START OF A NEW YEAR
"Hello Harry, 'ello Daphne" came the booming greetings from Hagrid the giant of a man, who in spite of his tough exterior has a really soft heart.
"How are you Hagrid?" Cyrus greeted him politely and after talking for a few minutes with a loud crack vanished from the sight.
"What 'appened ter yeh guys? Professor Dumbledore told yeh ran in ter some problems"
"It was a crazy house elf Hagrid don't worry." Harry replied while Daphne just shrugged.
They got into a carriage drawn by some scaly reptilian looking horses that just sent a chill down Harry's spine.
"Did you see that?"
"What are you talking about Harry? See what?" Daphne's confusion was evident in her voice.
"There the horse like things pulling the carriages" Harry replied he was getting confused himself.
"But there is nothing in there."
Getting more confused by second Harry did what he thought was best move grabbing hold of Daphne's hand he guided it carefully to the back of the skeletal horse. The horse seemed to enjoy the attention.
"Oh my god" gasped Daphne loudly it's not every day you come in contact with an invisible carriage pulling horse that is also nearly skeletal.
Looking at the smug grin at Harry's face she gave a playful blow to the back of his head. The rest of the journey went along peacefully and happily. They reached the gates of great hall after a comfortable journey of half an hour. Hagrid stayed behind to guide rest of the students back.
They both were expecting to meet Professor McGonagall their head of the house at the gate but surprisingly it was their tiny charms professor who greeted them. After entering the great hall the two young lions parted their ways as Professor Flitwick asked to speak alone with Harry.
Flitwick led Harry to his office, the office was in one word elegant, and Harry who had been at McGonagall's office was surprised at the sharp contrast between the rooms. While his head of the house displayed various pictures of the students she came in contact with and a handful of odd objects, the charms professor had decorated his room with books dueling trophies and a lot of personal pictures, this room was like a personal haven for the diminutive charms master.
"Ah! Mr. Potter Head master has informed me that you wish to take dueling lessons from me."
"Yes professor I was hoping that you would agree" Harry replied with as much humbleness he could muster hoping to convince the dueling legend.
"I will never deny a request from the head master Mr. Potter so don't worry" Flitwick chuckled enjoying the nervousness of the young student who reminds him of another bright young witch who came with the same request.
Harry took heart but was waiting to hear the word 'but' and professor did not disappoint him.
"But I feel it is prudent to warn you that dueling is going to be extremely tough to learn."
"I am prepared for that Professor."
"Good but you see Mr. Potter I was not talking about the mental stress, in the course of the lesson you will be injured and if I may add it will be pretty bad. Are you sure you still want to continue?"
The look of determination in Harry's eyes was answer enough for the old half goblin. "Meet me here every day after classes to start the lessons we start next week. Meantime send an owl to diagon ally to order the "guide to Dueling" by Wanda Asimov she was my teacher." And with a gracious wave he dismissed Harry.
The feast as always was a superb affair and this time Harry didn't even have the sweets like last time, after having passed the interrogation session with every single friend of his Harry was finally allowed to sit peacefully beside Daphne. The blue eyed witch watched the interrogation session with a smirk in her lips, "so enjoyed the session did you?" she asked as the raven haired teen slid next to her. "You bet" was the answer she received.
It was good again for Harry he was in his home, he was with his friends and hopefully this year he would not have to fight for his life. But this happy feeling broke as soon as his eyes landed on the newest addition of the teacher's ranks. Draped in forget me not blue robes and flashing his teeth out sat Gildroy Lockhart his blond hair looked like a whole cargo of hair care products had been used on it. Harry let out a groan as he saw Professor Dumbledore introduce that idiot as their new Defense teacher.
Ignoring all the big pile of shit Lockhart was feeding his year mates Harry concentrated upon the day he first met this guy. Like last year once again Hagrid had come and taken him to diagon alley for shopping.
Flashback
He was really glad to be out of his room, once again he and Hagrid had taken the London Underground train to reach leaky cauldron. There Harry had been gawked at once more as Hagrid had one drink at the request of Tom the bartender. While Harry still felt annoyed when people pointed at his scar his good mood at finally being out of the hellhole didn't get affected a bit.
But that was until Harry got to Madam Malkin's shop he couldn't even see the entrance of the shop as a large crowd was gathered near the shop, a few flashes also told him this was probably some celebrity affair. Hagrid also stopped in his tracks, "better get yer books eh Harry".
Harry was about to double back when the next comment froze him in his track, "of course Harry Potter reads my books, young Harry is one of my biggest fans you see." Turning back Harry saw a handsome blonde man in Royal blue robes sprouting lies and flashing his teeth to the camera, he wanted to know who this liar was but the name stopped him.
'Gildroy Lockhart the name sounds familiar, but where have I heard it. Oh yeah this guy single handedly wrote my entire book list.' A disgusted feeling surged through Harry 'I thought he would be some great wizard but this guy is just a bloody pretender'
He avoided the Madam Malkin's shop as long as possible and only went in after the crowd scattered off, he had a gut feeling that this guy will try to use him to bolster his own image. "That is not bloody likely" Harry growled as he once again caught sight of the imposter going through a fire place.
