Well, chapter 4 is up. I would like to adress one very interesting review. I can't answer all those questions otherwise there would be no point in reading this story but I will answer some now. This story will certainly differ a lot from Santi's story. I remember that in Santi's summary for the Boy Who Lived was written something like, "How can a loved Harry Potter turn to the dark ways?" or something like that. My Harry won't become dark wizard. Questions about school transfer will be answered at the end of the next chapter. I like idea of pushing boundaries of not only himself but also of the whole wizarding world and something like that will come. Harry won't be super powerful, I will place more challenges in his ways than Santi did and also I will make his life at school much more interesting, not just learning and all that. The question with going to Durmstrang can be answered simply, "Yes" or in the longer form,"He will go to the Durmstrang but not in the same way that Santi made him." Question of relationship with Calypso will be answered when time comes. I must say that the idea of dueling with two wands is quite interesting, but it would take years and years of practise to be able to control something like that, so for now no two wands, but maybe in future. And one last thing, saturday was a very productive day for me, not only have I broken my pinky but also I got idea of how to continue my story until Harry's seventh year and now I can tell you that in time, my story will be much different from Santi's but still in more or less same line, so I will add a lot of interesting things while I'll keep some of Santi's basic ideas. That's all. So read and review.

Chapter 4:School and Friends

Brothers stick together?

Hogwarts Library, Oct. 29

Sitting at his usual place in library, Harry glanced at all Charms, Transfuguration, Potions and Defense books that were spread out all around him. Had any of his proffesors passed by, they would be more than slighly concerned at his look of concetration and the ever-growing list of incatations he was writing down.

Yesterday lesson was the best lesson with Quirell so far. He told him a huge amount of spells from all categories and promised to start teaching them to him on next lesson. And Quirell's stuttering was getting better, at least at their private lessons. It looked like Quirell was slowly getting used to his presence.

"Hey, long time no see."

Harry looked up and saw Will standing there with grin plastered on his face. Standing beside him, Weasley looked like a lost puppy in the library.

Harry didn't see much of his brother since coming to Hogwarts. The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws didn't share any classes and it was generally frowned upon sitting at other Houses' tables. And also, Will has done impossible by getting place at Gryffindor Quidditch team in his first year and so he had to spend much of his time at practise. And in those rare opportunities that he had to speak to Will, Ron Weasley was always there.

Not that he had any problem with Weasley. It's just that Ron was always tagging along them when he wanted to talk about something with his brother.

"Will, what a surprise to see you in library, have you got lost?" Harry asked sarcastically.

Will only smiled, "I've come to save you from yourself, we are going to explore the castle. Come on, these books," Will said, motioning to the huge pile of books," can wait for you."

"No Will, not now."

"Come on Harry, what's so important?" Will asked as he grabbed the nearest book and began to read it, "Ahmmm, Harry?" After Harry gave no sign of hearing him, he continued, "Harry, why are you reading third year Transfiguration book?"

"Because, they don't have fourth year books in here."

"You know what I mean Harry," Will said irritated.

"Okay, I'm reading it because I need to transfigure something, obviously," Harry said evasively. Quirell told him that under any circumstances, he was not to tell anyone about their lessons. It gave sense that Quirell didn't want other proffesors to know about him cursing his students.

"Geez, you're worse than Granger," Weasley said with a smirk.

"I'm sorry that I actually learn magic," Harry snapped. In fact, he saw Hermione in library few times and once tried to talk to her, but after she snapped at him that she wasn't going to do his homework, he left her alone.

"But Harry, this a third year book, you surely can spare a few moments of your rare learning time?" Will asked as he took seat across his brother. "And besides, do you even understand this stuff?"

"Well, it isn't the very hard, and when I need help I ask Proffesor."

"Well, are you going with us?" Will asked pleadingly.

"Go," Harry tried not to sound bitterly, "but I'm staying here, I need to do this until tomorrow."

"Alright, but don't study too hard, I don't want your head to explode," Will said with grin.

"Get out of here before you get me in trouble for being loud," Harry said, enjoying banter with his brother.

You did what?

Great Hall, Nov. 1st

"I heard he blasted it through a wall," said Lisa Turpin.

"No, I heard that he transfigured cage for it," said Su Li adamantly.

Terry Boot shook his head, "My sister is Gryffindor and said that they heard it in whole school, more like it was running before him the moment it saw him."

"What is everyone talking about?" Harry asked as he sat down.

"You don't know it?" asked Padma Patil in shock.

"Know what," Harry said getting irritated by their talk.

"Everyone's talking about how your brother killed a mountain troll yesterday. No one knows how exactly but apparently there was a big fight and whole bathroom got destroyed."

"What?" Harry asked in shock, "There is no way Will could kill a mountain troll."

