Chapter 12: Room of Requirements
Not much changed in this chapter as it is mostly narration, but it moves things along, so I left it as such. Though I did tighten some of the scenes and connected them instead of having them stand apart, by adding sentences and deleting some. I also, broke up some of the long paragraphs. Revised 1/4/16
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The next day, during his free period, Harry snuck away to the Room of Requirements and paced in front of the door three times. I need a room to study and practice my magic, he thought as he paced, keeping what he wanted firmly in his mind.
A hard wood door appeared and he cautiously opened it, not knowing what to expect. When he saw what the room had given him he was pleased so he straightened up and went inside.
The room that had been created was split in two. The first half was a cross between the Gryffindor common room and a small study. There was a book shelf, a desk with a wooden swivel chair, and a couple of easy chairs scattered around a small fireplace with a large rug on the floor. All done in red and gold, well, not the desk and chair, but the easy chairs and rug were. The other half was a dueling platform with a dummy on one end. At the other end of the platform was also a place where he could practice his Transfiguration and Charms. There was no place for potions; he figured it was the Room's way of telling him that it was too dangerous to do alone. Other than that, it was a perfect set up for one person to study. He really loved magic.
After looking around, he went back to the door and pulled out his timer. He set the timer for eighty minutes and prayed that it worked. The timer started and Harry let out a sigh of relief. Now he could get to work. He pulled his shrunken trunk from his bottomless bag and set it near the desk. He then enlarged it and started on the Light books to see if he could find a privacy spell. After studying for eight hours, he took care of his needs, asking the room for a bathroom with shower, because nothing beats hot water.
Harry went to sleep in one of the recliners. He woke after about eight hours had passed and decided he needed to practice his magic. He hadn't found any spells for privacy that he deemed would be useful and was tired of looking. He practiced his magic on the dummy for a good five hours he spent three on his wandless and wordless magic. He ate again and went back to the study area.
It became his routine —eat, eight hours study, eat, eight hours magic, shower, eat, recreational reading, sleep and start over. If he did this around midnight as well, then he could get about four years extra training in before this school year was out. It would be hard, but if he was going to win he'd do it.
He had now gone through all the books in his trunk and hadn't found anything on Lordships, but two hours before he was about to leave, he found the book Sirius left him in the trunk tucked in his clothes. He had no idea how it wound up there, but he wasn't going to complain. He had forgotten all about it, so he used the last two hours on the timer to read it.
The book told him all he needed to know about being a Lord to the House of Black. There were some private notes in the margins from other Heads of Houses and they were helpful in explaining what some of the concepts meant or updating something that was out of date. He did notice that none of the notes were from Sirius, much to his disappointment. However, when he reached the back of the book he found a loose letter.
Harry
I just wanted to let you know, I'm sorry that I couldn't have taught you what you needed. I'm not sure if you can find any more books on this subject and I hope that this one will do you well.
Most of what is taught in this book hasn't changed and the notes in the margins are up to date. I was going to go through this book with you next year, but if you've found this letter, then I'm not there to teach you. I only hope that I'm dead and not in Azkaban.
If you get a chance, talk to some of the portraits at headquarters. They can answer your questions. Don't talk to Phineas or he will report you to Dumbledore. He used to be Headmaster after all and his portrait still hangs in the Headmaster's office. I think he used to spy on Grimmauld Place, so I don't put much trust that your secrets will be safe with him. As a matter of fact, before you talk to any of the other portraits, you should have Kreacher remove him from the wall so he can't visit any of the others at the house.
Speaking of the old man, I wrote you a letter telling you to break free from him and if I'm dead then you probably already read it. Now I'll tell you why. Dumbledore is a great man, he does what he thinks is right for the wizarding world. His problem is people are expendable, if it's for the 'Greater Good' and for some reason he thinks you're expendable. This doesn't mean that he does not care for you, it's just that for some reason he feels that you have to die. He hasn't come out and said it, but I've heard people talk. I know he's not training you and he keeps you locked with your relatives all summer. I don't feel that he means for you to live. I know there is a prophecy, but I don't know what it says. You should try and find it; it would be in the Department of Mysteries.
Do what you have to do to stay alive and if that means going against Dumbledore then that is what you should do.
I've great faith in you, Harry, and never once regretted making you my son. I had hoped for more time with you, but if you are reading this note then that didn't happen.
Hope you find this book helpful.
Love always
Sirius
Well that wasn't really helpful, came the slightly ungrateful thought. Wish I'd read this book at Grimmauld Place, then maybe I could have talked to some of the portraits. Oh well, I understood the book well enough. Maybe I'll ask Neville, he might know something. Ron won't. He knew the Weasleys were not Ancient and Noble houses. He didn't know about the Longbottoms, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. I still wonder why he thinks that Dumbledore means for me to die. I wonder if it has to do with the soul anchor that was in my scar. Maybe I should tell Dumbledore that it's gone. I'll have to think about it. Suddenly a feeling of guilt washed over him; he should be cherishing this letter not just thinking of himself.
