Harry couldn't keep the smirk off his face when Blaise dropped the book he had been reading. It was priceless.
Whilst Harry had been talking to Daphne there had been a lull in conversation that Harry had used to quickly use a small Legilimency probe to see how Blaise was doing with his book, and also to check and see if he had been keeping up to date with his Occlumency training. The probe had heard Blaise's thoughts about where the duo would be sorted, he had just missed the thought about himself and Daphne showing signs of being a couple.
When he accidentally sent a thought with his probe he had slammed his shields into place to stop the emotions showing on his face. He kicked himself, mentally of course. After learning from Charlie after he had met with The Ancient One, Rowena Ravenclaw, like that would be easy to wrap his head around and not mention.
Flashback;
Harry and Rowena had talked at length about Harry taking up the proxy position for Ravenclaw and bringing the Magical world up to a level where they would be able to move beyond their post-wartime frame of mind, it was holding them back and preventing new Witches and Wizards from developing new ideas, new magic and new developments.
"Since you're making a new form of magical transportation, all for yourself that may be, you should think about looking into the different forms of Magical transportation that is already in use." Rowena stated.
This was news to Harry.
"I know that there are Portkeys, Apparition, Floo travel but what other kind of transport are there?" Harry asked.
"You should ask your House Elf, she has her own special type of magic that should allow you a new point of reference." She smiled as she walked out.
Listening this time Harry heard the use of a sling-ring opening a doorway back to wherever she had come from.
"Charlie." Harry called out.
"Yes Master Harry sir?" The house elf appeared and asked.
"What kind of Magic do you, I mean, house elves, use? Lady Ravenclaw mentioned that you may be able to give me a few ideas on how to make my spell work, since it's a transport spell." Harry voiced.
"Master Harry bees wanting to learn House elves magics?" She asked. Charlie was shocked and a little teary at the idea of her master wanting to learn the type of magic that she used.
"I am interested in it, as I am all magic, but I can't believe that I have someone that I can ask about a whole new branch of magic right here with me and I'd not thought to ask any questions." He explained.
Charlie seemed to be on the verge of tears.
"Charlie bees more than happy to teach yous elvsis magic, Master Harry sir." She said, her voice warbling a bit as she dabbed at the tears in her eyes.
'She's really happy about this.' Harry mentally noted as he waited for Charlie to calm down.
It took a few moments.
"What does Master Harry wants to learn about Elvies magic?" She asked
Harry replied "Everything, the only thing that I know for sure about your magic is that you can use it to clean the house but that's all that I know. That and you can Apparate."
Charlie blinked and started telling Harry about their branch of magic.
"House elves not bee needing wands, Master Harry sir, wees be able to use the magic inside us to do what is needed to protect our homeses."
Harry was confused. "What about spells? I've never seen you actually use a spell. The most I've seen you do was snap your fingers."
"That's bees because wees use our magics to change things as needed, no spells needed. Only thinks and it bees done."
"Show me?" Harry asked, he wasn't able to understand what she was talking about, sure he had been told something similar when he was learning how to use his Merlinian magic with Balthazar and Veronica but this was different.
Merlinian magic, and Morganian magic by default, used ambient energies in the world around them to manipulate reality thus spells were made, scientific ways of using the energies that they were able to call upon, focused through their rings/amulets/staffs and other foci, that were specially made, to change the world around them. But house elf magic seemed to be calling upon the natural magic that was within his magical core that all witches and wizards had, along with all magical beings had, and create the magic that was paired with his intent.
"Ok Master Harry sir, Charlie be lifting the books-"she pointed at the small book that was sitting on the table "Charlie will do, then Master Harry feels the magic, then he does."
It seemed simple enough.
Turns out it wasn't.
After Charlie showed Harry what to do and Harry attempted to feel the magic that she was using. He could feel something and closed his eyes to focus more on sensing the magic.
Charlie noticed that Harry was focusing more on the magic like she had told him to, so she allowed more magic to flow out of her, giving him a better chance to focus. Once she thought that he had felt the magic she let the book drop.
"Now Master Harry bees trying."
Harry nodded and attempted to lift the book. It took him a few minutes and several adjustments from Charlie but he finally got the book to rise a little bit.
"Master Harry sirs be getting it!" Charlie cheered.
Harry went to speak but immediately felt a bit weak at the knees and stumbled forward, he caught himself on the chair next to him.
"Whoa, that's draining." He groaned as he shook his head to clear the cobwebs.
Charlie handed him some chocolate which Harry ate, feeling better momentarily.
"What other kinds of magic can House elves do?" Harry asked.
So Harry started learning. He started learning how House elves communicate, it was a form of telepathy that worked through the special form of magic that house elves had, it was slightly different from what normal witches and wizards used but because of his knowledge in multiple forms of magic he was able to learn it, though he did have a few issues with it and could only use it to talk to others within a few mile radius, which he thought was still useful either way, Charlie was happy because he was slowly getting better. He had started learning their form of apparition, which Charlie had called popping, he wasn't able to travel far without feeling sick and was only able to 'Pop' three times within a few minutes before he needed to stop.
End Flashback;
Harry fucked up.
There was no way that he'd be able to hide this from Blaise now, while Blaise was smart and Harry was his master and able to make him leave things alone, things connected to Kamar-Taj or his magical abilities, this was something that he wouldn't be able to hide from him.
They had an agreement, verbal though it was, it was still an agreement that they had.
Neither would hide something from the other unless it was important enough to risk lives over, and if there was an incident like that they would tell the other exactly why they were not able to tell, they'd just say that they needed to 'Play it close to the vest', something they got from a muggle movie they'd seen.
