Take Nothing For Granted.
Chapter One - Lessons from a Legend.
"Hurry up would ya? It's about to start!" Came the call from across the Entrance Hall,
Adrian looked up from trying to force his potions book into his bag to see his friend, Madison, dark brown eyes alight with excitement, gesturing frantically at him,
He hurried over to her, giving up on his potions book,
"Any slower!" she winked before turning and walking into the Great Hall,
Adrian rolled his eyes and followed. Seven years at Hogwarts hadn't diminshed Maddison's ability to annoy.
He walk swiftly to the Gryffindor table and sat down between Maddison and his other friend Kalvin. Kalvin was practically bouncing in his seat,
"Can you believe it? Harry Potter!" he squealed. His voice was quite high pitched and, given his small stature and inability to sit still, gave him the look of an oversized mouse.
Maddison giggled,
"You've seen him before," Adrian pointed out quietly. And it was true. Famous Harry Potter gave speeches on Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts regularly. Adrian found his speeches to be very helpful,
"I know but..." Kalvin said dreamily as he gazed up at the top table dreamily,
"Try not to pop the question eh Kalvin?" Maddison whispered, giving him a playful push,
Kalvin stuck his tongue out,
"Quit it," Adrian hissed. Professor McGonagall, Hogwarts Headmistress, had stood up and was looking sternly out over the crowds of chattering students.
Gradually the Hall quietened. McGonagall cleared her throat,
"Students of Hogwarts... Harry Potter," She said, gesturing to her right toward a door,
The door opened,
A man strode out, tall and thin, with untidy, jet black hair and spectacles. He shook hands with McGonagall, murmuring things Adrian couldn't hear. McGonagall looked faintly disturbed but she nodded once and swept back to her high backed throne behind the staff table,
Harry turned to the sea of students, most of whom were staring at him in awe. The man was a iconic figure in the wizarding world. He was the only known survivor of the Killing Curse, he had slain basilisks, grappled with dementors and dragons, sphinxes and trolls and he had rid the world of the greatest Dark Wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort. All before his twentieth birthday. His eyes were a brilliant green and the legendary lightning scar was on his forehead, the scar that played a crucial role in his defeat of Lord Voldemort.
Smiling, he raised his hand,
"Great to be home," he said, "I always miss Hogwarts when I'm not here...
"Well you all know why I'm here today. I just want to give you a few tips on Defence... The first bit of advice is to be brave. Go with your instincts. They're your best bet. The second bit of advice I have for you is to trust yourself and trust your friends. I couldn't have done everything I've done without the help of my best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger."
Adrian glanced around him. Everyone was staring at Harry, completely awestruck. He wondered how many of them were actually paying attention to what he had to say. He listened though. He doubted he'd ever have to face a wizard as dangerous and as evil as Voldemort but he certainly took on board everything Harry said. It would prove useful if Adrian ever became an Auror, which is something he had always wanted to do and something he knew he had in common with Harry Potter, though Harry had actually done it.
Up on stage Harry was still speaking. Adrian quickly focused again,
"I faced Lord Voldemort-" there were shudders around the Hall. Even though Voldemort was dead, his name still sent shivers down the spine, "-at the age of seventeen," Harry said, ignoring the shudders, "And the only thing that kept me going, that gave me the courage to do what needed to be done, was the thought of those whom I loved... The Weasleys, Hermione, Luna, Neville, the rest of the wizarding world... That's my last piece of advice to you all. Concentrate on those who need you... That's when you'll find the best of yourself. Oh and... good luck to those who are sitting N.E.W.T.S and O.W.L.S in the coming weeks,"
He turned to look at Professor McGonagall, who rose and dismissed the school. The whole of Gryffindor house jumped out and began jostling their way towards the great oak doors. Adrian saw Harry engage McGonagall in conversation again. It was worrying that McGonagall looked troubled again,
Kalvin caught up to Adrian,
"He really is something huh?" he said,
"Uh-huh...," Adrian mumbled, paying him little attention,
"S'pose we ought to get some revision done then?"
