A\n: as per your request, i have posted a longer chapter. tell me if it is boring. i have never written an action sequence before this and there is one at the end. please tell me if it is good. this would be my last chapter for two weeks.

Chapter 6: The Soul Ignited

Harry was awake the earliest most of the time as he rushed into any unused empty classroom with his truckload of books and started his intense personal training with magic. Now that he was freely able to use magic, he wasn't going to waste a single second. He planned to improve.

Harry found out the hard way that almost all Slytherins were ruthless. They pointed and laughed at him when in class, no doubt reminiscing about the humiliation from his first day. Harry had never let any of them catch him off-guard again. He was very careful with his schedule. Mornings were devoted to his self study of magic. He was the first one in a class and the first one out of one too. They never got a chance to corner him. Rest of his free time was spent in the library. No one dared create disturbance in the library under Madam Pince's nose.

Every day was like a hunt for Harry. Where he was the prey and they were the wolves waiting for any and every opportunity to corner him. He had to plan every one of his days according to his schedule to escape their clutches. Slytherins were known to be cunning after all, Harry was required the tedious task of outwitting them.

Be as it may, the humiliations he suffered were almost unbearable. He was effectively nicknamed the Mudblood by all. The Slytherins were hated by all other houses therefore he didn't have much chance of making any friends outside his house either. The only people sociable with him were Hermione and Neville.

They often met in libraries and whenever they had classes together. They were a bit of social pariah too. Hermione, was very smart but had trouble making any friends and she easily scares of any potential candidate with her overabundance in knowledge. Neville on the other hand was plain clumsy. His total lack of confidence was his downfall. He had friends in Adam and his gang but he doesn't like the lot for some weird reason. Harry and Hermione talked extensively over a variety of topics while Neville sat aside with a perplexed look on his face. Harry had taken up the strenuous mantle to train Neville appropriately over the ways of magic. It was at times frustrating but Harry was very patient.

The lessons itself on the other hand were a delight.

Astronomy was a subject focusing on building the basis of magic. The stars it seemed held a heavy impact on the workings of magic. It was very important to study the appropriate star alignment for every constellation which would aid a wizard in later years on a number of rituals and usage of ancient runes. Herbology was essentially the study of magical and non-magical plants and herbs. It held the basis for Potions and Healing not to mention a number of magical rituals. History of Magic was a waste of time. It was just the teaching of a bunch of facts about the past of the wizarding world. Moreover it was taught by a ghost. It was one of the classes that had Slytherins with Gryffindor. Harry always bunked that class much to the irritation of Hermione who saw no reason to skip classes even though the class was so boring. Neville always covered up for Harry and frankly Professor Binns never even noticed. The real reason Harry didn't want himself in that class was because there wasn't any real teacher to supervise the class. He wouldn't know what his housemates would dish up for him under the absence of strict authority. Charms was a little complicated subject that required more imagination, creativity and practice than simply cramming up the theory. But they hadn't reached upon actual magic in the classes yet. Professor Flitwick was making them practice basic wand movements for different charms that were essential for further studies. The class wasn't supposed to move forward until all of them had mastered the movements. Harry was the best in it but didn't try to show off. He knew how infuriated bullies could be to geeks. If nothing Dudley had at least taught him that one valuable lesson.

Transfiguration was good though. It required intense concentration and almost realistic imagination to mould a substance by magic into another substance. There wasn't any complicated wand movements for it. There wasn't any summoning of ancient runes for aid in the magic which they had to just cram without knowing their actual properties to do other spells. Transfiguration was just using pure, raw magic. It required immense practice and skill. There sure were the essential laws of Transfiguration to consider which were many and sometimes quite complicated but otherwise the subject itself was fun. Transfiguration was supposed to be the more dangerous and complex forms of magic but that is what made it more fun.

Harry was already changing the toothpick into a metallic needle and back into toothpick on his very first try. He made it sure that McGonagall didn't notice.

Defence against the Dark arts was a joke. But the weirdest thing was that Harry always felt an intense pain to the scar on his head whenever Professor Quirell turned his back to the class. It was frustrating and Harry doubted that he might be a little allergic to garlic. The room reeked of garlic.

Harry often went to Hagrid's hut in the school grounds for a friendly chat with Hagrid. In time he had grown very attached to the giant man. He was vey kind and soft unlike his rock hard cakes. Hagrid always welcomed him with delight.

