Harry woke early the next morning before the sun or any of the students had risen. For a moment he was confused, but then he realized he was in one of the sixth year dorms. It was large and made of stone with the 5 beds placed as far away as possible from each other. All the silver and green drapes were closed and most likely had spells over them, because the occupants seemed silent and were completely hidden.
Harry slowly slid off his bed and into the bathroom. After taking a quick shower he slid into his uniform and looked into the mirror. When he was younger with longer wild hair some of the vampire-wizards in his clan would comment on his resemblance to his father. Once it was cut however the comments changed to be about his mother. Most were about his eyes of course, but several pointed out his high cheekbones, longer eyelashes, and straight nose.
Even at the young age Harry had felt happier to look more like his mother. Every time he had seen her picture she had seemed to come to life from a tragic love story such as Romeo and Juliet. With her beautiful face, pouting lips, and deep green eyes that could radiate with emotion, it was the women Harry pictured when Nicole read to him. To inherit her dark beauty and nature made him proud.
His father was different though. A bully who his mother despised until he finally started to wise up and would pick on people behind her back instead of infront of her. He didn't hate his father, he had obviously loved Lily Evans, but to say he was disappointed in him would be an understatement.
Grumbling from Blaise in the dorm startled Harry and he stopped concentrating on his mother's features to greet him.
"Good morning, Blaise!"
Blaise snorted at Harry's false cheerfulness and pulled on his uniform and robe. They had gotten along well at the feast talking about whatever they wanted. Harry had been a breath of fresh air from most of the other Slytherins who felt they had to live up to the stereotype.
"Ready to go to breakfast?"
Blaise nodded and followed Harry downstairs into the common room. All the Slytherins were waking up and a few had already gone to the Great Hall. Most who were already dressed however were milling around in the common room waiting for others to come down.
"Why don't they just meet them in the Hall?" Harry asked as they walked past two second years who were calmly watching the stairs to the girls dorm.
Blaise didn't answer until the were out of the common room and in one of the dungeons halls. "For safety. Almost everyone in other houses consider us rivals and if hotheaded enough they 'll start calling us out on it. If provoked enough, we'll fight back and in doing that they'll think as if we started fighting first and it gives them more reason to hate us. If we travel in groups, especially for younger years, we have a greater chance of intimidating them before they even say anything."
Harry nodded, a bit upset that young students had to start thinking so harshly so soon. He had to of course, but for students it seemed a bit too much. Their footfalls which had been echoing slightly in the dungeons quieted once they were out and in a wide hall on the ground floor.
"We're outcast," Blaise said breaking the silence. "The moment the sorting hat says we're more ambitious than smart, brave or loyal 75 of the school immediately hates us. One word from the sorting hat and we're considered evil at eleven years old. I was ecstatic that my sister was sorted into Ravenclaw. But last night while watching Malfoy write a letter to his father about his cousin being in Ravenclaw I realized why he was nervous."
Blaise stopped talking and sneered at a group of Gryffindors who had been carefully watching the two as they neared them neared them. They in turn glared at both of them as they passed, not caring that one of them was Harry Potter. Once the duo turned a corner and they were out of sight Blaise started again.
"People like that are why. They look at you as if you were fixing to cast Avada Kedavra at them at any moment just because you're connected to the Slytherin house. The moment Leaena Malfoy was born and given that name she was destined to be hated by most at Hogwarts. That's why Draco was nervous. In another house, he can't protect her. He wanted her in Slytherin because we have to watch out for each other."
Blaise quieted his rant as they entered the Great Hall and continued with a blank face, "The moment I was sorted into Slytherin I made my sister's chance of being accepted drop. Its like Hitler. If you had Jew blood in you, you were considered dirty. At Hogwarts, if you have Slytherin blood in you you're considered evil."
Harry stayed silent as they sat down. Blaise had obviously been dwelling over the thought most of the night. One curious question from Harry had let him reveal his fears. It wasn't very Slytherin of Blaise, but it was understandable.
"That defense teacher is staring at you."
Harry looked up at Blaise who was acting as if the whole rant had never happened then to Professor Raven who smiled and looked away when they locked eyes.
"So is half the rest of the hall," Harry answered.
Blaise shrugged as he slowly ate and gave a look of disgust at the Gryffindor table where a red headed boy in their year was practically inhaling his breakfast.
