Thank you, all of you who read and those who reviewed. Thank you Lisa, winniethepooh and shinigami!

Lisa when Snape comes to Hogwarts he knows the seventh year curses and is well versed in the dark arts. So a powerful Harry is not very surprising. What do you think?

Harry Potter – the Power Unknown

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Chapter – 11

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They drew up a tight schedule that would give them only Sunday to call their own. All the other six days were tough days and hard working days. Now that Harry was comfortable at working at NEWT level, they decided to start advanced runes, parcel magic and potions, which would be studied together, wandless magic, and intent and will magic to studied together.

Saturday would be devoted to the Dark Arts. Even McGonagall would study with them in the holidays and after school started she would continue with Nicholas there.

The others would join in as well as they too were well above NEWTS. But they had the strength of young boys and it would take time for them to match their magic with their knowledge.

They decided to start at five in the morning and devote the mornings to theory and the afternoons to the practical. They would do only one subject per day. They would then incorporate the study into the common branches of magic normally taught.

"Like for example," said Nicholas Flammel on the day they started their regime, "all of you are going to learn runes today. So you will try and apply the magic in the runes in your normal branches of magic like warding, healing, protecting and shielding and dueling and potions."

"How?" asked Harry, deeply interested as were the others. They were in the Flammels home and all of them were in the Library using that as their classroom for theory and they decided to use the dueling room in the dungeons for the practical.

"Well," said a smiling Nicholas looking at Harry's enthusiasm, "all of you know the basics and perhaps a little bit more of the ancient runes that holds so much power. Now while each rune holds power in itself, a combination of the runes joined with either the dark arts or potions or parcel magic would make the spell practically indestructible.

This is what all of you will be learning in the days to come. Like with runes you will apply the same rules with say parcel magic and combine it with other subjects. In short you will be learning combination magic and you will learn to do all this with and without a wand."

They studied diligently, even Sirius as they had a mission to fulfill, a debt to repay, a revenge to extract. They would have fun when they left for Hogwarts, now was the time for studying.

All of them were waiting for Friday for the intent and will magic class. While all of them could do a decent amount of wandless magic before, they had no idea of the depths of wandless magic that they were now learning.

It was the magic of the old, the magic of their forefathers who could do wandless magic effortlessly. All of them were trying very hard in this class as if they lost their wands they would not be at a disadvantage.

But none of them had any clue about intent magic and will magic, except the fact that magic was classified as Light and dark by intent.

Both Nicholas and Perenelle walked into the Library that day and laughed at the eager faces around them, including that of McGonagall.

"Good morning everyone," and receiving their greetings in return he said, "You know, all of you are going to be disappointed. For, I am going to finish the lecture in just one minute. The theory is ridiculously simple. It is the practical that will be a huge obstacle to cross.

I have already told you about intent magic. How it is the circumstance and the situation determines the intent and asks the magic to be performed. Now will magic is an extension of this. There are no incantations to memorize no theory to by-heart and understand, no notes to write and prepare.

There is intent and your strength of mind. Your will. Use it to create the magic. For example if I want to lift you Harry, I use my desire to do a certain job and clear my mind so that my intent is correct and I do not want to harm you. I do not use any spell or my wand. I use my mind and its strength and demand it to make my magic lift you high."

Harry found himself floating gently in the air. Nicholas had not even lifted his hand. He had been speaking and Harry had been slowly rising in the air.

"Now Harry, try and use your magic to counter mine and make yourself descend. Remember no spells and no wand. Throw your wand to Nell. Come on now." He said gently.

Harry tried and tried and after fifteen minutes he was still floating without success, and now he was joined in the air by the others including McGonagall and the shocking thing was all of them were held there by only Nicholas.

All of them tried everything and another fifteen minutes later they found themselves on the ground let down gently by Nicholas who had not even broken into a sweat and looked as if he could have kept all of them floating in the air for another two hours at the least.

