The Power Known Not
Chapter Fourteen
-0-
Harry stretched, a bit sore. Seeing something flying towards him, he once again threw himself into the bushes.
"A bird." The voice called.
"How many is that this time?" Harry asked the voice.
"Five." The voice replied. "This is the third time you've dodged a bird."
"It could have been an animagus!" Harry shouted at the voice. "I know that there's only been seven registered ones in the past century, but I happen to know of half as many unregistered ones!"
"Fine." The voice said, sounding a little sullen. "Due to a technicality, the five points are rewarded to Hary Potter."
"Thank you." Harry said.
"You're welcome." The voice replied. "Now, are you finished?"
"I suppose." Harry said.
The woods that surrounded him vanished, revealing the empty room once again.
Harry waved a hand and the door opened and Padfoot came bounding in.
"What took you so long? You've been in here nearly a full day!"
"Have I really?" Harry asked.
"Yes you have and you have to pack for school, and you have to figure out what you're going to do when you see your friends again, and what you're going to do about the fact that you've already gotten your newts, and you have to get some sleep too!" Padfoot said.
"Don't need to sleep." Harry said.
"Okay." Padfoot replied, feeling Harry's hand on his collar and started walking back to their rooms.
"I'm just going to mediatate for a couple hours. It should work." Harry said, walking along blindly.
"When did you last sleep?" Padfoot asked Harry.
"Night after you got back." He replied.
"You haven't slept for nearly an entire month!" Padfoot exclaimed, stopping.
"Don't need to." Harry said. "Need to rest every once in a while, but I'm doing fine. Remind me to remind Claudia that we need to feed before we leave." Harry said.
"I will." Padfoot replied and returned to leading Harry to his room.
-0-
By the time that Padfoot had got Harry to his room, he was swaying back and forth.
"You will go to sleep." Padfoot said, nudging Harry towarsd his bed. "Get in."
Harry did so.
"Good boy." Padfoot said, not wondering about Harry's sudden compliance. Padfoot padded out to the main room where Claudia was.
"What is it dog?" She asked.
"Nothing." Padfoot said, hopping up onto the couch and curling up.
"Down."
"No."
"Down."
"No."
"Fine."
"Really?"
"No. When I tell you down you go down." Claudia said and waved her hand at the couch, which promptly dumped Padfoot on the floor. He hopped back up and the process was repeated.
"How long?" Padfoot asked, giving in.
"Until you learn how to follow commands like the good talking guard doggie you'll be playing for the next ten months or so."
"That will never happen Claudia." Jason said, coming out of his room. "I'm all packed."
"Good." Claudia replied. "Is your boy packed?"
"No." Jason said.
"He need to be packed within the next couple of hours." Claudia said.
"Don't bother him. He's exhausted. He just got back from being in the Chamber of Ordeal for a full day." Padfoot spoke up.
"Your input is most welcome dog."
"Thank you." Padfoot told Claudia before curling up and going to sleep.
"Now that's he's asleep we have to figure some things out. We're allowed to go back to the house on the weekends, but Dumbledore might want us to stay there. And he might not let Harry go."
"Why would he do that?" Jason asked.
"Because Harry has yet to decide whether or not he'll be himself."
"Oh. I think it'd be easier for him to be himself while we're there and you offer him some special training or something." Jason suggested idly.
"Oh. My. Gods. Jason, I think you may have solved it. Of course we have to run it by Harry, but I think he'll like it." Claudia said.
"See, every once in a while I come up with something useful." Jason said.
"Yeah, like once a century." Claudia retorted.
"Nuh-huh."
"Uh-huh."
And here, fair readers do we leave two of our favorite vampires with their childish antics that will last for the better part of an hour.
-0-
"Harry, dear, do you think that you could grace us with your lovely presence for a moment?" Claudia shouted in the general direction of Harry's room.
"What do you want?" Harry asked from his doorway.
"Well, Jason and I were just discussing what to do on regards to your schooling." Claudia began, but was cut off by a snort of laughter from Padfoot.
"Really?" Padfoot asked. "It sounded a lot more like a tickle fight to me."
"Be silent you mangy cur!" Claudia said imperiously to Padfoot.
"Yes master." Padfoot said before slinking away.
"Well, Harry, what Claudia was trying to say, was that while were we talking, we thought that you could be yourself during the school year."
"Okay." Harry said, coming over and sitting down on the couch. "How would that work?"
"Simple. You get dropped off at the station and tell them that you've sworn never to tell of where you stayed during the summer." Jason told him.
"And will they believe that?" Harry asked.
"I hope so." Claudia filled in.
"And if they don't and Dumbledore tries to pry, you have those lovely vampiric shields in your mind." Claudia said.
"That would be nice." Harry said. "But what about the story that you told Dumbledore? About the boy you were bringing with you?"
"Simple. The rest of the family decided that you should stay." Claudia said.
"I suppose that it might work. But I'll have to be spending some time with you, and stuff, what will we tell him then?"
"Simple. Detention. Extra work. I'm tutoring you in advanced magic, because I believe that Voldemort has returned and you need to be properly trained to defend yourself because he shows particular interest in whether you live or die." Claudia explained.