"Some people have no dignity," Blaise said looking as if the sight made him sick. Harry nodded. He didn't mind if someone was sloppy (Electra certainly didn't eat like royalty), but to eat like that in public, with no thought of how it reflected on your house, got on his nerves.
Soon the Hall filled up and the Transfiguration teacher, Professor McGonagall, handed out their schedules.
Harry had taken his O.W.L.S before school started and had made the top 5 scores in history. Blaise and him had taken some of the same classes and Blaise read off their schedules.
9:00am- Herbology for me on Tues.,Wed.,and Thurs., Divination for you on Mon.and Fri.
10:00am- Charms on Mon., Tues., and Fri. Arithmancy for you on Wed.
11:00am-Potions on Tues., Wed. and Thurs.
12:00pm-lunch
1:00pm-Care of Magical creatures on Wed. and Fri., Transfiguration on Tues. and Thurs.
2:00pm-Defense against the Dark Arts on Mon., Tues., Thurs. and Fri.
3:00pm-Ancient Ruins for you on Wed. and Thurs.
4:00pm-theory Astronomy on Tues. Wed. and Fri.
"How the heck do you have Astronomy at 4 in the afternoon?"
Blaise gave Harry an 'are you serious' look before answering, "I said theoryWe learn the theory in the classroom and do our homework ourselves at night. Sometimes we schedule classes at night, but not that much. People who made it in to N.E.W.T Astronomy have free access to the Astronomy tower on certain nights. Blaise smirked at the last part, before adding, "I doubt anyone is going to use it for homework though."
Harry smirked and nodded. Why would you waste a perfectly allowed trip to the tower on homework? He then turned back to his food, wanting to finish quickly so he could find the Divination tower without being too late. He had already studied it with the centaurs and elves, but seeing as how a prophecy had changed his whole life, he wanted to study it more in a wizards point of view.
His breakfast was interrupted when a groan and bang came from next to him. Blaise was tightly holding his schedule in one hand with the other repeatedly hitting the table.
"Whats wrong with you?"
Blaise pointed to Harry schedule as a response calling attention to a part he hadn't read out loud. Harry looked confused at his behavior but read it anyway.
"Classes with Ravenclaw house: Charms and Ancient Runes C.O.M.C.
"Classes with Hufflepuff house: Transfiguration and Arithmancy"
"Classes with Gryffindor house:Divination,Potions,D.A.D.A and Astronomy"
Harry frowned and looked at Blaise, "How did I end up with 4 classes with Gryffindor?"
As an answer Blaise glared at Dumbledore who was cheerfully looking at the students.
"At least you only have three."
Blaise only groaned again as a response and Harry spotted the Herbology next to Gryffindor on his schedule. He gave him a quick pat on the back before returning to his breakfast.
After finishing their breakfast he and Blaise parted ways, Blaise heading to the lake and Harry heading upstairs in the general direction of the Divination room.
He ended up on the seventh floor before he became lost. He stood still for a moment, ignoring a large picture of a fat lady in a pink dress that was watching him. He had started to head where he thought west was when the portrait swung open and a pair of twins waltzed out. They looked at him curiously before their eyes rested on his hand where the Eagle ring was.
"You're Nicole's and Electra's cousin!"
Harry nodded, wondering what the boys wanted.
"Its Harry. Who are you?"
"Oh! How rude of us. I'm Gred Weasley and this here is Forge. We've been waiting for you to come for years my young Eagle."
Harry smiled curiously. The boys seemed pretty cool. A bit quirky, but alright in his book.
"Well I'm here now. Why were you waiting?"
The two boys whispered to each other before the one who called himself Gred ran back behind the portrait. The remaining one waved Harry over and explained the Eagle twins departing wish.
"Naturally me and Fred agreed. The girls were goddesses in our eyes. So, now that you're here we can give you what they gave us."
Fred returned and wordlessly handed Harry a small bottomless bag. Harry peered into it and was disappointed to see only a cloak and a piece of parchment.
"Are you serious?"
Fred grinned before reaching in and pulling out the cloak a bit so Harry could see that his fingers were invisible then put it back and pulled out the parchment.
"This is the Marauder's Map. The girls said it belonged to your father along with the cloak which they found in Dumbledore's office. No idea how they got it out without being caught. Guess sometimes their methods are best kept secret."
Harry took the parchment back and opened it, knowing how to from the girls stories of their years. After finding the way to the Divination tower he closed it and bid goodbye to the twins.
