Preface
The RavenPosted originally on the Archive of Our Own at /works/21307736.
Rating:
Mature
Archive Warning:
Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category:
M/M, F/M
Fandom:
Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Relationship:
Harry Potter/Blaise Zabini, Luna Lovegood/Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott/Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass/Original Male Character(s)
Character:
Harry Potter, Tom Riddle Voldemort, Luna Lovegood, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass, Original Male Character(s), Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Neville Longbottom, Sirius Black, Castor Lestrange
Additional Tags:
Gryffindor Harry, Morally Grey Harry Potter, Morally Ambiguous Character, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Smart Harry Potter, Introspective Harry Potter, Slytherins Being Slytherins, Eventual Dark Harry Potter, Not exactly Ron bashing but he can be a jealous idiot sometimes, Protective Slytherins, Slytherins are good friends, OOC Cedric Diggory, New tournament tasks, Dark Harry
Series:
Part 1 of
Viridian Nights
Stats:
Published: 2019-11-04 Updated: 2021-04-04 Chapters: 18/30 Words: 44801
The Raven
by Noctem31
Summary
Forced into a tournament he wanted no part of, and scorned by his friends, Harry Potter decides he doesn't have time for their games. When an unknown figure begins offering help and protection, Harry starts to question everything he knows about Hogwarts and the people within.
Notes
As usual, all credit goes to JKR, I own nothing. This is just for fun.
In this fanfic I will be deviating a little from canon. For example, Neville's parents were never tortured and the Lestranges are not in Azkaban. The Lestranges have a son named Castor Lestrange.
I will also be changing the Triwizard Tournament tasks because I feel like readers get sick of reading the same tasks over and over again in fanfiction. So don't worry! This one will be different.
See the end of the work for more notes
Raven Pendants and Red Journals
"Mr. Potter has no choice. He is, as of tonight, A triwizard champion."
Harry struggled to keep his feet moving as he made his way back to Gryffindor Tower. He felt numb, not even fear tickled at the back of his mind. He was completely numb. Empty.
"Alright Potter?"
Harry turned to his left to see Draco and Blaise Zabini leaning against the stone wall outside of the Great Hall. Draco's expression was mildly curious, while Blaise simply crossed his arms over his chest.
"Fine," was all Harry could get out before he continued his walk to the tower. He didn't even have the heart to question why Draco Malfoy of all people was suddenly showing an interest in his well being.
It took nearly three times longer than usual, but eventually he stepped through the threshold of his dorm room. He ignored the looks Ron sent him as he changed clothing and climbed into his bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.
The next morning Harry sat as far away from the rest of Gryffindor House as he possibly could. He couldn't stand the constant whispering and glares they sent him when they thought he wasn't paying attention.
He picked at his food, unable to eat more than half of what was on his plate. Eventually he gave up on eating and cradled a warm cup of coffee in his hands. He savored the warmth as it ran down his throat and settled in his stomach.
He let out a sigh after a long while and decided he didn't care anymore. Why was this any different than second year? They hated him then and they hated him now. Things would never change. They only liked him when he was earning house points or catching the golden snitch during the Gryffindor quidditch matches.
Harry didn't need them. He certainly wasn't going to waste time on people who turned their backs on him at nearly every opportunity. He would figure it out on his own, he decided. He would study and do everything within his power to complete the tasks. He didn't have time for the drama, not when his life was at risk.
Harry took another sip of his coffee, but nearly dropped the cup when a raven almost landed on his half empty plate. The rather intelligent looking bird stole a piece of bacon before spreading its wings and flying from the Great Hall.
He watched it go before noticing the package it had left behind. It was thin and rectangular with a slight lump on one side. Wondering if it was from Sirius, he picked it up and glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention. Everyone was purposefully ignoring him, so he cast several curse detection spells before carefully ripping open the package.
Inside were two items. The first was a raven pendant on a black chain. The raven was flying with its wings spread wide, an it had crimson eyes and black metal feathers that glinted in the light.
He put it aside to look over the second item, a red leather journal with black fastenings. He opened the cover to see six words written on the first page,
'Wear the pendant. Don't trust Dumbledore.'
Harry froze in shock as he stared at the page. After a moment, he flipped through the rest of the journal, but there was nothing else. He half expected the words to fade, but they were still there when he turned back to the first page,
' Wear the pendant. Don't trust Dumbledore.'
He thought the handwriting was familiar, but he couldn't place it. He thought of Tom Riddle's diary, and looked over the journal more closely.
It was obviously new, not old like Tom Riddle's diary. It also didn't have the same… taste , as Tom Riddle's diary. It was different, yet it still felt familiar somehow.
'Don't trust Dumbeldore.'
Harry certainly felt betrayed by the Headmaster. The man hadn't done a single thing to help him get out of this situation the previous night. Harry was angry with Dumbledore, but that didn't mean he didn't trust him. He had to believe Headmaster Dumbledore was looking for a way to break the magical contract.
Feeling slightly nervous, Harry slipped the red journal and the pendant into his backpack. He would look into it further after his classes were over.
Harry accidentally ran into Draco Malfoy as he left the hall. "Watch it Potter," Draco hissed as he shoved him back. Draco discreetly forced a crumpled piece of paper into his hand as he pushed past him.
Harry held it tightly at his side as he watched Draco disappear with the rest of the Slytherins into the crowd of students.
He opened it as he walked to his first class of the day, unable to wait until later. Careful to make sure no one was watching him, he pulled apart the wrinkled paper.It read, 'Be careful Potter, things are not as the seem. You are being watched.''
Harry felt a wave of frustration come over him as he crumpled the note back up and shoved it into his backpack with the journal and pendant.
What the hell is going on? He asked himself.
After classes ended, he found the most secluded section of the library and cast a notice-me-not charm to prevent people from bothering him.
He then sat down and took out the journal and Draco's note to compare the two. He set them side by side on the table and immediately noticed the difference in handwriting. Whoever wrote in the journal certainly wasn't Draco Malfoy.
He pushed the journal and the note across the table out of anger and dropped his face into his hands. He wished he had someone to ask for advice, but something was telling him to keep everything to himself. Something wasn't right. If two different people were warning him, it meant he was in danger. Though whether or not Draco and the mystery writer were trustworthy was up for debate. Maybe they were the ones trying to lead him into a trap.
Either way, he would take their advice and watch his own back. He wouldn't trust anyone moving forward until he had more information.
Harry brought the journal and the note closer again, hoping to find some kind of clue. He nearly gasped when he opened the journal and found seven more words written underneath the original sentence.
'Wear the pendant and don't take it off.'
Harry quickly grabbed a quill and ink from his backpack and wrote, 'Why should I trust you?' His hand shook as he waited for a response.
The mystery writer wrote back, 'Protective wards and spells, Volume V, pg. 73'
Harry immediately went and found the librarian. He gave her the title of the book he was looking for and watched patiently as she searched through the ledger book. He followed her for what felt like an eternity through the library before she stopped and picked a book from the shelf.
"Here you are," she said. "Make sure to put it back when you are done."
With that she returned to her desk and Harry returned to his dusty corner of the library.
He set the book down gently and flipped to page 73 as quickly as he could manage without tearing the pages.
Protective Magical Objects
Magical objects such as necklaces, pendants, bracelets, and rings can be imbued with wards and spells to help protect the wearer from those who wish to cause them magical harm.
A skilled witch or wizard can cast wards on an object to shield the wearer from most mild forms of harmful magic, such as compulsion spells, jinxs, hexes, and some curses….
Harry once again picked up the journal and scribbled out,
'How do I know the pendant is going to protect me and not hurt me?'
'Chapter 13.'
Harry flipped to the chapter and read the heading,
Chapter 13: How to tell if a Magical Object is Dangerous
The chapter listed several magical detection spells that Harry already knew, but it also listed many more he had never heard of before. There was even a spell to diagnose which wards and spells were already on the journal.
He practiced the wand movements for several minutes before pointing his wand at the pendant and murmuring,
"Ipsum Revelare ."
He repeated the incantation two more times before touching the tip of his wand to a blank sheet of parchment. "Veritatem."
Slowly words began to appear on the page,
Basic Protection Ward
Mental Clarity Charm
Minor Hex and Jinx Ward
Minor Curse Ward
Compulsion Shield Ward
Portkey
Harry's jaw twitched as he read the last word. The very last thing he needed was a pendant that could randomly take him away from Hogwarts. Whoever was on the other end of that journal would probably take him straight to Voldemort.
He picked up his quill and wrote in the journal, 'I won't wear a Portkey.'
'It is a one way Portkey. Only you can activate it.'
'And how do I do that?' Harry asked.
'You hold the pendant in your hand and say the words "Concedam salutem", it will take you to safety if you need it.'
Harry frowned, 'You mean it will take me to you?'
The mystery writer didn't respond.
Sighing, Harry removed the pendant from his backpack and dropped it on the table next to the journal. He stared at it for a long while, noticing the way the raven's red eyes flickered in the light. He didn't know who sent him the pendant, but after casting several detection spells he felt confident it wouldn't hurt him. The only thing preventing him from wearing it was the portkey feature.
Harry spent the next 10 minutes considering his options before he finally slipped the black chain over his neck. He needed all the help he could get.
Hidebehinds
Chapter Notes
Hey just so you guys know I changed the lion pendant to a black raven pendant. I thought it was more appropriate.
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Two weeks went by without a word from the mystery writer and Harry was getting desperate.
His search for answers had come up empty and he was running out of ideas.
Besides that, things at Hogwarts were getting… weird , to say the least. More than once he had noticed some of the Slytherins watching him. Not maliciously, just curiously.
There was also the time Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, and Theodore Nott cornered Ron and told him to piss off after Ron purposely bumped into Harry. Harry had bent down to pick up his books, and by the time he stood up again Ron was against the wall looking utterly terrified. Ron never even bothered to look in his direction after that. Even Hermione looked skeptical.
Harry's first instinct was to tell the Slytherins to leave his friends alone, but he was too angry and too tired to care about what happened to Ron and Hermione. If they wanted to abandon him for something he didn't do, he wouldn't put in any effort to help them. They obviously weren't his friends anymore.
And on top of it all, the first task was approaching and he had no idea what to expect. Harry spent most of his days researching defensive and offensive spells, but other than that he didn't know what to do.
Over the next few days Harry took up a new habit of wandering the castle and the grounds. He couldn't sit still for longer than a few minutes.
At one point Harry found himself walking along the edge of the forbidden forest. He walked slowly and stared down his feet, watching as moisture from the grass began to soak through his shoes.
He sighed and moved a little closer to the forest. Harry stopped and placed one foot on the line between the Hogwarts grounds and the forbidden forest. One half of his foot was situated on green grass, while the other side was sinking into black mud. He swore he could almost feel the Hogwarts wards ending in that spot. He wondered what it would feel like to be free. Free from the suffocating atmosphere of Hogwarts and from the Dursleys.
He wondered if he could use some of the money from his Gringotts account to rent a muggle apartment. He wouldn be perfectly happy living alone, away from the rest of the world. Harry huffed in frustration as he kicked at the ground. Dumbledore would never allow it.
Harry was jerked out of his thoughts as he heard a stick snap behind him. He spun around and saw Draco and Blaise standing there.
"What do you want?" He asked, feeling off balance.
Draco glanced down and noticed the raven pendant around Harry's neck. Harry thought he noticed a glint of approval cross over the blonds face, but it was so subtle he wondered if he imagined it.
Harry tucked the pendant underneath his shirt and asked again with a little more force, "What do you want?"
Draco made eye contact and said matter of factly, "The first task is approaching and you have no idea what you are doing."
Harry clenched his jaw for a moment out of anger, but then relaxed. "Okay, you're right about that one."
Draco and Blaise looked at one another. "We know what the first task is," Draco told him as he turned back to face him. "So do all of the other contestants."
Harry's jaw dropped a little, "Are you serious?"
"Of course," Blaise said smoothly as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Cheating is part of the tournament."
"He's right," added Draco. "Krum and Delacour were each informed weeks ago by their mentors."
Harry felt sick. "And Cedric?"
"I don't know if Cedric knows, but he is a lot more resourceful and manipulative than you think. He probably knows."
Blaise nodded in agreement, "He should have been a Slytherin."
"How do you know about this?" Asked Harry. "How do I know you are telling the truth?"
"We have… connections." Blaise said cryptically.
"Of course you do," Harry muttered to himself. He was furious. He was in a tournament he had no business being part of, and he was the only contestant who didn't know what the task was. How was any of this fair?
As if reading his thoughts Draco stepped closer. "Listen Potter. You shouldn't be in this tournament, but you are. So if you want to stay alive you need to play dirty."
"No one is looking out for you," added Blaise. "You have to look out for yourself and do whatever it takes. Besides, this could be an opportunity."
"How is all of this an opportunity?" Harry spat.
"The students of Hogwarts hate you. Prove to them you are more than they could ever hope to be. Win the tournament."
"I don't care about winning," he said instantly. "I never wanted any of this."
"No you didn't," Draco replied darkly. "But here you are. You have to accept it and use it to your advantage, otherwise people will continue using you for the rest of your life. You don't seem like someone who likes being taken advantage of. Show them you're not someone they can mess with."
"Is that what you do? They Slytherins?" He asked.
Blaise smirked.