"Now I have placed this feather in front of each of you. You will make it float in the air without using your hand, your wand and any incantation to lift it. This is your exercise for the day."

At the end of the day none of them were successful in even turning the feather on its other side. All of them were very disappointed and totally drained. The elves brought them replenishing potions that they took gratefully and silently sat through dinner that they ate and going to their rooms they slept as if they had not slept for the last ten days.

The next day five highly disillusioned people stumbled into the kitchen yawning, the tiredness of the day before not quite gone.

"How come none of us were able to even turn the damn feather? We were worse than my first year class, honestly." Said McGonagall disgustedly.

"My dear Minerva, you really did not expect to undo the effects of the magic that you have been doing all your life with the help of a wand and incantations in one day did you? You need so much of practice, but once you perfect it the world is yours.

"Only keep your mind and intent on this side of the line. You can do anything. Anything. That is why it is so difficult and almost unattainable. Even if one of you succeeds it would be a tremendous thing."

"I am going to practice this for a little while everyday. Even if I forget my spells or have my wand taken off and my hands tied, I can still do damage with this." Said Harry determination written all over him. Snape nodded his head as well.

The other two looked glum, as Sirius was dismayed by the amount of work this needed and Remus because it would be harder for him as he was smaller than all of them.

That ended the first week of their new studies and that week set the tone for the rest of the holidays.

A week later, Nicholas received a letter from Albus for attending the interview for the post of Potions Professor, scheduled for two days later.

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He walked briskly to the gates and went inside the school and asking the portraits walked up to the Headmaster's office. He waited there for a while before he was escorted by Flich. As the gargoyle opened he saw Arthur Weasley coming out with a rat in his hand and a smile on his face.

He had seen the rat as Ron's pet the year before and his mind began to work furiously. Arthur smiled at him and politely requested him to go up and then inside.

Nicholas went inside and greeted Albus formally and pleasantly. He sat down opposite Albus and waited for him to start questioning. The next second he stood up.

"I had thought better of you Headmaster. I do not allow anyone to peep into my mind without permission. If you had wanted to see what I am made up of you only had to ask." He said sternly, preparing to leave.

"Please, Mr. er, I am afraid I have forgotten your name."

"Williams. James Williams."

"I am very sorry Mr. Williams. Usually I never do peep into anybody's mind, but lately, there have been suspicious disappearances and happenings. I merely wanted to protect the school and her students. May I see into your mind as I do not know you and I do not think you were a student here."

"No I was home schooled, Professor. I have my OWLS and NEWTS in all the basic courses, but it is Potions that inspire me and thrill me. I love to experiment and frankly I am here only because of the well known Potions Lab and excellently stocked ingredients.

"Of course I also hope to find a student who might be worthy enough to teach. I will remove my Occlumency shields and you may check my integrity and honesty."

Nicholas waited patiently till Albus scrutinized his memories and then smiled back at Albus as Albus nodded his head smiling at Nicholas.

"I have to apologize once again Mr. Williams," he began only to be interrupted by Nicholas who asked him to call him James. They spent almost an hour happily discussing various aspects of magic and the wizarding world at large and Albus offered him the post of the Potions Professor.

He suddenly got another idea and looked at Nicholas, "James, what is your opinion about Slytherin?"

Nicholas shrugged carelessly. "I really do not know Headmaster. Of course I have heard a lot of the infamous rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Who hasn't?"

Albus looked at him calculatingly. Williams did not seem to care one way or the other. Maybe this could help Slytherin to become bold and if Williams was lax, the students could really indulge in a lot of other activities and join Voldemort when he resurrected, and have no problem inside the school.

Also no one was interested to assume responsibility as Head of House of Slytherin as no one in the school felt they could cope with its members who did not bow down to authority very easily.

"What would you say if I offered you the position of the Head of Slytherin House? Would you be able to take up the challenge as that House has the most unfavorable reputation and I feel it rather sad about it as I feel unable to help? Perhaps a neutral Head of House is just what is needed to make the others see that House in a better Light."