Neither would invade the others privacy, without good reason, there were various discussions about what constituted a 'good reason', and they were sound thoughts and discussions. But Harry had just broken that agreement.
As soon as they had heard about mind magic's they had looked into how to protect their minds, Harry was a natural at it, mostly because he mediated on a regular basis and was able to focus on it better than Blaise. They had agreed that the only time that they would invade each other's mind was in dire situations.
It wasn't that Harry wasn't going to show Blaise how to do, or teach him how to do it himself, or get Charlie to do so. He didn't want to show anyone what he could do until such time that he was confident in his own ability to control it, be able to use it as needed, stop people from reaching into his mind to talk, select certain people to talk to without talking to others. Now he was going to have to bite the bullet and tell Blaise sooner than he wanted.
Harry just hoped that they would be able to talk about it without Blaise getting too pissed at him.
Deciding that he would just suck it up and dive right in Harry spoke into Blaise's mind once more
Don't get pissed, please. I wasn't hiding this from you, well…not completely. I wanted to get a better understanding of this before I taught you, or anyone else, how to do this. Harry began. It's a skill that I learnt from a friend and I will call them to teach you later, I will explain everything either tonight or tomorrow.
Harry caught the briefest of nods from Blaise, subtlety was always his better quality. The boy retrieved his book and continued reading as if nothing had happened, though internally his mind was racing, if he was going to be able to speak to people through their thoughts there were all sorts of places that they were able to take this. His mind was filling with ideas while Harry and Daphne continued dancing around each other.
Nymphadora 'Call me by my first name and be hexed' Tonks was not having the best time in her compartment. She was a special kind of witch, even within her family of known figures. Nymphadora was, though her mother, an exiled member of the Black family. A family known for their dark magical knowledge and prowess, her mother Andromeda Tonks nee Black, was removed from the family when she had refused to partake in a marriage contract, allowing it to fall onto her younger sister Narcissia, so she was able to wed the man that she had been secretly dating for several years Theodore 'Ted' Tonks, a muggle born that was the first of his family to have the gift of magic.
Andromeda, Narcissia and their sister Bellatrix, were known, collectively, as the Three Black Sisters whilst they were attending Hogwarts. Andromeda was studious and intelligent, she was devastating with charms and hexes, Narcissia was a master Socialite, she was able to pick through countless amounts of gossip that she heard and was able to determine truth from fiction of these snippets of gossip, she was also a skilled enchantress, whilst the course was offered at Hogwarts.
But the most impressive of the sisters was Bellatrix, she was a natural within different fields of magic, she had the capabilities to become an accomplished Transfiguration mistress, like her favourite teacher, she retained the highest scores in Defence Against The Dark Arts whilst she was in school and had created a variety of spells that were commonly used when she duelled and fought.
The three sisters were gifted, more so than they openly appeared. Each of the three sisters were powerful enough to have developed a Magical Skill.
A Magical Skill, or Magical Trait as some called it, was something that Witches and Wizards born with a certain level of magical power developed, some abilities were rather plain, being able to understand magical languages, natural skill within a certain field of magic, while others were more outstanding.
Narcissia had a natural skill for Runes and Charms, which lead to her studies in Enchanting.
Bellatrix was known as a Caster. A Caster was someone with such a powerful affinity for Transfiguration that anything they transfigured remained as such, forever. The only person being able to return the object back to its original form was the Caster who changed it or someone that was more powerful than the caster that did so, and there were none within the school that were more powerful than her.
Nymphadora Tonks, like her Mother, was a Metamorphmagi, A witch, or wizard, that was freely able to change the way that they looked, they were able to freely change their hair colour, length, texture, skin tone, eye colour, skin colour, height, anything that they wished to change they were able to do so freely.
Though there were limits with the skill, Andromeda was only able to change her hair and eye colour, it was something that she liked about herself but disliked because there were times she wanted to become another. Nymphadora, on the other hand was able to change freely, she was able to alter any physical part of her body as she pleased, Hair, eyes, skin, teeth, nails, and it was all different at a drop of a hat for her.
Unlike her mother, Nymphadora loved her ability and loved to show people what she could do. She was never taught by her Grandfather, Arcturus Black, about the greatest skill that the Black Family had developed, the skill of Subterfuge.
Andromeda, Narcissia and Bellatrix, when they showed their skills, were brought to their Grandfather who began instructing the three young women how to conceal their skills while still being able to use them as they pleased.
Andromeda was taught how to change slowly and to do so in a way that made it seem natural and stopped most others from questioning it.
Narcissia was taught how to hide her knowledge and understanding, while being taught how to see and hear more.
Bellatrix was taught how to hide, her skill being the hardest to pass off, since the changes she made to something was permanent. She was always forced to, subtly, revert her transfigurations as to prevent it from being revealed.
Nymphadora was starting her fourth year at Hogwarts, she was enjoying her trip on the Express, as she always did, with the few friends that she had made in Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, and she was also sitting with her Boyfriend, Jacob Donovan, who she had been dating for a month before then end of her third year.
They had moved forward in their relationship over the summer and were enjoying the trip, the conversation was light, mostly everyone catching up about what they did over summer and where they had been, Tonks was changing her hair to match the emotions that she was feeling whilst she was talking, at one point her hair went bright red when Jacob mentioned when they were nearly caught snogging in a park.
As the conversation wore on Jacob had hinted that he wanted Tonks to change for him, to change her appearance with her powers. She liked using her powers and would change to make people laugh or just to annoy someone though she had a standard, which was something that she had learnt early on, about what changes that she was comfortable to do when she was with someone. She did not change her appearance to make herself look better for anyone so they could get someone Jealous, which was exactly what Jacob had asked her to do.
