Harry's return to Hogwarts felt weird, even more so than when he ran away earlier in the school year, as this time he would be expected to be infallible or as close to that as possible.
He knew that Fate was playing with him, but he struggled to understand exactly why she wanted to use him as a toy. Perhaps being one of the timeless constants in the universe could get boring, but the idea made him sick if he thought about it too hard.
Knowing his friends would want to keep things from him, under the guise that it would help him settle back in, Harry went to the Great Hall and made himself approachable, offering an explanation on where he was to anyone who could tell him what he had missed out on.
This decision led to him talking with people he had never once said more than a word to. People like Zacharias Smith and Justin Finch-Fletchley, the former being an arrogant pig while the latter was a surprisingly charming lad who Harry had very much enjoyed chatting to. The two of them spoke about Voldemort's attack on Valentine's Day, with Justin pointing out that he was glad his parents weren't wizards.
After spending the whole morning of the ninth of March in the Great Hall, not having to worry about lessons as it was Saturday, Harry decided he would head to the Vipers' Arena, if for no other reason than to begin focusing on using the great boon of power given to him by Fate and Magic. As Harry drilled through his new abilities, he had nothing but time to think about his past few years at Hogwarts.
He thought back to his first year, back when he had to prove himself to the world, and how insignificant those fights seemed now. He thought about how vehemently he denied being the Heir of Slytherin, only to find out that he was Gryffindor's Heir and Slytherin's via conquest.
Then there was his third year… finding out about Sirius and Pettigrew, as well as fighting a hundred Dementors. If asked right now, Harry would have answered that he would rather face the Dementors again.
The monumental task ahead of him was disarming, how would he bring the Elementals back into the world? How long would it be until he had a son or daughter to teach to control Air?
This was what was going through Harry's mind on repeat as he drilled his movements, slipping into the familiar movements of the Zabrak Warfare and the Dance of the Echani. That was another thing he would have to do, if the Echani and Veela were able to control fire, then they should stand by his side as Elementals, as well as the innumerable other creatures with dominion over an element. He would talk to Luna about that, she always seemed to be the most well-informed person around and that knowledge could be the very thing he needed.
Even with his Elemental ability being with air, Harry was no slouch to the other elements, though in differing ways. For instance, he was currently encased head to toe in the ice armour that Flitwick had taught him, and he had learned charms to summon water in his regular schooling; moreover he didn't have to summon the insinuation of wind to go along with Flitwicks Acrophobia spell as he could summon outrageous gales with the slightest thought.
It was surrounded by ice, fire, and air that the Vipers found Harry. He had set all of the training targets to attack him on their highest setting, with orders to reassemble themselves if destroyed by his attacks. He drilled and drilled, ignoring or not hearing his friends' attempts to get his attention for quite some time. When he finally began to slow down enough to get hit a few times Dudley and Ron began to shut down the targets.
"I need to train, I spent way too long not doing anything," Harry protested upon being interrupted, but acquiesced to their requests to join them in doing something fun.
/_-_-^_^_-_/
After the first Elemental training session sine his return, Harry was talking with Hermione and Blaise about their plan to give magic to Squibs, making sure to emphasise all of the fail-safes they had thought of, and asking if he would have a hand in helping them with their project. As he discussed it with them, and eventually consented to join their project, they were overheard by one Argus Filch, who was very interested in the idea of shedding his Squib status. After trying and failing to use Kwikspell to learn magic, he was ready to take the opportunity to be a wizard.
It wasn't until the Hogsmeade weekend on the twenty-second of March that Filch managed to speak to Harry alone. The boy stopped to summon a chair for the man and stayed to talk with him, with Filch being visibly nervous.
"Before you go, Mr Potter, I overheard you and your friends discussing a ritual the other day, one meant to give magic to a Squib. Is this just theoretical or…" Filch trailed off, feeling like he was about to be laughed at or shunned for expressing one of his most private desires.
"It isn't my project, sir, however, I can definitely talk to Hermione and Blaise about the possibility of conducting a proper trial. My biggest hesitation comes with the fact that this could hurt you, we are in unknown territory now," Harry admitted, running his hand through his hair and adopting an apologetic expression.
"When I was eleven and I didn't receive a letter to Hogwarts I assumed it was just late, then after being kicked out I began hoping that I would get the chance to attend, year after year I hoped. Up until I turned seventeen I made a birthday wish for magic, now upon the latter years of my life, I might finally get the one thing I've desired more than life itself. Even if it spells my death, I want to at least try to do this," the caretaker vehemently argued back, his determination breaking through any qualms Harry previously had.
"I hope it doesn't cost you your life, but I will definitely bring it up in the village." Harry smiled at the hopeful expression in the old man's eyes.
"Can I make another request?" the old man asked, his eyes twinkling with an almost childlike sense of wonder. At this Harry nodded and the man continued. "Could you fly away again?It made my day last time."
"Sure," Harry responded before lifting up and soaring towards Hogsmeade and landing among his friends.
"I don't know about this, I mean what if it kills him?" Hermione protested the idea of Filch being their first subject. "No matter how much most of the students dislike the man, he is still a person who deserves to be treated with respect and not as a lab rat."
"You do realise that this is all he wants in life, the man would rather be dead than not try this."
"I feel like doing this would be taking advantage of a man who is no longer in full control of his mental faculties."
"He begged me Hermione, and you did specifically ask me to be a part of this endeavour. Although it wouldn't be the first time you gave me mixed signals." Harry whispered the last bit under his breath, with Dudley being the only one to hear him.
"I don't know why you're putting this all on me, you're perfectly capable of asking Blaise his opinion," Hermione snapped back.
"Blaise, what do you think? He really is a good man, he's just had everything ripped away from him. He can't even retire on the money he has made over his three-decade employment at the school. If he shows signs of magic then he will be able to access his family vaults and he will be able to retire happily. Though the thought of him having to continue his familial line is disturbing, to say the least," Harry joked, making Elias burst out laughing, with everyone else joining in. Blaise had to wait for peace to return before he attempted to voice his thoughts. Once the laughter subsided he caught Harry's eye and answered him.
"I think that if Filch wishes to become a wizard then we should at least give him the chance, who knows what he could do with it. I'm sure that a lifetime as a Squib has given him time to think about what he would do with magic," Blaise answered with a hint of emotion in his voice.
"I do hope you're not suggesting that Argus Filch will become the next great magical philosopher. I'll sooner flap my arms and take flight," Draco joked as they went into Honeydukes and then to Zonko's Joke Shop, with Harry wanting to keep his traditional gift for Professor Lupin going.