Potions class was plain weird. Snape exclusively favoured Slytherins. That meant that the Gryffindors who took their classes with them were often ridiculed and harassed by the Professor. Especially Neville. The weirder thing was that he all but ignored the very presence of Adam in the class. What was more weird was that Harry was sure he sensed some hostility against himself in the Professor's eyes. Even though he was a Slytherin.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking," Professor Snape had begun in his first class. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word-like Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses..I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death-if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Harry always sat with Neville and Hermione when the Slytherins had classes with Gryffindors and he could see from his peripheral vision that Hermione was at the edge of her seat, desperate to prove that she wasn't a dunderhead.

It was Harry though that he attacked.

"Dursley!" said the Professor suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"Er…Draught of the living dead?"

The must have been correct because the Professor moved on to the next question.

"Where would you look if I told you to find me a Beozar?"

That was easy. "Stomach of a goat sir." A few students sniggered at that thinking it was a joke but the potions teacher didn't show any reaction as he moved on to the next question.

"What is the difference between monkwood and wolfsbane?"

"Urm.. I think they are the same."

Professor Snape quickly turned around to other students.

"Well? Why aren't you all copying it down?"

Everyone began quickly scribbling into their parchments. Harry started to sit and note down his share of the work.

"Dursley! Did I ask you to sit?" Harry immediately stood up again, utterly confused.

"Umm.. no sir."

"Disobedience is not tolerated in my class Dursley! You should know that if you want to stay in this class. Merely cramming the facts wouldn't be enough to be good at potions. It takes immense discipline. Sit down!"

Harry quickly sat down dejectedly as he started scribbling down the notes. Was he this strict with all of them. He had heard that Professor Snape was very lenient with the Slytherins, that rule it seems doesn't apply to Harry. He mused that it must be because he was a muggle-born. Even the teachers it seems have prejudices.

Hermione was furious.

"You should complain about him Harry! Its one thing he favours Slytherins unconditionally, why does he have to isolate you among all? Its not like you did something wrong! Did you?" she said when they were sitting in the library together for group study.

Harry shook his head negative.

"Forget it Hermione. It seems like he saw at firs sight my infinite wisdom and deemed it right to openly challenge me. It is all in good fun!" Harry said with a grin.

Hermione huffed and swatted his hand.

"Ow! Hey, at least I am trying my best to divert his attention from poor Neville here. He was about to swallow the boy whole and spit out his bones!" Harry said wrapping his arm around Neville's neck.

"Its not a joke Harry. I am sure he hates me!" Neville moaned.

"Of course not Neville, he is just encouraging you to work harder!" Hermione told him.

"Yeah! Professor is a great cheerleader Neville, you would see it someday when you become as great as him." Harry told him in mock consolation. All three laughed at the image of the scary Professor in skirt and puffs in hand, that is until Madame Pince put a stop to it.

X-X-X-X

Draco Malfoy was a git. Everyone knew that, but he wasn't even half as bad as Flint and his goons. Harry could rate the trio of Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle naughty compared to Flint and his gang which included Miles Bletchley, Terrence Higgs, Urquhart, Vaisey, Bole and Derrick who were rated in Harry's mind as pure Evil.

It was the morning of the day when the Slytherins were to attend their first flying lessons with Gryffindors. Neville had got his Remembrall. Malfoy had shown interest and snatched it from Neville but Adam and Ron were quick to stand up for a fight but the matter was quickly resolved with the timely intervention of Professor McGonagall. Harry had doubts that Malfoy would leave it at that.

But he didn't care one bit if Neville lost his Remembrall. Neville was miserable the whole day, partly with the nervousness in attending the flying lessons and partly in frustration that every time he squeezed his Remembrall, he found out that he was forgetting something. Neville was always forgetting something, Harry personally thought it was rather cruel to make him realize every time that he is forgetting something just for him to fail in recalling the very thing he forgot.

The lessons were going fine. Harry had managed to get hold of the broom in his first try itself.

Then it happened. Neville jumped the whistle for flying and his broom lost control only for him to fall off the broom from twenty feet height. Harry could have stopped his fall in time only if he had his wand with him. Unfortunately flying lessons required to keep your wands away.

Neville was instantly escorted by Madame Hooch to the hospital wing for a broken arm but not before leaving a warning that if they ever left the ground to fly in her absence then they would surely be rusticated.

Most Slytherins were immune to such threats. Their parents were in high places in society which gave them quite a lot of liberties and leverage. As was the case of Malfoy, whose father was one of the governors of magical education.

Therefore it wasn't a surprise to Harry when Malfoy started taunting Adam with the Remembrall that had fallen off from Neville's robe due to his little stunt before.

Malfoy had taken off to air. His gloating wasn't for nothing. He was at ease with the broom.