Part of Harry wanted to resist, to run away and reject what they were telling him. However, an even bigger part of him was saying that they were right.
In the end, he latched onto that part of himself and held it tight. He had been pushed him too far this time and he was done being taken advantage of.
"Okay." Harry said after a long time. "But how do I know I can trust you? Why are you helping me?"
Draco stepped closer until they were only standing a foot apart. "What is your gut telling you? I told you, not everything is as it seems."
Harry's gut was telling him something he wasn't ready to consider, but he knew he needed help if he were to win. Besides, out of everyone in Hogwarts, they were the only ones looking out for him. Yes, he was suspicious, but he was out of options.
His face was serious as he replied. "Okay I will trust you, but don't make me regret it. If you do... " Both Draco and Blaise smirked.
"Okay then. Follow us and we will show you the first task." Draco said as he gestured to the Forbidden Forest.
Harry hesitated, "Why in there?"
Draco rolled his eyes. "Because that's where we need to go if you want to understand the first task."
Harry gritted his teeth before following Draco and Blaise into the forest. It was either go with them, or go into the task completely unprepared.
Darkness swallowed them whole as they left the Hogwarts grounds behind. Harry looked up at the impenetrable tree canopy and wondered how any creature could live in a place so completely devoid of light.
Harry took out his wand and held it ready in his right hand. If the Slytherins tried to hurt him, or if they were attacked by some magical creature, he would be ready.
"We're not supposed to be here," said Draco. "There are guards everywhere, so we have to stay hidden."
"Guards? Why are there guards?"
"You will see," replied Blaise patiently.
They continued on through the forest until they came to a small ridge. They climbed it together and stumbled across the very last thing any of them expected to see.
Harry gasped as he took in the sight of Luna Lovegood standing in a small clearing whispering gently to a young unicorn.
"You are very beautiful," she whispered so quietly they almost couldn't hear. "Thank you for allowing me to visit with you."
She reached out a hand and ran her fingers through its mane. The unicorn leaned into her touch, obviously enjoying the attention.
Harry shifted into a better position and nearly swore when he heard a branch snap underneath his left foot. The unicorn looked in his direction before running off into the forest. He tried to duck down behind the ridge, but Luna smiled and said, "Come out Harry, I know you're there."
Harry stood, followed by Draco and Blaise. "I am sorry Luna."
"Don't be sorry," she said in her usual sing-songy voice. "I was expecting you all."
"You were?" Draco and Blaise asked simultaneously.
Luna nodded. "Of course. Harry needs to know what he is facing." She glided over to Harry and linked their arms. "Come along now, we don't have much time."
Draco opened his mouth as if to protest, but Harry sent him an icy glare and the blond snapped his mouth shut.
Harry smiled at Luna, feeling grateful to be with someone who wasn't in Slytherin, even if she was a little odd. He held her arm a little tighter as they followed Draco deeper into the forest.
They walked for another 20 minutes or so before Draco and Blaise gestured for them to stop.
Draco made the shushing motion with his finger before getting down on his hands and knees and crawling up behind a set of bushes near the top of a small hill. The rest of them followed until they were kneeling beside him.
Draco pointed to a small opening between the roots of the bushes, and Harry got down on his stomach so he could see. As he looked between the roots, he saw a large clearing in the distance.
At the center of the clearing was a huge glass dome, at least a quarter of the size of a quidditch pitch. There were at least a dozen witches and wizards holding torches spread randomly around the dome watching something within.
"What is inside that?" Harry asked hesitantly. Not knowing if he wanted to know the answer.
"Look closer," Luna said. "To the left."
Harry looked again and saw what she was talking about. A skinny creature resembling a bear came out from behind a tree and stood near the edge of the dome on two long and skinny back legs. The creature's limbs were thin like tree branches and Harry could see its bony ribs. The whole thing looked almost like a living skeleton. Its silvery hair, long sharp teeth, and knife-like claws glinted in the torchlight. Its jet black eyes were angry as they darted around. The creature dug its claws deep inside of a nearby tree, and Harry realized it must be at least 12 feet tall.
"What," he breathed, "in the mother of fuck is that?"
"The first task," replied Draco.
"It's a hidebehind," Luna said matter of factly. "Very dangerous."
Harry shook his head "A hidebehind? I have never heard of it." He couldn't take his eyes off of the terrifying creature as it continued walking. Its stick-like arms almost reached its knees as they swung slowly beside it.
Blaise moved to lay beside him so he could look at the ghoulish beast. "They are native to America. They brought four of them in just for the tournament."
"There are four of them?" Harry whispered frantically.
"You only have to face one," Draco said.
"Oh, only one," Harry spat. "No big deal. It's not like that thing could rip me to shreds or anything. It looks like death incarnate. Merlin, Only one."
He closed his eyes and asked, "Why is it called a hidebehind? What can it do?"
Draco let out a sigh, "It is called a hidebehind because it can either become invisible or contort itself to hide behind any object whenever it sees a human. The glass is charmed one-way glass, so it can't see all of the people currently standing outside of the dome. We can see it, but it can't see us."
"They are nocturnal and they only hunt human beings." Luna added.
"Bloody hell, I can't do this." Harry shook his head. How could he possibly face that thing? He was only 14 and he wasn't supposed to be in the tournament in the first place. "What do they want us to do with it?"
"They want you to defeat it, to restrain it with magic. They will put you in the dome with one of them and give you points based on the complexity of the magic you use, and your ability to avoid injury."
Harry shook his head. He pulled away from the bushes and crawled back down the hill. He leaned against a tree trunk and tried to keep himself from being sick.
Luna, Draco and Blaise followed. They waited quietly for a moment for him to calm down before Draco knelt in front of him. "You can do this." He said.
"How?" Harry seethed. "There is no way. There has to be a way for me to get out of this tournament. What if I just don't show up?"
Blaise shook his head. "A binding contract was created the second your name came out of that cup. You're stuck. You have to compete or you will lose your magic."
Harry tried to imagine life without his magic and couldn't. His magic was everything to him. It was his reason for living. He would rather die than lose it.
He closed his eyes and prayed to whatever gods existed that he make it out of this alive.
"Harry we are going to help you," Draco stood and held out a hand. "We have a plan. You are going to win this tournament."
Harry opened his eyes and sighed, "What plan?"
Draco grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to his feet. "Trust us and you will see."
Chapter End Notes
Hey guys, thanks for reading! A hidebehind is a mythological creature in American folklore. It is also a creature found in the Harry Potter universe, I'm fairly certain JKR got the idea from the American myth actually.
This image is kind of what I imagined it looking like, the only difference is that its face is more bear-like. I don't own the image, I just saw it on tumblr and thought it was a cool representation. Here is the original link:
https/66.media./46e0e0c8ebfe5ef9c06087758846b51b/tumblr_oejy50vqqR1txivxro1_400.jpg
I hope you guys liked this chapter! Please leave feedback!
Think Like A Slytherin
Chapter Notes
Hey guys, I changed a couple of small things in the first two chapters, like the pendant is now a raven pendant because that makes more sense for this story and I was an idiot not to think of it sooner.
For those of you who left comments on the last chapter, I will be replying tomorrow! I just wanted to post the new chapter. Thanks for reading!!
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Harry sat on his bed in the Gryffindor dorms with the curtains closed tightly around him. He cast a privacy charm for good measure before taking out the red journal. His black raven pendant swung back and forth from where it hung on his neck as he bent over the book.
He picked up his self inking quill and held the tip just above the empty page, unsure of what he really wanted to ask the mystery writer.
After several minutes of hovering over the page, he clenched his jaw and wrote,
'I need to know who you are and why you are helping me?'
Harry was supposed to meet Draco and some of the other Slytherins the next day so they could plan out how he would defeat the hidebehind in the upcoming tournament.
Since the day Draco and Blaise took him into the forbidden forest, Harry had asked himself a thousand times why they of all people were helping him. He was confused and he needed answers before he went any further. The only person he could think to ask was the person who reached out to him immediately after his name came out of the cup. The mystery writer.
Harry waited, and waited. An hour went by without a response and Harry was close to falling asleep.
He flopped back onto his pillows and picked up the journal again, hoping to finally see a response written on the page.
He opened the leather cover and sat up straight when he saw the mystery writer had finally written back.
'You will know in time. You must be patient.'
Harry's excitement faded as he read the note. Once again, he had nothing. No answers. He stifled a frustrated groan as he once again felt the full weight of how alone he was.
He rubbed his eyes and picked up his quill.
'Can you tell me anything else? Anything at all?'
'Trust the Slytherins. They will protect you.'
Harry quickly scribbled back, 'Why? What reason do they have?'
There was a slight pause before more words began to appear, 'You are not ready to know everything. There are many things you need to learn on your own. You must discover the truth for yourself. Be patient and trust the Slytherins. Trust your instincts.'
Harry shook his head, 'Why should I trust them? They are the least trustworthy people in the whole school.'
'You already trust them,' the mystery writer wrote. 'And you are wrong. Slytherins protect one another, unlike Gryffindors.'
That one stung, and Harry closed the journal for a minute as he considered it. The more he thought about it, the more he realized the mystery writer was probably right. Never before had he seen the Slytherins bully one another. They were inseparable as far as he could tell.
He frowned as he wrote, 'But how do I know they aren't just trying to get me killed? How do I know you aren't trying to get me killed?'
'Actions speak louder than words.' The mystery writer replied. 'Trust your instincts. Only you can decide who to trust. If you are worried, test them.'
'Test them? How?'
'That is for you to decide. Think like a Slytherin.'
'That isn't easy when you are a Gryffindor.' Harry wrote with a sigh.
'I believe you will find it easier than most.'
Harry just shook his head and put the journal back under his pillow. He would just have to figure it out on his own.
The following day Harry stood outside the potions classroom along with the rest of the students. He leaned against the wall away from the crowd, waiting for Snape to appear in a dramatic fashion.
Harry noticed Ron standing off to his left with some of the other Gryffindors. Ron had his back turned to him, which suddenly gave him an idea.
Harry looked around until he found Draco standing with Blaise Zabini, Theo Nott, and Castor Lestrange far off to his right. He then turned back to Ron and discreetly took out his wand. He cast a fairly strong stinging hex in his ex-friend's direction and smirked when it hit him in the leg.
Ron yelped loudly and spun around, his face red with anger. When he realized the only one standing behind him was Harry, he stomped over and hissed, "What in the bloody hell do you think you are doing Potter."
Ron took out his wand as Harry held up his hands, "I don't know what you are talking about Weasley."
Before Ron could say another word the Slytherins were there. Draco and Blaise got between Harry and Ron, while Theo grabbed Harry's shoulder and pulled him back.
Castor moved to stand behind Ron, silent as a shadow. His black eyes glinted as he flicked his wrist, sending his wand into his hand from the holster on his forearm.
Draco stepped forward until he was standing only inches away from Ron. Harry realized that Draco was several inches taller than Ron, and Ron seemed to realize it too as he took a step back. Draco took another step closer, closing the distance once again. He glared as he whispered calmly, "Walk away Weasley, before I make you regret it."
"You can't threaten me Malfoy." Ron replied, his face turning even more red.
"Look around Weasley. You're in the dungeons," Draco pointed out with a smirk. "You are in my territory and Harry is my friend. Did you think I would just allow you to hurt him?"
"He hurt me!" Ron almost yelled as he gestured to Harry.
Castor stepped closer and touched the back of Ron's neck with the tip of his sleek black wand. "I didn't see anything." Castor raised an eyebrow, "Did you Draco? Blaise?"
"No," Blaise replied with a casual shrug. "I didn't see anything."
"Me neither." Draco added.
"Hmmm, must have been your imagination then Weasley," Castor said quietly. "Right?"
Sweat was beading on Ron's forehead as he began to protest. Castor pressed his wand harder into the back of his neck. Ron shut up immediately and glared in Harry's direction. "You're right," he said in an empty tone. "Must have imagined it."
The Slytherins backed off immediately. Draco stepped back and Castor put his wand away.
Ron stepped away from the group, his glare never once wavering. "Glad to see you're a Slytherin now Potter. Maybe you really are the next Dark Lord." Harry simply glared back as Ron walked away.
He felt something settle within him as Ron rejoined the Gryffindors. He had all the proof he needed after seeing how quickly the Slytherins jumped to his aid. The mystery writer was right, he could trust the Slytherins. Harry still didn't know why they were helping him, but at least he knew they would be there to help him if he needed it.
Castor raised an eyebrow as he asked, 'You alright Potter?"
"I'm fine," Harry reassured him. "Everything is fine."
"What the hell was that about?" Blaise asked.
Harry shook his head, "I have no idea what his problem is." He obviously didn't want them to know that he had been testing them.
"Well if he tries again we will take care of him," Blaise promised in a whisper. The rest of the Slytherins nodded in agreement.
"Meet us here after dinner. We will go over the strategy for the task." Draco said. "We don't have a lot of time left."
After Harry's final class of the day, he dropped off his books in his dorm room and made his way to the Great Hall for dinner. The hall was half full as he stepped through the threshold. He began walking towards the Gryffindor table, but noticed Ron and Hermione staring at him. Something in his heart hardened when he saw the way they were looking at him, like he was a fallen angel.