"Okay." Harry said. "I'll go with this. This one seems simpler, not having to explain why I know the layout of Hogwarts so well, and how I seem to have opinions already formed about certain people."
"Good." Claudia said.
"Now why don't you go and finish packing." Jason suggested.
"Okay." Harry said, not bothering to mention that he'd finished packing hours ago, and was currently engaged in a round of spider solitaire, a game that had come with the laptop that they had purchased and enchanted.
-0-
"Get up! Get up! Get up! Get up!" Padfoot bounced on Harry's bed.
"Geroff!" Harry said, shoving the dog off of his bed. "I'm up already."
"It's time to get up!" Padfoot exclaimed once more before bouncing out of his room.
"Claudia!" Harry yelled.
"What?" Claudia asked.
"What in the name of the seven levels of hell did you feed that dog!" Harry asked, pulling on the Muggle clothes he'd decided upon for that day.
"Nothing! He found the confectioner's downstairs and they loved the idea of a talking dog!" Claudia yelled back.
"Great." Harry said.
"I know." Claudia muttered. "Down beast!" She roared at Padfoot who was bouncing on the couch.
"Yes ma'am." Padfoot said.
"Glad you know whose in charge." Claudia murmured.
-0-
"I don't want to," he muttered.
"You've faced vampires, me with a sword, and Voldemort, and you're afraid of seeing old friends?" Claudia asked.
"No. Not afraid, just nervous." Harry muttered.
"Oh look! Here come the Weasley's!" Padfoot exclaimed.
Harry muttered something that would have gotten his mouth washed out with soap, but he had vanished thorough the barrier.
"That worked rather well." Claudia said.
"No, I meant, here come the Weasley's." Padfoot muttered once more, and began pulling Claudia towards the barrier.
In a pulling match between a vampire and a charter-blessed dog, you'll find the odds are rather even.
"Fine. We'll go through the barrier." Claudia muttered and strolled through.
-0-
"Mum, why do we have to do this?" Ron asked, glaring at the back of his mother's head.
"Because that's what Dumbledore's asked us to do." Molly muttered, skimming the crowds for Harry.
"I told you Ron, Dumbledore thinks that whomever has Harry might have let him go and he might be trying to get to Hogwarts. And it's our duty to try and find him back." Ginny said.
"Yes, Ron, Ginny's got it." Molly replied rather absently.
"But why can't we use spells to find him? I mean there's got to be all sorts of tracking spells we can use." Ron said.
"Wouldn't we have used them if they worked?" Ginny asked, and then looked at her watch. "Mum, it's time."
"Oh! Is it really?" Molly asked and then looked at her watch. "Well, it is. Now, go on, go through and see you when the winter holidays come 'round." She said, and hugged and kissed Ron and Ginny and gently shoved them towards the barrier.
-0-
The train was fuller than usual this year, but Harry had found a compartment towards the back of it, which he managed to keep to himself until he was joined by a group of third year Hufflepuffs.
"Do you mind if we sit here?" A blonde with her hair braided asked.
"Not at all." Harry said. "I don't bite. Usually."
A few of them laughed and one took the seat next to him.
"My name's Megan." She said, tucking her red hair behind her ears. "What's yours?"
"Harry." He said. "Nice to meet you Megan." And held out his hand.
She shook his hand. "Wow! Are you usually this cold?"
"My normal body temperature is lower than normal, it's from a childhood disease." Harry replied and pulled a book out from his pocket.
"Oh! I'm sorry, you'd probably like to read." Megan said and started to turn away.
"No." Harry said. "It's just my parents want me to read this and I'm starting my sixth year, and I think this is going to be the last of my free time for a very long time."
Megan laughed. "I suppose that you're right. One of my cousins is starting his sixth year, Ron Weasley, d'you know him?"
"We've met." Harry replied.
"He's really changed. Ginny, his sister, is hardly talking to him, because he nearly went insane over a girl."
"Did he really?" Harry asked. Please don't have let him have done anything too stupid.
"Yeah. She told him that she wasn't interested, but he wouldn't take no for an answer. He's still trying to get her to accept, but Hermione keeps telling him no."
"Granger?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, do you know her?" Megan asked.
"We were friends." Harry said, and just then the compartment door slid open.
"Speak of the devil..." Megan said.
"Hello Megan, nice to see you again. Is it okay if Ginny and I sit in here with you guys?" Hermione asked.
"Of course. Is Ron being an annoyance again?" Megan asked, scooting closer to Harry.
"As usual." Hermione said, pulling Ginny in and sitting down.
Harry opened his book and began to read.
"Who's your friend?" Ginny asked.
"He was here when we got here. Says his name's Harry. Knows the lot of you." Megan said.
"Does he really?" Ginny replied, fingering her wand.
"Yes I do." Harry replied, looking over his book at Hermione and Ginny.
"Harry!" Hermione squealed and hugged Harry.
"Hi, Hermione. It's nice to see you too." Harry said, and patted her on the back. "You know, it's be nice to breathe."
"Sorry." Hermione said, sitting back down.
"S'okay." Harry said, giving Ginny a hug.
