just because I..." She looked down. "Goodnight."
After saying goodnight, I headed upstairs. Everyone was asleep. I walked past all the beds to my own, at the end. I got changed into my cotton pyjamas, and went to sleep almost immediately.
I was up uncharacteristically early the next day. I showered before everyone else, and entered the dining hall for breakfast when there were few people there. They all looked at me, but most didn't stare. As the dining hall filled with students, Harry, Hermione and Ron entered together with Neville Longbottom, another boy from the sixth year's dorm. I was onto my second helping of scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, and even some bacon, which I don't normally eat.
They sat around me, and started eating. "We've got Snape today first period." Said Ron.
"Oh, I hope he'll not do what he did yesterday," an older boy named Lee Jordan said.
Harry was interested. "What'd he do yesterday."
"Heh, I was sitting, minding my own business, maybe adding a little something I shouldn't have to my Resen Restoration Potion, so he sets it on fire and trys to fling it at me!"
"Sounds like Snape," I said.
"D'you know him?" Asked Fred or George, I didn't know the difference yet.
"We've met. He was always civil to me, but he didn't like the fact that I opposed many of his views, and never really trusted him. He's also just a bastard."
"Agreed." said Ron.
When we arrived at Potions, Snape eyed me as he let the class in. I took a seat with Harry, Ron and Hermione, and Snape didn't seem to approve, from the look on his face.
"As you all know, we have a new student in this class." He began, his drawl all too familiar. "He is the boy who refuses to wear the school robes, instead wearing the robes of the Commodore of the Hobel Navy. And a staff. How archaic. Well, Commodore Gray, I trust you will behave yourself in this class." He leaned forward. "Ich mochte nichts zu hab zu bestrafe dich."
"Jawohl," I responded. His German was not perfect, but I got the point.
"Now, students, something relatively simple today, though I'm sure some among us will struggle even with that. Get out your cauldrons, and then file up to the front to retreive a fig skin or banana skin from my desk, along with any ingredients you have run out of. The idea of this potion is to pour it into the skin of a fruit, and the fruit will reconstitute itself, ready for eating again. Instructions and ingredients are on the board. Go to it."
Dumbledore had provided me with all of the items I would need for the year, so I was all set. After getting my banana skin, and mixing my ingredients, Ron asked me why I wore the robes of the Navy, as opposed to the Army. I told him that I was entitled to wear either, or the robes that the headmaster wore, but the Navy robes are the coolest, in my oppinion. "Also, if I'm ever anywhere formal, I like the word 'Commodore' as a title." I added.
When our thick black potions were finished, I poured mine into my banana skin. The skin reacted to the potion, re-forming into it's original shape, not letting any spill, such that it sealed itself just as the inner cavity where the fruit usually sat was filled. I lifted the banana. The board said that it would be ready for eating immediately, so I started to peel it. The pressure of this action caused the bottom to rupture, and what could only have been the half-formed banana, pale yellow and lumpy, fell thickly to the desk.
"As expected." Said Snape, right into my ear. I jumped, he had snuck up on me. "Now do clean this mess up."
A few other students failed as well, but most had a fully edible fig or banana. I felt pretty bad about it.
After potions was Transfiguration, which was taught by an old family friend, Professor McGonnagal. She smiled warmly and nodded to me, and her only mention of me to the class was "You all know of our new student..." The Professor gave each student a different problem, and they would have to transfigure an object into something else in order to solve it. Mine was unlocking a cat from a cage. The padlock was large, and didn't have any spells on it. I was the first in the class to finish. I simply transfigured the cat into a mouse, and then back again when it had squeezed through the bars of the cage. The Professor was impressed. Hermione finished next. When I saw Neville struggling, without the teacher seeing, I transfigured his dog into a handbag so that he could open it and get the ring it had swallowed, then back again. He mouthed a thankyou to me, and thanked me properly after class.
After we'd eaten lunch, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Seamus Fletcher all went to the library. On the way, talking about Quidditch, something caught my eye. It was suspended maybe 4 feet off the ground, black and swirling, and black lighting crackled around it. The others saw it too, and stopped. It was off to one side of the corridor. I looked around. We were the only ones in sight.
"Wands out, and stay back." I said quietly. Filch rounded the corner.