He then looked over to the Slytherin table and saw that Draco, Theo, Blaise, and Castor were already present. He steeled himself as he stood tall and glided over to their table. They looked up as he approached, each of them maintaining neutral expressions.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" He asked in a polite tone. It was a strange thing to ask, but he was angry, and he knew it would upset Ron and Hermione.
Draco's eyebrows went up, "Not at all Potter. Have a seat." Blaise and Draco moved apart to make room for him.
The Great Hall went silent as he sat down at the Slytherin table. Harry could practically feel Dumbledore's gaze weighing on him, but he ignored it and began filling his plate with food.
"Very bold Potter," Blaise whispered without looking at him. "I'm not sure if it was the right thing to do. Dumbledore is certainly questioning your loyalty now."
"I don't care," Harry responded calmly. "I am sick of being their pet. I am not going to sit alone at the Gryffindor table forever."
Castor sighed, "Well he is a Gryffindor after all. We can't expect him to act like a Slytherin all the time."
Draco smirked, "Well you have made your statement Potter. Welcome to Slytherin. There is no going back now."
"No there isn't," Harry agreed. He would never be able to look at Ron and Hermione the same way again. They would never again be friends. It hurt, but Harry knew it was for the best. He simply couldn't trust them to be there for him when he needed them. He deserved better than that.
Harry took a deep breath and forced the sadness from his mind. It was time to move on.
A short while later, Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass joined them. Pansy sat down, her gaze never once leaving Harry. "Well well well," she said. "I definitely wasn't expecting this."
"Harry Potter dining with the snakes," Daphne added. "How interesting."
Harry gave them each a small smile. Pansy reached over and touched his hair, "Oh this won't do," she said. "If he's going to be one of us we are going to have to take care of this hair."
"He needs new clothing as well," Daphne added as her eyes ran up and down his form. "He could do so much better."
Harry frowned in confusion and looked over to Draco as Pansy continued to try and fix his hair. Draco just shrugged, "Better get used to it. They won't let it go."
"He's right," Castor said with a smirk. "You could say they are the couturiers of Slytherin House."
"Oh great," Harry murmured.
"Don't worry. You will look and feel like a new wizard once we are done with you," Pansy assured him.
For some reason Harry found that idea appealing. He was trying to move on, wasn't he? He turned to Pansy and smiled. "I'm looking forward to it."
This pleased Pansy greatly, and she returned his smile. "We will take good care of you Potter, don't worry."
"Call me Harry, please." He said as he looked around at the Slytherins.
Draco smiled and picked up his glass of pumpkin juice. "Alright then Harry. I propose a toast, to Hogwarts' champion."
The Slytherins joined Draco in raising their glasses. Blaise smirked as he added, "To the winner of the Triwizard Cup."
Harry felt emotion swell up inside of him. He picked up his glass, "To new friends," he said quietly.
The Slytherins all smiled as they clinked their glasses together.
After dinner Harry followed the Slytherins down into the dungeons. He recognized the long stretch of corridor that led to the Slytherin common room from his second year, though he would never tell the Slytherins that.
They stopped as they reached an empty wall. Draco whispered, "Silver," and the stone wall opened, revealing the Slytherin common room.
Despite having been in the Slytherin common room once before, Harry was still surprised by the grand interior. While the Gryffindor common room was cluttered and cozy, the Slytherin common room was grand and expansive. It had rough stone walls, which made it look like an underground cave. Green lamps hung from the ceiling, and green light filtered in through the windows that separated them from the Black Lake.
Students were spread about studying on black and green leather sofas. They all looked up when they noticed who had entered the common room. Some looked angry, while others simply turned back to their work and conversations.
Draco and the others ignored all of them and continued on through the common room and down a set of stone stairs. At the bottom of the stairs was a long corridor of doors. Draco approached the 7th door and touched his wand to the handle. The door swung open and their group went inside.
Harry found himself in a medium sized room with black leather sofas, green lamps, and a roaring fireplace. There were bookshelves lining the walls and several desks spread throughout the room. A drinks cart was located in the corner of the room. It contained chilled water, a kettle for tea, and even a bottle of wine. There was also a small potions workspace separated from the rest of the room by a thick layer of glass.
"What is this?" Harry asked with a confused frown. The Gryffindor common rooms didn't have anything like this.
"Each year gets their own study room in addition to the main common room," Theo explained. "This is the fourth year study room. All of the books you see are books pertaining to fourth year class material. It is a quiet area for us to work together on our assignments and practice magic."
"Gryffindor doesn't have anything like this," He said honestly.
"You're in a tower," Daphne said with a shrug. "There is a lot of unused space down here in the dungeons so we take advantage of it. We even have our own bedrooms."
"Really?" Harry asked with wide eyes. He would kill for his own bedroom. His own space away from the cold eyes of Ron Weasley.
"You're welcome to come here whenever you would like Harry," Draco pointed out. "You know the password now and one of us will keep you informed whenever it changes."
Harry wasn't sure how to respond. It all sounded too good to be true.
"You are welcome here Harry," Draco emphasized again as he settled onto one of the sofas. Harry just nodded and sat across from him.
Castor dropped an ancient looking brown leather book on the table between them. It landed with a loud thud, causing Blaise to hiss, "Be careful with the books."
Castor rolled his eyes and flipped to a tattered page in the book. Draco pointed to the page, "This is how you are going to beat the hidebehind."
Harry bent over the book and read,
'Heat Detection'
"The hidebehind is almost impossible to see, especially at night. They are skilled contortionists and can become invisible at will." Draco explained. "You can't fight what you can't see, so this is our solution."
Harry nodded, understanding Draco's reasoning. If he could see the monster he could potentially fight it.
"There is only one problem," Castor added as he sat beside Harry. "This spell, while not dangerous, is not exactly legal."
Harry suddenly felt uncomfortable. "It's dark?"
"Yes it is, but there is a lot you don't know about dark magic Harry. Like this spell here, dark magic isn't all bad."
"Just like light magic isn't all good," Theo chimed in. "You can kill someone with a light spell or a dark spell. At the end of the day, what matters is the intent of the witch or wizard."
"If that is the case, then why is dark magic illegal?" Harry asked, feeling tense.
"Because dark magic is more powerful than light magic. It is old and wild. There was a time when it was the only magic in existence."
"Also, only magically powerful witches and wizards are capable of practicing dark magic," Blaise added. "Some exceptionally powerful witches and wizards even have an affinity for dark magic. The ministry made dark magic illegal because they couldn't control it. For many of them it was simply beyond their reach."
Draco nodded, "It is driven by emotions, while light magic is only driven by the witch or wizard's magic. Emotions are extremely powerful motivators. Those who cannot control their emotions have a very hard time practicing dark magic. That is why it was banned. Witches and wizards can get lost in the magic if they are unable to control themselves."
Harry nodded in understanding, but he was still hesitant to trust what they were telling him. Everyone he had ever known hated dark magic and despised its existence. It was the reason behind the last war. The war that killed his parents. He couldn't just forget that.
"We can give you some history books on dark magic if you would like to read for yourself," Draco suggested. "You can take some time to form your own opinions. We won't sit here and tell you how to think Harry."
Harry took a deep breath and nodded. There was nothing wrong with reading history books, right?
"Okay, I will read the history books. I need to know more about it anyways, considering who I am." If he were going to face Voldemort again at some point in time, maybe it would be helpful to know a little more about the magic Voldemort used.
"Good choice," Draco murmured as he wandered over to the bookshelves to find the books.
Blaise pointed to the book spread out on the table. "How do you feel about trying this spell Harry? You don't have a lot of time left before the task."
"But how would I even use it if it is illegal? The judges would know, wouldn't they?"
"Perhaps not," Blaise replied with a shake of his head. "Not if you can cast it nonverbally. They would never even know you cast a spell in the first place. However, this is a difficult spell. If you want to use it during the task, you need to begin practicing now. We can't wait until you have read all of the history books. If you aren't ready that is fine, we will try to think of some other way, this was the best option we could find."
Harry read over the spell more closely. It didn't appear to be dangerous. Plus it would be incredibly useful during the task. Besides, he wasn't even supposed to be in the tournament. He was a fourteen year old wizard who wasn't nearly qualified enough to participate. If this spell helped keep him alive, he would use it.
"Okay," he finally agreed after a long while. "I will practice this spell, but that's it. No more dark magic." His voice was stern as he conveyed the last part.
"Of course," Blaise assured him as he stood from the sofa. "Let's get started."
Chapter End Notes
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Lessons on Perspective
"Bloody hell," Harry groaned as he flopped down onto the sofa. He was exhausted.
They had been training non stop for the last week. Every day after class Harry would make his way down to the Slytherin common room where he would train with Draco, Blaise, Theo, and Castor. Pansy and Daphne also practiced with him occasionally when they weren't too busy planning out his new wardrobe.
Pansy was excellent in transfiguration while Daphne was a skilled duelist. He looked forward to any opportunity to duel with Daphne. She was shorter than Pansy so she was small and fast, making her a difficult target to hit.
Castor was the real challenge though. Out of everyone in the group he was the most dangerous opponent to face in a duel. He was as quick and deadly as a cobra. He knew more spells than anyone else, and Harry doubted many other students in Hogwarts could beat him, even the older years.
"Are you alright there Harry?" Castor asked from where he stood smirking in the corner.
Harry just grunted, unable to form complete sentences.
"Well at least you are making good progress," Draco pointed out. "You might actually make it more than 5 minutes thanks to us."
Harry picked up a pillow off the sofa and threw it at him. Draco dodged it with a smile, "Oh you must have strength to practice the spell again if you can throw a pillow."
Harry just groaned loudly and turned over so he was face down on the sofa. "I'm never picking up my wand again."
Blaise walked over to the drink cart and filled a glass of water before bringing it to him. Harry sent him a grateful look and swallowed the whole glass in a few short seconds.
Despite his exhaustion, their training was beginning to pay off. He had mastered the heat detection spell within three days, and now they were focusing on spells that would help him restrain the hidebehind.
The heat detection spell was a strange spell. It altered the way he saw the world. Instead of seeing the black color of student's robes, he saw a bright red spot where their hearts were located. He saw their body heat at varying levels of intensity. Red for very hot, orange and yellow for hot, green and light blue for warm or cool, and purple and dark blue for cold. It not only allowed him to see through objects such as walls. It also showed him exactly which parts of their body were the most vulnerable. He was hoping it would help him spot the hidebehinds weaknesses during the task.
After a few days of practice, he not only gained the ability to use heat detection, he also gained the ability to cast it nonverbally. Dumbledore and the others would have no idea he was using a dark spell.
Harry was starting to feel better about the first task. He was still terrified, but he knew his chances were better if he could see the hidebehind and target its weaknesses. He felt more confident in his abilities with every passing day. He was becoming stronger and faster. He was becoming a better wizard.
He couldn't remember the last time he felt so confident.
As he looked at the Slytherins situated throughout the study room, he found himself wondering how they, of all people, were the ones to bring out this side of him.
He never would have expected it, but he wouldn't have changed it for the world. He didn't want to be weak and ignorant. He wanted to be strong and capable.
Ever since Harry began publicly spending time with the Slytherins, the other Hogwarts students whispered whenever they saw him. Harry often heard conversations about how he was turning Dark.
The constant staring from Dumbledore was the worst part of it all. It took everything he had to ignore the steady stream of worried expressions sent in his direction. Harry was certain Dumbledore would ask him to meet within the coming weeks if Harry continued spending time with the Slytherins.
Sometimes Harry felt guilty about spending time with the group who used to bully his friends, but then he saw the way the Slytherins were treated by the rest of the school, and he no longer cared.
Gryffindors were downright vicious, and the Hufflepuffs weren't much better. The Ravenclaws were the only house not actively trying to bring about Slytherin's demise.
After resting for awhile, the Slytherins decided they wanted to spend the rest of their evening relaxing by the Black Lake. They invited Harry to join them and he agreed. It was certainly better than spending the night hiding behind the curtains of his bed in Gryffindor tower.
They were soon lounging in the sun on blankets and pillows conjured from blades of grass.
Castor practiced the wand movements for a new spell, while Daphne and Pansy worked on their potions essays. Draco laid on his back with his eyes closed. Theo rested his head on Pansy's lap with a book held open against his chest, and Blaise stood nearby, picking up pebbles and throwing them into the lake.
Harry dug inside his backpack for something to do. He was sure he needed to finish an essay for transfiguration, but before he could find it he came across a book given to him by the Slytherins several days prior. An Introduction to the Dark Arts.
Harry had been avoiding the book. He was just too nervous to read it. His parents died fighting against dark magic users after all. He felt guilty even carrying it in his backpack.
Harry gently touched the book's cover, and suddenly the faces of Ron and Hermione flashed through his head. He imagined their looks of disgust as they realized he was reading a book about dark magic. Their cold expressions hardened his heart. Part of him was itching to become the monster they all imagined him to be.
Harry quickly realized his desire to rebel was stronger than his guilt.
He took An Introduction to the Dark Arts out of his backpack and flipped to the front page. Before he could begin reading, Blaise sat next to him and took out his wand. Blaise pointed his wand at the book cover and whispered words too quietly for Harry to hear.
"To disguise the book," Blaise explained. "They would expel you if they found out."
Harry turned the book over to see the title had changed from An Introduction to the Dark Arts to Dueling for Beginners.
"Thanks Blaise," Harry replied honestly, feeling more at ease. "Would you teach me that spell later?"