"Give it here Malfoy!" Adam shouted as he took off on his own broom. If Malfoy was good on the broom then Adam was brilliant, Harry observed with grit. He sincerely hoped Madame Hooch would arrive any minute and expel them both from the school. Hermione was trying desperately to warn Adam but he refused to listen. Oh well! His loss. Harry wondered if his parents would love Adam as much after he manages to rusticate himself from the school. Harry would surely have a path open then when becomes a great wizard and come in front of his parents while his brother sulked in his uselessness.

Malfoy threw the crystal Remembrall into the air when Adam threatened to knock him off his broom. Adam was quick as a hawk on the broom. Everyone was in amazement at how natural he was at flying. With a perfect dive in a very steep slope to a flawless catch. He manoeuvred the old school broom with finesse.

"Adam Potter!" Professor McGonagall was running towards the clapping and cheering crowd and Harry was happy to see the pale face of Adam Potter. It was dream come true! Caught by the Head of House herself. Adam would never get out of it!

Hermione was frantic with fear that Professor McGonagall would dock points from Gryffindor for this. Harry too hoped it wouldn't come to that. He hoped Adam would get expelled right away. Neville too was worried to see his childhood friend in trouble but Harry was too happy!

X-X-X

Harry was sulking spectacularly by the end of the day. Adam got off with nothing. NOTHING! No detentions, no suspensions, not in the least an expulsion! He glared at Adam silently who was talking in merriment with his gang on the Gryffindor table. So much for the great Boy Who Lived! Malfoy too was sulking on the other side of the table.

Harry later found out that Malfoy has challenged Adam and Ron for a midnight duel in the trophy room from a whining Hermione who couldn't understand why they were so intent in sabotaging any chances of Gryffindors ever winning the housecup.

"Leave it alone Hermione! Let them do what they want. You can always cover for the points they loose n the classes."

"You would say that of course! Its your house that has been winning the Housecup for seven years in running." She said with narrow eyes.

Harry sighed at the endless competitive spirit his friend exhibited.

"Come on Hermione! You know me better than that," he said but then added as an after thought, "don't you?"

"I am going to stop them tonight, come hell or heaven." She declared stubbornly.

"Please don't get involved with their lot Hermione!"

But she wasn't listening. She rushed out of the library, in fury.

Harry sighed in hopelessness.

X-X-X

Neville was a rich pureblood. He was the member of one of the ancient families in magical Britain. He wasn't spoilt but when he requested for a pair of two way mirrors from his family, you could be damn sure he would get them. He was worried about Harry all alone in the Slytherin dormitories so he wanted to have some kind of contact with him. A friend of Neville suggested this method. They had been using this ever since for late night talks with each other.

When that night Neville called him, Harry thought he might be bored in the hospital wing and needed a chat.

Neville told him that he forgot his password and was stuck outside with Hermione who couldn't get in either because the Fat Lady that guarded their common room had gone for a night time stroll.

Hermione it seemed had decided to follow Adam and Ron and stop them from breaking the school rules and had ended up breaking the rule herself. Harry cursed under his breath as he got out of his bed and quickly got out of the Slytherin common room. Harry had a lot of free alone times as he was not as inclined with the homework as Hermione. He already knew the concept and frankly that was all he cared about. He knows full well that he would not be scoring good marks in the exams so why try buttering the teachers? It was due to this precise reason that Harry wandered from time to time alone through the Hogwart corridors in search of empty places for peacefully practicing magic. In his quest he was made aware of about a number of shortcuts and hidden pathways in the expanse of the castle. He knew a lot of hiding places where he can escape the bullying Slytherins, he knew a lot of alternate routes with which he can avoid crowded ways and he definitely knew a lot of ways to reach a place faster.

Harry was going to save them now.

He had reached in time to usher the whole lot of people regretfully including Adam and Ron into the third corridor helping them escape the eyes of Filch.

When at last they heard Filch leave, Harry spun around and glared menacingly at Hermione.

Hermione huffed and glared right back.

"What? I can't have them breaking the rules like that so carelessly now can I?" she explained.

"Yeah! It was worth the expulsion that could have followed!"

They glared at each other and were about to start what was promising to look as a long bout of argument but was interrupted by Neville.

"Umm…guys? I think we have better things to look out for."

They both looked at the pale faces of Adam, Ron and Neville. Then they looked at what they were looking at.

"Oh my god!" a silent scream escaped from Hermione, the sentiment was shared quite accurately with others.

It took blind luck, fast reflexes and unreal recovery time from the shock of seeing a three headed dog to escape that beast.

Ron was furious that the teachers would keep such a dangerous beast in a school with students, Hermione pointed out that he was protecting something that was inside the trapdoor under the beast.

"It must be something very important. Hogwarts is even more safe than Gringotts!" Adam told them.