He had seen his Ex walk past the compartment and asked Tonks to enlarge her breasts to make herself look 'sexier' than his ex, she realized then that she was being used and blew up at him.
The largely one sided argument was overheard by everyone that was walking past the compartment and two more on either side, within a minute there were no less than a dozen students listening to Tonks' verbal assault against Jacob and the other people in the compartment that, as it turned out, had only enjoyed her company because she would always change her appearance, and she was naturally skilled with transfiguration because of it.
When she was close to tears she stormed out of the compartment and shoved through the crowd that had developed around listening in on the verbal assault. She found an empty compartment and, as soon as the door closed, broke down into tears.
Harry was starting to enjoy his time in the compartment talking with Daphne, well…if what they were doing could be called talking.
Both were reading through different spell books that they had acquired in the Alley prior to riding the train, they were simple spell books mostly based around charms, oddly enough they were written by two brothers that had an opposing view on what the other was saying. Neither Harry or Daphne agreed entirely with what they books were saying as they had both come to understand that the books were entirely about one brothers attempt to make the other look bad. But the spells and theory work that were in them was interesting since it mentioned spell creation.
As they had both reached a point in the book and Harry was about to mention something he'd just found interesting he felt his shadow shudder.
Though strange as it was to feel a shadow, even more so to feel it shudder, Harry knew what it meant. Erebus wanted to materialize again and was fed up with being hidden in his shadow.
"I'm going to stretch my legs a bit." Harry voiced lightly, as he offered his book to Daphne to peruse.
Not really waiting for anyone to say anything Harry rose and existed the compartment. Once the door was closed Harry started walking subtly weaving a small Notice-me-not ward around him to allow Erebus to appear.
A moment later Erebus was walking along side Harry, but not in his full Wolf form. Because they were in a small area and Erebus was quite imposing at his full size Harry had forced him to appear in a smaller form, in this case his much friendlier pup form.
As they walked Erebus stopped and suddenly sped forward, it was strange behaviour for Erebus to do something like this and instantly had Harry's attention. When Erebus stopped it was intriguing to see that he was scratching at the door of a locked compartment, Harry wasn't able to see anything inside as the blinds were down, but he was able to hear someone sobbing on the other side.
Using a small amount of his Merlinian magic he dissipated the magical lock, leaving him slightly winded as it always did, something he was happily looking forward to fixing when his magical core matured to the drain of his multiple branches of magic, something that would happen only after he was able to separate himself and Erebus.
Harry knocked on the door, even though it was unlocked it was still polite to do so.
A muffled "Go away" was all he received.
"Miss," Harry began as he knocked lightly on the door "Are you ok?"
There was only a sniffle in response.
"I don't know what happened but I have something that may help."
"There's nothing to help em." She sobbed.
Harry sighed. "Well you've forced my hand." He looked down at Erebus.
He opened the door slightly, just enough for Erebus to squeeze through. "Go get 'er." He grinned at Erebus.
Suddenly the Wolf pup sped forward and as Harry closed the door he heard the girl trying to stop Erebus from jumping all over her, as was custom when he was in his playful pup form, a minute after he heard the girl giggle and playfully attempt to keep Erebus off her, he heard her shriek a minute later; Erebus clearly pressed through and licked her. The next thing Harry heard was the girl giggling madly and begging for someone to 'Get this crazy pup off her'.
Harry smirked and walked into the compartment, re-locking the door as he did so.
"I see we're having fun Erebus." Harry smiled at the pup who noticed he was there and leapt at his new playmate.
Harry caught the pup and let him lick his face as he took a seat and scratched Erebus, calming the pup down as he did so. When the girl finally pulled herself together Erebus was lying beside Harry being soothingly scratched on the head.
"He yours?" She asked.
Harry just nodded.
She shook her head "He's…"
"Energetic?" Harry supplied.
"And then some." She stated as she wiped the saliva off her face.
They said nothing for a little bit, Erebus had drifted off to sleep beside Harry. They sat in silence for a few moments before Harry spoke next.
"Is there something wrong?"
The girl looked at him, clearly deciding whether or not she would tell him anything.
"There's nothing you can help me with." She decided to answer.
"Really?" He raised an eyebrow. "You don't know me, I don't know you. I don't know what's wrong so I don't know how to help, but at the same time you don't know what would happen if you told me and what help could be able to offer."
The girl blinked, the answer was truthful, if not a little odd.
She smiled and moved to sit next to him, Harry picked Erebus up and moved slightly to the side to place Erebus next to the wall, freeing the seat next to him. The next thing he knew she had wrapped her arms around him and was telling him everything, how she was a Metamorphmagi and the fact that she had been forced to grow accustomed to everyone wanting her to change into certain people, act a certain way, be something that she wasn't, be someone that she wasn't.
She poured her heart out to Harry.
Truth be told he wasn't expecting something like this to happen.
Tonks, as she told him to call her, had suffered so much within the house of the Loyal and hardworking that it looked as if she was actually a Slytherin, she had explained the house rivalry between Slytherin and the rest of the school to him, as best she could, that had kicked a puppy in front of the entire school.
The members of Hufflepuff were as cruel to her as any of the boyfriends that she had ever had, she was ridiculed by the girls of her house because she was able to remove the blemishes that other girls were forced to cover with makeup. Lusted by the guys because she was able to be anyone that they wanted her to be, no matter how old or different from the way she normally looked. She wasn't able to make many friends, of either guys or girls, because the ones that she did make enjoyed her powers more than they did the intelligent witch that they belonged to.
The girls hated her because, they believed, that she was stealing their boyfriends from them when the boys in question practically forced themselves on her, and several of them had attempted to do so.