When the timer let him know that it was almost done, he packed up his trunk, reshrunk it and put it in his bag and glanced at the watch he had found in one of the trunks from the Black vaults. The watch only showed the time from outside the timer. If he wanted to know how many hours passed inside the room, he'd have to consult the timer. He wasn't sure why it worked like that and really didn't feel the need to question it; after all, the pamphlet said that would happen. Magic was just weird sometimes.
The timer ran out and he left the room, going down the hall, until he ran into Ron and Hermione on the way to dinner.
"Where have you been Harry? I couldn't find you after class," Hermione said inquisitive as ever, stopping so she could get her answers, causing everyone to pause in the hall. People started going around them with grumpy looks on their faces.
"I was studying. I looked through some of the books I found in the Black library looking for privacy charms. And no, they're not some of the Dark books," the dark haired teen said, heading off that argument before it started. He pulled Hermione further to the wall to get out of traffics way. Ron followed.
"How did you get the books out of the library? I tried to take some for nighttime reading when we were there and they wouldn't leave the library. I asked Kreacher why that was, but he wouldn't answer me," his bushy-haired friend complained, crossing her arms across her chest, showing her disappointment at being denied reading material.
"Yeah, the twins were quite put out that they couldn't take any out either. I think they wanted to study some of the Greyer books for their joke shop and didn't want Mum to know. They tried to sneak them out," Ron stated with a great deal of mirth, remembering how disgruntled the twins were. Anything that made them leave him alone was welcome.
"I'm the owner of the house, remember. I'm the one to put the lock down on the library. There were many cursed books in there and I didn't want anyone hurt. I had Bill go through and remove the curses. I'm glad that you and the twins weren't hurt looking through the library," Harry said, looking at his friend and smiled. He really was happy no one got hurt, although, he was a little upset that they all thought it was alright to just go through books that didn't belong to them. After all, it was only polite to ask. If he was at their house he would've asked.
He was still wondering why Hermione hadn't asked for the books left to her by Sirius. Maybe Dumbledore said something to her to make her hold off on that, although he was quite surprised that anyone could keep her from books. Then again, she thought Dumbledore could do no wrong.
"Oh yeah, I had forgotten that. Do you think Bill got rid of all the curses? There are so many books I want to read in that library," Hermione stated with a little bounce, her face brightening with her usual enthusiasm for all things written.
"I'll ask next time I see him, I'm sure he did or I wouldn't have opened the library for reading, but I better ask him to double check," Harry said. Then after a moment's thought, he added, "But, Hermione, I'll be putting restrictions on what can and cannot be taken out of the library. While I'm sure that you don't want to look through some of the Darker books, I don't want them out of the library. They're dangerous with or without curses." He was once again miffed that she didn't ask him for permission.
It was like the whole Order felt it was their right to just go through the house as if it was their own. He put the blame on Sirius, because he had giving Mrs. Weasley permission to clean the house. However, now that Harry was the owner, he took full responsibility for what was there.
"I see your point, Harry, and if I can't take it out of the library then I'll just have to study there. I'll stay away from anything too Dark," she conceded and started back down the hall. The boys followed.
They had reached the Great Hall and it was filling up with students and staff wanting to eat dinner. They sat beside Neville and started talking about their day.
After dinner, they were joined by Ginny and Luna and all of them went to the library to do their homework. Harry started with his Potion homework. Hermione gave him a glare when he pulled out his textbook, but true to her word she didn't say anything. He did offer to share it with her and even asked if she knew any books that would help him with his research. She just turned up her nose and told him that she still didn't approve and that he would have to find the answers himself.
After he was done with his homework, Harry set about putting the address spell on the form letters. He'd have just enough time to get to the owlery before curfew. When he was done mailing it all off, he ran into the rest of the gang and they all went to their own common rooms and soon enough it was time for bed.
Harry waited until 1 a.m., it seems that Ron was up watching something on his bed, since Harry didn't want him to know he too was still awake, he just left him to it. When Ron finally went to sleep, he snuck to the Room of Requirements and did his routine again. It was almost 3 a.m. when he got back to bed. It was a good thing he slept behind the timer.
The next few weeks followed that pattern. Harry would go to the Room of Requirements Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. He'd set the timer for seventy-nine minutes, so he was done before class let out. He was using half the time behind the timer to practice his magic and it was coming along really well. The other half of the timer he spent doing his exercises and studying the old schoolbooks and the books Dobby brought him. Then at night he would set it for a full two hours. One can never get enough time.