Harry had his own suspicions but he chose to remain silent on them. Instead he focused on the shivering Neville.

"Get a hold of yourself Neville, I bet Professor Snape is still scarier."

Neville replied with a feeble smile.

"It is strange to hear a Slytherin insult Snape." Adam said to Harry.

Harry ignored him completely. Not even bothering to look at him.

When they reached to part their ways, Harry looked pointedly at Hermione.

"I know, I know. I wouldn't be bothered with their foolish adventures again." Hermione said in exasperation, admitting defeat.

"Hey! We are standing right here." Ron told them.

Harry said nothing as he turned back towards the Slytherin common room.

X-X-X

An exhausted Harry scrambled through the dungeons to the Slytherin common room. The sight that greeted him, stopped him in his tracks.

The whole of Flint's gang was there, playing a late night game of Exploding Snap. Harry stood still, not moving. He desperately hoped that they wouldn't notice him.

Damn! Luck never sided him.

He ran for his life as all of Flint's gang followed him outside the Slytherin house. Harry was fast, but they were quickly gaining on him. They knew most of the passages far better than Harry, their athletic figures were never tiring and Harry was getting tired after his escapades from before. His only hope was that he may somehow stumble upon Filch or one of the teachers, a detention was better than something Flint and his gang could dish out.

Harry ran, panting furiously as he dodged the turns where one of them suddenly appears from a short cut before him.

At last he found Filch!

He stood there, Filch stared at him. He stared back. Then came Flint and his gang. They stopped too.

"Get out of here Filch!" Flint told him, flipping a Galleon at him.

Filch deftly caught the coin.

"Enjoy your night!" He said, picking up Mrs Norris and strolling away.

Harry stared at the retreating figure of the caretaker and then back at the group of boys who were smirking menacingly at Harry.

He was trapped.

"Well, well its been a long time mudblood. You seem too busy for spending time with us don't you?" Flint said.

"Hey look! Isn't this where the brooms are kept?" Urquhart commented.

Flint looked around, "It sure is! Hey I know, since its been so long since we met our Little mudblood, why not play a game with him!"

"Really? What do you suggest Flint?" Terrence asked.

"Hmm.. Derrick, Bole you said you wanted someone to practice your beater skills didn't you?" Flint asked.

Both Derrick and Bole had a look of delight in their faces.

"So that's settled! We could use some beater training too, don't we guys?" Flint asked everyone who cheered excitedly in unision.

Harry was confused. Beater training? Were they going to take tuns in beating him?

"Let's go!" Flint commanded.

Urquhart and Vaisey both roughly held Harry's shoulders and dragged him to the broom shed. They all waited there, that's when Harry realized Terrence was no longer with the group anymore. After fifteen minutes, Terrence returned with the key and the brooms of his comrades to the brooms shed. Of course they had a fake key to the brooms shed!

X-X-X-X

Harry had never seen a Quidditch match before, he never cared for it. he didn't even know what was happening as he was surrounded by all in their brooms and a small bat in each of their hands. Harry was afraid that they would be beating him up with the bats. But then Bletchley and Bole came carrying a box which was shaking strangely. They openend the box and unleashed two balls which seemed to be straining against their bonds. As soon as they were released, the crazy balls shot up in the air zigzagging and then to Harry's horror tuned towards him.

A ball struck at his stomach and another struck at his chest with force that felt like a man had puched him roughly.

Harry spat out blood and turned towards the ball which were returning to strike him again but Flint struck it with the bat and it flew off to another direction.

"Don't worry, you would get a lot of it, I just didn't want you to be tired even before you mount your broom. You see, we wanted something to target the Bludgers on to improve the accuracy of our Beaters. I don't think a stationary mudblood would be much of a target, but," Flint said throwing an old broomstick at Harry, "a flying mudblood to practice hitting would be just perfect!"

Harry looked at the worn out broomstick. It was very old and some of the twigs struck out at odd angles. Harry had never flown before. The only little instruction he ever had about flying was from Madame Hooch and that too was incomplete as she was interrupted by Neville's accident. He was suddenly very afraid with the heights. What if he slid off the broom?

"I bet a mudblood like you would never have been on a broom, but that's not a concern, you just got to get hit by the bludgers, that's all." Flint told him. Every one laughed at that except Harry who was shaking all over.

Everyone took off to air and only Harry was left back who was too nervous to try.

"Come on! Get your arse in the air you filthy mudblood!" someone shouted from the air and aimed the Bludger at him. Harry barely dodged the projectile before mounting the broom and taking to the air carefully. Suddenly, Harry felt alighted. A joyous feelin encompassed him as he knew then and there that flying on the broom would become his favourite thing in the world from then and there. It was so wonderful to be in air! He realized he doesn't need to learn this at all! This was the best thing in the world. Now he knew what all the hype about Quidditch was.