Harry was disgusted in everything that she was telling him.
Everything that he had read about Hogwarts, things that he had gotten from the alley, been given to him from Veronica and Balthazar, things he had been told by Severus, and the things that he had been told by the others in the compartment he was in before; had told him that Hogwarts was one of the safest places that anyone was able to go, sure there were other magical schools, though they were smaller, cheaper and lesser known, Hogwarts was the best that the British magical world had to offer.
Now he was hearing it from the other point of view; the houses were at somewhat of an unspoken war with each other, Slytherin and Gryffindor leading the charges, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff choosing sides at every moment, at times agreeing with the Slytherin's and others with the Gryffindor's.
The students were pranked relentlessly by two older students and the teachers allowed this to happen, Tonks had said that the pranks had started out as revenge on students that had bullied others and been able to escape punishment, which he was able to understand, but it had escalated to a level where the people looking for justice were no better than the ones that were escaping it.
Harry knew that his plans were going to have to start early, the tools to lay the foundations were there but he just had to pick them up and put them to good use.
"Tonks, can I ask you something?" he asked quietly, as she had stopped and sobbed for a few moments.
She nodded into his shoulder, he had become aware that she had shrunk down to a similar height to him, it was very strange.
"Will you show me what you normally look like? If you feel comfortable to do so."
Tonks stiffened and slowly looked at Harry as she returned to her normal height, Harry cringed at the sound of bones snapping into place and shifting around.
She muttered a small "Why?"
Harry felt bad right away.
"Because I want to see what it is you're trying to hide from everyone." He said soothingly.
"I'm not hiding." She said, slightly louder than she did before.
Harry smiled "Tonks, the whole time you've been talking to me I've not seen your true appearance. You've been hiding in a form that you've come to put up as a front, a mask to shield yourself."
"I don't know…" She started fiddling with the hem of her shirt.
Harry sighed and took a leap of faith.
"How about this." He began "I'll show you what I really look like, then if you feel comfortable with me then, and only then, you show yourself."
He had her full attention now.
Gone was the sadness that she seemed to have mere moments before.
"You're a Meta? How long have you known? What can you do? How much have you changed? Do you have white hair? Are you really ugly and using your powers to hide? Are you super handsome and making yourself look normal?" She started rambling, clearly happy about finding someone that had similar powers to her other than her mother.
"Merde, est-ce que c'était comme pour Veronica quand elle m'enseignait? (Shit, was it like Veronica when she taught me?)" Harry sighed.
Tonks gasped.
"Qu'elle? (What?)"
"Tu parle François? (You speak French?)"
Realizing he had slipped into French Harry blushed. "Yeah I was raised in France, How do you speak it?"
Tonks smiled "I've wanted to go for years and mum says I have to learn to speak the language, so the only thing that embarrasses me is how clumsy I am."
Harry chuckled "I was found in a French alley by my mother when she was coming back from a bar, she took me home and I was adopted a few days later."
"Damn, how'd that happen?" she asked before realizing her question. "Shit, sorry."
Harry shook his head.
"No it's fine, it's part of the story that I would have covered anyway. But first things first; No, I'm not a meta, I've known what I am for the last two and a bit years, I have changed a few small things right now that's hiding who I am, no my hair is not white, I'm not ugly, I think, I'm not super Handsome, but you can decide for yourself about that."
Tonks blinked before thinking over his answers.
"I'm still confused." She admitted.
"How about I just show you?" He smirked.
"Prat." She smacked him on the shoulder "Show me then."
Harry was just about to do so when he realized something.
"Tonks, I am going to trust you with something special right now. Only a half dozen people, at most, know about my power. I want to add you to this list of people, but there's something else." He began.
Tonks was intrigued, he had hidden this power from so many people and trusted so few, and he wanted to share it with her? She hadn't realized that others may not want to show off as she does.
"Harry, you don't have to-"Tonks was cut off.
"I do Tonks." He cut her off "The thing is I am planning on starting a small movement, a small group of people to stop things like what's happened to you happen to other people."
Tonks frowned, she wasn't sure where this was going.
"I have been to several other countries and Magical England is so far behind the other magical communities, so much so that near any other could attack and we'd be unable to defend against the amount of Magical prowess that they would be able to bring with them."
Tonks' eyes widened in shock.
"In America, there are witches and wizards that come from all over the world, werewolves, Vampires, Veela, and others, Metamorphmagi as well, are treated just as any other Witch or Wizard, there's little, if any, blood supremacy within the governments and school systems. There are specific courses that they may have to take, or classes they can't, but that's all.
"Metamorphmagi are welcomed within their Law Enforcement agencies, they are actually some of the most wanted witches and wizards around because of their powers.
"But here? None of that is possible." Harry deadpanned.
Tonks was just stunned. If this was true then why was she staying in England?
"I am planning to change this, starting at the very beginning of all the problems that the magical community has developed. Hogwarts. I'm gathering a small group of students, and hopefully teachers, which will allow us to move forward and bring our magical community into the 20th century, instead of keeping us in the 18th."
"What are you talking about, Harry?" Tonks asked, shaking her head in confusion.
"I am talking about making our futures a better place, a place where we don't have to think about dark lords, outside of history classes, a place where we can all enjoy the fact that we have magic and we don't have to be ashamed of our powers and be shunned for them.
"If we were already in that world or had it coming within the next few years then you wouldn't have had to come here and cry, you would have been with a young Wizard and snogging him senseless while on your way to Hogwarts. There are so many differences out in the world that the ministry has stopped us from looking into.
"A famous quote 'Change is fearsome, But stagnation is lethal' do you know what that means?"
