Red Bess Rackham – Thanks! Hope you got around to the next chapter... D
CherryChick914 – Thank you! I hope it's original! I don't want to be accused of plagiarism. )
Jessie! Hi! waves furiously Glad you liked it! How's school?
And now the story! But first, as is a must with anything even remotely fanfictionish, a disclaimer.
deep announcer voice Hero Girl does not own Harry Potter. She is not making any profit off of this story, and it is written purely for her own enjoyment.
Once and for All Time - chapter 3
Harry sighed happily, staring up at the blue sky. All around him was peaceful silence, the wind across the lake the only sound.
Harry couldn't believe he hadn't gone outside his first day at the castle. Who wants to bother with walls and rooms when they could go outside and have none of that?
'No,' Harry said to himself, 'There's nothing wrong with being inside with walls and rooms. It's just being inside on a day like today. I'm sure I wouldn't like to be out here if it was freezing or something.' Harry shook his head. Who cared? He didn't.
Being the first day he had gone outside to the grounds surrounding the castle, Harry had thought he would spend the day exploring like he had in the castle. Instead, he ended up lying at the edge of a huge lake, in grass that was at least three feet high. He rather liked the green of the grass against the blue sky. It was very pretty.
Every now and then small, puffy white clouds would travel across Harry's range of vision, and he would amuse himself by finding shapes in the clouds, something he had never been able to do when he was growing up. Then the clouds would pass, leaving a clear patch of sky, and Harry would just stare at it, thinking nothing in particular.
Eventually, though, he did end up thinking about something in particular. With someone like Lord Earnulf teaching you, it was rather hard to forget about duelling for any great length of time. But Harry found that he didn't mind learning what or how Earnulf was teaching him. He actually enjoyed it quite a lot.
So that was how Harry spent most of the afternoon, staring at the sky, going over what Earnulf had taught him, and finding shapes in the clouds when they happened by. He couldn't remember ever feeling so relaxed.
When the sky started to darken, Harry sat up and glanced around lazily, wondering what to do next. He could go back to the castle and get something to eat, but it was such a beautiful night his body repelled the idea of going back inside. Shrugging slightly, Harry jumped to his feet. There was still plenty of light, more than enough to go exploring. And he could just conjure a light if it got too dark.
Harry started walking, determined to see at least a quarter of the castle grounds before he went back inside. But after walking until dark and still not coming anywhere near the wards, which he could somehow sense, Harry realised that the grounds were much, much larger than he had originally thought. He also realised that it would take a whole heck of a lot longer than a few hours to see a quarter of the grounds. It would probably take him his whole life to see just that much!
'Well, maybe not that long. But still, a really long time.' Harry stopped walking and did an about face. It would be easy to get back to the castle. He had been wading through waist high grass the whole time, and even though it was dark he could see where the blades had been broken by his body.
Harry stood debating whether he should go back to the castle yet or not, when his stomach made the decision for him. So, with a loudly rumbling stomach, Harry headed back to the castle, muttering to himself about how his life really was ruled by his stomach.
"And just where have you been young man?" Harry rolled his eyes.
"What are you, my mother?" he asked, glancing to Beorhtwaru. Beorhtwaru glared at him.
"No, just protecting my owner. You could have been eaten by rabid wolves!" Harry snorted, and gave Beorhtwaru an amused glance.
"Rabid wolves? Rabid wolves couldn't have got through the wards."
"How do you know one of the previous owners of the castle didn't own some rabid wolves?"
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Even if one of them did own rabid wolves, they would hardly be alive now."
"They could have had pups!"
"They would have killed each other before they could have pups." Beorhtwaru sniffed haughtily and looked away.
"Fine. If that is how you are going to be, I will no longer worry about you." Harry smiled fondly at the mirror.
"I'm sorry, Beorhtwaru. I just like teasing you, you know that. I was outside all day yesterday, and when I got back I was too tired to do anything but eat something and go to sleep. Otherwise I would have come and said goodnight."
"Oh." Beorhtwaru looked back at Harry slowly. "Well, all right. I forgive you. Just don't do that again!"
"Yes ma'am!" Harry saluted sharply then turned and marched out of the lavatory, grinning when Beorhtwaru cried out
"Cheek!"
"You know it!" he called back, and chuckled when Beorhtwaru muttered something about annoying grown up children.
Harry stopped in the middle of his room, looking around. What to do, what to do? He glanced around again, mouth twisted to the side thoughtfully. Then his eyes lit up and he fairly bounced out of the room, grinning like mad.
"Earnie! EEEEEAAAAARNIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!" he yelled, bounding into the dueling room. He stopped dead in the centre of the room, grinning at the disgruntle form of Lord Earnulf.
"You seem to be in a good mood today, Harry." Earnulf said, giving Harry an annoyed look. Harry smiled innocently.