"What the hell are you doing!? What is that!?" He stammered.
At that moment, there was a flash, and a figure came tumbling out of it. I heard Hermione mutter that it was impossible, just as the figure rounded on the closest person to it: Filch. It punched him quickly in the chest, and he flew about 15 feet backwards, landing unconscious on the ground in a heap. The figure rounded on us. All hell broke loose. We all unleashed spells, curses and hezes on it. He, for it was obviously a male, deflected a lot of them, and absorbed the rest. He drew a sword, and I stepped forward, holding my staff out in front of me. Hermione, obviously recognising the man, as I did, muttered "Is that the headmaster of Hobel? Isn't he dead?"
"No." me and the headmaster said at the same time. He glared at me, and took a step forward. I knocked his sword out of his hands with my staff, and continuing the swing, struck him in the stomach with the Orb on the end. "Bitzchem!" I said as it connected. He flew backwards with a flash, out the window, shattered glass exploding outwards. I spun around.
"Fetch Dumbledore!" I said, and they ran. The man flew back through the window, deftly landing. He held out his hand, and my staff jerked out of my hands and into his. It clearly burned his fingers, so he threw it out the window.
I grinned. "Unwanded Magic, top of my year. Physical Combat, top of the school." My hands turned black, wicked claws extending from my fingertips. Black steel covered my fingers, and the back and palm of my hand, viciously pointed at the knuckles. Similar to the spell Draco had used. Strictly illegal, of course. I gathered energy between them, and loosed it at him, a yellow ball of power. He dodged, and it hit the wall, obliterating it, punching a hole in the side of the castle. I was surprised he hadn't done something similar, or at least pulled out his wand. As he spun away from my attack, I gripped his left wrist with my left hand, and squeezed, feeling bone break.
This wasn't right, he wouldn't come here alone, and he would have been far more viscious and commited in his attempt to kill me. Something was going on. He kneeled down on one knee as I twisted his wrist, forcing him to do so. He punched me in the chest, a rib broke, and I stumbled, but I kept hold of his wrist. I slammed my fist into his face, and he cried out. His cheekbones were broken, his nose disfigured. "But you already know all that." I said, glaring down at him. "You taught it to me, Father."
The first day I set foot in the halls of Hogwarts was a troublesome one. It was eight days after the first day back, so I had to see the esteemed Dumbledore. It wouldn't be our first meeting, being something of an influential individual, I had met him over the tables of numerous important feasts held by powerful and well-connected wizards.
I was eyed curiously by students in the halls, it must have been between classes. With my long, dark black robes with their red trimming, high collar and unusual insignias, carrying my dark black staff tipped with an orb which burned with a constant blue flame, I must have been an unusual sight. As I approached Dumbledore's office, I noticed a knot of students watching something.
As I walked past, I saw what had their attention. A blonde boy with greasy hair and a strangely intimidating sneer was holding another boy by the wrist. The blonde boy, who I now recognised as Draco Malfoy, had cast some kind of spell on his left hand, so that it was now like a black gauntlet with long, wicked claws, which were deep in the young boy's flesh. Blood ran down his arm. He was laying on the floor, holding his torso up with his free arm. His wand was laying near him. As I noticed he was wincing with pain, my eyes widened. Harry Potter! Draco had his wand pointed at Harry, and a third boy with red hair was pointing his at Draco. The crowd seemed interested in the standoff.
I strode up to the group of students, given a wide berth by those who noticed me, and shouldering past those who didn't, and I placed the bottom tip of my staff against Draco's throat. There was a slight exclamation of objection from one student, but his peers quickly silenced him.
"Release him, Draco, or you shall have me to contend with. And think how Daddy would feel about that." I said, my staff still unwaveringly at his throat.
Upon hearing my voice, he started. He turned his head enough to confirm to himself that it was indeed me, and he was caught in a moment's indecision. Release Harry, and lose face, or hold fast, and be attacked by one of the few people his father feared? Lucius knew I didn't like him, and any attention his son drew towards him would not be appreciated.
"You meddle where you shouldn't, Gray," He spat, looking at me through the corner of his eye.
I pushed my staff into his neck a little harder, a wordless threat. He slowly released Harry, who slumped to the floor. He slowly replaced his wand in his robes.
