Blood Flower

"Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart."

-Eleanor Roosevelt

Chapter Four

Harry sighs, stirring a cup of coffee where it sits in front of him. His Study of Ancient Runes textbook lies open to his left but he is too distracted to read it. In his head, he sees the seven skeletal figures over and over again, and every time he pictures them, he just becomes more confused.

What the hell were those things? Where they the 'us' that spoke to me while I was at King's Cross? Are they why I am able to hear the past, if it even is the past? Or have I finally lost my sanity?

Harry brings the cup to his lips, grimacing at the strong taste of unsweetened, black coffee. The warm liquid glides down his throat, sending a shiver across his body. He forces himself to drink every drop of the coffee before setting the cup back down on the table in the Great Hall.

He rises to his feet and grabs his textbook, sliding his glasses back onto his nose. For a moment, he had forgotten that his vision magically healed, because he starts at the lack of change he sees putting the glasses back on. He walks out of the Great Hall, nodding a greeting to Ginny when she walks past him into the hall. He makes his way quickly through the hallways of the castle, pausing to look out a window facing the water. The sun is just peeking over the horizon, sending fire across the waves. He smiles slightly, before continuing on his way.

He reaches the Study of Ancient Runes classroom and knocks on the door. "Come in," a female voice calls out.

Harry pushes the door open and walks in. "Good morning, Professor Babbling."

"Ah, Mister Potter. I take it you are here to take last years test so you can attend class in…" She pauses and looks at a clock. "…45 minutes?"

"Yes, Professor. If you have the time to give me the test. I will fully understand if you have something to do. I wasn't sure what to do."

She shakes her head, long locks of brown hair swinging around her shoulders. "No, you are not interrupting anything," she says, pausing for a moment. "I want to make one thing clear to you; the study of Ancient Runes is far from an easy subject. I do not want you to mistake comprehension for understanding. I tell my students that every year. There is a big difference between the two."

Harry nods, "I understand."

"No, I don't think you do. You are about to attempt to take a test after missing an entire year of the class. No amount of reading will make it an easy task. I will grade this test as I do every other. Do I make myself clear? "

Harry nods, "I would expect nothing less, Professor."

She nods, "Alright. You may sit down. I will bring you your test. You will complete it in a timely manner, but do not feel a need to rush. You have forty-five minutes to take a test that has taken others hours. I will be lenient and let you finish it later if you are unable to finish it before class starts."

Harry nods and she walks over to him, placing a few pieces of paper and a quill on his desk. He flips through the papers, eyes widening. He hadn't expected anything like this. "You may begin when you are ready."

Harry picks up the quill and gets to work.

Harry feels a drop of sweat roll down his cheek, dripping down to land on the parchment in front of him. He glances up at the clock and notices that he only has about five more minutes before students will begin arriving.

He returns his focus to the papers and writes his name at the top of the page. He rises to his feet and walks to the front of the room. He places the papers down in front of Professor Babbling on her desk.

She immediately picks them up and sifts through them. Her eyes narrow slightly. "Mister Potter?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"Why do many of your answers exactly mirror answers present in Advanced Runes Translated? Your answers are correct but they are basically word for word with what is contained within that textbook."

Harry sighs, "I tried to answer using my own thoughts but I had a hard time doing so. I have an eidetic memory so I relied on what I read in the textbooks to answer the question. I promise that I will do my best to not have to rely on that in the future."

Professor Babbling nods slowly, "Your answers are all correct, Mister Potter. Last year was the first year of this class, meaning that the material was relatively easy. Beginning this year, you will truthfully need a full understanding of all of the concepts we learned last year for you to comprehend what is being taught this year. These answers do not seem to indicate that you have a strong grasp of the concepts you will need."

Harry nods, "I actually do have a better understanding of this subject than those indicated. I focused way too much time on learning the material from the later years of this class. I read the textbooks for the fifth, sixth, and seventh year Ancient Runes classes."

Professor Babbling leans back slightly, "Really? Well, once more, do you understand that material or do you only comprehend it?"

Harry shrugs, "I am not completely sure now. I definitely thought I understood it, but now I am second-guessing myself. I was able to complete a few rune arrays."

Professor Babbling raises one eyebrow, "Really? You completed rune arrays? Which ones?"

Harry takes a moment to think, "It took me a few attempts, but I completed an Array of Invisibility successfully. It worked for around an hour. Ancient Runes was one of the only subjects I could practice over the summer because it didn't activate the trace."

The Professor nods thoughtfully, "If what you say is true then you will have no trouble in this class. Completing Rune Arrays isn't something I teach until the sixth year. What other Arrays have you completed?"

Harry sighs, "I attempted an Array of Nature but it didn't work. It proved to be much more difficult than I anticipated. It was extremely difficult to create the correct pattern to activate the rune. "

Professor Babbling nods, "Mister Potter, Arrays tied directly into elements such as Nature, Air, Fire, and Water, among a few others, are much harder to complete than normal Arrays. I was not able to complete an Elemental Array until I graduated. I applaud your attempt, however, as few even try and attempt such a thing as they are never required material."

Harry nods, "Thank you, Professor. As for the other Arrays that I have completed, I was able to maintain an Array of Warmth for over an hour."

Professor Babbling nods appreciatively, "That is quite impressive. Arrays linked with conditions such as heat and cold are not easy."

Harry nods, "I found that out the hard way. I felt extremely drained after releasing my magic from the Array."

"You need to be careful, Mister Potter. Magical Exhaustion is extremely dangerous and Ancient Runes is one of the most draining branches of magic. Do not push yourself further than you know you can."

Harry nods again, "I won't, Professor."

"You should take a seat. The class will start in fifteen minutes but I have a few students who arrive earlier."

Harry nods and walks back to his seat. He feels his eyes flutter for a moment, shaking himself to keep himself awake. The door to the classroom opens and a few students walk in, laughing at something one of them said. He recognizes Terry Boot and Michael Corner, but the two girls walking with them he doesn't know.

As soon as they enter the classroom, they all fall silent and Harry nods in recognition, noting the immediate response as a sign of respect for Professor Babbling.