"Why, yes, yes I am. I am in quite a good mood. I spent all day outside yesterday."
"Hmmm." Earnulf gave Harry a strange look. "Did you eat anything whilst you were out of doors?"
"Whilst I was out of doors? No, I ate nothing whilst I was out of doors. I did eat something whilst I was in of doors, though." replied Harry, grinning madly. Earnulf frowned.
"What did you eat?" Harry frowned thoughtfully.
"Hmmm... I ate... chicken! And potatoes. And some salad. It was very good." said Harry as he stared off into space.
"Salad?" Earnulf interrupted, and Harry nodded.
"Yuppers. Salad."
"Ah! That explains it."
"Explains what?"
"Why you are acting so strangely today."
"I am not acting strangely!"
"You are extremely happy and carefree today. That is not normal for you. So if therefore follows that you are acting strangely." Harry nodded thoughtfully.
"Can't argue with that. So how does eating salad explain why I am 'acting strangely'?" Earnulf smiled slightly, obviously amused.
"Quite a few years ago, when there was a rather large family living here, one of the sons was extremely mischievous. One day, he placed a spell on the salads the family was eating, and they all became extremely carefree. The son got in quite a lot of trouble, though I must say that it had been quite a long time since I had had that much fun." Earnulf stopped talking, a faraway look in his eyes and a wide grin on his face. Harry cleared his throat impatiently.
"And?" he prompted, and Earnulf shook himself.
"Oh, I am sorry. Got lost in thought for a moment."
"Oh, unfamiliar territory?"
"Quite, I -" Earnulf paused, and then glared at Harry. Harry bent over double, side shaking with laughter.
"As I was saying!" Earnulf said loudly, and Harry forced himself to stop laughing. He couldn't get rid of the grin on his face though.
"Yes, as you were saying?"
"Hm. Yes. The son got in trouble, but he enjoyed the joke so much he placed another spell, this time on the entire kitchen. I do not know the exact spell, all I know is that it would randomly spell the salad the same way the boy had the first time. So no one knew when they were going to get a bespelled salad, and they eventually stopped eating the salad. I am rather pleased to find out that the spell has lasted this long." Harry stared at Earnulf.
"So I ate a cursed salad?" he asked, and Earnulf shook his head.
"No, you are a spelled salad. Curses are completely different from spells."
"Oh yeah? How so?"
"Curses would be spells, but for the fact that their caster's intent is malice."
"Well, I think putting a spell on salad is malicious."
"Oh, I am certain you will find this whole event rather funny at some point in the future."
"Yeah right." Harry said sarcastically. Then he glanced around the room, back to Earnulf, then jumped up and down twice.
"Who cares? Would you teach me duelling today, Earnie?" Earnulf frowned.
"I most certainly will not. You are not in your right mind. You will probably end up cursing me,
and not being able to undo it when you are sane."
"Who wants to be sane? And I couldn't curse you anyways. It would just go right through you."
"Perhaps, but it would still give me some rather negative reactions." Earnulf gave Harry a meaningful look, and Harry frowned, tilting his head to the side. Then his eyes lit up.
"Ooohhh! I get it! Okay! Bye bye! See you later! Don't hex anything whilst I'm away!" Harry waved a hand over his shoulder as he bounded out of the room, leaving a very amused Earnulf behind.
Harry spent the rest of the day bouncing about the castle. He went into rooms he hadn't explored yet, jumped around a bit, then continued on his way.
Somehow, he eventually ended up back at his room. He stood in the doorway for a moment, staring around, then took a running leap into the bed. He was asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.
Bright sunlight shone in through the window, bathing Harry in an ethereal glow. Harry groaned loudly, pulling the comforter over his head.
"Bloody sun. Bloody stupid salad. Bloody Earnulf. He knew this would happen." Harry muttered to himself, curling up in a tight ball under the blanket. Then he groaned again, throwing the comforter off and sitting up. It was too hot! He blinked sleepily, running a tired hand over his face. He groaned again and fell back onto the bed.
"This must be what a hangover feels like." He muttered before groaning yet again and burying his face in his pillow. Oh God was his head pounding!
"I am going to kill that bloody salad." He said, his voice muffled by the pillow. He lay like that for a few moments, before sighing. Maybe Beorhtwaru would know some way to get rid of this damned headache. Harry pushed himself off the bed and staggered into the bathroom, clutching his head.
"What have you done this time?" Beorhtwaru demanded, sounding slightly worried.
"I ate salad." Harry grimaced, clutching the edges of the wash basin beneath the mirror. Beorhtwaru clucked sympathetically.
"That cursed salad got you did it? Well, lucky for you I was around when the cure was found." Harry's head shot up so fast it made him dizzy. Moaning, he brought a hand up to his forehead.
