Author's Note: Harry goes to College! We're finally here! Twisted a lot of canon dialogue for my own purposes here. We'll get some character interaction chapters with the other students, then some side-quests, then some fleshing out, then hopefully some new spells.
Chapter Twenty-Two: First Lessons
As he entered the courtyard of the College of Winterhold Harry took everything in, it was not quite as wondrous as Hogwarts, he decided instantly. And yet it had its own mystique and charm that certainly set it apart.
"So with your father I imagine you have a set of robes in that pack there?" The high elf questioned as she led him forward. Harry simply nodded in response.
"Very well, I should next take you to-ah! There she is, Master Wizard Ervine!"
As the woman called out another woman in wizard robes turned to face them, a Breton woman in her mid-thirties with short brown hair. Harry realized he was likely to be in the presence of a lot of 'his people' as they might think over the next little while.
He hoped none were from anywhere near where his cover story placed his childhood.
"Hmm?" The woman hummed as she glanced over them, "Ah, bringing me another new student, Faralda? I am surprised by how many of them there are lately, from the battlemage outfit I imagine he was that thunderclap earlier?"
He could not quite get a read on whether she was impressed or condescending about the last portion of her query.
"Yes, yes, he's Farengar's boy. The one he wrote about that he had with some woman that left him because he's an overdramatic grouch or something," Harry really could not tell whether the elf approved or disapproved of his adoptive father.
Master Wizard Ervine on the other hand, was visibly frowning.
"Ah, yes. Another Secret-Fire then, what was your name?" She turned her eyes on him and it felt a lot like being stared down by McGonnagal.
"Ah, Harald, ma'am!" Her stare began to turn to a glare and he hastily corrected himself, "Master Wizard I mean!"
She shook her head a little, "Well the letter Tolfdir received said you were pretty well settled in the basics and even some intermediate work, so I'll have you walk straight in to his current lesson. We have approximately fifteen minutes until he begins the introductory lesson for the latest batch of students. Good you arrived when you did, though we do allow make up work as we do not have strict semesters here necessarily. Simply whenever a majority of the staff believes a student ready we test them for the next rank. Now, follow me, I will show you your dormitory so you can drop that pack off before your lesson," She glided off down the snow-strewn path without waiting for Harry to follow.
He regained his wits however and quickly caught up to her.
"Now," She said without any other indication to say she noticed he had caught up, "The College of Winterhold has been a fixture in Skyrim for thousands of years. The prominent feature is the Hall of the Elements. It's our primary location for lectures, practice sessions, and general meetings. The Arcanaeum is located above the Hall, and the Arch-Mage's quarters above that. While technically in charge of the College, the Arch-Mage's duties often keep him occupied. Thus, I run the day-to-day operations,".
They rounded bend in the courtyard and were approaching a set of doors connected to a receded tower.
"Unfortunately, we've had to implement more stringent entry procedures, due to some problems with the local Nords. We don't anticipate any real violence, but it never hurts to be prepared. Our newest members are housed here in the Hall of Attainment. I'll ask that you keep your voice down while inside, as others may be working on research or...delicate experiments," With that they had arrived at the doors and they opened almost by themselves with barely a pull from her hand.
As they entered Harry noticed another light-well which had a beam going up through to each of the next floors, seemingly no floor had a center except for the final ceiling.
Mirabelle Ervine gestured to a room on the right, "You're going to be sharing space with your fellow Apprentices, who you'll meet shortly. This bed and desk are yours. Please try and be considerate of others. Now, let's go back to the Hall of the Elements, where most of the members gather for lectures and study sessions. Initially, you'll be learning from Tolfdir, one of our most esteemed wizards, and a favored mentor of your father's,".
She barely gave him time to drop off his pack as she waited with barely concealed impatience at the entrance to the Hall of Attainment. Harry felt so rushed he barely had time to glance at how his room was rudimentarily stocked with some alchemical and enchanting supplies and had a mostly empty bookshelf.
He did not even take the time to change into his robes fully before they were back out in the courtyard on their way to the Hall of Elements.
"Tolfdir is likely already inside, go on in," She waved a hand as they passed by a pair of giant double doors set into the main keep of the College and once more did not wait for a response before taking off towards what Harry assumed was the staff housing in a tower opposite the Hall of Attainment.
Gods, Harry thought to himself as he opened a door and made his way into the Hall of Elements, she either hates Farengar or they dated or both.
Regardless, Harry made his way through the entrance hall which had branching doors off of it towards...he did not actually know, that had been a rather brief tour from the Master Wizard, perhaps he could ask this Tolfdir for a better tour after the lesson if he was a mentor to his father.
As he worked his way around a strange central piece to the Hall he saw a group of, what he imagined must be the newest batch of students, watching an elderly looking Nordic man speak.
The man, to give him some due credit, noticed Harald's somewhat quiet arrival immediately.
"Ah! Welcome, welcome! We were just beginning. Please, stay and listen. So, as I was saying," At this he turned back to face the crowd, " the first thing to understand is that magic is, by its very nature, volatile and dangerous. Unless you can control it, it can and will destroy you."
A dark elf woman in the crowd teased the hem of her hood before she spoke up, "Sir, I think we all understand that fairly well. We wouldn't be here if we couldn't control magic!"