He zones out as the rest of the classroom fills up, his mind going over the answers he provided for the test. He wants to slap himself for some of the answers, as, now that he thinks about them, he knows he could have answered some of them in a much better way.

As they all say, hindsight is 20/20. He sighs, shaking his head and turning his focus to the door as Hermione enters. Her eyes meet with his, widening in surprise. She walks over to an unoccupied desk immediately to his right and sits down, placing her books down on the desk. She looks at him for a long moment before shaking her head. "I shouldn't be surprised anymore. Good morning, Harry."

Harry smiles lightly, "Good morning, 'Hermione. Did you sleep well?"

She nods, "You?"

He nods in return. "I've had worse nights of sleep."

"Alright, class," Professor Babbling states. "Let's get started."

Harry stays seated at his desk as the classroom slowly enters. Once he is alone in the room with the Professor, he rises from his desk and walks forward. "I want to thank you for this opportunity, Professor. I know that it is a bit unorthodox."

She waves him off, "I would give every student with your knowledge the same opportunity. You have already proven yourself to me. I look forward to continuing your education in the Study of Ancient Runes."

Harry smiles, "Have a good rest of your Wednesday, Professor."

She nods, "Thank you, Mister Potter."

Harry walks out the door, picking up his things from his desk on the way out. He finds Hermione standing just outside the door. "Why didn't you tell me you were in Runes, Harry?" She asks immediately.

Harry shrugs, "To be honest, I just forgot. And to be fair, I wasn't officially in the class until this morning when I passed last year's final exam."

Hermione's eyes widen, "You had to take the exam? How'd it go? I mean, it obviously went well if she let you into the class."

Harry sighs, "It didn't go as well as I would have liked. I had to rely on my memory to answer the questions, which doesn't prove anything in terms of my understanding of the concepts."

Hermione nods, "Yes. I don't know if she told you but she has told us multiple times in the last year. 'Don't mistake comprehension for…"

…understanding. Yeah, she told me," Harry finishes with a sigh, looking down. "How am I ever going to defend myself if all of my knowledge comes from a piece of paper and not from practical experience? I could read every book in the library, but if I do not understand how to apply them to the real world, I will be fucked."

"Harry! Language!" Hermione scolds halfheartedly, glaring at him. "How do you plan to get a better grasp of the concepts?"

Harry shakes his head, "I don't know yet. I already know how to defend myself against a few threats, but we both know that the threat I am facing won't be simple to defeat."

"You think?" Hermione mutters, voice laced with sarcasm. "I don't know what to tell you, Harry. You could ask the Headmaster for help."

"I am strongly against asking for help unless I earn it. I do not want to be given it merely because of who I am and what happened when I was a baby," Harry says.

"You are too noble for your own good, Harry. I think that any logical Professor would understand why you were asking them for help."

"I don't doubt that. That isn't why I don't want to do it." Harry replies, leaning his back against one wall of the hall outside the classroom.

"Well then, why do you not want to ask?"

"As stupid or naive as this may sound, I do not want to know that I need to rely on someone else. I have lived my entire life, up to when I met you and Ron, as a loner. I want to prove to myself that I can get through this without using my Professors as a crutch." Harry states.

Hermione sighs, her brown curls of hair shifting as she runs a hand across her face. "Harry, I think anyone would respect that thought process, but you have to realize the circumstances of what you are facing. The most dangerous Dark Lord of our time, possibly ever, has made it his ultimate mission to see you dead and already killed your mother and father. And you are still worried about not seeming too needy? Forgive me, Harry, but that just seems idiotic," Hermione says, her harsh words causing Harry to flinch slightly.

"When you put it like that, I can't help but agree. However, I still have no plan of asking any of my Professors for help. I receive enough aid from Dumbledore as it is. I don't want the rest of the school turning against Dumbledore if he continues to treat me as a favorite."

Hermione cocks her head, "Treat you as a favorite? What do you mean?"

Harry stares at her, "You can't tell me you haven't observed his blatant favoritism toward Gryffindor house as a whole? I doubt it was as obvious as it is now before I was sorted."

"I fail to see what you mean by favoritism. Yes, he may prefer Gryffindor over Slytherin, but that doesn't mean he has favorites. That house represents qualities that go against his own while Gryffindor is a reflection of himself."

Harry smiles slightly, "Impressive analysis, Hermione. And to some extent, I agree. However, consider the first year. Slytherin won the House Cup. Then, after the celebratory feast was underway and the Slytherin banners were hung, he awarded the three of us, and Neville, enough points to just give us the win over Slytherin. He did the math. He intentionally gave us just enough to allow us to beat Slytherin. I am not saying we didn't deserve some points, but the amount he gave us was over the top."

"Harry…"

He holds up a hand to stop her. "Let me finish." She nods in acquiescence. "By giving us that win, he nullified the meaning behind all of the hard-earned points that other Slytherin students worked for. He made their impressive year meaningless in the eyes of the rest of the school. And at the same time, he rewarded the three of us, mostly Ron and I, for all of our disobedience. The purpose of the point system here at Hogwarts is to support the idea of hard work without disobedience. He did the opposite in that moment. I can understand why many members of Slytherin strongly dislike him."

Hermione remains silent for a long moment, seemingly deep in thought. "Do you see what I mean? I could provide more examples, too."

She slowly nods her head, "I guess you are right. He did provide the wrong message when he handed us the House Cup. I hadn't thought of it like that before. I can't imagine what the Slytherin students that worked so hard for that lead felt."

Harry nods, "Exactly. I sympathize with them."

"Don't let Ron hear you say that," Hermione retorts jokingly.

Harry laughs, "True. Malfoy isn't included in my comments about hard work, just so we are clear."

Hermione snickers quietly, "Oh really? I would have bet money that you were complimenting him."

"Never," Harry says vehemently.

The two fall into a comfortable silence before Harry speaks again. "You know, I was almost one of them, Hermione."

She frowns, "One of who?"

He sighs, "I was almost a Slytherin. If things had been different, that is where I would have been sorted."