Tonks shook her head.
"That means that while people fear change, it is stagnation, the lack of change that is killing us." Harry explained, starting to enter a full rant.
"Magical England has stagnated, the Muggle world around us has never stopped changing and growing, and with that change has come limitless amounts of knowledge. Another quote goes 'I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that won't work', Witches and Wizards look at things that have not succeeded and said they were impossible, it was the muggle-born and Half-bloods in America and other parts of the world that have looked at what we call impossible and have found the ways that do work.
"Magical England places too much faith in those of 'Pureblood' stature only to ignore those that have the knowledge and drive to better the world that we live in. Tonks, I want you to work with me, not for me, as others have done. Help me make our world better."
Tonks was frozen.
How the HELL was she supposed to answer something like this?
All she wanted to know was if he was like her and now she's being preached at by some eleven year old kid that wants to change the way that the world works?
What the HELL?!
"I understand that this must be extremely confusing to you, it was to me." Harry said softly. "This plan was not my own, it's the plan of my masters, those that have trained me, to bring the magical community of Brittan into the modern era where we will be able to work alongside the muggles, not hiding in the shadows being forced to hide amongst them working jobs that they do and forgetting all the glory that magic gives us."
Harry took a step back to let Tonks see him better.
"My lady Tonks-"He grinned. "Allow me to introduce myself." A blue mist fell away from his body, revealing his true form.
Gone was his brown hair and green eyes. His somewhat pale skin.
In its place was a boy, tall for his eleven year old age, with Raven black Hair, Vibrant and powerful Killing Curse Green eyes, Tanned skin, and a lean body with muscles starting to show. Before Tonks was able to say anything Harry adjusted the large leather belt that was keeping the Green tunic (A/N Mordo's costume) he wore together to fit his original size and the daggers he kept on his person at all times.
He stood tall and looked Tonks in the eye, confidence and power seemed to roll of his form.
"I'm Hadrian 'Harry' James Johnathan Potter-Hale, Head of the Ancient and Noble house of Hale, Proxy for House Ravenclaw. It's a pleasure to formally meet you." Harry bowed.
Tonks extended her hand, completely instinctively.
"Nymphadora Cassiopeia Tonks, call me Tonks." She mumbled.
Harry took her hand and softly kissed the knuckle, as was custom when greeting a Lady.
What followed next was a constant stream of questions about his past. Harry explained, vaguely, about Kamar-Taj, as he couldn't tell anyone anything without them being a part of it or a seriously complicated unbreakable vow. When he was asked about Erebus he simply replied 'It's complicated' and left it at that. He explained, somewhat, about his illusionary power by labelling himself as a trickster, which wasn't far from the truth considering Loki's history in Norse lore.
Realizing that he had been gone for some time Harry invited Tonks back to the compartment he had been sharing with the others before he went to stretch his legs.
After joining the rest of the first year students, who had re-arranged the seating arrangement whilst Harry was gone, and a small inquisition about Tonks, why she was there, how they had met, who the wolf pup belonged to, its name and several other topics revolving around them they settled into a peaceful conversation.
Harry and Daphne were seated next to each other while Tracy and Draco were sitting closest to the window, Tonks was sitting in the middle of the compartment across from Harry with Blaise sitting in the last remaining place. Erebus decided that he would sit with Tonks, since she had placed him there and was absentmindedly scratching him behind the ears.
The air in the room was light and jovial, it was peaceful, as if they were all long-time friends that were completely at ease with each other. When Tracy and Draco got to a point in their Quidditch talk that they wouldn't be able to agree with either one about Tonks, being older, was able to diffuse it and change the topic, though only onto another Quidditch related topic.
Blaise was talking with Tonks about her abilities and talking about all the different uses that it could have in the Muggle world, as well as how to help with her clumsiness.
Daphne and Harry were content to read their books and talk lightly, the sound of the tracks filling in the quiet white noise to allow them to read comfortably. Slowly Harry started nodding off.
At first he didn't realize he was doing it, his eyes were getting heavy and he couldn't focus on the book, but before he was able to do something about it a smell of wet grass after the rain filled his senses and, it having the calming affect that he always needed when Erebus was affecting him, lulled Harry to sleep.
He lightly slipped from his spot.
Daphne didn't move.
The book Harry was reading softly slid from his hands and slid onto the floor lightly, the sound was just enough to get Tonks', and by result Blaise's, attention, they looked and saw the book then at Harry who had dozed off.
Harry's head was now resting on Daphne's shoulder, his arm was fallen onto his leg, and the back of his hand was touching Daphne's hand.
Tonks was about to say something but Blaise waved his hand and grabbed her attention.
He placed his finger to his lips, gesturing her to be quiet, he then pointed at Daphne.
Tonks looked and bit her lip to stifle her giggles.
Daphne had also fallen asleep, she'd fallen asleep before Harry and he hadn't seemed to notice before joining her.
Blaise clicked his fingers lightly near Draco and Tracy, to get their attention. They looked over and got the same gesture that Tonks had, then were pointed to look at Daphne and Harry.
Draco rolled his eyes.
Tracy clamped a hand to her mouth, she was barley holding back her laughter.
She had known Daphne for years, they were rarely apart for too long a time and were commonly at each other's homes on the weekends after their lessons. Tracy was barely holding back her giggles because Daphne always had such tight control over herself and never allowed herself to be in such a position as she was in now. Because of her training she was able to use powerful magic, though it was draining for her to use and she was only able to use it when her master was around, though he'd been killed several years ago and her training stopped because of it, she had never skipped out on the lessons that she had learnt, the Occlumency lessons, meditation, and physical training. All of this resulted in the persona that she had crafted for herself, a cold hearted and determined individual that wouldn't allow anyone to get close to her, lest she risk getting hurt again.