"Hurts!" he whined, and Beorhtwaru sighed.
"You'll learn in time not to move quickly while under the influence of that demon-like salad. It is rather like moving quickly after you have been drinking all night."
"So this is what a hangover feels like." Harry muttered to himself, massaging his forehead. Beorhtwaru nodded.
"Quite. Now, as I was saying, to get rid of it all you have to do is wave your wand, or in your case, your hand, and say 'Absum turpis poena!' and it should go away.
"Absum turpis poena?" Harry repeated, and Beorhtwaru nodded. Harry sighed. "Well, here goes. Wish me luck."
"What for?" asked Beorhtwaru. Harry rolled his eyes.
"Never mind." He muttered, before waving his hand and saying the words Beorhtwaru had said. He started in surprise, then stared at Beorhtwaru who was looking smug.
"That... I mean... wow!" Harry exclaimed.
"Told you." Was all Beorhtwaru said.
"I shall never doubt thee again, fair maiden." Harry said, giving Beorhtwaru an extravagant bow. Beorhtwaru sniffed haughtily.
"Take care that you do not, young man." She said, and Harry smiled.
"I won't. Cross my heart. And now that I no longer feel like shit -" Beorhtwaru gasped loudly. "What?" asked Harry, frowning.
"Language!" Beorhtwaru exclaimed, and Harry gave her a strange look.
"What? I am I not allowed to say shit?" Beorhtwaru gasped again, and Harry got the feeling he was giving her a heart attack. "What? What's wrong with that?"
"No one of proper upbringing speaks such words!" Beorhtwaru gasped out, and Harry shook his head.
"You really have to modern up a bit. People now-a-days talk a lot worse than that."
"How do you know? You haven't been around them for years!" Beorhtwaru knew immediately she had said the wrong thing. Harry's eyes hardened and his face became blank.
"Harry..." Beorhtwaru started, and Harry's jaw clenched.
"I will speak to you later." He said frigidly, and turned and left the room. Harry turned and walked out of the room, fists clenched at his sides. What did she know? It wasn't like he wanted to be around them anyways! And besides, who cared what she thought?
Harry stormed to the training room, his face matching his walk. Once inside, Harry waved his hand and a punching bag appeared, hanging from the ceiling.
The first punch hurt his hand. So did the second one. The third one he imagined he was hitting Voldemort, and it didn't hurt. The fourth punch hit Dumbledore straight on the nose. The fifth sent Ron sprawling. Soon he lost count, only concentrating on hurting everyone who hurt him. Ginny. The punching bag went swinging. Hermione. The bag flew away from him again. Mr. Weasley. The bag came back towards Harry only to be pushed away again and again and again.
Finally, Harry sank to the floor exhausted and sobbing. Leaning back against the wall, he wrapped his arms around his legs and rested his forehead on his knees, shoulders shaking. He had almost forgotten. Almost forgotten why he could never sleep if he wasn't exhausted, almost forgotten about the gnawing pain in his stomach, the one that never went away no matter how much he ate, almost forgotten what they looked like. Almost.
"Come on, work you bloody spell! I'm sick of going to the bathroom on a stone circle!" Harry cast the spell again and growled in frustration when, yet again, it didn't work.
Beorhtwaru giggled, only to start whistling innocently when Harry shot her a death-glare. Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Harry turned back to the 'toilet'. He cast the spell again.
"OH FOR BLOODY CHRISTS' SAKE! CHANGE!" he roared. Then his eyes widened in surprise and he lowered his arms which he had unknowingly raised. He blinked. Beorhtwaru blinked. Harry blinked again. Beorhtwaru burst into hysterical giggles. The corners of Harry's mouth twitched. He shook himself and glared murderously at what had been the toilet. Then he stepped back in utter surprise. Beorhtwaru's giggling turned into veritable snorts of laughter.
"Oh, shut up." He muttered, lips twitching. Beorhtwaru snorted again.
"You... told... it to... change!" Beorhtwaru exclaimed between snorts.
"Well, yeah, but not into a purple snowman! And definitely not a blue cartoon lamp with eyes!" Beorhtwaru's snorts turned into full fledged guffaws. "Though it is kind of cute, you know. I wonder if there're any laws against keeping a lamp as a pet." He added, trying to fight the grin that was putting up a valiant struggle to appear on his face. Then the lamp changed, making Harry's jaw drop and Beorhtwaru's laughter to come to a shocked stop.
"What on God's green earth is that?" Beorhtwaru demanded, wrinkling her nose. Harry shook his head dazedly.
"I have absolutely no idea." He said slowly, staring. The toilet was now, quite obviously, no longer a toilet. Nor was it a purple snowman or a blue cartoon lamp with eyes. In fact, it was now the strangest thing Harry had ever seen in his life, and he had seen some very strange things.