She actually lets out a quiet gasp, "What on Earth do you mean by that?"
"The Sorting Hat saw Slytherin as the best place for me. After meeting Malfoy in the Entrance Hall and speaking with Ron on the train, I wasn't the most eager to join the house of snakes. So, instead, I begged the hat to place me anywhere but in Slytherin."

Hermione shakes her head, "Why haven't you told me that before now?"

"It has never seemed relevant before now. I wasn't proud of it for the first few years of my education, but I have come to realize that it isn't something to hide. It's part of who I am." Harry shakes himself. "Forgive me, Hermione, I got off-topic."

She shakes her head, "No, no, please continue."

He sighs, "I have nothing else to say. I know that if a few cards had fallen differently, I never would have been sorted into House Gryffindor. I am happy with where I am, but I do sometimes wonder how things could have been."

Hermione nods, awkwardly reaching out to place a hand on his forearm. "Thank you for telling me that, Harry. I know that you didn't have to tell me."

Harry nods, "I trust you, Hermione. Don't forget that. I may oftentimes seem extremely closed off, but I do trust you."

She nods, "I am grateful for your trust and I will prove to you that it is not misplaced."

He nods and rises back to stand straight from his spot leaning against the wall. "Well, we should be getting to lunch."

Hermione nods and smiles, "Yes, we should."

Their walk to the Great Hall is made in comfortable silence, neither seeing any need to say a word.

The hall is bustling with activity as students of all ages rush to grab food and find somewhere to sit. A slight shiver runs through Harry's body, causing him to stop walking. Hermione turns to look at him, "You okay?"

Harry nods, "I'm fine."

"Please! Save her!"

"You have to let us work, sir. We will do everything we can. She's lost a lot of blood."

"She's all I have left."

"Go comfort your daughter, sir. We need to work."

Harry shakes his head, wondering what he heard. He recognizes the voice of the Greengrass patriarch from the voices he heard the day before. What was going on there? Was that a continuation of what I heard yesterday? Was that the Greengrass family at St. Mungos?

He feels eyes on him and spins around to find a girl with silver hair looking intently at him. When she sees him looking at her, she spins around and rushes back toward the Slytherin table. Harry watches the girl move over to sit next to Daphne Greengrass and Harry immediately sees the resemblance between the two. Ah, so she is the child that Voldemort mentioned to Lord Greengrass. Is that why I was hearing what happened to them?

He shakes himself out of his thoughts and walks through the hall to sit next to Ron. "Good morning."

The redhead ignores him, keeping his focus on the food in front of him. Harry sighs, "Don't do that, Ron. Don't ignore me."

Ron stops eating but keeps his head down, "I am not ignoring you," he mutters.

Harry places a hand on his back. "I am sorry. I should have told you that I changed my schedule up a bit. I honestly didn't think of it."

Ron shrugs, "It's fine."

"You say that, but I can tell you want to say something. Go on, spit it out," Harry states.

Ron turns to face him, "Alright, I'll spit it out. You've changed, Harry."

Harry actually laughs, "You can't possibly tell me that you are so upset because I am taking my education more seriously? Ron, I need to be able to defend myself. You, as well as anyone, know what I am up against. I can't afford to stumble from one debacle to the next. I need to be able to take care of myself and those I care for."

"That isn't what I care about, Harry," Ron says.

"What do you care about, then?"

"You seem to have forgotten about me," Ron whispers, barely saying it loud enough for Harry to be able to hear him.

"I have not 'forgotten' about you, Ron. This is literally the third day of the school year. I am still getting situated in my new schedule and classes. I wasn't even sure if I would be able to pass the test to enter Runes until I did so this morning."

"Maybe I am being irrational," Ron admits slowly.

Harry nods, "I am glad you see that. I have no intention of abandoning you, Ron, but I have to be honest. I will likely not be spending as much time with you over the next year. I want you to know that I am not making this decision lightly."

Ron sighs and nods, "I understand, mate."

The redhead returns his focus to his food and Harry quickly grabs a plate and begins to eat. His thoughts travel back to the Slytherin girl that was looking at him. Why was she looking at me?

He continues to think about it as he finishes lunch and grabs his books. He, Ron, and Hermione set out toward the Astronomy classroom. "Why are we having Astronomy during the day? Isn't it usually in the evening?" Ron asks.

"Because today is likely more of a conceptual class. Professor Sinstra will probably speak about the aims of the class this semester," Hermione answers, Harry nodding in agreement.

"Good afternoon, class," Professor Sinstra says.

Harry murmurs a response along with the rest of the class. "Now, I am sure many of you are wondering why I have scheduled class for the afternoon today, yes?"

Many students nod. "Well, I have been warned that tonight may be extremely cloudy, taking away any opportunity we would have to observe the sky. Instead, I will use today as a way to inform all of you as to what we will be learning this semester."

Harry nods in appreciation. It will be good to know what to study for.

"This semester, each and every one of you will observe an occultation that is set to take place on October twelfth. In the time leading up to that event, you will make sure that you have the knowledge to accurately describe what you witness. You will work in pairs that I assign. Headmaster Dumbledore has asked me to match each member of Gryffindor with another student in a different house."

Distressed complaints fill the air at that announcement at that statement. Professor Sinstra sighs, "I know. Many of you see a few members of other houses as enemies. That should not be the case. You all attend the same school and you should be able to be congenial with one another. I will grade your work based on cooperation and understanding. The second part of this assignment is that at the end, you will have to write a letter to your partner. They will not see it, but I will grade it."

More groans fill the classroom. "Can we not work by ourselves?" Dean Thomas asks.

Professor Sinstra sighs, "According to Headmaster Dumbledore, no. However, if I see your request as reasonable enough, I may grant you the opportunity to work on your own. That would also only be if I think you capable of doing the work that I plan on assigning to two people. The third option is that you may put in a request to work with a classmate and if I think the match a good one, I may allow it to happen. Your request must still be of a student in another house."

Sighs of relief cause Harry to laugh slightly, muffling it with a cough. Is it really that painful for all of my classmates to work with someone from another house? I mean, I certainly wouldn't want to work with Malfoy, but I actually like the idea of more inter-house cooperation. I want to learn more about the other houses.