But this was completely against that persona.
Tracy was trying so hard to stop her giggles that she had let out a snort; she quickly clamped her hand over her mouth and nose, mentally scolding herself for making any noise that would wake them up.
Daphne must have heard it, or at least the noise disturbed her sleeping enough to result in her attempting to dig further into the mattress, which was the seat she was sitting on, and pull her source of warmth closer, this was Harry.
Daphne's movement stirred Harry slightly.
He turned his body more and the four watching them watched silently as Harry wrapped his free arm around Daphne's waist and turn his body more to the side so they were closer.
Blaise was intrigued, there was something strange happening and he didn't know if it was something good or bad. Harry never let down his guard, never. In the year that He had known Harry and they had trained together he'd never seen Harry so relaxed that his guard would be so low, he'd put up no magical defence and didn't have any weapon near his hands to defend himself when he woke up. There was something strange happening.
He wasn't going to stop until he knew what it was.
Tonks cooed at the sight, she thought that it was cute. The sight of two little bookworms reading and falling asleep next to each other as they were. She watched as Harry and Daphne shifted in their sleep and held onto each other.
Draco had no real comment, though he did think that it was strange to see Daphne like that, but he didn't really care that much, after all Tracy dared to think that the Tornados Ralph Donovan was a better chaser than Puddlemires Jenny Lee. How dare her!
Tonks tapped the other three first years and motioned them out the cabin, she then placed a slight silencing charm around the two so they wouldn't hear the door sealing charm that she put on the door so they would have some privacy.
She saw the looks that she was getting from the first years.
She shrugged and said "Let the two love birds have their peace and quiet." She then walked off and they followed her to another cabin.
With the sound of the tracks and the warmth of another neither Harry nor Daphne woke to the sound of the door or the sound of the other people walking through the hallway just outside. They slept peacefully and deeply.
Daphne and Harry woke, groggily, to the sound of giggles and chuckles.
Harry was comfortable and didn't want to wake up, he buried his head deep into where he had it moments before and squeezed the comforter that he had been holding onto against him, attempting to ignore the noises and get a few more minutes of sleep, it didn't occur to him that he wasn't in a bed until he heard a squeak coming from the comforter.
He lifted his head and blinked a few times to clear his eye sight.
He was greeted to the sight of Daphne Greengrass' blushing face.
Blinking his eyes several times but still having some sleep in his eyes Harry moved his right hand, the hand that was not wrapped around her waist, and rubbed his eyes. Once he was able to see better he looked at her again, then down at his hand.
He squeezed his hand and she let out a squeak.
The next thing he knew his world was filled with pain and laughter.
Daphne had slapped him across the face.
It hurt.
"I said I was sorry Daphne, there's no need to be upset with me." Harry said as he rubbed the red handprint that was on his cheek.
"It's nothing more than you deserve, groping me as I slept."
Harry's eyes hardened.
"I did not grope you." Harry said, his voice hard. The sudden change threw everyone listening, other than Blaise of course. "I would request that you do not accuse someone of doing such a thing without thinking about the consequences."
Daphne just blinked.
Blaise cleared his throat. "Harry, you're over reacting. She was just surprised that you had your arm wrapped around her when she woke up. That's all."
Harry just rolled his eyes and walked out of the compartment to join the others that were already on the platform.
Blaise looked at Daphne "Daphne, I know you don't really know what happened, but I will say that you should feel incredibly special."
Daphne was about to speak when Blaise held up a hand.
"I have known Harry for roughly a year, he spent a lot of time around my family when he was training and I can tell you that he has never, and I mean not even for a single second, including when he was sleeping, let down his guard as he did around you.
"He was so peaceful around you that he didn't even have a weapon at the ready in case he needed to fight as soon as he woke up. When he was staying with my family he always had a weapon nearby, one tucked under the pillow when he slept, with his hand on it at all time. I saw the moment he fell asleep, he wrapped his arms around you, everything about his position said that he was willing to protect you more than fight for himself.
"Remind me tomorrow and I'll tell you about how I met Harry and why your words hurt him so much." Blaise gave a small smile as he walked out of the compartment.
Harry, Blaise, Draco, Daphne and Tracy waved goodbye to Tonks, all agreeing to meet up the next day after breakfast. The five first year students followed the call coming from a large man that Harry recognized as being a giant, or part Giant at least.
They followed the man, who named himself Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Groundkeeper of Hogwarts. He guided the first years to a small dock were a series of small boats were floating.
"Four to a boat, don't be shy now." He instructed as he climbed down into the front boat, which was barely big enough for another person once he was aboard. "Well c'mon now, can't be keeping the rest of the school waiting."
Blaise and Harry got onto a boat, while Daphne, Tracy and Draco all got onto other boats.
Draco was forced onto a boat with Crabbe and Goyle, who had spotted Draco and resumed their place behind him. They all got onto a boat with a shy looking girl with black hair.
Daphne and Tracy were seated on a boat with two Indian girls, twins from what Harry could see.
Harry and Blaise were joined by two girls as well.
The first one that spoke identified herself was a redhead whose hair went down past her shoulders, she identified herself as Susan Bones, Harry recalled the name from one of the members of the Wizengamot that had spoken the day he had appeared and announced himself. She identified the girl next to her as Hannah Abbott, she was relatively thin and shy, considering how she was fidgeting with her shirt, and her dark blonde hair was covering her eyes.
Harry and Blaise identified themselves and their eyes widened in shock, clearly they had been talking about him at some point.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Proxy Ravenclaw." They intoned and allowed use of their first name in traditional Pureblood fashion.