I looked down at Harry, and then to the red haired boy, who was looked at me, dumbfounded.
"I imagine you have a medical wing?"
He started, and grabbed his friend. He nodded something of a thanks to me, and helped his friend away. Malfoy was looking at me contemptuously. I let my staff drop back to my side, and said, "Well, I think we all learned something here, didn't we?" and was off. As I strode swiftly away, I heard one girl saying to another,"Who was that boy?"
The sorting hat was actually rather comfortable. Dumbledore was sitting in his chair, ponderously. The sorting hat spoke freely, so that both of us could hear. "Hrmmmm, yeeees, the brains of a Ravenclaw, indeed... He wouldn't do at all in Slitherin, he has just demonstrated that in the hallway... My decision is made. He will be a Gryffindor... Yesss... Now that I think of it, there was never really any other option..."
"Thankyou." Dumbledore said, and replaced the hat on it's stand. "Now, Dorian, you have missed a few classes already, but catching up should not be hard. I will ask you to forgo all of your classes today, and I shall announce your presence at dinner tonight. Until then, my friend."
We shook hands, and he saw me out with that warm smile of his. Back at the Gryffindor common room, after providing the password given to me by Dumbledore to the Fat Lady, I quickly went through the empty room, and up the stairs to the 6th year's boy's room. There, I found Harry Potter, fully healed, but apparently resting, perhaps fatuiged by the medicine that the nurse had provided, or traumatised by the sight of having his wrist mangled like that. He was awake, on his bed.
"Hello," He said, sitting up.
"Hi. How are you?" I asked, nodding towards his wrist, and fishing the keys for the trunk at the foot of my bed from the pocket on the inside of my thick robes.
He held up his hand "All fixed," He said, "But the medication has made me feel strange. Thankyou for, uh, earlier." He held out his hand, the one that had been damaged. "I'm Harry Potter."
I had to take a step towards him to grip his hand. We shook firmly. "Dorian Gray. It's an honour."
He screwed up his nose. "I know that name from somewhere. Where is your accent from?"
"I just moved here from Germany, but my accent is Australian."
"Ah, cool. I've never seen anyone deal with Draco like that."
I pulled my broom from my trunk, and replied, "Draco and I have met before. I don't approve of him, nor his father. To be honest, they're both quite scared that I'll become angry at them. You'll learn more about that at dinner, I believe. I hear you're quite the Seeker."
"Yes," He responded, eying my Firebolt. "Do you play?"
"Keeper." I replied with a nod. "All of my stuff appears to be here, so I think I'll take a shower. Where are they?"
He told me, and I headed to the showers. On the way, a grizzled looking man stopped me. He leaned close to me, trying to think if he could remember who I was. He didn't recognise my robes.
"New student?"
"Yes."
"Hrmm," He seemed to be thinking. "Dumbledore mentioned you, said you were of some importance. I'll have none of it, though, you see. I shall be on your back if you do anything, same as the other students."
"I ask nothing more." I replied, and was off.
The dining hall was as noisy as usual. Harry had saved a seat next to him. Before dinner appeared, Dumbledore stood and adressed the school.
"We have a new student at Hogwarts. His name is Dorian Gray. I beleive that some of you have met him already, during an altercation in the halls." He glared slightly at Draco, then continued. He is originally from Australia, though he has relatives in Germany who thought it best he attended a powerful magic school there, Rammstein. In his fifth year, it was discovered that he was even more physically and politically powerful than anyone knew, when it became evident that he was in fact the true heir to the school, and that he should be headmaster. While he did not want immediate headmastership, he decided that he would go through with the ceremony, Die Boses Getose immediately, so that when he was old enough, he could take control of the school and it's various influences, even it's army."
"However, the principal had other plans. Last night, four days before the ceremony, the principal and a large portion of the faculty came into his room while he slept. Another child woke the boys, and there was a fight. Of the seven other boys, four were killed. Dorian drove the teachers down the stairs into his common room, where he killed them, and the waiting soldiers in the school's private army. He knew that he could not stay in Germany, and so he came to me. I trust that you will all treat him with the same respect that you would any other student at Hogwarts. He has been sorted into Gryffindor already. Dorian, if you would."
