Prince of Death
By: The Potters of the Future
Beta Reader: Winged Seer Wolf
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Reviews for Chapter 20
Robomonkey:
Yeah I'm on my holidays and haven't yet got a job and weather in Scotland is appalling so I can just write a lot.
AntarPrince:
I understand you don't like Hermione but I like her and as much as she's closed minded she is also an incredibly loyal friend which is more than you can say for Ron.
Canadian Bacon:
Um I hope you mean a parental way as Harry's eleven.
LicyLie:
I don't think Raven will become a good friend as he's like seven years older than Harry.
CaughtinalandSlide:
Well he's found out now.
Dracomancer:
Thanks. I didn't think of that. But I don't think it matters too much because they only realise he has the signature of a demigod not who his mother/father is.
Thank you for all those who reviewed.
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Chapter 21
One Man, Two Souls
The next day Harry slid into place between the two girls. Hermione Granger was already up reading one of the course books that Harry had already read and Cat and Eve had told him everything about. Harry began loading himself with breakfast as his three female friends chattered around him. Harry was just glad about Neville (who wasn't up yet) otherwise he would be hopelessly outnumbered by the girls. Sometime later,Fred and George wearing identical innocent expressions that Harry knew better than to trust – it was likely they were plotting something on some hapless first year – turned up at the table.
McGonagall had already begun handing out the time tables to the other years before Neville turned up with Ron Weasley. Both had sleep in their eyes. Ron was chattering on about Quidditch. Cat instantly leaped on him. Cat's favourite conversation topic at the moment was Quidditch.
The only problem was that Harry couldn't fly and Eve didn't need a broom to fly so neither of Cat's friends were at all interested in the topic. So the three Weasleys' and Cat had an animated discussion on Quidditch with a lot of hand gestures.
Neville seemed relieved that he was rescued from the conversation. It seemed that like Harry, Neville was scared of flying. Though at least for Neville it wasn't because he had an angry Sky God on his tail. Hermione didn't seem interested in Quidditch at all. Harry understood to her books were the be all and end all. She hadn't yet learnt that knowledge was supposed to be used on something other than tests. Hermione would have to learn this though. Harry was sure she would as it wasn't as essential to survival as it was for a demigod.
McGonagall gave the lot of them their timetables which unfortunately for the demigods was in English meaning translating was an arduous task. At least Harry had a few others around who were in his year who were excitedly looking at the fact that they had Defence first. Harry looked up at the top table where Quirrell was nowhere to be found. Harry was worried about what exactly his dream meant. His eyes met with Cat and Eve. Harry could tell that they were thinking the same thing as he was.
'Don't get your hopes up,' warned George.
'Yeah the Defence teachers are always rubbish,' Fred agreed.
'Really?' asked Hermione.
'Yeah,' Cat agreed, 'which is a shame since Defence should be really important.'
'Shouldn't they have teachers up to acceptable standards,' Hermione looked horrified.
'They should,' Eve said grimly.
'Kind of hard to do when they can't keep a teacher for more than a year,' Fred laughed.
'They say it's cursed,' George said mysteriously.
'It is,' Eve said in final sort of way.
'What happened to the other teachers?' asked Harry.
'Well Professor Damiani last year was pretty good though she didn't do any practical,' Eve said.
'It was all theory,' groaned Cat.
'That doesn't sound so bad,' Hermione said.
'It is when your dyslexic and ADHD,' Harry assured her.
'Wait you two-'began Hermione.
'Three,' Harry corrected.
'I'll be sure to help you if you need it,' Hermione said.
'Thanks, Hermione,' Harry smiled.
'What are friends for?' asked Hermione.
'Reading?' asked Ron making a face.
Harry rolled his eyes, 'helping each other out.'
'So what happened to Damiani?' asked Neville nervously.
'She killed herself,' Cat said seriously.
'Why?' gulped Neville.
'No one really knows,' Eve said mysteriously. 'But there were plenty of rumors ranging from a possessed girlfriend to an angry goblin some even say he didn't kill himself.'
Neville went ghastly pale, 'oh Merlin,' he groaned.
'What about in your first year?' Harry asked the twins trying to change the subject.
'Farrell?' asked George.
'He was boring,' groaned Fred, 'put people to sleep in his class he did. But his allergies acted up so he had to leave.'
'He was allergic to sea food,' George's eyes glittered.
'Was that anything to do with you?' asked Eve.
'Not telling,' sang Fred.
'So you've got Defence first,' Eve gave Harry a very pointed look.
'What about you two?' asked Harry.
'Um …' the two demigod girls were having trouble reading the English.