"I would be happy to," Blaise said with a smirk.
With that Blaise returned to the lake and Harry started to read.
An Introduction to the Dark Arts
The Dark Arts are widely misunderstood amongst the modern day magical community. Efforts by 'Light' witches and wizards have widely erased Dark Magic from society…
Harry spent the next hour completely absorbed in the book. He couldn't put it down.
The book confirmed everything the Slytherins had told him earlier.
According to the first few chapters, there was once a time when magic wasn't labeled. There was no such thing as 'dark' or 'light' magic. There was only magic. Certain spells required the use of one's emotions, which made the spells more volatile and difficult to control. Only powerful magic users with a high level of self control were able to cast such spells. Other spells only used the magic from a witch or wizard's magical core. After the Ministry For Magic was established, modern day 'light' witches and wizards stigmatized dark Magic because it was inaccessible to them. They couldn't control it, and so they made it illegal. Dark magic was viewed as a threat from that day forward. After that, dark witches and wizards felt united by the 'dark' label, and continued using it for the centuries to come.
Generally, dark witches and wizards were more powerful than light witches and wizards. However, that didn't mean light magical users were weak. Light spells were simply driven by the user's magic. A powerful witch or wizard could produce powerful light spells. A wizard like Dumbledore could easily win against any average dark magic user.
Harry understood why dark magic was appealing to some, but he couldn't help but frown as he continued reading.
If dark witches and wizards are not careful, they can become lost in their magic. Eventually it can become difficult to differentiate between emotions used to cast spells, and emotions felt in the real world. For example, negative emotions are often used to cast attack spells. Over time, a dark magic user can become overwhelmed by the negative emotions. When this happens, it can be difficult for the magical user to gain control again. However, dark magical users are usually taught how to control their emotions from birth, so this phenomenon is somewhat uncommon.
Harry closed the book and hugged it against his chest as he stared at the clouds above him. It was all so… complicated. He had so many questions.
"Hey Draco?" Harry asked awkwardly as he sat up.
Draco kept his eyes closed. "Yes Harry?"
"What was the purpose of the war?"
Draco opened his eyes at his question. He sat up and picked up a pillow to hold in his lap.
"That's hard to explain, but basically dark witches and wizards were sick of hiding."
"And Voldemort… he wanted to liberate dark magic?" Harry asked carefully.
"Yes that's what he wanted," Draco nodded.
"Then why kill innocents? Why start a war? Why kill my parents?"
Draco shook his head, "As far as I know the Dark Lord never ordered the killing of innocent people. That idea was conjured by the media. As for the war, dark witches and wizards had been trying for centuries to lift the bans. Nothing else worked, so war seemed like the only option."
Harry tightened his fingers around the book. "And my parents?"
"I don't know. I have no idea why they were killed, but I do know they were two of Dumbledore's most powerful soldiers."
"What about me?" Harry asked, his voice tight. "Why try to kill a baby?"
"No one knows what happened Harry," Pansy jumped in. She moved closer to him and reached out to hold his hand.
"How do you know he even attacked you?" Castor asked.
Harry stopped mid-rant. How did he know?
That's what everyone had always told him. That's what Hagrid had said. That's what all the books said.
But… no one else was there that night except for Harry, his parents, and Voldemort himself. How could he be sure the stories were true?
Of course he remembered occasional details from that October night, especially when dementors were near. Flashes of green. A hooded figure. Screaming.
However, he didn't have a complete picture of what happened that night. He didn't remember the entire sequence of events that took place.
He had a scar, but other than that, what proof was there?
Harry knew better than anyone how stories could be twisted. He had been dealing with the Daily Prophet since his name was pulled out of the goblet of fire.
Harry released his grip on the book and looked at Pansy. "I… I don't know."
Pansy squeezed his hand gently. "Harry it's okay. Listen, we aren't trying to change you or your values. We are just trying to get you to see things from a different perspective."
Harry let out a loud sigh. He was extremely confused after taking in so much information, but he did know one thing. He needed to know more.
"Goodnight guys," Harry waved to the Slytherins as he left their common room.
"Goodnight Harry," They echoed back.
It was just before curfew, and Harry walked quickly back to Gryffindor tower.
Just before reaching the stairs, he pulled on his invisibility cloak and followed some first years through the portrait hole. He didn't feel like talking to anyone, he just wanted to go to bed.
However, once he was inside, he noticed Ron and Hermione sitting at a table on the far side of the room. They were whispering quickly with their heads close together.
Harry frowned, and decided to move closer so he could listen. He made sure his feet were covered before moving as close to them as he dared.
"I don't know Hermione," Ron whispered. "I thought Dumbledore would have done something by now, but he hasn't done anything!"
"We have to talk to Dumbledore and convince him to step in," she said. "The Slytherins are dangerous and..."
"Hermione I already know that." Ron replied in a heated voice. "Okay we will see what we can do..."
Harry turned and walked up the stairs to the boy's dorm. He had heard enough.
The thought of Dumbledore both saddened and angered him. He had honestly believed, even until recently that Dumbledore would help him find a way out of the tournament.
Instead, Dumbledore hadn't done anything. Dumbledore never once even made an attempt to speak with him and ask him how he was doing. He never offered him any advice on how to survive.
Now, Harry knew the truth. Dumbledore was never going to come to his aid. He was on his own.
It was fine, he preferred it that way. It was more honest. At least he knew where he and Dumbledore stood. They were not friends like he once thought. Dumbledore was a complete stranger to him, someone he would never understand and would never trust.
Harry climbed into his bed and pulled the curtains shut.
Killer Pt. 1
Chapter Summary
First task, Part 1 of 2
Chapter 5: Killer Pt.1
"Hey Harry!"
Harry was startled as Pansy and Daphne burst into the fourth year study room. "What? What's wrong?"
"Nothing! We just have great news." Daphne exclaimed with a big smile.
"Your new wardrobe arrived today!" Added Pansy.
They held out a large box to him, and he took it carefully. "My new wardrobe?"
Pansy rolled her eyes, "Did you think we were kidding?"
"I mean… kind of?"
"They never joke about such things," Blaise said with a dramatic sigh.
Harry stared down at the box in awe.
"Well go on," said Daphne. "Open it."
Harry picked it up and carried it over to one of the study tables. He used a diffindo to slice open the box before he lifted the lid.
The box was spelled to be larger on the inside than on the outside, and Harry felt overwhelmed by everything he found within. Pansy and Daphne pointed out that there were cashmere jumpers, wool trousers, leather shoes, dragon hide boots, day robes, silk and linen dress shirts, two wool coats, traveling cloaks, dragon hide gloves, and even new dress robes.
Harry removed the dress robes from the box. They were beautifully made out of black and purple fabric. Harry had no idea what the fabric was, but it felt soft and sturdy in his hands. He was in awe of the way the color of the robes shifted. Overall, the robes looked black, but the fabric glinted a deep purple when exposed to the light.
Harry gently placed the robes back in the box with the rest of his new clothing. "I… I don't even know what to say. This is unbelievable. It must have cost a fortune."
"It's nothing Harry," Pansy insisted with a smile. "You are one of us now so you have to look the part."
"I will pay you back for this," Harry started to say, but Daphne cut him off with a shake of her head.
"No absolutely not. This is a gift from all of us. Just promise you will put it to good use? "
Harry swallowed with some difficulty. "Thank you. This is the best gift anyone has ever given me. I promise I will wear everything."
Pansy and Daphne shared bright smiles as Daphne held out another, smaller, package to him.
"What's this?"
"It's for the task tomorrow," She explained. "Your uniform. All of the champions are required to wear them, but we altered yours a little."
Harry opened the package to find a black dueling tunic made of thick, ribbed fabric. A dark purple raven was embroidered into the left shoulder, and one of its wings stretched down the left half of the chest.
It was designed in a way that would both protect him and allow him easy movement. It's high collar would help protect his neck, and it's tight fit would prevent him from accidentally getting stuck on branches.
The uniform also came with tight fitting black dragonhide pants, and sturdy black dragonhide boots. It was stunning.
Pansy and Daphne each looked like they were about to burst.
"Please try it on," they asked together.
Harry smiled brightly and slipped into the study room's small bathroom to change.
He exited a moment later wearing the new uniform. It fit like a glove.
Pansy motioned for him to spin, and he did with a dramatic flourish.
Daphne nodded, "Perfect. It was originally made of Gryffindor colors with a lion on the shoulder instead of the raven, but I think this suits you better."
Harry suddenly felt a lump in his throat. He had no desire to represent the house that rejected him when he needed them most. Daphne and Pansy had found a way for him to represent himself, and he would always be eternally grateful for that.
The wand weighing ceremony earlier in the week had left him in a terrible mood, especially after the interview with Rita Skeeter. People like Skeeter were trying to take away his voice. With this new uniform, he could send a message to those who thought they could break him.
"Thank you so much," he said, not taking his eyes off of his reflection. "Where did you get the idea for the raven?"
"From the pendant you always wear," Pansy said.
"There is just one more thing," Daphne said as she took a blood red jar out of her pocket. She held it out for him to see, and he read LeBlanc on the front.
"It's a hair potion from France," She explained. "It is used by many wizards from old families."
Harry looked at the hair potion doubtfully. "I don't know guys, my hair tends to have a mind of its own."
Pansy rolled her eyes and took the jar from Daphne. "We will see about that."
Ten minutes later they had turned his hair from a wild mess, into (in Pansy's words), a 'just-rolled-out-of-bed'hair style.
Harry didn't even recognize himself as he stood in front of the full sized mirror. The black uniform showed off his athletic build, while his new hair style made his green eyes shine.
Harry stood taller as he looked himself over. He looked like a Slytherin… and he looked good.
Castor looked up from his potions essay and smirked. "Careful Pansy, or else he might become more vain than Draco and Blaise."
Draco and Blaise each cast stinging hexes in Castor's direction, which he easily deflected.
"Careful Castor," warned Draco. "Or else you might wake up with a new makeover one of these mornings…"
"You wouldn't."
"I would, actually," replied Draco with a gleeful smile.
Blaise rolled his eyes as the two began bickering back and forth. He walked over to Harry and held out an item he had been hiding behind his back.
"I have my own gift for you," he said. He held it out, and Harry carefully took the wand holster from Blaise.
It was beautifully crafted from black dragonhide. Harry dusted his fingers over the thin snake carved into the length of the holster, savoring the feel of the scales underneath his fingertips.
It was overwhelming. He had never received so many gifts before.
Green eyes met dark brown as Harry looked up. "Thank you," he whispered sincerely.
"Your welcome," Blaise smiled. "Would you like me to help you put it on?"
Harry held it out to Blaise, and he helped him strap it to the inside of his right forearm.
"Where is your wand?" asked Blaise.
Harry grabbed it from a nearby study table and slid it into the holster. It fit perfectly.
"Thank you," he repeated with a smile.
The next morning Harry woke up early and left the Gryffindor tower to join his friends in Slytherin dorms.
To make Daphne and Pansy happy, he styled his hair the way they had showed him the previous night. He then decided to wear a pair of black trousers, a white dress shirt, and a navy blue robe with his new dragonhide boots.
Luckily for him, the task was set to take place at 11:00 PM so classes were canceled for the day. He would have the entire day to mentally prepare for the challenge ahead.
He met the Slytherins in front of the large fireplace in the main common room. They were each enjoying cups of tea and coffee.
Daphne and Pansy jumped up when they saw him and inspected his look. They circled him a few times before Daphne said, "Well done Mr. Potter. I must say I'm very proud."
Harry grinned, and sat down next to them on one of the black leather sofas. He poured himself a cup of coffee and leaned back comfortably.
Blaise, Theo, and Castor were all conversing quietly with one another, but Draco was clutching his coffee, looking as if he wanted to sink into the sofa and never move again.
"Don't mind him," explained Pansy. "He's not a morning person."
"I can tell."
"How are you feeling Harry?" Asked Theo.
Harry shrugged. "I don't know honestly." He didn't feel nervous, but he was sure that would change later on in the day.
"You're going to win Harry, don't worry."
"He's right," said Castor. "Why don't we go to breakfast? I'm starving and Harry needs to keep his energy up."
Everyone agreed, even Draco who could barely string together a sentence.
They made their way to the Great Hall, and Harry was on the receiving end of many harsh stares as they walked. By the time they reached the Slytherin table he was in a truly foul mood.
He sat down and glared at his plate of eggs and toast. He would win tonight, he decided. Just to spite them all. He hated them.
"Harry."
He looked up and saw Blaise eyeing him with concern. "You need to eat."
Harry straightened his posture and nodded. He picked up his fork and began eating slowly. As he ate, he let the anger burn inside of him. He would use it as fuel in the coming task.
As he took his last bite of toast, the delivery owls flew into the hall. He looked up and saw a spot of black among the various brown and white forms.
Harry's eyes widened as he suddenly recognized it. It was the raven who brought him the pendant and journal.
It swooped down and landed on the table in front of him. It dropped a small package on his plate before stealing a piece of bacon and flying away.
He picked up the package and looked at it closely, trying to decide if he should open it in front of the Slytherins. After a moment of hesitation, he tore the package open.
Inside he found a small vial of a black potion, and a note written in familiar handwriting which stated,
Take this eyesight correction potion before the task. Good luck.