"I will post your partners by Saturday night on the message board outside of this classroom. You have until tomorrow night to come forward with a request to work by yourself or suggest a partner for yourself. Remember that I may see your request as unwise and deny it. I am not granting every one of you the opportunity to work alone or work with another."

Professor Sinstra pauses for a long moment, "Am I understood?"

Murmurs of ascent answer her question and she nods in approval. "There will not be any homework until your partners are assigned. From then on, you may choose to work with your partner on any assignment that I give you."

Harry nods in appreciation. I hope I get a good partner then.

The rest of the class passes relatively uneventfully, Harry going over who he could end up partnered with. He admits to himself that he really doesn't know many classmates in other houses, and the ones he does know are all from Quidditch.

That brings his thoughts to the sport that has occupied a large part of his first three years of education. I will miss it, that is for sure. I will miss gliding through the open air. Diving through clouds and feeling water vapor coat my skin…I wonder if I will ever play the sport again.

Once the class is over, he walks out with Ron and Hermione, doing his best to tune out their arguing. Ron complains loudly about the partner idea and already wants to propose working on his own. "Hermione, I would do better work alone. I don't need someone else to help me. Professor Sinstra will know that."

Wow, Ron. Very intelligent thing to say to the girl that does most of your homework for you. "You know what, Ron? Let's see how you do then."

The redhead looks confused and Harry sighs, continuing to observe the exchange. "What are you talking about?" The boy asks.

Hermione's eyes are alight with anger as she glares at Ron, "I'll see how long it takes you to notice and understand what you just said, Ron. I pray for your sake that it won't take long."

She bustles off, leaving Harry with Ron. "Completely mental, that one," Ron comments to Harry.

"Ron, I agree with her," Harry states calmly.

"What?" He demands. "What do you mean, 'you agree with her?' How can you agree with her over me?"

"Both of you are my friends, Ron. I will not select a favorite. At this current time, I side with Hermione entirely because she is right."

"I still don't get why she got so bloody upset," Ron grumbles.

"That is exactly your problem, Ron," Harry states, brushing a hand through his hair. "You need to think more before you speak."

The redhead just looks more frustrated, "What did I say that set her off?"

"I think you need to figure that out for yourself," Harry asserts, stating the password to the Fat Lady. "I have some work to get done now, Ron. I have a free period."

The portrait swings open and Harry walks in, leaving Ron staring thoughtfully into nothing.

Harry shakes his head and walks through the living room section of Gryffindor tower. He reaches the steps and ascends them quickly, walking over to his bed.

His eyes fall on Hedwig where she sits on her perch, a letter laid on his pillow. He walks over to it, finger brushing over the wax seal with a familiar emblem emblazoned in it. He walks to his desk and settles himself down, gently breaking the seal and opening the letter. He pulls out the sheet of paper and places it on the desk on front of him. He places his glasses down to his side.

Harry,

I am sorry for the delayed response. I have had to move around a lot over the past week. The Aurors got a lead on me from some muggle and I had to make sure to not leave a trail they could follow. I obviously cannot mention where I am but I will say that I am warm.

I hope you enjoyed the World Cup, up until those damn wannabes decided to play Death Eater. I read about it in the paper. I am glad you were not injured, but it makes me wish more than ever that I could be with you. I hate having to wait for news on you, anxiously praying that I do not see any news about your death in the paper.

I also hear from a reliable source that a certain tournament is making its return this year. Pity, James and I always wanted it to be revived while we were still in school. My heart is all for you making a run at glory in the tournament, but the godfather in me wants me to implore you to, please, not place your name into the Goblet of Fire. You are in enough danger as it is, and I do not want to have to sit on my ass and wait for the results of each round to see if you survived (though I have no doubt that you would).

A certain feline has also recently informed me that you are taking your academics much more seriously. I am truly impressed. I thought your father and I had forced that out of you by the time you were six months old. As I am sure you are aware, James and I never really took school as seriously as a certain redheaded girl wanted us to. Ah well, I guess you have another one of your mother's traits. She would be very proud of you, Harry. They both would be proud.

I was told that you would need permission to exclude your name from public records for being in an Honors Class. I have included that in the envelope with this letter.

Well, I must be going. I am writing this from a small bar and the bartender is ordering me to leave as he is closing for the night.

As always, if you ever need me, all you have to do is send the word and I will be there.

I will try and write again soon.

Sirius

Harry places the letter down, a cloud of emotion hanging over him. A single tear rolls down his right cheek. That is all have ever wanted, mom and dad. To make you proud of who I am becoming. I hope I am finally on the path to doing that.

He shakes himself, wiping the tear away with the back of his robe. He closes his eyes for a long moment, a labored breath shaking his entire being.

He reaches into the envelope and pulls out the slip of paper granting him permission to stay out of public records. He smiles and slips it into a pocket.

He rises from his spot at his desk and walks over to the window, opening it. Cool breeze buffets against him, his robe fluctuating around him. Harry looks down, eyes taking in the view of the grounds. He can see small specks as his fellow students mill about far beneath him.

It takes him a moment to realize that even from hundreds of feet above, he can make out specific details on the students. He catches a brief glimpse of long, red hair before he sees a familiar freckled face. He smiles slightly as he recognizes Ginny, though he acknowledges that his enhanced vision is another strange thing to add to a growing list.

His eyes darken a moment later as he catches a glimpse of a girl with silver hair being shoved aggressively against a stone pillar in an abandoned courtyard. He sees one of the figures cast a spell on the girl, immediately assuming that it is a silencing charm. His hands curl into fists at his side and he can barely stop himself from leaping out the window.

Harry thinks furiously, trying to think of a way to get down as he watches one of the figures assaulting Luna backhand her across the face. He draws his wand and before he knows what he is doing, he jumps out of the window.

The irony is not lost on Harry. A moment before, he had barely stopped himself from jumping, knowing that logically, it wouldn't be a good idea. Now he is free-falling. His eyes widen and adrenaline pumps through his veins. He should feel fear or shock at his body's actions but he doesn't, embracing the decision. Air rushes against his face at painfully high speeds, his robe almost being ripped off of his body.