He did read the potion textbook and did a few of the spells in the margin and boy was he glad he had promised Snape that he would practice them. He could've really hurt someone with a few of them. The Sectumsempra spell alone would kill. He vowed that he wouldn't try anything without practicing on a dummy first. Though, he hadn't found any useful privacy spells in the books from the trunks, he did come across the Muffliato spell in the margin of the potion book. Now all he had to do is teach it to Hermione and Ron without Hermione going off on where he found it.
The post was still coming in at a steady pace, though, nothing like the days after the articles. He was glad he enlisted the house elves help or he would never have time to go through it all. He did notice that Dumbledore seems to be a little upset that he was receiving fan mail and wondered why he hadn't put up the charm again. Maybe, he didn't want Harry to get suspicious that he was the one to tamper with his post in the first place. Either way, Harry was quite pleased that most of the public seemed to want to support the Ministry if it was made Death Eater free.
Harry wrote to Minister Fudge and let him know what they were telling him. What he had written to the Minister was true; he would support him as long as he put the people first, for now anyway. If he learned one thing about Fudge was that he could be bought.
His class work was going well. He was glad he had studied over the summer and it made it much easier. Ron and Hermione didn't say anything about his new study habits, which he was most thankful for. He had worried that Ron would be put out that he wasn't spending a lot of time with him, but then again, with his new relationship with Hermione, Ron was pretty booked up. The couple disappeared all the time, never telling him where they went, which was okay by him. He really didn't want to know.
With all his time practicing, Harry was now proficient in his wandless and wordless casting up to his current year, so he was trying to do the same with some of the spells he had learned from the books. He also studied ahead in all his non-wand subjects. He was caught up to his year in Arithmancy and Runes and the old schoolbooks on the classes no longer taught were almost done as well.
He did wonder if he could order some more from Flourish and Blotts, most of the previous owners must have stopped at fifth year or they had gotten new trunks and never cleaned out the old. He wanted to finish the courses, so he penned a letter to them to see if he could.
A few days later he got a response and it told him they no longer carried those books and he should try the Junk Shop. They did however have the current Arithmancy and Rune books, as well as all of his current studies, so he sent Hedwig with the money to purchase those and any current law books they had.
He wrote to the Junk Shop and explained what he was looking for. Since this was the same store he did business with all summer he felt secure in letting them know who he was. He sent that letter with a school owl.
To Whom It May Concern
I found some old school books in some trunks in my house they are from years 3-5 and I was wondering if you had the rest of the course years 6-7 in the following titles Government and Law, Household Spells and House Structure and Spell Crafting. I'll gladly take them off your hands if you do and if you have any current law books that will be helpful as well.
Thanks for your time
Harry Potter
Harry felt that he was doing pretty well with these subjects and now that he could do most of the household spells (wandless and wordless), he wouldn't need to worry about living on his own. Well, he had his house elves, but that was no reason to get lazy.
When he got Godric's Hollow built back up, he planned on expanding it and having a garden. He really did like to work with his hands.
He received a letter from the Junk Shop a few days later stating they had many old school books and not just on the titles that he asked for. They wanted to know if he wanted all the old books or just the ones in his letter. Harry wrote back and said that he just wanted the ones in his letter for now, but come summer he would look to see what they had. He sent back the owl with the money for the books he wanted.
A few days later they came, so now he had all the books he needed to complete the courses, this was a good thing because he was running out of things to study behind the timer. Hermione asked him what they were, but he just stated it really wasn't her business and put them in his satchel. She huffed and returned to her breakfast. Ron gave him a funny look, but didn't inquire.
Later that night, Harry decided he wanted to ask Neville about being Lord of a House. "Hey, Neville, can I talk to you a minute?" he asked, taking a seat across from his shy friend, who was sitting on the far side of the common room, trying to read up on his Transfiguration. Since the sandy-haired boy got a new wand, his power was greater and instead of making it easier, he had a harder time controlling his magic.
"Sure, did you want to go somewhere private?" Neville answered, closing his book and wondering what the Boy Who Lived wanted to talk to him about. Though they had gotten closer last year and studied this year, he still didn't think they were best friends. No, Harry spent far more time with Ron and Hermione then he did with him.
"Nah, I found a spell so we can talk here and no one will hear us," Harry said and cast the Muffliato spell around the chairs they sat in. You could only hear muffled conversations of the people outside the spell. "Neville, I wanted to ask you if you knew anything about being a Lord. I mean is the house of Longbottom an Ancient and Noble House?" he asked, a look of honest curiosity in his green eyes.
"No, we are just an Ancient House. I do know that knowledge of Lordship is passed down from Lord to Heir," Neville answered, tilting his head to the side and inquiring look in his brown eyes his medium length sandy blond hair falling with the motion. He impatiently brushed it back. His gran said that he needed to grow it long as per custom and he hated it. "Why do you want to know? As far as I know the Potters weren't a Noble House either."