Harry was once again target of their pitying looks. The problem was that his constant refusing of all of their teories about Will being the greatest wizard since Merlin made them think he was jealous.

"Well, explain the points Gryffindor got last night, and plus, everyone in Gryffindor is talking about it," Michael Corner said.

Harry was about to argue the intellingence of whole Gryffindor House when the hall grew quiet and everyone's head turned towards doors. He reluctanly turned around too and was surprised to see his brother walking towards Gryffindor table with Ron Weasley and suprisingly, Hermione Granger. The fact that all of them were blushing told him that something have really happened.

Sighting, he stood up and walked towards the place where his brother sat at Gryffindor table. He didn't believe rumors at all, but his brother's reaction must have meant something.

Crossing the hall in matter of seconds, he stopped right behind his brother's back, "Will, we need to talk."

Will slowly turned around with sheepish grin, when Granger said, "You know, it's very rude to interrupt conversations."

He just fixed her with one of Snape like stares. She quickly shut up and didn't interrupt any more. At last I understand why he always do it.

"Now, Will," Harry continued impatiently.

Will quicly stood up and Harry led him from the great hall and into the nearest classroom and placed a quick silencing charm on the door.

"Explain," he said simply.

"Well... you see, yesterday Ron said some very mean things to Hermione and she ran crying to the bathroom."

"Well, that explain that Weasley is a jerk, but get to the point where you are fighting a troll," Harry said impatiently.

Will looked a bit angry about him calling Ron jerk, but let it go, "After Quirell announced that there was a loose troll somewhere in school, Ron and I remembered Hermione and went to warn her."

"And I suppose that this is where you had your epic battle with a troll," Harry said with a raised eyebrow.

"No, the troll was in there and Ron knocked it out with it's club after he used a levitation charm on it."

"Well, that's suprisingly smart for Weasley. But tell me why is everyone talking about you defeating the troll?"

"I told them that it was Ron's work! But they refused to listen that I only helped with it," Will said sheepishly. Harry understood very well his brother's problem with making people listen to the truth, after all he had the same one.

"Troll's skin is resistant to the most spells, so what did you use?" Harry asked with unconceiled curiosity.

"Well... I went for a more... direct approach?" said Will and Harry could tell from his tone that this was the worst part of the story.

"So what did you did?" Harry asked when his brother looked like the words are stuck in his throat.

"Well, I... I climbed on it's back and well... Istuckmywandupit'snose."

"What? Can you repeat that?" Harry asked comletely put out by Will's sequel of words.

"I said, I stuck my wand up it's nose," Will said before ducking, as if expecting Harry to start cursing him.

Instead of hitting his brother, he tried to eliminate the mental image of Will on troll's back. After few seconds of terrible silence, he spoke, "Will, you are the luckiest person on this planet, but also you seem to be stupidest one. And in case of something like this happening again, I guarantee you, that fighting troll would be much better than what I'm going to do to you." With that said, he took few calming breaths and slowly, very slowly, left.

Friends and better opportunities

Hogwarts Library, Nov. 21st

Five Ravenclaw first years sat around their table in library.

"Can you believe the essay Proffesor Snape gave us?" Lisa Turpin said, "Three feet on uses of swelling solutions!"

"I know. All because Hufflepuff spilled his potion," Terry Boot said angrily, "and I still need to do McGonagall's essay on Second Law of Transfiguration: Transfiguration of Whole Objects."

"Not all of us," Su Li said smugly.

"Just because you were paired with Potter doesn't mean you are a decent brewer, Su," Anthony Goldstein said irritably.

"Yeah, does Potter even let you touch the cauldron? All I see, is you chopping stuff for him," Michael Corner said.

Su blushed, "It's not my fault! Potter doesn't follow directions that are on board. He's got some trick that make potions always better, and besides, Snape was very impressed with our last potion."

"Don't you mean Potter's potion?" Terry asked cuttingly, "I would also be great at potions if I spend all my time in library with no friends."

"Terry, that's mean, don't say that," Lisa chided.

"Well, whatever, Turpin, but you were the one that called him antisocial loser last week," Terry said quickly.

"Well... it's not my problem he doesn't talk to anyone," Lisa said, defending her comment.

"Have you noticed that even Will doesn't hang out with him? Will is always with Granger and Weasley," Anthony said as a smirk crossed his face, "Of course he doesn't, you can't really blame him since he lived with Harry for years."

"True, have you seen how reluctant Will was to talk to him after the whole troll thing?" Terry laughted.

As the Ravenclaw students continued to make fun of him, Harry had heard enought. He left his eavesdropping place behind bookshelf, put the books he was reading in the bag and left library. Without really thinking where he went, he walked. After few minutes he found himself before Quirell's Office. He'd spent a good deal of time with him and got used to his methods and knew that he could get distracted here. And so he knocked.