Nicholas took his time to answer, choosing his words carefully. This was a chance he had never planned for and had thought Albus would never appoint a new candidate for this very important position and he knew he could work wonders with the House if only he had control over it.

"Well, this is most unexpected Headmaster. I really don't know if I have the commitment to do justice to such an important post. And what if it will distract me from my Potions? That is after all my primary duty. And to top it all, that House does not enjoy a very good reputation."

"Are you a pure blood James?" and seeing Nicholas nod his head affirmatively, "good, because that one thing is enough for you to be accepted by the members of that House? Yes, that House has a bad reputation, but a neutral man like you with no prejudices is what that House will need. You maybe rest assured you will have a lot of time for your Potions as well."

Nicholas made a show of hesitating and looked so dubious that Albus practically assured him a free run of the House.

"You may be rest assured that you will have a free hand in dealing with the House. Do not worry, James. You will be able to manage."

Nicholas finally after a bit more persuasion agreed reluctantly and they said their goodbyes with Nicholas promising to come a week before start of term and start his duties.

Nicholas left the school and apparated to his home, and literally danced his way inside. All the others were in the Library studying and they looked up in astonishment and then laughed as one, as he skipped inside.

"I have no need to ask if you have been appointed. Your behavior makes it apparent it is all good news." Perenelle was laughing.

"Yes, and it is more than that, Nell. I have also been appointed as Head of Slytherin House. That is the Good News. We could do so much."

The next hour went by, in discussing all the things that they could do with the power that Nicholas would wield as Head of Slytherin.

Then Nicholas told Sirius and Remus about the rat he had seen with Arthur and summoning a pensieve he showed them the rat in question. Sirius and Remus jumped up in anger snarling at the rat confirming it to be Peter.

Nicholas told them he had seen that rat as the pet of Ron Weasley and before that as Percy Weasley's pet. It would be very easy to capture the rat and even easier to spread misinformation to Albus through him. That was one obstacle almost taken care of.

The summer went by with none of them advancing even a little bit more than their first class in intent and will magic. But the level of concentration they applied to that class increased their concentration and alertness levels to new heights and helped them in understanding and performing their other subjects better.

The other subjects were going very well and Remus had cried when the day he had been bitten went safely by and that full moon he did not transform, having got rid of the curse for good. He had changed from a quiet boy who was just grateful that someone was good enough to speak to the likes of him, to a boy who was boisterous, hardworking, and happy and generally enjoying himself to the hilt.

McGonagall and Nicholas went off to Hogwarts at the end of the summer. There Minerva was introduced to Professor Williams and both of them got on like a house on fire. He was introduced as the new Potions Professor and Head of Slytherin House.

He did not receive any acknowledgement from the House he was to head but an ovation from the rest who were tremendously glad they no longer needed to suffer Snape's wrath in class.

Nicholas during the year earned the respect of the students and the Professors alike. He also checked on the pet rat of Ronald Weasley and found it to be Peter and then left him strictly alone. This year also saw the last of the Weasleys joining Hogwarts. Ginny Weasley the last child and only daughter of the family were sorted into Gryffindor.

He scanned all the students continually and found all of them to be fine and without any trace of dark magic or any imperious curse or potion affecting them. He gave special attention to Ron and Ginny as he knew the moment Harry came they would be pushed towards him by Albus and encouraged by their father.

That winter holidays he met the wife of Arthur Weasley for the first time and felt saddened as he scanned her aura. Her aura was bright, happy, clean and good. Totally in contrast with her husband's. She was also very much in love with him and Nicholas knew she would be in for a rude awakening and a terrible heart break.

The year went off very well and soon it was time for the summer vacations to start and Minerva and Nicholas went back to the woods to the Flammels home.