"Any time you need some help with any 'projects' Harry, we'll be happy to help you out!"
Harry waved in response as he ran to the tower. He arrived at the ladder to the classroom seconds later and put his cloak and map into his bag before climbing up. He lifted up the trap door slowly before pushing his bag in and going after it silently. The room was humid, had a smell of perfume and was mostly covered in a thin pink mist. Most of the males and a few females were on the verge of sleep if not already there so Harry crouched down and quickly went to a open seat at a table behind a large sleeping Slytherin.
The Professor had her back turned to him and was consulting two pretty Gryffindor girls who were actually awake. The blond one was totally engrossed in her Professor's predictions and didn't notice Harry's entrance any more then the sleeping students. However, the other's eyes shifted to him as he sat and pulled a cup of tea to himself. Harry smiled innocently back before taking a small sip of his tea. The Indian girl who had been looking at him sternly couldn't help but smile a bit at the un-Slytherinlike actions he displayed and rolled her eyes before turning back to her assignment.
"At least not all Gryffindors hate us," Harry thought as he looked down into his empty cup thinking about the twins and the Indian girl. He knew she was either Parvati or Padma Patil, but he couldn't remember which sister was in which house.
Patil's smile at him must have gotten the Professor's attention because as Harry gazed down into his tea leaves the women swooped down above him. Harry looked up then immediately looked back down, attempting to hide his laughter at the bug like appearance.
"I'm sorry young man, my aura didn't detect you at first. I suspect you finished your tea. What does your future hold?"
Harry looked into his cup and clearing showing in the tea leaves was a triangle. "It's a triangle. That means an unexpected occurrence, but it looks like there's another one right inside it which would mean goodluck."
Professor Trelawney frowned before snatching Harry cup up and looking into it herself. She then gasped and put her hand over her heart.
"My poor boy! You have the omen of a shark! There's a danger of death lingering upon you!"
Harry blinked slowly then stood up and looked over her shoulder. "That looks nothing like a shark, Professor. Its obviously a triangle."
Trelawney spun around and put a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. "It's alright my dear boy. Denile is a common symptom among those fated for doom."
The scene was catching the attention of the rest of the students. A few looked scared for Harry while others were looking their professor with amusement. The blond Gryffindor, Lavender, was pale and fearful looking while her friend looked torn between believing her professor and Harry's confident declaration of what was in the cup. A few rose to see for themselves and when Trelawney noticed their presence she quickly moved away and rinsed the cup out.
"Get back to your seats! Just seeing the omen is bad luck. Almost as much lingering around the one who is doomed."
The few who believed her cautiously scooted their chairs away as Harry sat back down. Instead of looking offended he smirked. The women was obviously a fraud and it humored him to see such gullible students.
The rest of the class continued quietly, if you ignore the moments when Trelawney seemed to break into hysterics at the sight of Harry. Harry finished all his assignments first and was packed and ready to go when the clock chimed.
He jumped down the trapdoor ignoring the ladder and briskly walked to the Charms classroom. It was half filled when he got there and ignoring the hopeful glances from other students he sat next to Blaise and got his stuff out. Blaise's black hair was flat against his head and wet so he had probably been able to take a swim during his free period. He must have tired himself out because his head was laying against the desk.
"How was your class with the old fraud?" was the first thing to come from Blaise's mouth which was set in a smirk as though he already knew.
"She told me I was going to die in the water, most likely from a kelpie in a sea monster form."
Blaise snorted and shook his head, "Well I only think there are about five known kelpies in the world at the moment, but there is a giant squid in the lake if it helps."
Harry mock glared at Blaise before looking around the classroom. The Slytherins and Ravenclaws weren't on opposite sides of the classroom like it was with the Gryffindors, but no one was partially friendly to the other house. Everyone was simply cold and formal which was an improvement from what Harry had been seeing around the school. His gaze eventually settled on the Indian girl's twin who had her hair pinned up unlike her sister and was calmly looking over her book.
"Hey Blaise," Harry said, catching the attention of the hazel eyed boy. "Who's that?"
Blaise looked irritated at being disturbed just for a that and muttered 'Padma Patil' before putting his head back down on the desk.
"So her twin is Parvati right?"