His mind is still alight with anger as the ground draws closer and closer to the stone roof of an overhang that lies a few hundred feet from where he saw Luna.

When he gets within a hundred feet of the ground, his wand acts on its own, casting a spell he has not seen before. He doesn't have time to think about such an occurrence as his feet slam into the stone overhang. A shock runs through his body and his jaw slams together, causing him to bite his tongue. He immediately tastes the metallic flavor of his own blood and grimaces slightly at the pain. His vision blurs from the impact and he falls to his knees in moderate pain.

Luna. At the thought, he immediately jumps down from the overhang, another shock coursing through his already injured body, but he doesn't stop. He races across the stony courtyard, rushing past a few of his classmates. He slams into a Hufflepuff girl with long, brown hair but doesn't even stop to apologize, racing on. "Harry!" Ginny calls out, but he ignores her.

He enters the abandoned courtyard where Harry say Luna being dragged, wand in hand. Harry's eyes immediately find Luna with her back pressed up against a pillar, tears rolling down her face. Her face is red and her mouth is open wide as screams of horror and shock leave her lips only to be annihilated by a silencing spell.

One of the attackers turns to face the sound of the footsteps, his eyes widening the moment he sees Harry. Harry does not say a word, silently casting the same spell Hermione used on Neville in the first year. Out of shock, the older boy doesn't react in time and falls backward, his head slamming against the stone.

The boy with his hands on Luna spins around and Harry lets out a yell, a pulse of red magic erupting from his wand-less hand. The boy doesn't have time to let out a sound as the magic collides with his chest, sending him flying against a pillar on the other side of the courtyard. He crumples to the ground, unmoving.

Harry rushes to Luna's side, his wand sliding into his sleeve. "Luna!" He places a hand on her shoulder only for her to pull back, sobs racking her body.

He looks down at her appearance, taking in her bloodied cheek where one of the boys punched her. He lets out a relieved sigh when he confirms that none of her clothes are ripped. He hears a commotion being himself and spins around to find a hoard of other students entering the courtyard.

Whispers break out and Ginny rushes over to him, "What happened, Harry?"

Harry doesn't answer, beginning to whisper quiet words of encouragement and reassurance to Luna. Her sobs slowly die down a few moments later, her grey eyes looking up at him. She still doesn't say a word but Harry can see how grateful she is.

"Out of my way!" The commanding voice of Professor McGonagall demands. She is at his side a moment later. "Mister Potter, what is the meaning of this?"

Harry looks up at her, expression cold. "That is not something to be discussed with an audience."

McGonagall nods immediately, turning back to the gathered students. "Go back to your previous activities," she orders, tone leaving no room for argument.

Ginny hesitates for a long moment but after a look from Harry, leaves with the rest. McGonagall bends over to be closer to Luna. "Miss Lovegood, what happened?"

Harry answers for her, "These two students," he says the word students with a hatred, "thought it would be fun to assault a girl years their junior." He gestures to the petrified and crumpled figures of the two boys.

McGonagall's eyes darken immediately, "Mister Potter, you did a good thing here."

Well, no shit. Harry thinks to himself, but he does not echo his thoughts out loud. "I did what any good person would have done, Professor."

"I will take her to the Hospital Wing to see Poppy. You may resume whatever it is you were doing."

Harry shakes his head, "I want to say with Luna, Professor."

She looks at him questioningly, "I had no idea you even knew Miss Lovegood, Mister Potter. However, you may come with me. I will have Severus deal with these two."

Harry nods, accepting that while he may not like the Potions Professor, the man is nothing if not thorough in his punishments.
Harry is silent as Professor McGonagall levitates Luna's body, but he takes her hand in his own and squeezes it comfortingly. Luna tilts her head slightly, her storm-grey eyes meeting his again. "Thank you," she croaks out.

Harry shakes his head, "Rest, Luna."

The girl's eyes drift closed again without another word.

The rest of the trip to the Hospital Wing passes in silence, every student they pass looking at Luna's limp body in either curiosity or horror.

Madame Pomfrey rushes over to them the moment they enter, "My goodness, what in the Earth happened to you, my dear?"

She has Luna in a bed moments later and begins muttering spells. Harry watches from the entrance to the Hospital Wing as Madame Pomfrey works. "How did you know she needed you, Mister Potter?"

"I saw her," he answers immediately. "The boys put a silencing spell around the courtyard. No one could have heard her screams for help."

"Saw her from where, Mister Potter? As much as it pains me to say it, that courtyard would never have been viewable from anywhere on ground level."

Harry takes a long breath, completely unsure how to answer the question. He finally decides to be truthful. "I saw her from the window in my dormitory, Professor."

Her eyes widen, "How on…Mister Potter, forget I asked. You did a good thing. I will leave it at that." Harry nods in gratitude. "Also, you are bleeding. Did one of the boys hit you with something?"

Harry doesn't answer, only nodding curtly. Close enough to the truth.

Madame Pomfrey walks over to them a moment later, "I gave her a calming draught and a dreamless sleep potion. She needs a good rest before I speak to her. May I know what happened?"

"Mister Potter found two boys attempting to force themselves on Miss Lovegood in an abandoned courtyard," Professor McGonagall states seriously.

Madame Pomfrey raises a hand to her mouth in shock, "My word, what kind of student would do that? Do you know who they were?"
Harry shakes his head, "I did not recognize them. They were not Gryffindor."

McGonagall speaks again, "I did. Marcus Belby, a Ravenclaw, and Eric Sarith, a Slytherin."

"What happened to them?" Madame Pomfrey asks.

"Mister Potter dealt with them and I will see to it that they don't spend another minute in this school. Eric Sarith has a powerful family in the ministry. He was a good student, or so I thought, however, his parents will have to accept a verdict. Belby and his family's connections may make dealing with him more difficult."

"Well done, Mister Potter," Madame Pomfrey exclaims.

He inclines his head to her before walking over to kneel at Luna's bedside. "I am so sorry, Luna." He whispers. "I should have gotten to you quicker. I should have stopped this from happening at all."

He bows his head, a rush of determination filling his body. He rises back to his feet and walks back over to Madame Pomfrey, "Please keep an eye on her. I have to be getting to Charms."