Harry greeted them with a happy yell saying he had after a year managed to lift the feather half a foot in the air for a minute. Nicholas was thrilled as he now knew the sky was the limit for this boy as he would be able to survive even if he was in a very tight situation, as the sheer will and intent would save him.

He had also been blessed with the sight that his mother had had and Perenelle took his classes on this, sharpening his skills and teaching him about various combinations and fusions of various colors.

The others were still not able to do this and they just had to keep on trying. That summer went on with classes after classes, and now with so much of knowledge under their belt, taking the week-end off, instead of only Sundays.

The next two years passed on much in the same way, with Harry and the others now making daring forays into the wizarding world. Harry was taken to Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, and the Ministry and also to the muggle world. He spent his fourteenth year traveling around the country and learning about wizarding law and also muggle laws.

That summer would be the last summer for Harry before he would leave for Hogwarts for the first time, joining in his fifth year. Snape and Sirius would also join him in his fifth year and Remus would go normally as a first year, thereby avoiding speculation and suspicion.

All of them were now very proficient in almost all the main branches of magic, having studied them day and night for the last so many years. Harry had come by leaps and bounds in his will and intent magic and the only other person to be able to do this to a smaller extent was Snape, much to the disgust of Sirius, who along with Remus was still turning the feather on its side without success.

A friendship of sorts had sprung up among Snape, Sirius and Lupin. While they sniped, sneered and mocked each other, they would if necessary, fight to the death defending the other, though they would never acknowledge it or speak about it.

Their common ground was Harry and all of them met at that point unanimously and buried all their differences there. Harry himself had the happiest years of his life after the other three had de-aged themselves and become his age. He loved Sirius and Remus and was fiercely protective of the two last links with his parents.

He would never tire of hearing about his father, they way they had become animagus, a feat they still had to do here, and the way they roamed the nights of the full moon and the pranks they played. He loved to hear of his brilliant mother who had planned so much in advance to save him and provide him with such a good life.

He had cried long and hard for the first time in his life as he saw the memories of his mother and on that day swore on her memory, that her sacrifice would never go in vain and the deaths of his parents and grandparents would be avenged. He had thrown himself into his studies even more after that not wanting to fail her.

Sirius, Remus and even Snape and the Flammels showed him memories of his parents and grandparents and the way his mother and father had fought in school and their wedding day, the day he was born and how much he had been loved in the short time they had had with him. Harry had healed then.

But it was with Snape he had enforced a bond so deep it was amazing. He had instinctively known Sirius and Remus did not like Snape very much and he had sided with Snape during arguments, even when Snape had rebuffed him. He had not minded as he knew they were only wounded words, having been in Snape's place dozens of times when he was with the Dursleys.

Slowly Snape had come down from a rather condescending adult and child relationship and they had progressed to a very real friendship and that made them bond as brothers. If Harry was fiercely protective of Sirius and Remus, he would kill for Snape and he knew Snape would do that and more for him.

He learnt Snape's home life had been bad and while Harry had the security of being loved and cared for, Snape had no one except a weak mother, who loved him, but was busy defending herself from a cruel and insensitive husband to go out of her way to protect him. Slytherin treated him badly as he had no name worth knowing, no money and was not a pure blood.

And after Hogwarts Harry knew how his life turned out and was determined this time Snape had a best friend and Harry would care to see he was not bullied and he knew Snape would return the favor.

Sirius and Remus had not liked it and Sirius especially had been very vocal and vociferous, but Harry had stayed put and had been very stubborn about this. As he also controlled Snape and did not allow him to harass Sirius and Remus, they had to swallow their opinions and had gradually accepted it.

Now in the last summer before school all the four knew each other inside out and were ready to take on the world. They had purchased their books and robes and other necessities and were ready for Hogwarts and all that it might bring.

They spent the last two months on animagus transformations, where to no one's surprise Remus was a wolf, Snape was a huge falcon, he was shocked, Sirius was a grim and he had become very anxious as he was scared Peter might find him out, but was reassured by Nicholas that more than one person could become a particular animal and it was not so out of the ordinary.