After waiting for a while, a voice annouced, "Enter." Harry opened door to see his teacher sitting behind his table and watching him cautiosly, "Well, Mr. P-potter what is it?"

"I... I just thought that I could read here in peace?"

After a curt nod, he seated himself in cushioned chair across from Quirell. He took out his Charms book and began to read. After a few minutes of silence, Quirell asked, "Do tell Mr. P-p-potter, why is it that my Office is only peaceful place left in Hogwarts?"

Harry was surprised by the question, but didn't let it show on his face, "The library is too loud." It was such pathetic excuse that he wanted to slap himself after saying it.

"I find it hard to believe that someone w-would break Madam Pince's rules." Quirell replied without looking up from his papers.

"I just... it's just that... that I can't stand hearing other students talking about me like I do nothing else than study." Harry said, looking back at his book.

"Well, I must agree," after watching Harry's head snap up from his book, he continued with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, "not that it's anything b-bad, Mr. P-potter. I know all those talks about j-j-jealousy and your brother h-hating to live with you."

Harry was between embaressed and surprised, "How..."

"How d-d-do I know? Please, Mr. P-potter, I would have to be b-b-blind to not notice," After his Proffesor's words, he felt like idiot, "besides, Mr. P-p-potter, you shouldn't concern yourself with it. All people that should concern you know truth."

Harry felt better after what Quirell told him but still, it didn't resolve his situation with his yearmates, "But still, it solves nothing, I just feel like I hate it here. What should I do, Proffesor?"

"You can leave," Quirell offered.

Leave? No, there surely are other ways and beside that, where would he go? Hogwarts is the best wizarding school, he can learn here more than anywhere else, "I don't think..."

"And that's the p-p-point, you don't think, P-potter," Quirell rudely interrupted, "You think that it's b-best for you to stay here? No, surely not. Maybe H-h-hogwarts is known as the b-best school in the wizarding world, but you must understand that reputation of wizarding schools is based on how many students pass OWLs and later NEWTs. You can only hardly not pass them as they are ministry made. From my source of information, other wizarding schools have different and sometimes much harder methods. We both know that OWLs and NEWTs are British tests. Other countries have their own ways to test their students."

"I'm not sure about leaving Hogwarts, Proffesor," Harry said without much thinking. It certeinly would be good to have yearmates on your own level and much more, but still, Hogwarts is like a second home to him.

"Oh, I am just s-saying, for when you decide to leave, you c-c-can choose school that will suit you most. I could advise you Durmstrang. It's one of the most prominent schools in the wizarding w-w-world and teaching is much more d-d-different than here. They've got less exams, tests, quizzes and essays and much m-m-more practical work. But still it's far from the b-best thing about Durmstrang. You see, Mr. P-p-potter, at Durmstrang, students are not sorted into clasess by their age but by skills they show in subjects."

"I don't understand, Proffesor. Could you...?" Harry asked, not understanding.

"Of course. Well, you see, it's like I said, when you show big skill in the Charms, you are allowed to j-j-jump a year if you pass tests that your P-p-proffesor sets for you. You c-c-can be third year in Charms, first year in Herbology and second year in D-d-dark Arts for example, but I believe you c-c-could be at least second year in all subjects."

Harry stopped himself, "Sir? Dark Arts, I'm not sure..."

"Stop such talk P-p-potter. It's not like they will teach you killing curse your first year. From what I know, they start t-t-teaching really hurtful curses in sixth year and they d-d-don't teach Unforgivable curses, as if they could. I think that c-c-current High master is Igor Karkaroff."

"But I thought they speak german at Durmstrang?" Harry asked. He didn't know german and he didn't think that proffesors would be so kind as to do special lessons in english just for him, more like they'd just make him drop subjects.

"Are you wizard P-p-potter?" Quirell asked sarcastically, "There are spells that c-c-can help you in learning other l-languages. It's still a lot of work, but you'll find it much more easier."

"I... I will think about it." Harry said uncertainly. If all that was true, then by his stardards, Durmstrang must be much better. But the problem is, how will he convince his parents to let him attend Dumstrang. He decided that it was time to return to his dorm as it was already fairly late, "I think, I should return to the dormitory."

"And one m-more thing, Mr. P-p-potter," Quirell said.

"Yes?"

"Don't w-worry when someone tells you that Durmstrang takes only p-p-pureblood students, your blood will be p-pure enought when Karkaroff learns that he c-c-can steal one of the Dumledore's to be star students."

Quirell's words unnerved him but he was also thankful for his compliment and just nodded his head in acknowlidgment and left Proffesor's Office.

"Perfect, he just needs some time at Durmstrang and much will change in Potter's family," came the voice from the back of his head.

"As you say, master."