Harry rolled his eyes.
"Please just call me Harry, or Hadrian if you want to be formal in some way, I am as much a first year student as the rest of you and won't be doing anything too big to the school for quite a while." He smiled awkwardly.
"Suuuure." Blaise rolled his eyes.
This got a few chuckles.
"E're we go now, This 'ere's ya first look a' Hogwarts." Hagrid called out to the students.
The sight took Harry's breath away, it was stunning. Sure he had seen the mystical majesty that was Kamar-Taj that was created by the father of the Mystic arts for sorcerers to train, but this was something else.
The castle itself seemed to call out to him, beaconing and calling him home in a way that he'd never felt before. He was practically begging the boat to both go faster and go slower, faster so he would get there sooner and slower so he could bathe in the feeling and enjoy the view of the castle.
The trip over the lake was mostly spent with the four students talking to each other and about various small school related topics, which ended with a verbal agreement to meet up with the other people that Harry had already arranged to meet with the next day. There would be Harry, Blaise, Daphne, Tracy, Draco (which took some convincing for Susan and Hannah), Tonks, and the two girls themselves.
It took fifteen minutes for all the boats to arrive in the small stone dock under the castle, they were led up through a door into the antechamber of the main entryway of the school.
It was there that they saw the first teacher of the school.
"The firs' 'ears Professor." He gestured broadly.
Being a giant his body was quite large, that included his arms which, when he swung his arm back, nearly collided with several students. Harry was able to put himself between the arm and fellow students.
As the arm swept towards him Harry shot his arm forward, under the giant's wrist and thrust his wrist up, the force and momentum pushing the arm over his head, while also causing Hagrid to stumble from the difference in weight.
"Mind the arm Hagrid, you're a touch bigger than us." He grinned.
"Sorry 'bout tha'" he blushed as he made his way into the Hall.
The sudden display of physical ability drew some raised eyebrows from the other first year students, especially a red haired boy with freckles and a bushy haired girl that seemed to be fidgeting as she mumbled something under her breath.
Harry made a few judgements with the various behaviour that he'd noticed throughout the small group of his fellow first year students.
He wasn't too sure about the people that he was seeing around him, but there was more to a person than what was visible on the surface.
Before Harry was able to make any kind of speculation he was drawn to the voice of the female professor that had just been talking, he had been busy looking and observing the others around him that he'd tuned them all out. That was foolish to say the least.
But it was too late now.
He just waited silently evaluating everyone, just like Blaise and Daphne were doing, not that he knew that, about Daphne anyway.
He ignored the fact that two ghosts floated past, he had dealt with ghosts before, both peaceful and otherwise, not that he liked it either way.
He followed the rest of the students into the Great hall and saw the roof that Rowena had mentioned.
It was a marvellous work of charms and enchantments that she had performed back when she was still living within the halls of Hogwarts.
He was drawn out of his musings when he heard a girl just ahead of him mention that she had read 'all about it in Hogwarts: A history'.
His Occlumency slipped slightly and an undignified snort escaped before he was able to stop himself, the girl turned back to look at him giving him a glare.
"What?" he asked, not really caring for an answer.
"There's no need to be rude." She remarked.
"I wasn't, it was the fact that you're referencing a book that just so happens to be, one of the most biased books on the subject of the school ever made. If you want the real history of the school, the un-biased version of it, then you should order 'the history of the Founders: A quartet of beginnings'
"It's mostly about the start of the school, and surrounding areas, but the book itself is part of a series and each book references the one before it. Though there are bits and pieces of information that can be found in 'Hogwarts: A history' ensure that you take it with a grain of salt."
Before the girl could say anything the female professor brandished a scroll and called the hall to attention. It seemed the hat had been singing and he'd tuned it out during the few moments that he was talking to the girl.
"When I call your name, come up and I'll place the hat on your head. After you have been sorted you will sit with your housemates." She told them, it was obvious that she has done this for some time.
"Just a moment Minerva." A voice called out before the professor called out the first name.
Harry noticed that the hat was talking…
A hat…
An article of clothing, or accessory, which has no biological way of living…
Is talking…
Ok.
That's defiantly a first.
"I do believe that we have someone special that requires sorting first, as is tradition." The hat stated.
Harry realized that the hat was talking about him.
"That would be me, would I be correct Master Leonidas?" Harry voice aloud.
The hat seemed to blink, then chuckled.
"That would be correct, Mr. Hale." Leonidas, the hat, relied.
"I guess you love being around to cause more trouble for the school like you did when you were a student, which is why you called me out instead of just letting me go through the normal plan that I had laid out." Harry said as he walked towards the hat.
"Heheh, it seems you've been reading a few of old Rows journals."
"You'll soon find out." He said as he lifted the hat and sat on the chair before placing Leonidas on his head.
"Indeed." Was the only reply that he received.
Harry knew that as the sorting hat, he was charmed to prevent revealing any secrets that he would learn when he was placed on a student's head, though that didn't mean he couldn't reveal what he did or did not know, just not whom it got the information from. As was Harry's belief from his lessons with The Ancient One.
'My, My, you certainly have an interesting life Mr. Hale, or should I call you Mr. Hadrian James Johnathan Potter-Hale, Loki or Gabriel?' He asked, in his head.
Harry smirked, physically.
'One would think that after all these years you'd have learnt some form of respect for a fellow Master. But then again it was some time since you've met another human being with the same teachings as yourself…'
'Indeed, Master Hadrian, the time away from the temple has been long and the journey arduous. But I digress we should continue with the sorting.' Leonidas admitted as he started searching through the mind of his fellow master, seeing all the plans that he has developed, all the pain that he has suffered, the joy he's had, loss, anguish, heartache, sorrow, loneliness, and all the torture that he has lived through.