'Here let me help,' Hermione said kindly. 'You've got charms.'
'Yes,' grinned Cat. 'It's my favourite subject.'
'I prefer Transfiguration,' Eve said.
'She's the top of everything,' muttered Cat.
'Except History and only the practical bits,' Eve said.
'But you understand it you just can't do the essays,' Cat pointed out.
'Plus I'm easily distracted,' Eve grinned.
'ADHD,' Hermione understood.
'Yeah it's a bummer,' Harry said.
'What have you two got?' Hermione asked the twins.
'Herbology,' grinned George.
'Pomona is one hell of a woman,' added Fred.
Just then the bell went. The eight of them left the Great Hall for lessons with Harry rolling his eyes at the comments of the other students about being the Boy Who Lived. The twins left for the outdoors something that Harry was very envious of. Harry could read well enough (as long as it was in Ancient Greek) and Chiron insisted on them knowing how to count well enough to survive in both Wizarding and Muggle communities but most of their lessons were outside. They split from Cat and Eve on the second corridor where Charms was located. Then the four of them climbed up to the fourth floor.
Harry dragged Neville and Hermione to the seat in the front row so it would be easier to read the man's soul anyway. Ron refused point blank to sit at the front of any classroom. Hermione always wanted to be at the front of any classroom. Neville was nervous being so near the teacher but he let his two new friends drag him that way anyway. They took the desk in the middle where Harry presumed that Quirrell would teach. Ron was joined by Dean and Seamus as the room quickly filled up.
'What do you think he's going to teach first?' Hermione asked eyes shining.
'Dunno,' Neville said.
'I hope it's practical,' Harry said.
'I did fencing, martial and archery at home so I want to learn to defend myself with magic too,' Harry said.
'Do you expect to be attacked?' asked Hermione.
'You can never be too careful,' Harry said wisely.
'But your guardians they protect you,' Neville said looking frightened.
'Yeah but they won't be round all the time,' Harry said wisely.
He knew he was frightening the chubby boy but Harry saw no reason to pretend that the world was full of daisies and sunshine. There was some serious stuff out there. It was better to know about it and be able to prepare rather than be a wash of naivety and ignorance. That was what got you killed the quickest. Hermione was frowning it seemed to her like she could see where Harry was coming from but it had never occurred to her before. Neville was just looking pale at the idea of being attacked.
'Is this because of what happened to your parents?' asked Hermione gently.
Before Harry got a chance to reply the door was slowly pushed open. Harry along with most of the rest of the class saw a scared looking teacher in an overlarge purple turban. He walked up to the front of the classroom, jumping so many times and looking at his eleven year old students so frightened that Harry was sure that this was fake. There was no way in the Underworld that anyone could be this frightened of his own students. But by the looks of it all the other students who were looking at him in pity or disgust believed him.
Harry didn't say anything as the man slowly began to call out the register. But he concentrated on the man's soul. Wait not soul. Souls. But how? Nobody could have more than one soul? It could only mean there were two mortals there? Was he being possessed by a spirit or something? Harry had never seen or heard anything like this. He tried to work out the two souls. But it was difficult figuring out where on began and the other ended. The two strands of life were so interlocked. It was so wrong Harry shivered.
Hermione noticed, 'are you okay?' she hissed.
'Fine,' Harry hissed back.
Quirrell's soul was pale and weak. He wasn't sure if this was because he was weak spirited or whether the effort of bonding to a dying soul was hurting him because he knew without a shadow of a doubt that the other soul was dying.
He was clinging onto Quirrell's life. He was cheating death. Harry hated those who attempted to cheat death. It was just so wrong. People had there time and they had to go one. There was no point in hanging on. You should just take your death gracefully. But this soul wasn't he was hanging on at the very edge and taking the young man down with him.
He could tell there was a very dark soul, a very evil soul. The kind of soul that reminded him of the fraction that was in his bottle around his neck. He never left Voldemort's soul alone for a day but it was charmed so only he and Hades could see it. It was one of the few things he hadn't told his friends. He felt it was better for them not to know unless he needed to know. Then he realized something the bottle was warm and the dark soul looked split. He knew know what his teacher shared a soul with and it made him feel ill.
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So Harry knows Quirrell's secret. What should he do about it?
How is he going to reveal how he knows it's Voldemort to Cat and Eve?
Out of his new group of friends who should he tell? If anybody?
Or will he just keep it to himself?
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Chapter 22: ADHD and Binns
Harry and the gang talk about their problems and their learning styles. And Harry accidentally on purpose uses his powers.
Please continue to read and review as it lets me have more ideas for future chapters.
- The Potters of the Future and her Seeing Wolf
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