"Um, well, I need you to promise to keep this a secret," Harry said, scooting closer even though they couldn't be heard, hoping he could trust Neville.
"Yeah, I can keep a secret," Neville answered, leaning forward as well, serious look on his face.
"I'm the Black heir," Harry whispered, looking around to make sure no one was paying attention. "Well, now I'm the Black Head of House. Sirius made me his heir, but he died before he could teach me anything. He did leave me a book and I've finished it, but there are some questions that it didn't answer so I was hoping that you could help. It is alright that you can't," he hurriedly said at the look of self-disappointment on his friend face. "I just didn't know who else to ask, most of our roommates are half-bloods or muggle-borns and I know Ron's family isn't from a Noble house either or if they were they aren't anymore. And I can't ask Malfoy," he grimaced, scrunching up his nose at the thought.
This caused Neville to scowl at the thought and nod his head in agreement. He scooted closer to hear more.
"Don't tell anyone," Harry whispered, "not even Ron and Hermione. Ron would have a fit if he knew I was a Lord. Hermione would badger me with questions I can't answer."
"It's okay, Harry I'll keep your secret," Neville answered, patting his friend on the shoulder, feeling a little proud that Harry trusted him with this.
"Thanks, Neville, you're a good man," Harry said, clapping him on the back and taking down the spell.
It was disappointing, but from what he read in the book being a Lord was more of a courtesy title. Most of what was expected of him was to have a voice in political areas, like the supporting laws and such. That and to have teas with other Heads of Houses. He'd also get better service in shops and restaurants, hence the magic on the ring. Since there were no holdings in the Black family anymore, he didn't have people to watch over. In the book it stated that if he had become a Lord fifty years ago there were lands he would have had to look after, but the Black family had sold them off.
He planned on using the Boy Who Lived title anyway, but this would give him a stronger voice. He'd write to other Lords and get himself heard and see who was of like thinking. Maybe there was a book in the library that would tell him who the Light and Grey family were and who was Dark. He'd look tomorrow. Right now, he was tired and wanted to just take a nap before he slipped to the ROR.
The next day, after classes, Harry did find a book in the library and there was a list of Head of Houses, it also listed the laws they supported. This let him know where they stood. So he drafted a form letter.
Dear (insert name here)
I have recently found that I'm the Head of the House of Black. I would like to introduce myself to you. I am Lord Harry James Potter-Black.
I would invite you to tea; however, I am still in school and cannot entertain at this time. When I leave school I would like to discuss with you the current political arena so that I can better understand what is expected of me. My adopted father passed away before he could educate me in what it means to be Head of House.
I feel, by the list of laws that you support, that we are of like thinking. I am hoping that by talking to my elders, I can get a better grasp on what is going on in the Wizengamot and understand how to get my voice heard.
At this time, I would appreciate if you kept my title to yourself. Call it a courtesy of one Lord to another; there are factions that will use this against me.
I thank you for your time.
Lord Harry James Potter-Black
There, that sounds formal enough. I hope I don't offend anyone by calling them elder. I really hope they will keep this to themselves, I'm taking a pretty big risk here, but courtesy demands I be polite.
He sent the letters out with the school owls. He wasn't really looking forward to all the teas he'd have to host and go to, but it was unavoidable. The dark-haired teen really wasn't looking forward to the matchmaking. They'd all tell him he needed an heir. He knew this, but he wanted to marry for love not just to produce and heir.
It was a good thing he was looking on his own. He was already chatting with the brazen and bold Mandy Brocklehurst, the happy and fun loving Tracey Davis, the sporty Katie Bell and that shy little Sally Anne Perks. He had partnered up with each one in whatever class they shared, except for Katie she was a year ahead of him, but he saw her during Quidditch practice. There might be some flack, as not all of them were pure-blood (and that might send the hounds a baying), but Harry wasn't going to let anyone dictate who he married.
The months flew by, with self-studying and classes. It was now close to Halloween and Harry wondered what would happen this year. Maybe it would be a quiet year and nothing would go wrong. He hadn't had any dreams or visions since the soul anchor was removed, so he had no idea what Voldemort was up to, other then what was in the paper. And other than a few raids, there wasn't much happening.
With using his free period and waking up at midnight to complete his extra studying, Quidditch practice, scouting girls, and his homework sessions with his friends —he really didn't have time for adventures. Well, he had time for the extra studying and girls, but not the homework and Quidditch.
He received letters back from the Lords and most said they'd be more than happy to help him navigate the political arena. That and they would love to come to tea when he was no longer in school. They also commented that they'd keep this information between them, until such time Harry was more public about it. There were a few that felt that Harry was not someone that would support the same laws as they did and they would think about the teas at a later date, after they saw what he did and didn't do.
Harry felt this was a pretty good start.