'Your life certainly does not disappoint, Master Hadrian. You are clearly more than worthy of your title, even if our lady chose to grant it to you as early as she did. Not many people, sorcerers, witches, witches or other magical beings, could claim that they have done some of the things that you have.
'Though I will offer you a small amount of knowledge, a gift for a fellow sorcerer of Kamar-Taj. The stone you seek is protected both for and from you. I know nothing more about it.'
'Thank you Leonidas, as long as the stone is actually within these walls I will be able to find it and everything that I have worked for over the last three years shall start paying off. Though, I wonder, would It be wrong of me to request a favour?' Harry asked.
'I know that which you will ask and I will do so, though I shall not be able to reveal what is within their minds, only if they are the ones that you hope they are. It is the least that I can do, in that regards. Though I should tell you that the Headmaster has already mentioned that he wanted certain people to be placed in certain houses, the meddling old man, and because he controls the wards I have been forced to do as he wished more than I would have liked, i need you to release the restraints he has on the sorting.' Leonidas replied.
'There's no issue for me to do that, some of the wards linked to me when I stepped into the castle, I'm pretty sure that the wards should work the way that The Ancient one said they would.'
Harry focused, feeling for the wards of the school that were linked to his fellow Master that was being hosted within a hat. After a moment he felt something which he vaguely recognized as a magical command on the hat, he wasn't able to understand it but it seemed to clash with something within Leonidas' purpose. Hoping that his hunch was correct Harry focused a tendril of magic into the command and the bond between Leonidas and Hogwarts, removing the command by overpowering it.
It took a fair amount of energy from him.
'Thank you, my friend. Though I do believe I should sort you now, we are taking a while.'
'Indeed…Let it be RAVENCLAW!" The hat exclaimed.
Hello everyone!
I thought that I would take this chance to make a few announcements, nothing too special i assure you.
You are more than welcome to skip or ignore this.
First of all I just want to explain my reason for Harry being in Ravenclaw, and a few sortings that will happen afterwards.
Harry was NOT sorted into Ravenclaw because he is proxy for Ravenclaw (though i don't know if his position is actually proxy or if it should be something like squire, page, herald, liegeman or something if you know let me know.)
Harry was sorted into Ravenclaw because of his pursuit of knowledge into how to seperate himself from Loki, Gabriel and Erebus, as well as his natural curiosity and smartitude.
Harry wants to change the world and in Ravenclaw he will be seen as someone that's smart enough to see things aren't as good as they are supposed to be for Witches and Wizards so is doing all he can to fix it. Should he have been placed in anyother house...well...
Slytherin: The newest Dark wizard following in the footsteps of Voldemort that wants to complete the dark lords work in his own way, he would be plagued with political battles and alliances that will make his work harder that it should be, will also be identified as a dark wizard wanting to control hogwarts and hated by Gryffindor right away. Was the original choice of house before i thought about it.
Gryffindor: A noble idiot that will naturally be identified as an idiotic Gryffindork that has a foolishly noble ideal that they want the rest of the wizarding world to follow and will not be able to align himself with anyone sorted in Slytherin where some of the best help he will recieve will be.
Hufflepuff: A loyal wizard that wants to do the best that he can for the world but is looked down upon because he is in the house of the 'Leftovers' will be able to find allies within his own house easily but will be hard pressed to ally with slytherin and Gryffindoor.
That's my basic idea of what he would face. Though a few actions that he will take will seem as if he is just fulfilling his role as Ravenclaws stand in attempting to improve the school under the orders of his superior (Lady Ravenclaw).
Secondly, there will be a few people placed in different houses, Draco will be one of them, or maybe the only one at the moment, along with crabbe and Goyle.
Thirdly, Tonks, dear sweet, loveable, magical Tonks, has suffered the darkness of the Hufflepuffs and wants nothing more than to prove she has real talent and skill which is why she will latch onto Harry's ideals and assist him in anyway that she can, I haven't decided if she will be paired with Harry as a second wife, or something, but she will play an important role within the story.
Pixelherodev: Thanks for the review, There is so much that I can do with this story so i find myself writing large portions when i work on it then loosing my idea and then picking it up the next day or two. so i do tend to be moving through this story faster than any of the others right now.
kminari: I'm going to say that this isn't a marvel-verse, i don't know if i PM'd you after i read your review but incase i didn't, and for everyone else...
In this reality/universe/idea? at this moment there is not an Asgard, i think. Though i do think that the Loki contained within Harry and the god himself are two different beings, i remember something about loki being chained to a boulder/mountain/something for all eternity. This universe for all those that remember movies back in '01, does have hints of the Sorcerers apprentice universe within it, Balthazar and Veronica, Merlinian and morganian, and their brand of magic, which Harry uses.
There are portions of the Marvel Universe's Doctor Strange movie involved in the story, The Ancient one being a girl, assumed to be Gaelic, scottish/irish/british/or something like that, it was from watching that movie and reading the Fanfics that i was that gave birth to this idea. There may be visits from Norse gods in the future, an idea i have does involve the gods, not tell which ones though (heheh wait until Harry's second year {hint hint}).
I will say that any other crossovers will, to a point, fall into place with other timelines. I.e Doctor strange movie seems to be placed somewhere around 2016/17 and Harry potter in the Late/early 80's/90's, so there would have to be some time manipulation for the two movies to interact, though there may be some foreshadowing.
Anyway~~... that's enough from me and my special brand of crazy, many thanks for all that have read this bit. Gonna work on the next chapter Now!~~