Harry had transformed into two creatures. One was a spectacular brown eagle and the other was a lovely fire phoenix that was blue and green in color. By the end of the holidays all of them were able to transform at will.

All of them had gone to Diagon Alley to get their pets. Harry and Snape got a snake and a beautiful phoenix that had simply flown to Harry and had refused to budge. She was a combination of orange, green, blue and gold that was beautiful. Sirius had a massive eagle that seemed to love him at sight and Remus had got a snowy white owl he called Hedwig. Snape's snake was called Rees, Harry had snorted at that and Sirius had mocked at him.

Sirius had called his eagle Archie, and that had had Snape at his sarcastic best and ad quite avenged himself for the fun he had endured for Rees.

Harry had called his phoenix Lily and all of them left Diagon Alley very happy.

Harry had received his letter for the Fifth year and had written to accept. Snape and Sirius were also ready as they were transferring from a small school far in the North that had recently closed and had their letters and other information all perfect.

They along with six others would join Hogwarts as their school had closed as the authorities could not run it efficiently. As it was in the papers and other students would be attending as well, though in the lower classes, Albus would not make much of it.

The North High as the school was called took students only till Owl year and had in recent years had not been able to increase admissions to a level that would be possible to run it properly. So it had closed down. It would have closed the year before but a mysterious benefactor had provided the funds for one more year. So the school had run for a year more.

Nicholas had been that person, who had provided the funds as it would mean an entry without problems for Sirius and Snape. This way all of them could arrive separately and make 'friends' on the train.

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Albus had just received the acceptance letter that Harry had sent and was thrilled. Harry was coming to Hogwarts and finally he would be under his thumb. Well he would make sure this time the boy would not leave his side till he was seventeen and then Albus would send him away permanently.

He informed Minerva that Harry had finally responded to his letters and Minerva showed her happiness as well and hoped Harry was fine and he had not suffered the after effects of the blood call.

Albus smiled as he thought of the potions and spells he was going to subject Harry to and his eyes shone with sheer gladness as he got up to prepare.

He got Arthur and Peter together and informed them and watched their relieved and happy expressions. Feeling very confident and his feelings content as they had been almost eight years ago, he told Peter to keep a watch on Harry and report to him on a daily basis. Arthur could not be brought in just now; he would be used later, if needed.

Voldemort would come back this year, Albus decided and he would make a grand entrance at the end of the triwizard tournament that was to be held in Hogwarts this year.

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The four of them got ready on the first of September and apparated to Kings Cross and waited to board the train to Hogwarts. Harry was the last and he apparated directly in to the train and waited for the others. They came and slowly took their seats. Snape was sitting next to Harry and Sirius opposite him.

Remus had become Richard Brent; Snape had taken the name of Salazar Zack and Sirius had already had chosen David Kent and he kept the same name as no one knew or cared about David Kent.

They had also forged a mind link with each other. Snape had flatly refused to link anything with Sirius or Remus, so Harry and Snape had a link and Sirius and Remus had one. The rings that the Flammels had given them were also modified so that if they wanted to talk with those with whom they did not share a link the rings would help.

The rings would warm up and when held to the ear would mind speak what the other wanted to communicate. Minerva was also given a red ring and the Flammels also included themselves in this so that they could warn if necessary or chat to all the others once in a while.

Remus had already gone to the first year's compartment and was mingling with the other new students there. Harry, Snape and Sirius were waiting in an empty compartment for a while before the door opened and a tall man with a flowing white beard and twinkling blue eyes stepped in.

Behind him was a tall gangly boy with red hair and a lot of freckles, a girl with bushy hair and intelligent brown eyes and another stunning girl with red hair and freckles on her face that told the onlooker she was in someway related to the tall red haired boy.

End of Chapter – 11

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