He felt the Bludger at him again, but this was a different terrain all together. He was the master of the sky. He moved an inch and the Bludger moved past him. Another came and Harry dodged it too!

Flint was furious at the Beaters of his team. If they can't even hit a flying first year who was on his broom the first time ever then how were they expected to play in a real game!

But then soon he realized it wasn't the fault of his beaters. Harry was simply that good. He dodged and dived from fifty foot heights like a professional on a Nimbus. Everyone from all around Harry was trying to hit Harry with the Bludgers but Harry was too fast for them. He took seemingly impossible turns to dodge the rampaging balls with unbelievable efficiency!

Flint was furious! A mudblood first year was beating them in their own game. As were his friends. They quickly discarded hitting the balls and dived at Harry with the bats itself to bit him into pulp.

Most of the Slytherins were from a rich pureblood family. Each of them had at the least a Cleansweep 7 or a Comet two sixty. They were fast and Harry's skill was not enough to compensate with the abysmal quality of his broom. Harry was hit on the face with the bat by one of them quite hard.

Harry felt blood oozing out of his nose. As he saw that he was surrounded again with all seven looking down at him with disgust and playing casually with their respective bats. His broom was no match for theirs, he knew at least that much about brooms. He looked down at the worn out piece of wood he was sitting upon. These brooms could only be flown by a wizard, which meant that it sapped the magical energy from the wizard itself to keep itself afloat. Harry realized that everyone of them had to keep at least one of their hand on the broom which meant that like wands they sucked magic from their wands. The hands, the feet and the head were the major outlet of magic from the bodies of a wizard. Harry had read extensively about that from the library. Almost all the appliances in the wizarding world made use of this information for its working. It was the basics of magical anatomy of the wizards. Harry at once had the epiphany of what he was to do.

Every one watched in puzzlement as Harry nervously stood up on his broom.

"Decided to jump and end your worthless life have you mudblood." Flint spat at Harry. But Harry was in another world altogether. A figure wearing worn out tracksuit with several broken teeth and a crazy smile filled his mind. He was smiling in pride at Harry. A wave of agony filled his heart but Harry bravely pushed the feeling away.

When he opened his eyes again at the puzzled faces of his attackers, they saw a fierce light in his eyes, not of magic but of something deeper, something more primal.

Harry bent down and stood sideways on his broom.

"Just like a snowboard." He muttered to himself and flew up at blinding speed.

Surprised but still sane at the little boy who has clearly gone crazy, the septet followed with renewed vigour to beat him into crap. But this wasn't the same Harry anymore.

Harry dived back at them, standing with bent knees on his broom and a hand on the handle to keep balance. He was fast as light.

He flew between the gaps around the seven with invincible skill, those who tried to beat him with the bat only met thin air.

He flew past them without a graze and the skidded the broom to halt behind them just like he would stop a snowboard. He then stood confidently on the broom gazing at the gawking players of Slytherin Quidditch team. His eyes spewing a fierce challenge at all those who wanted to harm him.

They leapt at Harry with determination. Harry took outside the stadium. They easily kept up with Harry, but could never even touch the air around him.

Flint attempted a hit at the back of Harry's head but Harry sensed it, the bat slid from under Harry as he spun his broom above himself. He rolled above Flint, the bat going through below his head. Wide eyes filled with amazement met eyes as fiery as the sun.

Harry straightened himself behind Flint and took off in another direction. Taking a sharp turn which the other Slytherins had thought impossible on a broom like that. Nevertheless they followed, a part of them realized the grace with Harry flew, another part were disgraced at the existence of a mudblood that has defeated them in their own sport with his weird techniques. They followed him with vengeance in mind.

Harry soon reached the highest tower, they follower him closely. Higgs and Bletcheley were just behind him. Suddenly when they had just about reached the top tip of the tower, Harry disappeared before their very sights. Others saw, slack jawed as Harry took hold of the tip of the tower and spun himself around, changing his direction in a flash. Centripetal force kept the broom stuck at his feet. Harry dived right before them and reached for the school entrance. But this time no one followed. All of them stood transfixed, just watching the little boy as he jumped down to the ground as soon as he was near enough to the land, grazing his knees in his hurry as he fell to the ground, but he got up just as fast and scrambled through the front entrance into the castle limping, the broom left discarded.

Harry hadn't realized that the seven boys of the Quidditch team who had won the cup for seven years in a row for their house had stopped following him.