"Of course, Mister Potter. You have my word that I will take good care of her. You may go. Do you need me to check your mouth?"

Harry suppresses a grimace and shakes his head "No, thank you Madame Pomfrey." He nods before turning to Professor McGonagall, "Please try to not let what happened be too public. Luna isn't one who would want that kind of thing to be public knowledge."

She nods, "Of course. All matters of this kind are handled with the utmost discretion. You may rest assured that word of what happened will not travel beyond those who saw her."

Harry nods and walks out of the Hospital Wing. He doesn't get far before he feels his legs throb in extreme pain. His adrenaline falls away, leaving his entire body aching. He leans against a wall, a hiss of pain exiting his lips.

His vision blurs and before he knows what is happening, he feels his eyes droop closed. He finds himself in the same darkened environment where he saw the mysterious figures the night before.

He notices the figures standing in a semicircle around him once more and notices that he sits on the throne he was in previously. He rises to his feet and the seven figures immediately drop to their knees, keeping the staffs that they each hold vertical.

"Welcome back, lord."

Harry shakes his head, "No. Enough of this. Who the hell are you and what is going on?"

The figures do not react and not another word is said. Harry sighs, subconsciously running a hand through his hair. "What the fuck is going on?"

He sighs, walking down the steps from the ascended platform that the throne sits on, approaching the figures. He grimaces as he gets closer, the stench of death filling his nose. As he gets close enough to clearly see one of the figures, his eyes widen in recognition.

It is the same little girl that he saw on the platform at King's Cross, a single glowing green eye meeting his. The skin of her face is nearly gone, the pale white of her cheekbones clearly visible. The inside of her mouth lacks a clear thing. A tongue.

Her brown hair is crawling with maggots and blood trips from a gash in the right side of her skull. Harry dry heaves, turning away as he nearly throws up. It doesn't take a thorough look to note that all of the other figures are in just as bad if not worse shape than the little girl.

Harry walks back toward the throne and sits down, his eyes flicking between each figure. The little girl still draws his attention and he cannot help but think about all that has changed about him.

Are my visions side effects of whatever the hell this is? Is this why my vision got better? Is this why Fawkes' feather reacted the way it did and why Fawkes himself hated my touch? Is this how I jumped out of a window on a whim and casted a spell I didn't recognize? If so, I need to figure out more about this.

"Who are you?" Harry asks.

"We are your servants, Lord."

He shakes his head, "No, I mean, who are you?"

"We are your servants, Lord."

Harry sighs. Well, that doesn't work.

"Who am I?" He tries.

"You are our god, lord."

God?! Harry shudders. "What god am I?"

"You are our god, lord."

Harry rises from the throne again, "What are my domains?"

No answer.

Before another word is said, Harry is back in his body, shaking from the pain. Sweat pours down his forehead and he feels blood continue to drip out of his lips from when he bit his tongue. He forces himself to his feet, clenching his teeth tightly together to stop a cry of pain from leaving his lips. He reaches up with a trembling palm and wipes away some of the blood, but has to react quickly as he stumbles forward.

Harry crashes into the wall, his shoulder taking the brunt of the impact. He slides down the wall, curling up with his knees pressed to his chest. He rocks himself back and force, whimpers of pain leaving him. It feels like his entire body is being set aflame and frozen and ice at the same time, warring sensations flooding his nerves.

He forces himself to stand up again, his arms and legs shaking with the effort. He uses the wall to brace himself, his heartbeat filling his ears. He stops moving, panting for breath as the pain in his body continues to swarm over his entire being.

His hands shake and before he knows it, he is dragged back into a vision.

"Take it."

Harry looks around from his spot on the obsidian throne, his eyes trailing around the entire room. "Take what?" He asks desperately.

"Claim your power."

Suddenly, a staff made of a dark red metal appears in front of him, shimmering in the dull light originating from an unknown source.

Harry reaches a hand out toward it only for it to float up into the air and move away from his grip. "You are not ready."

He finds himself back in his body again, immediately noticing that he is no longer shaking. He hesitantly rises to his feet, noting the lack of pain that he feels now when compared to moments before.

Harry takes a long moment to collect himself, running a hand across his face in search of any blood. He feels none.

He immediately sets out for the bathroom nearest to him, entering it quickly. He walks over to a mirror above a sink and looks into it. A sigh of relief leaves his body at his normal appearance and he allows his eyes to close once more as his hands grip the edge of the sink.

He turns on the faucet and splashes cold water against his face repeatedly. He runs a wet hand through his black curls, shooting them down.

Harry pauses for one last long moment before exiting the bathroom and setting out for his dormitory once more.

He is able to make it there with a disturbance, keeping his head down. Everyone must be at dinner, he realizes a moment later.

He walks over to his bed collapses down, a tremor of shock running through him. Harry breaks down, tears running down his cheeks as he curls into the fetal position. His body shakes as sobs continuously leave his lips. The shadows of the unlit dorm seem suffocating and he curls further inward, squeezing his eyes closed.

He waits until he is calm once more before sitting up again. He shakes himself, the cool breeze from the open window rushing toward him. He recalls jumping out the window, trepidation filing him at the mere thought of the experience. Adrenaline is a powerful motivator to make one do things they would never do otherwise.

He grabs his wand and mutters, "Tempus," eyes widening as he bolts out of bed. He rushes out of the dorm and toward the Charms classroom. He enters it, noting that it is still empty.

"Good evening, Mister Potter." Professor Flitwick says.

Harry turns to find the voice, smiling slightly at Professor Flitwick where he stands toward one side of the classroom. "Good evening, Professor." He walks toward him and hands him the slip of paper with Sirius' permission to be excluded from the public records on it. "My guardian asked me to give you this."

The Professor glances over it and nods, "Excellent."

Silence falls for one moment before the Professor speaks again.

"Would you be so kind as to help me place all of the desks at the other end of the room, Mister Potter? You may use your magic," Professor asks.

Harry nods immediately, "Of course, Professor."

He draws his wand and one by one, moves all of the desks over to the right side of the classroom. "Why is no one here yet, Professor?"