I made my entrance. I was wearing my school robes, the same ones I had been wearing when I arrived. The room was silent as I entered swiftly, my boots strangely loud to my ears.
"Master Gray, I will have to ask that you formally surrender your weapons to me now." Dumbledore said.
I nodded, and walked up to the teacher's table. I pulled my robes open and back. Underneath I wore a black tunic and black pants. I removed my sword from my belt, and layed it before Dumbledore. I pulled the various daggers from their places and layed them out as well. From two shoulder holsters I pulled Barretta M9s. I layed them on the table also.
"I'll bring the rest to your office." I said quietly. I turned, and saw Harry beckoning to me. Happy that I had found a place to sit, I went over to him, and sat next to him, all eyes on me as I walked. I was concious of it.
"Well, that was all very formal." He said. "Were those guns?"
"At Hobel, my old school, the carrying of swords is allowed. At home I have collected guns for a long time."
It seemed everyone wanted to talk to me. The red-haired boy introduced himself as Ron Weasley, and a pretty girl with as Hermione Granger. To my right was a girl named Parvati Patil, and various other Gryffindors introduced themselves. I was the center of attention all through dinner, and I spoke about Germany, Australia, the Boses Getose and other things with the Gryffindors. They asked what my wand contained, and I showed them my staff, telling them that I didn't have a wand, and that the staff drew it's power from The Orb of Aldur, the artifact which adorned the top.
A small annoying boy asked what killing someone was like.
"It's not pretty, and it's not fun, but it is sometimes necessary." I responded. "It's just my opinion, of course, but I beleive that certain people deserve it."
Those around me considered this in silence for a moment.
Ron asked about my timetable. I showed it to them, and was told that I was in all of Ron and Harry's classes, and a lot of Hermione's. After dinner, I went with Harry, Hermione and Ron back to the common room, where we sat by the fire with several other Gryffindors, and they outlined what I'd missed in class already. Harry, then Ron, both left for bed, and slowly, the common room emptied.. Only me and Hermione remained. When she realised this, she became a little nervous in my presence. I decided to go to bed.
"No, don't on account of... Just because I..." She looked down. "Goodnight."
After saying goodnight, I headed upstairs. Everyone was asleep. I walked past all the beds to my own, at the end. I got changed into my cotton pyjamas, and went to sleep almost immediately.
I was up uncharacteristically early the next day. I showered before everyone else, and entered the dining hall for breakfast when there were few people there. They all looked at me, but most didn't stare. As the dining hall filled with students, Harry, Hermione and Ron entered together with Neville Longbottom, another boy from the sixth year's dorm. I was onto my second helping of scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, and even some bacon, which I don't normally eat.
They sat around me, and started eating. "We've got Snape today first period." Said Ron.
"Oh, I hope he'll not do what he did yesterday," an older boy named Lee Jordan said.
Harry was interested. "What'd he do yesterday."
"Heh, I was sitting, minding my own business, maybe adding a little something I shouldn't have to my Resen Restoration Potion, so he sets it on fire and trys to fling it at me!"
"Sounds like Snape," I said.
"D'you know him?" Asked Fred or George, I didn't know the difference yet.
"We've met. He was always civil to me, but he didn't like the fact that I opposed many of his views, and never really trusted him. He's also just a bastard."
"Agreed." said Ron.
When we arrived at Potions, Snape eyed me as he let the class in. I took a seat with Harry, Ron and Hermione, and Snape didn't seem to approve, from the look on his face.
"As you all know, we have a new student in this class." He began, his drawl all too familiar. "He is the boy who refuses to wear the school robes, instead wearing the robes of the Commodore of the Hobel Navy. And a staff. How archaic. Well, Commodore Gray, I trust you will behave yourself in this class." He leaned forward. "Ich mochte nichts zu hab zu bestrafe dich."
"Jawohl," I responded. His German was not perfect, but I got the point.
"Now, students, something relatively simple today, though I'm sure some among us will struggle even with that. Get out your cauldrons, and then file up to the front to retreive a fig skin or banana skin from my desk, along with any ingredients you have run out of. The idea of this potion is to pour it into the skin of a fruit, and the fruit will reconstitute itself, ready for eating again. Instructions and ingredients are on the board. Go to it."