"Wha-? Oh... yeah sure,"
The pair of them traipsed back to Gryffindor Tower and got to work. Adrian suddenly realised Maddison wasn't with them,
"Hey Kalvin where's Maddi?"
Maddi was Maddison's nickname though they never called her it to her face. They had once and she hit them with a jinx that caused Adrian to spend the day in the hospital wing having his head deflated.
"Library," Kalvin muttered inattentively, immersed in his Charms notes,
"Maddi in the Library?" Adrian asked, astonished. Maddi wasn't a book type of person,
Kalvin looked up and rolled his eyes,
"I saw her as we left the Hall earlier. She said to me something along the lines of 'I'm going to be the best but I've got to make it look like I'm as incompetent as the rest of you.' You know what she is like,"
Adrian nodded. Maddison thought she was queen of the world and often looked down on everyone. It had taken the pair of them a little time but they both realised eventually that her heart was in the right place. She had gotton them out of a sticky spot involving a Slytherin and a few Bowtruckles once, taking the blame herself.
The two of them lapsed into silence again. Neither was getting very far with their revision. Adrian just wanted to give up but his N.E.W.T.S were rapidly approaching and he couldn't afford to waste time.
Maddison came back about eleven o'clock. Adrian beckoned her over. Kalvin had fallen asleep in his chair, his mouth open and his head lolling.
"How'd your revision go?" he asked sarcastically,
"Great!" she replied brightly, "In fact I think I might have an early night actually," She got up and walked over to the staircase up to the girls dormitories. Adrian watched her go and then he looked at his stack of revision notes.
Giving it up as a bad job he stuffed them back into his bag and went up to bed himself. His dormitory was empty as most of his classmates were still downstairs revising. He got quickly into bed and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, at breakfast, Adrian recieved a big surprise. McGonagall called him from the top table,
"Adrian Myers. Up here please. You too, Mr. Lyons, Ms. King, Ms. Donovan,"
Confused, Adrian got up along with Eddie Lyons of Ravenclaw, Leela King from Hufflepuff and Jemma Donovan from Slytherin and went up to the top table to see what McGonagall wanted,
"Come with me," she said before she turned and went through a doorway that led into an antechamber off the Hall.
Adrian followed her into the antechamber, a wide spacious room with little in it except for a hearth with a fire lit in it.
In front of the hearth, hands clasped behind his back, was Harry Potter.
"Well... these are the students who have recieved highest marks in their Defence Against the Dark Arts tests over the seven years they have been here. One from each house, as you asked,"
"Thank you Minerva," Harry said quietly,
Professor McGonagall inclined her head and left,
"Hey guys," Harry said, turning to face Adrian and the others,
They stared,
Harry laughed,
"I get that a lot," he said, "You might be wondering why I asked for you?"
They all nodded mutely,
"Well I'm going to teach you a lesson because I might be needing your help...,"
The four students looked at one another,
"Lord Voldemort split his soul into seven pieces. He should have died on Halloween, the night he tried to kill me. He didn't because he had anchors to this world in the form of Horcruxes, objects in which he had placed a fragment of his soul. I myself was a Horcrux, though I didn't know it. That's why there was a connection between my mind and his. My scar hurt me whenever he was near or he felt a surge of emotion. Now when he died that connection broke. My scar hadn't hurt for years."
"Hadn't?" Adrian asked, not missing the past tense,
"My scar has been aching recently... It means only one thing... Lord Voldemort has returned. I don't know how... but he has returned,
There was a shocked silence. Adrian tried to take it in. He was Muggle-born but he was well aware of the atrocities committed by Voldemort and his Death Eaters,
"What do we do?" Eddie Lyons asked,
"I don't know yet," said Harry, "But I intend to find out,"
A/N: As much as I'd like to say otherwise I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER! :( He and anything related to him, belong to J...
Anyways I gotta say thanks to Chloe for giving me Maddi and Kalvin's name. Thanks to me for thinking up the idea. Thanks to you for reading :)
Aaron :D