The diminutive Professor nods, "I gave you an earlier time than when the class actually starts. I wanted to speak to you about a few things."

Harry nods, "Ah. I understand. What do you need to speak to me about?"

Professor Flitwick sighs, "First off, I wanted to commend you for what you did for Miss Lovegood."

Harry nods, "Any good person would have done the same."

The Professor sighs, "Yes, any good person would have. You are right. That is not why I wanted to speak with you though."

Harry nods and the Professor begins speaking again, "When I originally wrote you that letter yesterday, there were a few other things I needed to speak to you about that are not as important now."

Harry frowns curiosity growing. "Mister Potter, what you did for Miss Lovegood was nothing short of heroic. However, the boy you sent flying into a pillar sustained severe injuries. He was taken to St. Mungos for an evaluation. The force of the blow broke his spine and has left him paralyzed below the neck. Usually magic would be able to fix such an injury, but for some odd reason, his body is now entirely unresponsive to any kind of magic. That shouldn't be possible."

Harry inhales sharply, various emotions warring within him. "How?" Harry asks quietly. "I…"

Professor Flitwick sighs again, "I know, Mister Potter. I know that you didn't intentionally paralyze him. I have to ask, what spell did you use to send him across the courtyard?"

Harry attempts to think back to the incident in the courtyard. He feels a thrill of horror run through him when he realized what it was that he used to send the boy flying into the pillar. I can't tell the Professor that. He'll think something is wrong with me.

"It was a simple depulso, Professor," Harry says quietly. "I petrified the boy who was standing watch for his friend and then I used depulso to get the other boy off of Luna. I didn't even notice what happened to him."

Professor Flitwick looks at him for a long moment, "You are certain that it wasn't any other spell? I am not asking because I want to punish you, Mister Potter. It's just my duty as one of your Professors to cover all the bases."

Harry nods, "Yes, Professor. I am certain." Harry internally feels a bit of pain as the lie exits his lips.

The Ravenclaw Head of House nods, "Alright. Something else must have made him immune to magic. Thank you, mister Potter. And thank you again for saving Miss Lovegood. You may go to the other side of the room and wait. The other students should be arriving soon."

Harry nods and walks to the other side of the room, his mind racing. I know I should feel absolutely horrible about what I did. I should feel regret that a boy will never walk again because of me. I don't. He got what he deserved.

The dark thought causes Harry to shiver and his thoughts go to his experience in the hallway only a few hours prior. What is happening to me?

The door to the classroom opens and a Hufflepuff boy enters, along with an older Gryffindor girl that Harry vaguely recognizes from the seventh year. A moment later, a familiar silver-haired Slytherin walks in. Her eyes sweep the classroom before landing on him.

The ice-blue orbs widen almost imperceptibly before narrowing once more, expression never changing. Harry can't help but me impressed by her demeanor, indicating an upbringing a pureblood. "Good evening, Mister Darius, Miss Salen. And you, Miss Greengrass." Professor Flitwick says. "You may join Mister Potter. We will start in a few minutes."

The eyes of the Hufflepuff and the Gryffindor find him, widening his surprise. Daphne, on the other hand, doesn't even acknowledge his existence as she glides across the room to stand at one corner of the room. "Good evening, Harry." The Gryffindor girl says.

Harry nods in greeting before speaking, "Forgive me for my lack of knowledge, but you are…?"

She shakes her head, "Don't worry about it. I am Eriana. This is Blake." She gestures at the Hufflepuff at her side.

Harry nods in greeting to the boy before turning back to Eriana. "You are in the seventh year, correct?"

She nods, smiling slightly. "Yes, Harry."

"Alright, class. Let us begin. We will have a few other students next week but Astrology coincidentally is happening right now for the Ravenclaw portion of our class." Professor Flitwick says, drawing the attention of the four students in the classroom.

"Let's start with something fun, shall we? Miss Salen, you may work with Mister Darius. Mister Potter, you and Miss Greengrass will work together."

Harry turns to look at the Slytherin, noting once more her expressionless features. She nods gracefully, "Of course, Professor," she says, voice soft but lined with authority.

Harry watches as Eriana and Blake stand across from one another and he moves to do the same with Daphne.

His nature-green eyes meet with Daphne's ice-blue orbs and he doesn't move to break eye contact. "Draw your wands and turn to face me."

Harry takes his wand out of his sleeve and turns to look at Professor Flitwick. "For the two of you who have not been in this class before, I want to take the time to briefly explain what you will be learning."

Harry nods and the Professor continues to speak. "In the normal Charms class, you would be learning the basics of the conceptual aspect of the subject, along with occasionally casting a few spells. That will not be the case in this class. By proving to me that you are ready for this class, I already know that you have a grasp of the concepts you will need. This is where you will hone them. Dueling will play a large role here and that is what we will be doing tonight."

Harry feels a thrill of eagerness flow through him, but it is dampened by his mixed emotions from what happened to the boy he sent into a pillar. "You will spend the entire duration of the class tonight practicing simple dueling spells against one another. Do not cast anything that could cause serious harm. There will be invisible barriers on either side of you so you need not worry about hitting anyone else. The barriers also cancel out all sound, unless I determine that I need to listen in. Starting next week, I will have everyone practice with me so I can determine weaknesses that need to be addressed."

Harry nods and the Professor finishes. "You may begin. I will be watching to determine the skill level that you, Mister Potter, and you Miss Greengrass, possess. I have not seen either of you use your full knowledge before."

He turns to look at Greengrass, his eyes narrowed. She looks right back at him, eyes not leaving his wand. The sound of spells originating from Eriana and Blake fill the air as Daphne and Harry continue to stare at each other. "We don't have all night, you two." Professor Flitwick says, but Harry can hear a tremor of laughter in his voice.

Suddenly, Daphne's wand slices through the air and a red spell races through the air toward him. He ducks it quickly, returning fire with a silent spell of his own. Rather than duck it, she summons a light blue shield and the spell dies against it.

Both of them begin to circle one another, Harry keeping his wand at the ready. Daphne sends a blue spell toward him and Harry flicks his wand, deflecting it to his right. It shatters against the invisible barrier.