Dumbledore had provided me with all of the items I would need for the year, so I was all set. After getting my banana skin, and mixing my ingredients, Ron asked me why I wore the robes of the Navy, as opposed to the Army. I told him that I was entitled to wear either, or the robes that the headmaster wore, but the Navy robes are the coolest, in my oppinion. "Also, if I'm ever anywhere formal, I like the word 'Commodore' as a title." I added.
When our thick black potions were finished, I poured mine into my banana skin. The skin reacted to the potion, re-forming into it's original shape, not letting any spill, such that it sealed itself just as the inner cavity where the fruit usually sat was filled. I lifted the banana. The board said that it would be ready for eating immediately, so I started to peel it. The pressure of this action caused the bottom to rupture, and what could only have been the half-formed banana, pale yellow and lumpy, fell thickly to the desk.
"As expected." Said Snape, right into my ear. I jumped, he had snuck up on me. "Now do clean this mess up."
A few other students failed as well, but most had a fully edible fig or banana. I felt pretty bad about it.
After potions was Transfiguration, which was taught by an old family friend, Professor McGonnagal. She smiled warmly and nodded to me, and her only mention of me to the class was "You all know of our new student..." The Professor gave each student a different problem, and they would have to transfigure an object into something else in order to solve it. Mine was unlocking a cat from a cage. The padlock was large, and didn't have any spells on it. I was the first in the class to finish. I simply transfigured the cat into a mouse, and then back again when it had squeezed through the bars of the cage. The Professor was impressed. Hermione finished next. When I saw Neville struggling, without the teacher seeing, I transfigured his dog into a handbag so that he could open it and get the ring it had swallowed, then back again. He mouthed a thankyou to me, and thanked me properly after class.
After we'd eaten lunch, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Seamus Fletcher all went to the library. On the way, talking about Quidditch, something caught my eye. It was suspended maybe 4 feet off the ground, black and swirling, and black lighting crackled around it. The others saw it too, and stopped. It was off to one side of the corridor. I looked around. We were the only ones in sight.
"Wands out, and stay back." I said quietly. Filch rounded the corner.
"What the hell are you doing!? What is that!?" He stammered.
At that moment, there was a flash, and a figure came tumbling out of it. I heard Hermione mutter that it was impossible, just as the figure rounded on the closest person to it: Filch. It punched him quickly in the chest, and he flew about 15 feet backwards, landing unconscious on the ground in a heap. The figure rounded on us. All hell broke loose. We all unleashed spells, curses and hezes on it. He, for it was obviously a male, deflected a lot of them, and absorbed the rest. He drew a sword, and I stepped forward, holding my staff out in front of me. Hermione, obviously recognising the man, as I did, muttered "Is that the headmaster of Hobel? Isn't he dead?"
"No." me and the headmaster said at the same time. He glared at me, and took a step forward. I knocked his sword out of his hands with my staff, and continuing the swing, struck him in the stomach with the Orb on the end. "Bitzchem!" I said as it connected. He flew backwards with a flash, out the window, shattered glass exploding outwards. I spun around.
"Fetch Dumbledore!" I said, and they ran. The man flew back through the window, deftly landing. He held out his hand, and my staff jerked out of my hands and into his. It clearly burned his fingers, so he threw it out the window.
I grinned. "Unwanded Magic, top of my year. Physical Combat, top of the school." My hands turned black, wicked claws extending from my fingertips. Black steel covered my fingers, and the back and palm of my hand, viciously pointed at the knuckles. Similar to the spell Draco had used. Strictly illegal, of course. I gathered energy between them, and loosed it at him, a yellow ball of power. He dodged, and it hit the wall, obliterating it, punching a hole in the side of the castle. I was surprised he hadn't done something similar, or at least pulled out his wand. As he spun away from my attack, I gripped his left wrist with my left hand, and squeezed, feeling bone break.
This wasn't right, he wouldn't come here alone, and he would have been far more viscious and commited in his attempt to kill me. Something was going on. He kneeled down on one knee as I twisted his wrist, forcing him to do so. He punched me in the chest, a rib broke, and I stumbled, but I kept hold of his wrist. I slammed my fist into his face, and he cried out. His cheekbones were broken, his nose disfigured. "But you already know all that." I said, glaring down at him. "You taught it to me, Father."