The old Nord waved her off and chuckled, "Of course, my dear. Of course. You all certainly possess some inherent natural ability. That much is not being questioned. What I'm talking about is true control, mastery of magic. It takes years, if not decades, of practice and study."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get started!" A wiry Khajiit with grey and white fur-patterning interjected, somewhat rudely Harry thought.
The professor was now becoming a little impatient with the interruptions, "Please, please! This is exactly what I'm talking about. Eagerness must be tempered with caution, or else disaster is inevitable."
A somewhat out of place looking burly Nord, perhaps a young man a year younger than Harry himself, nervously raised a hand, "But we've only just arrived here - you've no idea what any of us are capable of. Why not give us a chance to show you what we can do?"
With mounting frustration the professor seemingly made a split second decision and turned to look Harry straight in the eye, "What about you? You've been quiet so far. What do you think we should do?"
Harry blinked, "Umm, hmm I suppose we could do something both practical and in the spirit of safety? Flesh spells or wards perhaps?"
The dark elf woman looked at him with a thoughtful expression on her face, meanwhile the Nord seemed confused, and the Khajiit seemed bored with the suggestion.
"You would suggest those would you not, young Harald? And I cannot say I truly disagree with that compromise! I suppose we can try something practical...In continuing with our theme of safety, we'll start with Wards. Wards are protective spells that block magic. I'll teach you all a ward, and we'll see if you can successfully use it to block spells, all right?"
As his classmates shrugged Harry realized that his father's letter must have included a description of both him physically as well as his magical specialties.
Over the next few minutes Harry was even more surprised to find that most of his classmates legitimately needed to be taught the Lesser Ward spell or at the very least have their technique modified and coached.
Shielding was just so natural for him and even at Hogwarts he'd figured it out early into his third year.
He noticed that Tolfdir returned to his lecture spot fifteen minutes later without coming over to him.
Which then made sense when the man spoke next, "Now I'd like Harald here to help me out with this demonstration. He will show you all a perfected Lesser Ward like I showed you as well as demonstrate for us what someone skilled in both Restoration and Alteration can achieve with a personal spell of his,".
Harry shook his head as he walked up to the demonstration area, of course he was being singled out like this day one. But, he reassured himself, at least he had earned it with his own work, and surely some of the other students had their own specialties as well?
He almost missed the signal from Tolfdir in his musings but threw up a perfect Lesser Ward as soon as he saw the fire for a Firebolt spell gather on Tolfdir's fingers. The flames splashed harmlessly across his shimmering ward.
"There we go! Did you see how he could snap it up and down in an instant? That is at least a year of instinct trained in the field there. Now, Harald, I believe your father told me of a Dragon Ward or somesuch based on the Dragonskin ability and some Protego spell or some other that you created?"
With the eyes of his fellow students on him Harry nodded, "Yes, I call it a Protego Perma, it's based on the theory of Bound Weapons, Wards, and the Dragonskin ability of some Bretons, professor," He was not sure how much he should elaborate.
"Casting time?"
"Ah, more than a quick-snap for a basic Ward, I usually cast it before engaging in combat similar to how you would summon a blade in preparation," He was feeling a little put on the spot and it was making him uncomfortable.
"And it requires your mnemonics?"
"Er...at this point I can only silently cast the basic Protego, yes. The Perma version I need the incantation," Harry really was hoping the other students had at some point had this kind of interview but looking at their confused and surprised faces he was guessing not.
"Very well, I'll use something a bit more impactful this time so toss it up!"
"Protego Perma!" He held out his arm as if he had a physical shield and the kite-shaped green overlapping scales appeared in front of him.
Just in time for not one but three Ice Spikes to rocket out from Tolfdir and into the shield, cracking and crackling across it.
His shield weathered the assault so well he barely flinched from the physical impacts.
"Oh ho! Wonderful, my boy!" The old Nord then turned to the other students.
"Well, I think this is an excellent start. I'd like you all to continue practicing with wards, please. I think perhaps we're ready to begin exploring some of the various applications of magic throughout history. The College has undertaken a fascinating excavation in the ruins of Saarthal nearby. It's an excellent learning opportunity. I suggest we meet there in a few hours, and see what awaits us inside. That's all for now, thank you," He waved them off but waved Harry over to him.
Once they were alone he spoke, "I apologize for putting you on the spot like that, Harald, but you see your father had written such a glowing review of your abilities not only did I have to see them in person but I also thought a demonstration would light a fire under your classmates. You see, this current batch has a lot more eager and arrogant youngsters than I have seen in a good long time. Typically such is tempered by a nervousness around magic out here in Skyrim, but this batch seems to enjoy pushing further than they are ready and I believe that showing them a tempered mage entering the College with a penchant for some of the safer arts might sway their interest away from the more dangerous Destruction and Conjuration schools, at least until they could have the theory and experience to back up such desires!"
Harry frowned throughout the little speech but then he nodded, "Well, I have seen what jumping too far ahead can do when you aren't ready for it…" He thought back to Hermione with the Polyjuice Potion in particular, "But can you please warn me next time, sir?"
Tolfdir laughed a full belly laugh, "Very well, my boy. Now is there anything I can help you with to get settled in? Or shall I jump straight into embarrassing stories of your father learning magic?"
Harry grinned, "I don't suppose we could combine that last bit in with an extended tour?"