Harry decides to up his game and begins to send spell after spell at the Slytherin girl, making sure to not give her time to collect herself. Her lips are pressed into a thin line as she endures his onslaught, deflecting or dodging every spell efficiently.

Harry can't help but feel impressed at her performance as he continues to send more spells toward her. He feels no sign of tiring at all and reaches up with one hand to run it through his hair.

Daphne's eyes darken as she notices his nonchalant action and she summons a shield of gold light, gesturing outward with it. It rushes toward Harry, absorbing every spell it meets. Harry flicks his wand again, deflecting the light into the barrier before it can slam into him. "That was not very kind, Potter," the Slytherin girl states calmly, raising her hand and collecting a ball of red light on the tip of her wand. "Hasn't anyone ever told you not to attack a lady?"

Harry scoffs at her, "Not quite, Greengrass. I was told to survive."

She cocks her head at that, nodding slightly. Before Harry can speak again, Daphne sends the growing ball of red magical light flying toward him. Harry summons a stream of water and sends it at the light, puncturing it. The light flies apart and the stream of water slams into Daphne's face.

She sputters slightly, blinking as Harry cancels the stream of water. She looks down at her soaked clothes for a long moment before looking back at Harry. "How did you know that would work? Why use water?"

Harry shrugs, "Instinct, I guess."

She sighs, waving a wand over her clothes, drying them. Her silver locks of hair continue to drip water as she looks at him again. "My, you are rude, Potter. First, the barrage of spells and now getting me wet?"

Harry grins cockily, "Getting you wet?"

She looks coldly at him, though her lips twitching betrays her true feeling. "Real funny, you Gryffindor idiot. You know what I meant."

Harry shrugs, "I know what you said, too."

The Slytherin just looks at him again, not saying a word for a long moment.

What has come over me? Why would I say something like that? I am in Charms for Merlin's sake!

He is interrupted from his thoughts as she gestures with her wand. He feels his entire body being pulled toward her and he struggles to break the magic. He gives up as he finds himself right in front of her, forced to his knees. "Well, I certainly like this."

Harry looks up at her from his spot kneeling before her. "What, you like me on my knees before you?"

Her lips turn up slightly, though it lacks the sincerity it did a few minutes earlier. "Yes. The Boy-Who-Lived kneeling at my feet. There are few who wouldn't want that."

Harry shrugs, "True."

He slashes his wand and breaks the magic she has holding him in place. He rises to his feet, noting sullenly that he isn't much taller than her. Before he can say anything again, she banishes him across the space, his back slaming into the barrier.

A surprised groan of pain leaves his lips as he wobbles to his feet. "And you were saying I was the rude one." He states. "Damn, that hurt."

She shakes her head, "Cry, Potter."

He is the one glaring at her this time. Serpensortia

A snake exits his wand at the nonverbal spell, flying across the room to wrap around Daphne's arm.

"Do not hurt her. Do not bite her. Tighten around her wrist." Harry commands in parseltongue.

The snake does as it is told, tightening its hold on her wrist. She looks down at it without a care in the world. "So, it is true. You are a parselmouth."

Harry shrugs, "Guilty."

"Tell it to release me, Potter. I won't ask again."

Harry sighs, "You would think someone of your stature would have good manners."

Her eyes darken again and he raises his palms. "Fine. Let go and come back to me."

The snake lets go of her and slithers back over to him, stopping at his feet. He banishes it a moment later.

The two glare at one another again, their banter falling away. Neither makes any move to cast any spells, choosing to not break eye contact.

"Alright, that is enough." Professor Flitwick's voice interjects their standoff. "Well done, both of you. Mister Potter, in the future, please do not use your power over snakes in this classroom.

He nods, "Understood, Professor."

"You are free to go, both of you. Have a good evening."

Harry nods and slides his wand into his sleeve. "You too, Professor. Thank you."

He nods, "No, thank you, Mister Potter."

Harry nods and exits the room.

The door opens behind him and he turns to find Daphne walking toward him. He prepares to speak but stops as she walks briskly past him, seemingly not noticing his existence again.

He sighs, turning and walking back toward his dorm. He finds Hermione sitting in front of the fireplace in the common room, nose buried in a book. As soon as he enters, she stops reading and walks over to him, eyes brimming with curiosity. "How was it?" She asks.

He shrugs, "It was good. Tonight was entirely dueling."

Her eyes widen, "Dueling?"

He nods, "Yes. We were matched up and then told to duel. Professor Flitwick just watched."

"Who did were you matched with?" She questions.

"The Slytherin from Potions. Greengrass," he responds.

"Was she good?"

Harry nods immediately, "Yes, she was pretty good."

The two fall silent. "Well, goodnight Hermione. I need to go to bed. I am tired."

She nods, "Goodnight, Harry."

He watches as she walks back over to the fireplace and picks up her book. He walks up the stairs to the dorm, immediately hearing Ron's snores.

He casts a silencing spell around his redheaded friend's bed before walking to grab a change of clothes.

He changes quickly and quietly before walking over to his desk. He looks at the many sheets of paper scattered across the wood and picks up Sirius' letter again. His eyes scan the words one more time before he puts it back down and walks back to his bed.

He crawls in and pulls the blankets over his body. He is asleep before he can even get completely comfortable.

A/N.

Chapter four in the books. This one took a very long time to write and I am sorry for the delay.

Explanations:

I want to make it clear that I am completely and 100% against using rape or attempted rape as a plot device. However, it will play a major role in Luna's character and her relationship with Harry. I did not make that decision lightly.

So, the boy that Harry sent across the courtyard is now immune to all magic and will not ever walk again. That is something that will also be explained more later.

Another occurrence with the visions and the "mysterious" figures. More to come, too...(;

The dynamic between Harry and Daphne is one that I spent a lot of time debating. I originally had Daphne be cold and almost cruel, but I decided against that option. I wanted there to be a degree of weakness to her "Ice Queen" persona. The banter is a bit cringe, I know. It is intentionally that way.

That is all of the explanations that I have for this chapter. I want to make my explanations shorter. My first three were way too long.

As always, I will answer any questions to the best of my ability, making sure not to spoil anything.