The sight of the potion seemed to snap Draco out of his daze. "Wow," he breathed. "Is that what I think it is?"
"An eyesight correction potion?" asked Harry, holding it out to him.
Draco gently took the vial from Harry with wide eyes and looked it over. "It looks like it. Do you have any idea how expensive this is? Even for a Malfoy?"
Harry took back the vial, "Really?"
"It permanently corrects your eyesight. Permanent potions cost a fortune."
Harry stared at the potion in awe. He was now more curious than ever who the mystery writer was. "How long does it take to start working?"
Draco shrugged, "It should work right away. Who sent it to you?"
"A friend," Harry replied vaguely. He looked at the potion for another moment before removing the cork from the vial and swallowing the contents. It tasted absolutely vile, but within a few minutes he noticed his vision going blurry.
He removed his glasses, and suddenly the world was crystal clear.
Harry realized his glasses prescription must have been out of date if he was experiencing such a stark contrast in clarity. He would have to thank the Dursleys for that later.
"How is it?" Asked Draco with an eager expression.
Harry looked across the table into Draco's dark grey eyes. He had never noticed the black flecks in them before. "Amazing," he replied with a smile.
Harry had always hated his glasses, especially while playing quidditch. They made him vulnerable to bludgers.
Now that vulnerability was gone.
"I think he's ready to face the hidebehind," Blaise smirked. "Harry Potter is going to be Hogwart's champion."
Killer Pt. 2
Chapter Summary
A skinny creature resembling a bear came out from behind a tree and stood near the edge of the arena on two long and skinny back legs. The creature's limbs were thin like tree branches and Harry could see its bony ribs. The whole thing looked almost like a living skeleton. Its silvery hair, long sharp teeth, and knife-like claws glinted in the torchlight. Its jet black eyes were angry as they darted around. The creature dug its claws deep inside of a nearby tree, and Harry realized it must be at least 12 feet tall.
Chapter Notes
I decided to post two chapters this week because I finished this chapter early. I hope you all enjoy! Please leave feedback and kudos!
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Chapter 6: Killer Pt. 2
Previously:
"How is it?" Asked Draco with an eager expression.
Harry looked across the table into Draco's dark grey eyes. He had never noticed the black flecks in them before. "Amazing," he replied with a smile.
Harry had always hated his glasses, especially while playing quidditch. They made him vulnerable to bludgers.
Now that vulnerability was gone.
"I think he's ready to face the hidebehind," Blaise smirked. "Harry Potter is going to be Hogwart's champion."
Hours later Harry was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace in the main Slytherin common room. The task was less than two hours away now, and the anxiety had set in. He was still determined to win, but the haunting figure of the hidebehind was constantly flashing through his mind.
He would have to face the hideous beast soon.
Harry took a deep breath and tried to calm his thoughts. It took several more deep breaths before he felt the tension leaving his body.
He would win this. He wouldn't let them witness him fail.
"Hey Harry," Blaise said gently. He held out his uniform to him. "It's time to get ready for the task."
Harry sighed deeply and nodded. "Okay."
He took the uniform from Blaise and went into the bathroom to change. He slowly pulled on the uniform and maintained a controlled breathing pattern. He needed to stay calm now more than ever.
He removed the raven pendant from his neck and placed it on the bathroom cabinet. The champions weren't allowed to wear any magical items during the tasks. The only magical items allowed were their wands. He felt naked without it.
After strapping the holster to his arm, he looked at his reflection in the bathroom's full length mirror. He stood tall and set his shoulders. Without his glasses, he looked every inch the Potter heir. He looked strong and confident. He looked like someone who was ready to fight.
He felt ready.
Harry left the bathroom to find the Slytherins waiting for him. Somehow, they had all changed into black robes while he was away. His mood improved slightly when he realized they were also wearing purple scarves with a single black raven stitched into the fabric. They were representing him tonight.
He smirked, "I'm ready."
The path to the forbidden forest was lit by hundreds of torches. They lined the path and indicated which way they were supposed to go.
Students were already making their way to the arena, and many of them turned to stare at Harry as they went. Many of them were carrying black and yellow signs that said "Cedric Diggory."
He ignored them and kept his face blank as he led the way. He looked straight ahead and focused on the task at hand.
Soon enough they reached the forest and the stars disappeared behind a thick canopy of trees. The torches created shadows that danced eerily across the tree trunks
He found it a little unsettling. He didn't exactly have positive memories of the forbidden forest.
Despite the creepy atmosphere, the students all appeared to be in a good mood. They were smiling and laughing as they walked down the path.
Harry took another deep breath as the glass area came into view. To the left of the arena was a large canvas tent with a sign that read, ' Champions Tent'.
Harry stopped outside of the tent and turned to the Slytherins.
"Thank you. I wouldn't have been able to do this without all of you."
Pansy enveloped Harry in a tight hug. "You can do this," she whispered in his ear.
He hugged her back for a moment before releasing her. The rest of the Slytherins said their goodbyes before making their way towards the viewing platforms.
As they left, he heard them yelling, "Harry Potter is Hogwart's champion!"
"Five galleons for a Harry Potter scarf!"
"Support Harry Potter! Hogwart's true champion!"
Harry smiled as the Weasley twins tossed 10 galleons at Draco for two scarves. They wrapped the scarves around their necks and sent a wink in Harry's direction before running off with the rest of the students.
He smiled and shook his head. Maybe he did have some supporters in Gryffindor.
Neville and Luna also bought scarves from the Slytherins. Luna noticed Harry watching them, so she skipped over and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"Good luck Harry Potter. Don't be afraid to do what's necessary."
"I won't be, I promise," he said.
Luna patted the top of his head before skipping away.
After watching her go, Harry worked up the courage to enter the champions tent.
Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour were already present, each of them brooding in different corners of the tent. They both wore similar uniforms to Harry, except Krum's was blood red with a dragon stitched into the shoulder, and Delacour's uniform was light blue with a unicorn.
There were several sofas situated throughout the space, so Harry picked one at random and sat down.
Cedric Diggory entered the tent a short while later wearing a yellow and black Hufflepuff style uniform. Harry noticed Cedric looked upset about something, but his face went blank when they made eye contact a moment later. Cedric looked away and found his own sofa far away from him.
Harry couldn't help but wonder what he had done to upset him. Before he could put too much thought into it, Barty Crouch, Dumbledore, Bagman, and the other headmasters entered the tent.
Crouch waved them over, "Champions, come, come. We don't have much time."
Harry steeled himself and joined the other champions in a circle around Crouch. He could feel Dumbledore's eyes on him, but he ignored the sensation and focused on Crouch.
Crouch eyed him curiously, "Mr. Potter, you should be representing Gryffindor."
"Actually Mr. Crouch, I've decided to represent myself instead of Gryffindor. It didn't seem appropriate for Hogwarts to have two champions." Harry sent him the most sincere look he could manage. He honestly didn't care whether or not Hogwarts had two champions, he just didn't want to be associated with Gryffindor.
Crouch checked his watch and shook his head, "Alright champions." He removed a canvas pouch from the inside of his robes. "It is time to decide the order in which you will enter the challenge. Ladies first."
Fleur removed a black chip with the number two printed on the front. Krum chose next and ended up with the 1st chip. Cedric ended up with the 3rd position, which left the 4th chip for Harry.
He was relieved he didn't have to face the task first, but he was also dreading the long wait. Part of him just wanted to get it over with.
He clutched his chip in his hand as Crouch began explaining the task.
"Alright champions. In this task, you will find yourself facing a feral beast from the forests of America. Now, this beast is a highly dangerous creature so you must exercise extreme caution." Crouch made eye contact with each of them. "You each will be facing a hidebehind. Your goal in this task is to restrain the creature and avoid injury. The champion who manages to do so in the quickest and most creative way will gain more points. If you are injured, or if you fail to restrain the hidebehind, you will lose points."
None of this was a surprise to Harry, and none of the other contestants appeared to be surprised either. Draco and Blaise had been right, everyone already knew. If it weren't for them, he would have been left in the dark.
Dumbledore spoke up, "At the sound of the canon you will enter the arena, starting with Mr. Krum…"
They all jumped as the canon fired above them. Mr. Filch shrugged apologetically at Dumbledore, who in turn shook his head. "Right then, Mr. Krum, right this way." He gestured towards an opening near the opposite side of the tent. With encouragement from Headmaster Karkaroff, Krum removed his wand from the holster on his inner arm, and stalked purposefully in that direction.
The headmasters left the tent to judge the task, leaving Harry, Fleur, and Cedric alone. Harry ignored the other two and returned to his place on the sofa. He closed his eyes and concentrated on staying calm.
He listened to the crowd outside gasp and shout every so often. After about 10 minutes there was a thunderous applause, and Harry realized Krum must have been successful.
Fleur waited by the entrance to the arena looking determined. Soon enough the canon fired again and she entered the arena, leaving Cedric and Harry alone.
He turned his head and noticed Cedric looking at him curiously. Harry raised an eyebrow, "Can I help you?"
Cedric's handsome face relaxed into an easy-going smile. "No. I was simply trying to figure you out."
"Figure me out?"
"Yes," Cedric replied as he crossed one leg casually over the other. "The rogue Gryffindor. You're not what I expected you to be."
Harry maintained a blank expression. "And what does that mean?"
"It doesn't mean anything," Cedric insisted.
The crowd roared outside the tent and Cedric stood. He moved to stand near the exit, but turned around just as the canon fired above them.
"Nice uniform Harry. " Cedric said with a slightly threatening smile, before turning back towards the exit and disappearing.
Harry frowned, not understanding what the interaction meant. He met Cedric before during the quidditch world cup over the summer, but they hadn't really spoken. He knew very little about the Hufflepuff.
Harry shook his head and decided Cedric was simply trying to throw him off before the task. He was almost certain that Cedric was upset about Harry participating in the tournament. Cedric was meant to be Hogwart's only champion, but then Harry came along and stole the show.
Harry cleared his mind and listened to the sounds of the crowd outside. He suddenly heard horrified gasps, and he tightened his hand into a fist. Something must have happened.
After a moment of silence there was a deafening roar from the Hogwarts students. Cedric must have succeeded.
Harry had difficulty swallowing. Now it was his turn.
He stood and walked to the exit, as he flicked his wrist and sent his wand into his right hand.
He was ready.
The cannon fired above him and Harry stepped into darkness.
Harry discreetly pointed his wand towards his head and repeated the heat vision incantation in his mind. Immediately the world around him was full of color. It took him a moment to adjust, but Harry soon realized he was standing on a raised wooden platform.
He could see the dark blue outlines of the trees and bushes around him. He could also see the edge of the arena, and the crowds of red and orange students sitting just on the other side of the glass.
Harry searched the arena in front of him, but he couldn't find the hidebehind. He jumped off the platform and landed as quietly as he could on the forest floor. He took several steps forward when the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
Harry spun around and looked up. It was there, waiting in a tree far above the platform. Its red and orange form contrasted starkly with the surrounding dark blues and purples.
His eyes widened and he scrambled to the side as the creature jumped from its perch and silently landed where he had been only seconds before. He heard gasps from the crowd outside.
The hidebehind stalked towards him. Harry spun and hissed, "Bombarda."
The blasting spell missed the hidebehind by a fraction of an inch as the creature contorted its torso to avoid the spell. It lashed out with one of its long arms and Harry ducked to avoid it. The hidebehind's claws sunk deep into a tree beside him instead.
Harry ran.
He knew it probably wasn't the smartest decision to turn his back on the monster, but he needed to put distance between them as quickly as possible. Otherwise, those claws would end up ripping him to shreds.
Harry ran as fast as he could across the arena. He couldn't hear anything behind him, but he knew hidebehinds were particularly good at being quiet.
He soon found himself standing on the shore of a pond at the center of the arena. There were small stones sticking ever so slightly out of the water, so he used his quidditch reflexes to hop across them until he reached the center of the pond.
Harry turned around to find the creature standing near the edge of the pond, watching him with beady eyes. He could see the creature's heart beating slowly in its chest, as if it hadn't taken any effort to chase him across the arena.
He gasped for breath as he considered his options. "Come on," he whispered to himself, "think."
Harry knew fighting it directly with spells was basically useless. The creature had a strong hide which protected it from many spells. Only overpowered spells were capable of causing damage, and he didn't want to use up all of his energy. Plus, it had the ability to contort its body at will, and it was extremely fast so Harry knew he would have a hard time hitting it.
The creature stood there, swaying gently back and forth as if it were a tree in the wind and not a 12 foot tall monster.
Harry clutched his wand as he struggled to maintain his balance on the small stone. He looked down into the water. From what he could see with his heat vision, the pond wasn't that deep, maybe about 6 feet or so. It was too deep for him to stand on the bottom, but it wasn't too deep for the creature.
Maybe if he could make the creature angry, it would come after him and give him an opening.
Harry glared at the hidebehind and cast an overpowered incendio in its direction. Much like before the monster avoided his spell by contorting its body. He cast another overpowered incendio immediately afterwards, and this one partially connected with the hidebehind's shoulder.
It screeched an inhuman sound and he had to resist the desire to cover his ears. It was a bone chilling cry of pain, and Harry felt a small amount of satisfaction hearing it.