Present Day
The feast was over and students were in their respective house common rooms, in Gryffindor common room a full blown party was in swing courtesy of Fred and George Weasley. The Weasleys were all happy as Ginny the youngest child of the red headed family has also been selected in Gryffindor like the rest of her family. Harry was sitting leaning on Daphne with a butter beer in hand as Daphne kept chatting with Hermione who seemed to be crushing on their new DADA professor.
Harry had never any experience with any kind of beverage be it muggle or magical. For a newbie he thought butter beer to be awesome, as he finished his bottle he felt himself getting slightly lightheaded the noise seemed to be drowning away as he sank to a funk. But to his disappointment his pillow decided to disturb his rest.
"Huh! Did you say anything Daph?" Harry questioned not quite catching the question Daphne asked him.
" .PROFESSOR FLITWICK WANT. YOU." Daphne asked the question again this time her irritation coming to the fore front,
Still slightly tipsy from the butter beer Harry thought she looked adorable.
"Oh before the end of last term I had asked McGonagall for dueling lessons so she shipped me off to Flitwick and damn boy that guy have millions of trophies for dueling."
Daphne sat there her jaw slackened while a shadow jealousy flashed upon her features but she stubbornly beat that back. 'I am not jealous of Harry, he is right he needs to learn to fight' while Daphne was fighting her sudden jealousy Hermione looked at Harry as if he was a deity.
"you are taking extra classes?/!" both Ron and Hermione spoke at once while the female one was clearly impressed the redheaded teen was appalled to say the least. They both looked horrified when they realized they spoke at the same time and the exact same words. Chuckling merrily Harry replied, "Yep! Every day after classes finish I am to go to his office."
The first day of classes consisted potions, herbology and history of magic for the second year Gryffindors. Hermione seemed positively jealous of Tracey when she informed them that the silver and green have their first class with Gildroy Lockhart.
Harry groaned the entire way through potions as he failed to prepare the necessary hair growing potion rather made something foul smelling that Snape vanished with a lazy twirl of his wand and took ten points from Gryffindor. Squirming under the glare of his bushy haired friend Harry stuck beside his crush as Daphne slowly held his hand.
As usual the second year Gryffindors trudged out in the sun filled courtyard as they made their way to the greenhouses where Professor Sprout was seen to be talking to with a blonde wizard with bright violet robes. As Harry drew closer he heard the last part of their talking seemed like Lockhart was bragging about some of the plants he has known about, what surprised him was the lack of protest from their herbology professor.
'Did I make the same mistake others made about me? Is Lockhart really a great wizard seems like I will have to read his books after all.'
After an extremely interesting herbology lesson about some weird plant named mandrake or mandragora Harry had a sound sleep using Daphne's shoulder as a pillow in the history of magic class which was as boring as last year. Daphne sat the entire class blushing madly.
After the classes finished Harry said goodbye to his friends and went to his dueling lesson with Flitwick. But he was surprised when Daphne gave him a peck in his cheek. Feeling warm and happy all over, he made his way to the class.
As the rest of the group made their way to the great hall Hermione and Tracey held back, as soon as Ron sat on his seat they caught Daphne's arms and dragged her out of the room.
"That was really sweet display of affection there." The bushy haired witch had come a long way from the stuck up rule abiding person, she now loved fun as much as rest of the group.
"Yeah someone has really grown up" piped up Tracey.
"Shut up you too, I can do whatever I like with my boyfriend" Daphne replied hotly.
"Ah ah! Sweetie you have not asked him yet, he is still open to all." Tracey told having fun in riling up her best friend.
"I did not expect it from you Davis, to go down so much that you keep blood traitors and mud bloods as company. How low can you sink?" the cold drawling voice of Malfoy came from behind.
"What did you say?" snarled both Tracey and Daphne.
"I called that book worm a mud blood and I will call her that again, you filthy blood traitor."
Snarling like a wolf both Daphne and Tracey drew their wand pointing it straight at the blonde pillock who in turn tried drew his own wand while his two gorillas looked on stupidly as two separate red sparks raced towards their leader.
"Portego" a clear voice hissed as an energy shield formed before Malfoy protecting him from the hexes, "fighting in the corridors are against the rules, detention Ms. Greengrass and Ms. Davis you come to my office" Severus Snape the most hated teacher of the Gryffindor students ordered. Turning back to the blonde scion of Malfoy line he ordered, "In my office now".
"Well we didn't lose points at least." Daphne spoke the anger faded at last. She saw Hermione looking at her with bewildered eyes. Sighing Daphne proceeded to explain just how derogatory the remark was.
With Harry
As Harry entered the tiny professor's office he was surprised to see the office expanded he had expected that Flitwick would take him to a free place thus showing him some secret of the castle. The professor sat in his chair on the pile of the books wearing a midnight blue cloak. He greeted Harry enthusiastically.
"you are right on time my boy come sit, and we shall begin the lesson" and with that Harry was introduced to the toughest and fiercest discipline of the magical world.
Author's note: I am sorry guys that I took so bloody long time, actually my elder bro got married so I was busy, anyway with this chapter I create the ground on which Harry's magical skills will be built. However if you guys have any question about why I chose dueling instead of advanced charms or something like that, the answer is because I believe true skill lies in harnessing what you have. Thank you every one who stuck with me so far and if you guys want me to do any specific thing about dobby please tell.