Blaise once again turned and looked at Harry, "Well duh, Harry. She's not that bad against Slytherins because I'm pretty sure I saw her sneaking out of a broom closet with a 7th year. I heard she's kinda ditzy too, so don't expect anything like her sister from her. She's still a Gryffindor, so you might want to watch out for her anyway."
Harry frowned, but didn't comment and turned his attention to the front of the class as Professor Flitwick came in.
Harry stood in his swim shorts as he watched students swim in the lake. Everyone seemed happy and carefree except for a few first years who had spotted the giant squid's tentacles floating lazily. Harry was receiving a few stares and at first he thought it was because of the faint scars on his back he had received from training or because of the simple fact that he was the boy-who-lived. After seeing the stares were mainly from females and they were directed at his chest rather than back he dismissed the previous theories.
Harry walked forward so that the lake was lapping at his feet. He usually would have wandered over to the girls, but lately he didn't seem like flirting that much. Hearing giggling behind him and seeing it coming from a group of second years Harry dove into the lake, swimming to the center before taking a deep breath and going under. He'd rather take his chances with the giant squid than with twelve year old girls.
Harry opened his eyes as he went under and was calmed by the blue green colors beneath him. He swan deeper and farther and eventually the light above him became distant. Assured no one would see him, he let out the breath he was holding at took a deep one. The gills that had formed on the side of his neck weren't noticeable at first glance, but the fact he was breathing in water was and would cause questions he didn't want to deal with.
Once in a spot clear of plants or creatures, Harry turned on his back and floated, somehow staying completely still.
Potions had been a weird experience. He had sat next to Blaise on the right side of the room facing the Gryffindors. Snape had seemed torn the whole class between overly praising him like he did the other Slytherins and insulting him because of who his father was. In the end he just treated Harry like and average student, a place between his beloved Slytherins and the pest in Gryffindor.
Harry looked at his charmed watch and, seeing his break was almost over, swam to the surface. When he rose out of the water his gills were gone and he swam to the shore where Blaise was resting with Tracey Davis. As he climbed out his shook the water off like a dog, upsetting the other two.
"Ahh! Harry Eagle!" Tracey screamed. Most Slytherins referred to him as an Eagle rather than Potter. Harry guessed it was because a Potter in Slytherin freaked them out a bit more and it made them forget he was the boy-who-lived.
Smirking slightly, Harry put his hand behind his back and started to bend the water in the lake behind him. In the blink of an eye he flung his hand back towards the couple, the water following it and drenching them both.
"Oops. My bad guys."
Blaise glared and was about to retaliate when the sight of a couple of first and second years distracted him.
"Go away you stupid deatheaters! No one wants you here!"
The three sixth years jumped up and ran to the tree where Leaena Malfoy and Belle Zabini were being taunted by three second years from different houses. One of the second years' face was covered in boils and Leaena was holding her left arm where a deep cut had formed. Belle had her wand trained on the second years while standing infront of the other girl.
As they neared them Harry summoned his and Blaise's wands from where their robes were. He threw Blaise his wand as they ran and Blaise immediately picked up speed.
An enraged Blaise got there first and put his wand toward the group, " You lot leave them alone!"
Harry arrived next and picked up a silently crying Leaena before gently pushing Belle behind him. This caught the attention of nearby Gryffindors and seeing Blaise with his wand set at three second years from rival houses, they all shot a series of spells from their position next to the lake. A couple missed Blaise, but a blugening hex hit his arm and as his bone cracked a stunner hit his chest. Tracey arrived and the second years ran away not realizing one of them had fallen.
She awoke Blaise and after hearing Blaise groan as he felt the pain in his arm she dropped down next to him to see what was wrong. Harry watched for a moment before the wiggling in his arms caught his attention. He set down the young Malfoy and leaned down.
"Hey there. Are you alright?"
Instead of answering the girl looked down growing either shy or embarrassed. Harry smiled before taking her arm and healing the cut. Leaena looked up, surprised, and smiled shyly.
Harry got his first good look at her then and was a bit surprised. Instead of the pale, pointed face of the rest of the Malfoy family, a trait they all shared from probably inbreeding, she had a nicely rounded face with high cheekbones and eyelashes that would make any older girl jealous. Her face was pale but not in the sickly way most of her kin had. It reminded Harry more of moonlight. The most surprising thing was her eyes however. The green must have rivaled his own eyes. The only difference was that they were darker, as if the gray from her father's eyes was lurking underneath the brilliant green.