The creature was rather large, about the size of a golden retriever. It had big, sad looking orange eyes perched over top an elephant trunk-like nose. It had shaggy eyebrows covering half its eyes, giving it an almost sheepdog look. Its head was small, making its features comically oversized. It had four legs, two of which (the back right leg and the front left leg) were reminiscent of an antelope. Its other two legs looked like an experiment between a hippo and a tyrannosaurus rex had gone horribly wrong. Its body was long and thin, and was covered in shaggy white fur. It had a long, long tail that was covered with fur but looked like a snake because of the colouring and pattern.
The once-toilet looked around, before making a strange kind of trumpeting sound and charging at Harry. Harry yelled in shock and jumped backwards, knocking Beorhtwaru's mirror off the wall.
"OW! HARRY!"
"WHAT? AGH! GET OFF ME, YOU WEIRD... THING! HEY! STOP IT! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
"HARRY! YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK MY MIRROR!"
"YEAH? WELL, THIS THING'S IS GOING TO BREAK ME!"
"SO? YOU'RE THE POWERFUL WIZARD HERE! GET RID OF IT!"
"HOW, OH ENLIGHTENED ONE?"
"My, my, my. The things you get into when I'm not around to chaperone you."
"EARNIE!" Harry and Beorhtwaru yelled at the same time.
"Yes?" the ghost asked unperturbedly. Harry rolled his eyes in exasperation as he tried to push the creature off of him.
"HELP!" Beorhtwaru screamed, and Earnulf lifted his eyebrows.
"Why?"
"WHY? BECAUSE THIS THING IS GOING TO KILL US!" one Earnulf's eyebrows rose higher than the other.
"Oh? How is he going to do that? And you can stop yelling, I can hear you perfectly fine." Harry paused in his struggling to look at Earnulf and realised that the creature wasn't moving.
"Thank the Lord." The creature said, making Harry jump. "It's about time. Hello, Earnulf old chap. How are you?" Earnulf smiled down at the creature.
"I am well. How are you, my friend?" the creature shrugged, a very strange thing to see.
"As well as can be expected, I suppose. It does get rather boring in the grey place, waiting for someone to call me." Earnulf nodded sagely.
"Yes, I can see how that would be." Harry slowly stood up, staring at Earnulf and the creature.
"Er... Earnie..." he started, and Earnulf looked to him.
"Yes, Harry?" he asked, and Harry nodded towards the creature.
"What is that?" the creature huffed indignantly.
"That? That! I will have you know, sir, that I am no 'that'!" it said, glaring murderously at Harry. Harry gave it a decidedly nervous look.
"All right, who is it?" the creature growled.
"I am right here! You may ask me!" Harry started nervously and took an involuntary step backwards, running into the wall.
"All right, all right! I'm sorry! Who are you?" asked Harry in an appeasing tone. The creature huffed again.
"That's better." It said, sitting down. "I," it started, "am Sir Anthony Anderson." It said grandly, and Harry blinked.
"Sir Anthony Anderson." He repeated blankly, and the creature nodded proudly. "Er... no offence meant, but... er, were you a... a person?" Harry asked carefully, and cringed when Sir Anthony Anderson glared at him.
"Who cares if he's a person or not? Get me back on my wall!" Harry started, only just
remembering Beorhtwaru.
"Twaru!" he exclaimed, stooping down and picking up the mirror. "Are you all right?" Beorhtwaru sniffed dignifiedly.
"It took you long enough to notice. But yes, I am fine." She sniffed again as Harry hung the mirror back on the wall.
"I'm sorry, Twaru. It's just that, well, you know." He said, nodding his head in the direction of Sir Anthony Anderson. Beorhtwaru sniffed one more time, but gave Harry an understanding wink. Harry grinned back, then turned back to Earnulf and the creature. But before he could speak, Sir Anthony Andrews started.
"To answer your question, Master of the Castle, yes, I am a person. Well, was a person."
"What happened?" Harry asked, intrigued in spite of himself. Sir Anthony Anderson sighed.
"'Tis a long story." he said, and Harry shrugged.
"Well, I have all the time in the world. Why don't we go somewhere more comfortable and you can tell me? If you want to, that is."
"No! Don't go somewhere else! I want to hear as well!" exclaimed Beorhtwaru. Harry turned to her.
"We can just bring you with us..."
"Absolutely not! I am not leaving my wall again!" Harry sighed and turned back around.
"Well, are you two all right here?" Earnulf and Sir Anthony Anderson nodded, and Harry shrugged.
"Right," he said, waving his hand. An easy chair appeared, and Harry dropped into it. "Well, if you want to tell us your story, go ahead." Sir Anthony Andrews nodded and lay down on the floor.
"Well," he started, then proceeded to tell Harry and Beorhtwaru what had happened to him.
End
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