"Where were you?" Hermione asked.
"I'm not allowed to say." Harry replied, smiling sadly.
"Why?" Ginny asked.
"Because they don't want people coming and attacking them for stealing away the precious 'Boy Who Lived'." Harry said.
"Were they kind to you Harry?" Hermione asked.
"They were. They fed me, clothed me, and kept me entertained." Harry said. "That was about it for the whole summer. I spent some time outdoors, got to fly a bit, and got to relax. It was kinda fun."
"Is that all you did?" Hermione asked.
"I did some other stuff. Got some new clothes, went shopping, and was sent off to school just like all the other wizard children." Harry said.
"They let you go?" Hermione asked.
"They said there was no point in keeping me during the school year, as it'd just be easier to send me of to Hogwarts." Harry said. "I didn't mind."
"That was nice of them, but do you think that you could have at least owled us?" Ginny asked.
"It wasn't allowed." Harry replied. "I would have if I could have."
"Did you even try?" Hermione asked.
"No. I got asked and was told that under the certain circumstances it wasn't possible." Harry said. "Enough about my summer, there really isn't much to tell anyway. Tell me about yours?" He asked.
"I spent a lot of time at Grimmauld Place." Hermione said. "My family got moved there because there was a Death Eater threat."
"Are they okay?" Harry asked.
"They're fine, but they're still there. It hasn't been deemed safe for them yet." Hermione said.
"I'm sorry." Harry said automatically.
"Don't be. It's not your fault." Hermione said. "What happened at your relative's house?"
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"Well, when we found out you were gone, it looked like an attack had happened there. Your room was untouched, but your aunt and uncles room..." Hermione stopped and shuddered.
"From what I've heard, and that isn't much," Ginny began, "it was pretty bad."
"I wasn't there." Harry said, going by the story he and Claudia had agreed on. "I left a couple of days after term ended."
"Why did you leave?" Ginny asked.
"I was given a choice, and after some thought I decided upon what I perceived as the better option." Harry said.
"What?" Ginny said.
"I decided that leaving was better than staying. So I left." Harry said.
"Do any of the teachers know that you're back?" Hermione asked.
"No. But I'm still listed as a student, so they're obviously hoping that I'll show up." Harry replied.
"So you're just being kind and fulfilling their hopes?" Ginny asked.
"Sounds about right." Harry said laughing a little.
"Glad that you can be so happy." Hermione muttered.
"I have to be." Harry surprised himself by saying.
"You do?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, I have to be." Harry repeated. "If I'm not I'm focusing on the bad stuff. The only family I have hates me, an evil wizard is trying to kill me, and I have to pass my NEWTs."
"Harry, they're only tests, and they're not for almost two years." Hermione said.
"Who are you?" Harry asked, pointing his wand at Hermione.
"Hermione Granger." Hermione said, laughing, and playfully shoved the wand away. "During the summer I found out that there are some things are more important than books."
"What did you do? Live in a library?" Harry asked.
Hermione choked on the water she had been drinking, and asked, "How did you know?"
"I didn't." Harry said. "But you smell like musty books."
"Do I really?" Hermione asked.
"You do, it's faint, but I smelled it when you hugged me. It reminded me of the library."
"I should probably do something about that." Hermione muttered and rooted around in the left sleeve of her robes. After a bit, she pulled out a small vial of perfume.
"How'd you do that?" Harry asked.
"Enchanted sleeves. I got the idea from Morwen, and a few hours talk and a bottle of powdered hen's teeth later she showed me how." Hermione said, stowing the vial back in her sleeve.
"Powdered hen's teeth?" Harry asked.
"I'm not sure why she needed it, but they took a bit to find." Hermione said. "I finally found some in the back closet. I had to fight Fred and George for it though."
"I suppose that it's good that you won." Harry said. "What's the limit on how much you can put in there?"
"I don't know. She said when the sleeves got heavy there was probably enough in them."
"How do you think this year is going to be?" Harry asked, looking round at them. "I know it's going to be different, because Ron isn't part of the group. How long is that going to last?"
"Until he can realize that I don't like him, and am not interested in him, and until then he can just go and-" Hermione was cut off as Ginny had clapped her hand over her mouth.
"Wise decision Ms. Weasley." Someone said, sauntering into the compartment, which was empty of the Hufflepuffs that had previously occupied it.
"You." Hermione said, rising to meet Claudia.
"Yes, me." Claudia said, sauntering in. "How're you?"
"Good." Hermione replied. "And you?"
"Never been better. I'm going to be living a lie most of the year. It'll be great." Claudia said.
"Well then. What is your name?" Hermione asked.
"Professor Claudia Neinhuis, this year's teacher of Defense of the Dark Arts." Claudia said.
"Does Dumbeldore know of your affliction?" Hermione asked.
"I have no affliction." Claudia snapped. "But, to answer your question, he does not know of my lifestyle. Nor will he find out about it from any of you."
"Yes ma'am." Hermione said.
"Nice to have your obedience." Claudia said. "Now I best get back to where I'm supposed to be, I just thought that I'd check up on my friends." Claudia said, stepping towards them and disappearing into a swirl of air.