The hidebehind shook its skeletal body before suddenly disappearing. Harry felt a wave of panic go through him. He knew the hidebehind could become invisible at will, but he had been almost certain the heat vision spell would still allow him to see the creature. It must have a way of hiding its heat signature.
Harry carefully spun around, searching with his wand held out in front of him. Every part of him was screaming at him to run, but he fought the urge. He knew the second he stepped onto solid ground he would die.
Harry noticed ripples in the water to his left. He instinctively pointed his wand at the water and shouted " Aqua glacio !"
The pond froze solid instantly.
The hidebehind appeared in front of him frozen up to its waist. It was trapped, but Harry wasn't out of its reach.
The creature swung its razor sharp claws at his chest and Harry fell backwards onto the ice to avoid them. Before the hidebehind had another opportunity to swing at him, Harry hissed, "Diffindo!"
Harry put all the magic he had into the spell and it cracked like a whip as it left his wand.
He heard horrified screams from some of the students as the hidebehind's head fell to the ice with a loud thud.
Harry canceled the heat detection spell and saw the blood spreading across the ice from the creature's still upright body. He slipped his wand back into its holster just as the viewing platform exploded with cheers. He could hear the Slytherins chanting "Harry! Harry! Harry!"
Some students were protesting the outcome of the task, though Harry didn't care. He was sure the group was made up of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, and he couldn't care less what they thought about him.
Harry smiled to himself as he tried to catch his breath.
It was over.
He succeeded in defeating the beast. Maybe he went a little too far by killing it, but he didn't regret it. After all, no one would ever question his abilities again. It was better if the Hogwarts students feared him. If they feared him, they wouldn't try to take advantage of him.
Several minutes later Harry was standing in front of the judging panel waiting to hear his score. He chanced a look at Dumbledore's face and found deep disappointment there. Harry suppressed a sneer. Dumbledore had no right to be disappointed in him. Not after the man refused to help him when his name came out of the goblet. Dumbledore hadn't even met with him to ask if he was alright. Harry would never trust Dumbledore again.
Harry linked his hands behind his back and glared at Dumbledore. He wanted the headmaster to know how angry he was. Dumbledore visually aged in front of him. His blue eyes lost their usual twinkle, and Harry felt wave of satisfaction
He broke eye contact with Dumbledore and decided he wouldn't entertain the headmaster ever again.
Barty Crouch stood from his place at the center of the judge's table.
"Harry Potter. You succeeded in completing the first task. Not only did you avoid injury, you also successfully restrained the hidebehind. Though, let it be said, the final result of the task was less desirable. However, there was not a rule stating that you couldn't defeat the beast in a more… permanent way. Because of this, the creature's death will not impact your overall score."
Harry smiled a little as Crouch continued,
"We will now tally your score, starting with Madame Maxine. Each judge will give you a score out of 10. Your earned points will be added together to give you a score out of 50 for the first task."
Madam Maxine pointed her wand towards the sky, and the number 10 materialized above her.
Harry's smile grew slightly. Full points.
Ludo Bagman winked at him before giving him 10 points. Crouch, looking dour as ever, awarded him 9 points. Karkaroff nodded and awarded him the full 10 points. Harry was surprised by this, but he wasn't about to complain.
Dumbledore gave him a very long, hard look before pointing his wand towards the sky. The number seven formed above him.
The reactions were mixed. The Slytherins and Ravenclaws yelled in outrage, while the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs cheered.
Harry, for his part, was absolutely furious. Dumbledore was going to try and ruin his chances of winning the tournament. He almost didn't notice when the temperature around him began to drop. It wasn't until he could see his breath that he realized his magic was out of control. He looked down and saw that the ground was almost solid ice.
Harry was alarmed by this sudden show of magic. He knew it was extremely rare for magic to manifest itself this way once a witch or wizard was given a wand.
He took a deep breath to calm his magic. It was a whirlpool underneath his skin, itching to be free. Gradually the temperature returned to normal, and Harry looked up to see the judges watching him. Dumbledore looked alarmed, while the other judges looked curious.
"Very well Mr. Potter," said Crouch. "Your total score is 46 for the first task. Since Mr. Krum scored 47 points, you are now in second place."
Harry nodded respectfully towards them. "Thank you for your time. I look forward to competing in the next task."
Harry turned to face the students. Draco, Pansy, Blaise, Castor, Daphne, and Theo were already there waiting for him with Luna, Neville, and the twins. Without a word, Harry began walking towards Hogwarts with his friends following closely behind him.
They had a lot to discuss.
Chapter End Notes
I know the world is chaos at this point, but I think times like these really emphasize how important art truly is. Without art, I don't know how any of us would make it through this quarantine. So if any one of you are questioning your ability to create art, I highly recommend that you give it a try. Even if it is just for fun. I hope you are all staying safe while reading this! I appreciate all of you so much.
Music and Fire Whiskey
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Harry returned to the Slytherin common room with his friends after leaving the forbidden forest.
The Weasley twins, Neville, and Luna agreed to join them after some persuading. Harry hadn't spent time with his old friends in months. He missed them greatly and was happy they showed him support during the task.
Draco suggested they go to his dorm room so that Harry could change back into normal clothes and take a shower.
"You have a little bit of… blood, on your face Harry," Draco said once the door behind them closed.
"Oh," Harry said. He looked into the mirror hanging on Draco's wall and noticed the dark red blood starting to dry on his cheek.
After some encouragement, Luna, the twins, and Neville relaxed a little and joined the Slytherins in Draco's small sitting area while Harry went to shower.
He spent a long while scrubbing his cheek to remove any trace of the hidebehind's blood.
He felt his body finally relax as he stood in the shower. It had been a very tense experience, but he managed to come out on top in the end. He only hoped he would be able to do the same in the next task.
After spending a long time standing underneath the hot water, he dried off and changed into a midnight black robe, black trousers, and a black oxford shirt. He left the robe open, and decided he was too tired to style his hair. He would rather endure Daphne and Pansy's disappointed looks than make the effort tonight.
Soon enough he exited the bathroom and sat next to Castor on Draco's sofa.
"Bloody hell Harry, you were brilliant tonight." Fred grinned. "The other champions don't stand a chance against you."
"Yeah mate," George added. "You were brutal out there."
Harry returned their grins, "Thanks guys."
"You followed my advice," Luna noted happily.
"I always trust your advice Luna."
She nodded, "You're a good friend Harry Potter."
"I don't understand though Harry, why did Dumbledore give you such a low score?" Neville asked with concern.
Harry sighed. "He doesn't like the fact that I'm hanging out with Slytherins Neville. He doesn't like that I'm not under his control anymore."
Harry was about to say more, but there was a loud knock at the door. Draco opened it to find Miles Bletchly, a Slytherin fifth year standing there.
"Sorry to interrupt," he said. "We have a surprise for Potter downstairs. I was supposed to come and get you guys."
Harry frowned and looked to Draco, who shrugged. "I have no idea. Let's go and see."
They all followed Bletchly into the common room, where they were met by Slytherins holding drinks. They were each handed glasses of fire whiskey and wine.
"Wicked," the twins voiced together with identical smirks on their faces.
"What's with this?" Harry whispered to Castor.
Castor grinned, "You are about to experience a world famous Slytherin party Mr. Potter."
Cassius Warrington, the fifth year prefect jumped to stand on one of the study tables, "To Harry Potter," He raised his glass of fire whiskey. "He is Hogwart's champion. He may be in second place now, but soon enough he will be the one holding the triwizard cup. To Harry!"
"To Harry!" the rest of the Slytherin common room chanted together.
Harry smiled and sipped from his own glass of fire whiskey. He sputtered as the burning liquid ran down his throat.
Music began to play, and some Slytherins began dancing while others poured more drinks.
"How did you guys manage to sneak in whiskey?" Harry asked Blaise.
Blaise clutched his chest dramatically, "Harry my friend, have you forgotten we are Slytherins?"
"If there is a will, there is a way," Castor added with a wink. He then finished his glass with a flourish and grabbed Daphne to dance.
The twins wasted no time dragging Neville and a few older Slytherin girls to the dance floor.
Luna skipped over to Draco and tapped him on the shoulder. Draco turned around and looked at her quizzically.
"Would you like to dance Draco?" Luna asked with her dreamy eyes.
Harry smiled as Draco blushed. "Um, yeah sure, " Draco replied as he took Luna's outstretched hand.
Harry took another sip from his drink. He found he enjoyed it more the second time. It burned less.
"Hey Harry," Blaise said cautiously.
Harry raised an eyebrow, "Yeah?"
"I think we should talk about the task. We could wait until tomorrow, but there is something you should know."
"What is it?" Harry asked, feeling concerned.
Blaise grabbed his hand and dragged him over to an alcove, hidden behind black lace curtains.
Blaise turned back around to face him. "I think you need to be careful moving forward. I think Cedric is holding a grudge against you, especially now."
Harry shook his head, "What do you mean 'especially now'?"
Blaise sighed, "Cedric was badly hurt during his task. That's why he scored the lowest. He managed to trap the hidebehind, but not after it sunk its claws into him."
"How bad was it?"
"Pretty bad," replied Blaise. "He has a huge gash running down from his left eye to his chest."
"Merlin," Harry breathed.
Blaise nodded. "I know. And now, not only did you avoid getting hurt. You also killed the damn thing. From what I know about Cedric, he's going to be furious."
"So, do you think he's going to come after me?"
"No, at least not right now," Blaise said. "I don't think that's his style."
"How do you know so much about him Blaise?" Harry asked with narrowed eyes. "What is he going to do? I deserve to know."
Blaise looked conflicted for a moment. He shook his head and removed his wand to cast privacy spells. "Alright, but you can't tell anyone I told you. Not even the other Slytherins in our group. I'm breaking the code by telling you."
"What code?"
Blaise sighed and shrugged, "The Dark code. It's mostly a way of living. Like a guide on how to live a fulfilled life. But the code also protects us from those who want to hurt us. It means we keep each other's secrets."
Harry frowned. "You need to be more specific. I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Harry listen," Blaise said seriously. "Dark witches and wizards are constantly in danger. We have been hunted to the brink of our extinction and there are few of us left. The reason we are still here is because we protect one another. We keep each other's secrets. We don't reveal each other's identities to Light witches and wizards. So I am taking a huge risk by telling you what I'm about to tell you. Alright? I need to know you aren't going to tell anyone."
Harry stared into Blaise's dark brown eyes. He thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay I will keep your secret as long as you tell me more someday."
Blaise smiled in relief. "I promise I will once I think you are ready."
"Now tell me about Cedric."
Blaise nodded. "There is this… tournament. An underground dueling tournament that takes place once a year here at Hogwarts. It's a tournament for dark witches and wizards to compete against one another and practice our skills. It's mostly made up of Slytherins and Ravenclaws, but there are some Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors too. I can't tell you more than that right now, but I can tell you that Cedric competes regularly."
Harry blinked several times. "Cedric is dark?"
"Yes," Blaise confirmed. "I attend the tournament often, and I have watched and spoken to Cedric enough times that I know how he thinks. He is very competitive and he hates being humiliated."
Harry felt confused. "Okay, but how is he dark? I thought his father works for the Ministry?"
"That's true yes. He doesn't get along well with his father. I don't know the whole story, but I do know his family used to be dark several hundred years ago. I guess Cedric found some old books and taught himself. Now he is one of the best duelists in the school. The rest is history."
"So what do you recommend I do then?"
"Just be careful," Blaise put a hand on his shoulder. "Especially around Justin Finch-Fletchley and Ernie MacMillan. They are his best friends and they might try to seek revenge. As for Cedric, I think he will simply try to beat you in the tournament."
"And what if I win the tournament?" Harry asked. "What will he do?"
"I have no idea," Blaise admitted with a shrug.
Harry sighed. The last thing he needed was another enemy. Especially a seventh year student who was close to graduating, but he was sick and tired of being at the bottom. He wouldn't let a couple of jealous students ruin his chances of winning.
"It doesn't matter," he shook his head. "They don't matter. I'm not going to let them get in my way."
"Good," Blaise nodded. "That's what I was hoping you would say, but I wanted to warn you nonetheless."
Harry nodded and bit his lip for a moment, thinking.
"I want to learn dark magic." he said in a rush.
Blaise blinked slowly. "Are you… are you sure?"
"I'm sure. I have been thinking about it for awhile," Harry admitted. "Something is telling me I'm meant to learn. Plus, I don't want to limit myself to only one type of magic. I have a lot of enemies and I have to be ready to face them."
Harry meant what he said. If the books were true, dark magic was generally more powerful than light magic, and he wanted to be powerful. Plus, if he were being honest with himself, he just wanted to forge his own path. He wanted to be free. Dark magic would help him escape Dumbledore for good.
Harry lost all respect for the headmaster after the task earlier that night. Dumbledore's behavior only solidified his decision to learn.
Blaise gave him a long, hard look. Harry almost squirmed under its intensity. After a full minute Blaise spoke,
"Okay. As long as you are certain, we will teach you and provide you materials to study."
"Thank you," Harry breathed.
"We can start later though. For now, we have a party to attend," Blaise said with a smirk. "Dance with me Potter."
Harry felt a wave of panic run through him. "Uhh, I'm a shit dancer Blaise."
"Doesn't matter." Blaise replied bluntly as he pulled him towards the floor.
Suddenly Harry was standing in the middle of dozens of dancing students. He stood there stiffly, feeling like a fish out of water.