"Her father had an affair," Harry realized silently. All Malfoys were in arranged marriages to other purebloods and since most came from a common ancestor they all looked similar. All the different traits the girl possessed had come from someone outside the usual families. Her mother wasn't a pureblood.
The girl seemed nervous under his gaze and seeing this he stopped observing her and gently smiled. "Better now, Leaena?"
"Yes. Thank you, Mr. Potter."
Harry laughed a bit as he helped her up, "Its usually Eagle, but you can just call me Harry."
Leaena smiled before walking over to Belle who hugged her brother and they walked together to the Quidditch pitch where Madame Hooch was watching younger students fly.
"I think we need to get him to the nurse, Harry."
"You think!" Blaise said looking irritated at the fact they were still there. Harry chuckled and went over, putting Blaise's good arm over his shoulder and helping him walk to the Hospital wing.
When they arrived Madame Pomfrey ushered Blaise to a bed and shoved a potion down his throat. Harry turned to Tracey and asked about their Defense Class.
"Well, no good in all of us missing it. You go on ahead. I'll wait with Blaise."
Seeing Harry about to protest, she flicked her long brown hair behind her shoulder and glared at him. "NO. Its your first Defense Class, you might need to learn something. Now hurry up. You're late."
Harry was pushed through the doors and not seeing a way around it, he started to walk to the classroom.
"Not like I'll learn anything new," Harry thought as he lazily looked over a portrait on the wall. A few men playing poker waved him away and he slowly continued. His thoughts then turned to Leaena Malfoy. She looked familiar. Harry was sure he had seen her mother. It must have been in the past year, because although he could remember her features the image of her looked hazy. That meant her mother was either a vampire or someone in a high class that could get into the Delacour party. He went over his memories, but he still couldn't find her face. He stopped pondering as he reached the class doors and took a deep breath before walking in.
Professor Raven looked up from her position in the front and smirked at him. "Nice to see you have joined us Mr. Potter!"
"Sorry," Harry mumbled as he sat in the first open seat he saw. Professor Raven looked at him for a second before replying, "Detention next Monday Mr. Potter. Try not to be late to my classes again."
Harry stayed silent as she continued talking about the curses, hexes and advanced dark creatures they would learn about that year. Looking around the classroom, he saw that most of the class was composed of Gryffindors who were sitting on the left and some in the middle and the rest of Slytherins who were stuck on the right. Harry had sat in the middle in his haste to get a seat.
Harry turned and noticed for the first time that he shared the table with Parvati Patil who looked confused at his choice, but wasn't hostile to him.
"You can move if you want," she whispered.
"You don't want me to sit here?"
Parvati's eyes widened and she stuttered out, "No! I just thought most Slytherins hated us."
Harry smiled and added, "That's strange. I heard most Gryffindors hated us."
"Mr. Potter! Ms. Patil! If you were listening you would know that I just asked you all to choose a partner to practice dueling with for the rest of the year, but since you two seem so chummy I'll just put you together myself." Professor Raven directed a glare at them before turning to the rest of the class. "You shall practice with your partners as homework. Every two weeks we'll have a dueling class where you'll fight your partner. We may even have our guest schools join us sometime."
The professor straightened up and looked to the class seriously. "I'm a strong believer of know thy enemy. Because of this we'll have a class on one of the more disgusting dark creatures, Voldermort."
Most of the class shivered and a few shrieked as the clock chimed signaling the end of class. Everyone rushed out of the classroom talking about the new professor. Parvati waved at Harry as she left and Harry stood by his desk. Once everyone else was gone he turned to Professor Raven.
"Don't you think you were a little harsh?"
Professor Raven smiled innocently back, "I don't know what you mean."
Harry rolled his eyes and asked, "Do I really have detention, Vanessa?"
"Yes, I didn't like the look on your face when you walked in. And don't call me Vanessa, its Professor Raven."
Harry snorted this time and replied, "Raven? Couldn't you get a bit more creative than that?"
Vanessa threw a quill at him which he caught. "How did we raise a kid like you? My girls didn't turn out like that."
Harry laughed as he walked to the door. "Bye!"
"Bye, little Leo. Love you, even if you are a bit of a brat."
Smiling he turned back and answered, "Love you too, Master."
Author's note:
Sorry I updated later than I usually did. The other schools will arrive in about two chapters in case you were wondering.
Review and tell me what you like and hate.