Final Straw

History of Magic Classroom, Dec. 2nd

Contrary to the what most of Hogwarts believed, Ravenclaws found Histoy of Magic to be just as boring as the rest of the school. Difference was, that Ravenclaws used it for better things then sleeping and complaining about how boring it was. They mostly worked on their assignments from other classes, or read books.

Harry was not paying even the slightest bit of attention to Binn's ramblings. The reason being the piece of parchment he was given by Proffesor Quirell on pros and cons of Hogwarts and Durmstrang. It was charmed so that only those who cast aparecium can read it.

It has been ten days since Quirell offered him the opportunity of transfer and now Harry was seriously considering it. He'd miss his brother but as Quirell pointed out, he wasn't able to talk to him here either, so it didn't make big difference.

The most appealing thing about Durmstrang was that he would be able to jump in his years anytime when he was ready to do so. At Hogwarts he could be Dumledore himself and they wouldn't allow it. And prospect of Durmstrang's library only strenghtened his will to make it to Durmstrang.

"Hey, Potter, what's a good reason to cast Bubble-Head Charm besides breathing underwater?" Anthony Goldstein asked.

"I don't know," Harry answered. He did but wasn't going to help the struggling Ravenclaw just because he ignored his essay until the last possible moment.

"Come on, I know you know some," Goldstein demanded, "I saw you writing your essay last night."

"Well, you're wrong," technically, he was. He finished his essay two days after Flitwick has assigned it.

"What's wrong with you?" Goldstein asked, "If I don't do this on time, Flitwick will take away House points and that will hurt whole House."

"Then you should have done this earlier."

"Come on Potter, I just need one more."

Harry simlpy pretended he didn't heard him and continued in reading his list.

"No wonder you have no friends."

Durmstrang looked more appealing with every passing moment. After lesson, Harry decided to go to Quirell's Office and do what is necessary.

Proffesor Quirell's Office, Dec. 2nd

Dear Highmaster Karkaroff,

Sir, my name is Harry James Potter, son of James Charles Potter and Lily Potter and currently a first year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After a great deal of personal reflection, I have decide that I no longer desire to continue this fine institution, and would like to seek other educational opportunities.

Proffesor Quinias Quirell, my Defense Against Dark Arts profesor, has told me much about Durmstrang Institute, and I find myself greatly interested in your school. I wish to know if you would be amicable to receiving me as a potential tranfer student.

If you would be interested to receiving me as transfer student, please contact Proffesor Quinias Quirell with a positive response. Afterwards I shall consult my Head of House, Filius Flitwick, to have my first term grades delivered to you.

I thank you for your time,

Sincerely,

Harry J. Potter.

"It looks good Mr. P-potter," Quirell commented.

"Thank you Proffesor. Do you think Highmaster will accept me?" Harry asked nervously.

"I believe he will," Quirell said, "I also written my own letter of recomendation that will be attached to the same owl you send your letter with. Together they should be enough to make Karkaroff at least consider you as a potential candidate. And after he sees your marks, he will surely accept you."

Harry smiled, "Thank you Proffesor, not only for letter, but for everything."

"Think nothing of it Mr. P-p-potter. Now I need to visit Diagon Alley for some supplies. I could send both letters from express delivery there, if you want?"

"That would be wonderful, sir."

Farewell Hogwarts?

Filius Flitwick's Office, Dec. 16th

"Mr. Potter? What are you doing here, I thought that you would be leaving for Christmas?" Proffesor Flitwick asked curiously.

"I am, I just need to speak with you before I go," Harry said frantically.

"Oh, what about?"

"Well, I suppose it's about my marks."

Flitwick shook his head tiredly, "Harry, from what I know you shouldn't concern yourself. Other profesor shared with me that you did very well."

"I, well, I know I did well," Harry said while trying to not sound cocky, "I just need you to transfer them to someone."

Flitwick raised eyebrow, "Such transcrips are send when seeking apprenticeship, and Harry, you are too young to consider such options. So whom to?"

"Please, send it to the Highmaster Karkaroff, and as for why. Well, I hope I could transfer there for next term," Harry said honestly.

Flitwick nearly fell out of his chair, "What?!"

"Please, sir, I'm being late as it is. I got letter that I could be considered potentional candidate, I just need to send my marks. So can you please send transcrip, once it's ready?"

"Harry, I... will send it. But this talk is not, by any means, at end. Transfering is not something done lightly, and after that, the doors to Hogwarts would be closed for you. You surely need to discuss this with your parents."

"Thank you, sir. Please let me know when you send the letter," Harry said while placing levitation charm on his trunk and running out of Flitwick's Office.

Arriving only minute before train left, he turned towards Hogwarts, "Well, I guess we see ourselves for the last time. Farewell."

Well, I hope you liked this chapter. Please leave a review.