Blaise smiled encouragingly, "Just relax Harry. It doesn't matter if you don't know how to dance. It's all just for fun. Watch me."
Blaise began moving to the music. Harry found himself admiring how graceful Blaise was, even dancing to some alternative pop song.
Harry smiled as Blaise grabbed his hands and moved them both to the music. As the song continued, he started to relax. He laughed as he spun Blaise around, and soon enough they were both grinning widely.
Harry lost track of time as one song blended into the next. They only stopped when Blaise reccomended they finish their drinks. Harry was feeling rather tipsy as he emptied his glass.
He leaned against a wall next to Blaise and watched as Luna danced lightly across the dance floor with Draco. Castor and Daphne were both talking in the corner to Theo and Pansy, while Neville danced with two fifth year Slytherin girls.
Fred and George appeared in front of Harry and dragged both him and Blaise back to the dance floor.
The rest of the night was a blur of music and friends. It was the only time he could remember truly letting go.
Some how, they all managed to find their way back to Draco's dorm room at the end of the night.
Harry woke up on the floor in front of the dorm's small fireplace. The world was blurry for a moment when he first opened his eyes, and it took him a few minutes to realize he was cuddling someone's foot. He pushed himself backwards and grimaced.
Fred sat up and gave him a wolfish grin, "Woah mate, I didn't know you had a foot fetish."
Harry hid his face in his elbow, "Gross."
He continued laying on the floor for another few minutes just to get his bearings. Eventually his desire for a hot shower was too strong to ignore, and he forced himself to stand.
His legs felt a little wobbly, and his stomach began to protest so Harry leaned against the sofa for support.
Harry smiled when he saw Daphne taking a wizarding photograph of Draco, Theo, and Castor cuddling together on Draco's bed. The three of them woke up when the camera flashed, and they scrambled to get away from each other once they realized what was happening.
Behind Harry, George curled up into the fetal position next to Fred. "Hey Fred," he groaned.
"Yeah George?"
"Remind me to never party with the Slytherins again."
"Who are you kidding brother, that was brilliant." Fred slapped George hard on the back, causing him to groan again.
Harry laughed at that, but quickly stopped when his head started throbbing. He put a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes. "Where is Blaise?" he asked after a minute.
"He's over here," Daphne said in an amused tone. "On the floor next to Draco's bed."
Harry slowly made his way over to Draco's bed, where he found a quietly snoring Blaise stretched out on a sofa cushion on the floor. He smiled at the sight before deciding to let him sleep a little longer. He instead went into the bathroom and took a long shower.
By the time he was finished, the others had all woken up. He towel dried his hair and sat down on the sofa next to Luna and Neville, who looked half asleep.
"How was your night Neville?" Harry asked, remembering the two Slytherin girls.
Neville sent him a tired grin, "Brilliant. Let me know next time the Slytherins throw a party."
"Will do Neville, will do."
"Good morning everyone," Pansy announced suddenly. "Breakfast and hangover potions this morning are curtasy of the Parkinson household."
She clapped her hands and three house elves appeared. One held a handful of light blue vials, while the other two held trays of food. The trays of food were deposited on Draco's desk, while the hangover potions were passed around to the students.
Harry took his vial from the house elf and gulped it down without hesitation. He felt better almost immediately. His stomach calmed and his headache disappeared. He sent Pansy a grateful look before filling two small plates with food from the desk.
He took one plate and a hangover potion over to Blaise, the only person still sleeping, and sat down beside him. Harry touched his shoulder gently and Blaise opened one eye.
"I'm never getting up," he groaned quietly.
"But I brought you this wonderful hangover potion," Harry smirked.
Blaise opened both eyes and took the potion from Harry. He sat up and finished it in one giant gulp. He smiled shyly, "Thanks."
"No problem. I also brought you some food." Harry held out the plate to him.
The students all sat on the floor of Draco's dorm and ate their breakfast. It was delicious, even better than the normal Hogwart's breakfast.
After they finished eating, most of the group, including Blaise, returned to their dorm rooms to shower and sleep. Harry, on the other hand, felt energized. So he decided to go for a walk on the Hogwarts grounds alone. He needed time to himself after the intensity of the past few days.
He picked a spot in the Hogwarts courtyard where the sun was shining. He leaned comfortably against a stone pillar and removed a disguised Dark Arts history book from his bag.
He read there peacefully for the next hour, occasionally looking up as students walked passed him. On one of those occasions he looked up to see Cedric Diggory crossing the courtyard with Justin Finch-Fletchley and the Ravenclaw Cho Chang.
Harry immediately noticed the pale while scar running down Cedric's face. He realized it must have been a serious injury to leave such a visible scar.
The scar changed Cedric's overall appearance. He was still handsome, but the scar made it a harsher sort of beauty.
Gone was the boyish Hufflepuff.
Cedric seemed to notice Harry at the same time Harry noticed him. The look Cedric gave him could have frozen fire. Cedric's eyes were chips of ice, and Harry had to suppress the shiver that threatened to run through him.
Blaise was right, he had a new enemy.
Chapter End Notes
Some people seem to think that Hufflepuffs aren't dangerous, but I wanted to challenge that in this fic. I think certain Hufflepuff traits can actually create a person who is quite formidable.
I'm sorry if some of you don't like how I'm writing Cedric in this fic, but I thought it would create an interesting dynamic and I wanted to play around with it.
Nightmares
Harry woke up in a terrible mood.
He slept awfully after dreaming about the Slytherins betraying him all night. The nightmares had been plaguing him lately.
In the end, he decided it was the not-knowing that was really eating away at him. Winter break was fast approaching and he still knew nothing about his situation.
He had avoided it this far because he needed the Slytherin's help. Plus, he needed their friendship and he didn't want to risk losing it.
Now however, he decided it was time to ask Draco what he knew. Harry fully believed that he would go mad unless he found some answers to his questions.
In the end, Harry decided to pull Draco aside after their double potions lesson,
"Hey Draco."
Draco turned away from his conversation with Castor, "Hey Harry,"
"Can I talk to you?" Harry wiped his sweaty palms on his robe. "Privately?"
Draco nodded and the two of them found an abandoned classroom down the corridor. Harry closed the door behind them and cast privacy spells on the door so they wouldn't be overheard.
When he turned around Draco was watching him curiously. "What is it?"
Harry reached into his pocket and handed Draco a crumpled piece of paper. The same one Draco gave him the day after his name came out of the goblet. The one that read, 'Be careful Potter, things are not as the seem. You are being watched.'
Harry watched as Draco's eyes widened. "I didn't know you still had this," he said quietly.
"I've been meaning to ask you about this for weeks now, but I couldn't seem to work up the courage," Harry admitted with a shrug. "I need to know why you warned me."
Draco's face paled. "I… I don't know."
"No!" Harry clenched his fists and shouted suddenly. He forced himself to take a deep breath and calm down.
"You must have known I would ask eventually," Harry tried again. "I am sick and tired of everyone hiding things from me. No one is telling me anything. I thought… I, I thought we were friends, Draco."
Draco's eyes widened and he nodded, "We are Harry. I promise we are. I'm not hiding things from you to hurt you. I'm hiding things to protect you. You're not ready to know."
Harry pulled on the chain of the raven pendant and pulled it out from underneath his shirt. "Why did you seem to recognize this?"
Draco blinked slowly and appeared to be at a loss for words. "Harry-,"
"Don't lie," Harry shook his head. "You're one of my only friends now. I can't handle a lie from you, not now."
"Harry!" Draco exclaimed "Listen, I'm not lying to you. I have never lied to you. Yes I recognize the pendant."
"So you know who sent it to me?" he asked.
Draco's shoulders slumped. "Yes, I do."
"And? Who is it?" Harry demanded.
"I can't tell you. No - Harry listen," Draco held out a hand in front of him to stop Harry from storming out. "I can't tell you, but not because I don't want to. I can't tell you because I took an oath not to tell you before it was time."
Harry was stunned. Who would make Draco and the others swear an oath?
"However, I can promise you that everyone is on your side. We are just doing whatever we can to help you and protect you."
Harry was silent for a long moment. "And the person who sent me this? Are they protecting me too?" Harry gestured to the pendant.
Draco nodded quickly, "Yes. We are all on your side."
Harry's heart sunk. "This mystery person… are they the reason you began protecting me in the first place? Are they the only reason we became friends?"
"No!" Draco shouted, startling Harry. Draco swallowed and shook his head vehemently. "No that isn't why we became friends. Don't you get it? I've wanted to be your friend since first year, but I fucked it up!"
Draco ran his hands through his hair, breathing heavily. "I admit I was a stupid kid who said stupid things. We never hated you, but you were sorted into Gryffindor and you started believing everything the other houses said about Slytherins. What chance did we have of being friends then? Then suddenly your name came out of the cup and they pushed you away. I admit I saw it as an opening."
A little bit of weight lifted from Harry's shoulders hearing that.
Draco wrapped Harry in a tight hug, "I'm glad we are friends Harry. I don't like keeping things from you, and neither do the others. I promise we will tell you everything as soon as we can."
Harry sighed and relaxed. A big weight had been lifted from his chest. He may not understand his situation completely, but at least he had real friends who were looking out for him.
Harry couldn't believe it. He blinked slowly and decided he must be dreaming.
Ronald Weasley was dancing with McGonagall.
Harry soaked in the sight. He enjoyed the way Ron's lip quivered with every step. It was amusing to see him as the center of negative attention for once.
Harry crossed his arms over his chest and relaxed against the wall with a satisfied smirk. He would never forget this moment for as long as he lived.
The twins suddenly appeared behind him.
"Hey Harrykins," Fred whispered.
"Mr. Dark overlord sir," George smirked.
Harry rolled his eyes, "Please tell me you guys managed to get a photo of this?"
"Oh absolutely," they said together with identical smirks. "He's never going to forget it."
McGonagall finally stepped back from Ron and clapped her hands, "Alright students, it is your turn. Everyone please stand."
George ducked down, "Time to go."
Fred and George both made their way to the door, hiding behind the other students and Harry decided to follow. The three of them snuck through the door while McGonagall was destracted by the protesting students.
After they successfully made their escape, Harry left the twins behind and made his way to the Slytherin common room. He knew the Slytherins had a free period and would probably be there.
He found his friends reading dark arts books in the fourth year study room. Harry threw off his Gryffindor school robe and loosened his tie. He flopped into an open chair and shook his head. "You're never going to believe what just happened."
Pansy closed her book, looking interested. "Mr. Potter, do you have juicy gossip to share with us?"
"Absolutely," he smirked. "Ronald Weasley just waltzed with McGonagall in front of the whole Gryffindor house."
"Shut up," Blaise said with wide eyes.
"It's true," Harry confirmed with a satisfied smile.
Castor leaned forward in his seat, "I would have killed to see it."
"Me too," said Daphne with a laugh. "So Harry, did you learn to dance?"
"Uh, no." He admitted. "I snuck out with the twins. Did you guys have lessons with Snape?"
Draco barked out a laugh, "Snape teaching us to dance? No way. Most Slytherins already know how to dance, and those who don't learn from other Slytherins."
"Oh, I see."
Pansy stood from her seat, "Come on Harry, I'll teach you. You don't need McGonagall."
Harry hesitated. He wasn't a very good dancer and the idea of it made him nervous. Dancing with Blaise had been fun and free. Waltzing in front of the students was… intimidating, to say the least.
After a moment he forced himself to stand. He was creating a new reputation for himself, and he certainly wouldn't allow himself to look like a fool during the champions dance.
He spent the next two hours practicing with Pansy. She was patient as she taught him the steps, and by the end of it he was feeling rather confident.
He grinned as Pansy clapped her hands, "You're a brilliant dancer Harry!"
"Thanks Pansy."
"Your date is going to be lucky to have you," She added with a smirk.
Harry blinked slowly. A date. He hadn't even realized he would need one, though he supposed it was rather obvious. He couldn't just dance alone in front of the entire school.
Harry glanced to his left where the rest of his friends were studying. After making sure they weren't paying attention, he whispered, "How do I get a date?"
Pansy smiled gently, "You just ask someone you like, silly. Theo asked me yesterday."
"But I don't even know who I like," Harry shrugged.
"Just take a few days and think about it," Pansy suggested. "See if someone stands out and ask them."
A few days later Harry received a letter from Sirius during breakfast. He stuck the letter in the pocket of his robe and walked to the library as quickly as he could.
He found a hidden table near the back of the library, and tore open the envelope.
Dear Harry,
I am sorry I haven't written to you in some time. I have been working day and night to find Pettigrew so that I can prove my innocence to the Ministry. My hope is that once my name is cleared, you will be able to live with me full time.
I am extremely proud of your performance in the first task. While I may hate the fact that you have to compete at all, I always knew you would conquer anything they threw at you.
I know champions are required to attend the Yule Ball, but the school is allowing students to return home the morning after to see their families. I was wondering if you would like to spend the rest of the holidays with me at the Black Manor in Southern France? I think it's about time that we spend the holidays together as a family again, don't you?
Write to me soon with your decision.
Love,
Snuffles
A small smile formed on Harry's face as he finished reading the letter. He would get to spend the Holidays with Sirius. It would be his first time spending Yule with family since his parent's deaths.
Sirius hadn't mentioned anything about Harry spending time with the Slytherins, but maybe he didn't know? Either way, Harry would have to tell him over Yule. He was sure Sirius would disapprove of his actions, and he wasn't looking forward to having that conversation.
Harry took out parchment and a quill from his backpack and wrote his reply,
Dear Snuffles,
Of course I want to spend Yule with you. I have never traveled outside of the country before so I can't wait to go to France.
I admit I was terrified during the first task. I never wanted to compete in the first place, but I'm glad I did. I was finally able to prove myself.
Don't worry, someday we will find Pettigrew and your name will be cleared. We won't let him win.
I can't wait for Yule.
Love,
Harry
Harry folded the letter and put it in his backpack to take up to the owlery later.
He moved to take his books out of his bag to study, but stopped when he felt someone watching him. He looked up, and saw Hermione watching him from behind the bookshelf. He froze, and they stared at one another for a long moment.
Eventually she took a deep breath and approached him. She pulled out a chair and sat across from him without asking. Harry raised an eyebrow as he bristled inside.
They were both silent for an extended period of time.
Hermione cleared her throat, "Harry, I think you're making a mistake. The Slytherins are dangerous and you know that. I want us to still be friends-"
Harry held up a hand to stop her from continuing. He shook his head, "No Hermione. You gave up that opportunity a long time ago. You have no right to tell me what I should and shouldn't do."
He stood from the table and grabbed his backpack. Hermione reached out and grabbed his arm with a horrified expression on her face, "Harry… what happened to you?"
"I was abandoned," he said simply.
He pulled his arm from her grasp and left her sitting alone in the library.
Dark Magic
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Harry found himself standing in the Chamber of Secrets with a Dark Arts book tucked underneath his arm.
After spending several days studying the basics, he decided it was time to try it himself. Castor offered to help him learn, but his instincts told him to try learning alone first.
He didn't know what it was, but he felt it in his gut that he was meant to learn dark magic. The feeling had been eating away at him since he started learning his first dark spell for the tournament. That complex spell had been easy for him. Way easier than most other spells.
He asked Draco about it earlier that morning, and found out some witches and wizards have affinities for dark magic. Apparently it was rare, but not impossible. Harry didn't know if he had an affinity for dark magic, but he wanted to find out.
He chose the Chamber of Secrets to practice because it was impossible for Dumbledore to catch him there. Dumbledore couldn't speak Parseltongue.
He felt comfortable enough reading disguised dark arts books throughout Hogwarts, but actually practicing dark magic was something else entirely. He didn't feel like spending the rest of his life in Azkaban.
Plus, Harry felt a strange connection to the chamber, despite the fact that he had almost died there. It didn't feel cold or dangerous anymore. Now he felt welcome. His theory was that the chamber could sense his change in magical allegiance.
He walked forward until he was standing near the edge of Salazar Slytherin's deep pool of water. Across the water was Slytherin's face, carved into the cave wall. Water flowed freely down the statue from several openings in the wall. He decided he liked the sound of running water, it was relaxing.
As he stared at the grand statue, he wondered for a moment what the founders of Hogwarts were really like during their prime. He knew Slytherin must have been a powerful dark wizard, but did any of the other founders practice dark magic as well? He doubted Gryffindor would have been accepting of dark magic, but perhaps Ravenclaw had been open to it. According to Luna, Ravenclaw was a great scholar. Maybe Ravenclaw found dark magic an interesting subject to study. He didn't know enough about Hufflepuff to guess whether or not she practiced dark magic. Though based on the current nature of Hufflepuff house, he doubted she did.
Harry dropped his backpack on the ground and took out the blanket he had stuffed within. He spread the blanket over the stone floor and sat down, laying the dark arts book open in front of him.
The rare book, a gift from Draco, focused on offensive and defensive elemental spells. He chose a spell at random from the chapter on earth spells and practiced the wand movements for the next several minutes.
When he thought he was ready, he stood and conjured several dueling dummies the way Castor had demonstrated earlier.
His books recommended he close his eyes and focus on his emotions before casting a dark spell, so he did just that. He didn't try to clear his mind or push his emotions away. He brought his emotions to the forefront of his mind while keeping them under control. He allowed his emotions to mix with his magic. It was a strange sensation at first, but after a while it felt comfortable. Natural almost.
Prior to the start of his journey down this path, he hadn't realized how different the two types of magic were. How different they felt in his body.
Dark magic felt like a churning sea. He could feel its untamed nature, wild and free. He loved the way it danced underneath his skin, and he felt a deep connection to it. Harry himself had an overwhelming desire to be free. He never realized how restrained light magic was until that moment.
He stood there quietly for a long while, just basking in the feeling of the magic.
Eventually he opened his eyes and pointed his wand at the nearest dummy. He allowed his emotions, his anger to grow and murmured, "Fractionis terrace," and the ground beneath the dummy began to tremble. He focused harder and pushed his magic forward. The ground trembled further and collapsed inward, swallowing the dummy whole.
He was breathless as he surveyed the damage, both from exhaustion and shock. He realized a spell like that could be potentially devastating in a battle if done on a wide enough scale. However, it took an immense amount of magic to perform, so he doubted he would ever be able to do it more than once in a duel.
He took a moment to recover before repairing the damage to the stone floor.
He chose another earth spell from the book, and focused before casting it on one of the dummies. "Vitam faciunt laminis."
Obsidian knives shot out of the tip of his wand and tore through the dummy before embedding in the wall behind it.
Harry stared at the dummy in awe, surveying the damage. At that moment he realized how truly doomed he may have been if he had continued following Dumbledore's lead.
Dumbledore wanted him to fight people who had access to all of this? Did Dumbledore honestly believe Harry would stand a chance against someone as powerful as Voldemort?
Dumbledore never even gave Harry private lessons to help him become a stronger wizard. Special treatment be damned. Harry was constantly in danger, he deserved to know how to defend himself from those who wanted to take his life.
At that moment Harry vowed to become a powerful dark wizard. He would practice every single day if necessary. He would never allow himself to be a weak again. He would take his life into his own hands and become strong.
Harry took a moment to refocus before returning to the book. He chose a shield spell from the chapter on earth magic and decided to give it a try. "Speculum murum."
A wall of crystal shot up from the ground in front of him and he grinned. He could see the dummies through the shield, but he doubted most spells would be able to break through. He cast the strongest blasting curse he could at the wall, but it didn't damage it even slightly.
Harry whistled to himself and decided that would be his favorite shield spell from now on.
Harry spent more time reading through the book on elemental magic, writing down the spells and their page numbers he wanted to master by the end of the week. He knew if he wanted to become a skilled dark wizard, he needed to set goals for himself. In the end, he chose 3 water spells, 4 fire spells, 3 air spells, and 2 earth spells to master over the next week. He was determined to reach his goal. He knew the consequences would be dire if he didn't.
Harry slipped the elemental magic book into his backpack and removed a different book, this one on ritual magic.
Harry flipped through the book. He was captivated by it. Some rituals appeared to be very useful, such as the memory enhancement ritual and the mental clarity ritual. Others were rather questionable, like the one meant to send your enemies horrifying nightmares every night for a month.
Harry wrote down the memory and clarity rituals on his parchment and took note of the ingredients he would need to perform them. They were simple, so he figured he would be capable of performing them on his own at some point in the future.
He rolled up his parchment and slipped it into his backpack along with his books before throwing the backpack over his shoulder.
He left the chamber with a new purpose. He wasn't just going to survive, he was also going to win.
Draco met Harry outside of his Charms class later that week. Draco looked nervous, so Harry asked, "What's wrong?"
"I was hoping you could help me with something," Draco admitted before explaining what he needed.
After listening Harry grinned. "Of course I will help."
A few hours later after dinner ended, Harry stood from the Slytherin table and walked over to the Ravenclaw table. Luna turned to look at him as he approached.
"Hello Harry," she said with a smile.
"Hey Luna, I was wondering if we could talk?"
"Yes we can Harry."
They linked arms once they escaped the crowds leaving the Great Hall.
"I can tell things are changing Harry," Luna pointed out once they were alone.
"Yeah?"
She nodded, "You have chosen your own path, and I think we will all be better for it."
Harry sighed and felt a weight lift from his chest. Despite his newfound motivations, he had been slightly nervous to learn dark magic. Deep down he knew dark magic wasn't evil, but he knew his parents would be disappointed, and that bothered him.
Somehow Harry could tell Luna knew exactly what he had been doing recently. Over the last week Harry had been spending his evenings in the Chamber of Secrets practicing his list of spells. He only had one spell left on his list to master before he chose more spells to learn. He was slowly improving, and he was sure he would become a powerful wizard if given enough time.
He sighed, "Thanks Luna. I was… worried."
"Don't be Harry. You are doing what you need to do in order to be safe and independent."
He nodded, "What about… Ron and Hermione."
"They already made their choice," she shrugged. "They will only be obstacles from this point on."
The last bit of affection Harry held for Ron and Hermione died in that instant. He would always be fond of his memories with them, but they were his enemies now. They would try to fight him once they knew what he was doing.
"Harry?"
He snapped out of his thoughts, "Yeah?"
"There will be others you need to worry about in the future, besides Ron and Hermione. Be careful going forward."
"I know," he nodded. "And I will be, I promise."
They walked in a comfortable silence until they reached an abandoned classroom near the base of Ravenclaw tower. Harry suppressed a grin as he pulled Luna towards the door and pushed it open for her.
"What is this?" She asked.
"Go find out," Harry urged her.
Luna skipped inside without hesitation, and Harry smiled softly when he heard her gasp.
Waiting there for her was Draco, dressed in fine charcoal robes, holding a large bouquet of white roses.
Draco was visibly nervous, but Luna looked positively delighted.
Harry entered the room quietly behind her and shut the door.
Draco cleared his throat and handed Luna the flowers. "Luna, I was hoping you would like to be my date to the Yule ball?"
Luna smiled brightly as she took the roses. "I would love to be your date Draco. Thank you."
Draco relaxed a little and returned her smile. "I also brought you a gift." He reached into his pocket and removed a small box. He held it out to her.
Luna took it gently and gasped as she opened it. Harry already knew the box contained a pair of beautiful white rose earrings. He bit his lip to prevent his smile from growing. He enjoyed seeing two of his best friends so happy.
"I was hoping you would wear them to the ball?" Draco said hesitantly.
She touched the earrings gently, "Yes I will."
Harry heard someone clear their throat behind him, so he turned around.
He was startled when he realized it was Blaise.
Blaise. Who was wearing black formal robes and holding a bouquet of red roses.
Harry blinked slowly, feeling confused. Why was Blaise there? Harry's job was to bring Luna to Draco so he could ask her to the ball. Blaise had never been part of the plan.
Harry was dumbstruck as Blaise handed him the large bouquet.
He took it carefully and Blaise smirked, "I knew you would never ask me, so I decided to ask you first."
"You planned this… with Draco?"
Blaise grinned, "Of course. Now Harry, would you accompany me to the ball?"
"Slytherins," Harry muttered under his breath, but he found himself nodding with a tiny smile.
The shock of first seeing Blaise was starting to give way to a nervous feeling in his gut. He would be dancing with Blaise in front of all three schools. But, then again, he would prefer dancing with Blaise over anyone else. At least they had danced together before.
Blaise, still grinning, removed a velvet black box from the inside of his robe, the same size as Luna's. Harry took it from Blaise's outstretched hand and opened it slowly. He realized it was a single black earring shaped like a dagger. He picked it up and watched as it glinted in the light.
Harry found himself captivated by it. It would dangle from his ear, and he could tell it would make quite a statement.
"Blaise I can't accept this," Harry said regretfully. "It's beautiful, but it's too much."
"If it makes you feel better I can't return it," Blaise pointed out. "I would really appreciate it if you would keep it."
Harry nodded, then pointed out, "I don't have my ear pierced?"
"Pansy knows how to do it. She can do it for you and it will be completely painless."
Harry let out a breath, "Thank you. I have been dreading the ball, but now, maybe I will have fun with you as my date."
Blaise grinned again, "I will make it a priority to ensure you have fun."
Harry turned as Draco said, "Hey Blaise, now we both have dates!"
"Two very attractive dates, if I might add," Blaise winked.
Harry would deny it, even on his deathbed, but he blushed.
Chapter End Notes
Hey guys, I'm sorry it has been awhile. I moved across the country so things have been crazy lately. I might not have time to reply to comments for awhile so I hope you don't mind!!!
Stay safe everyone!
The Yule Ball
Chapter Notes
Hey guys! Its time for the ball!
Go check out my new book 'Blackfire', I think you guys are really going to like it!
Summary: Babies in the magical world are born with either green or brown eyes. Green for light magic, and brown for dark magic.
Harry Potter comes from a long line of light witches and wizards. Everyone expects Harry to be born with green eyes, but when his eyes turn brown shortly after his birth, his parents do the only thing they can think of to protect him.
They send him to live with the Dursleys.
See the end of the chapter for more notes
"Ready Harry?" Draco peeked his head into the bathroom where Harry was trying to fix his hair.
"No, well, yeah I guess. I don't know," Harry mumbled.
"Your hair looks fine," Draco assured him. "Pansy would be proud."
Harry tugged at his robes nervously. He was wearing the black dress robes Pansy and Daphne gave him before the first tournament. The modern looking robes were beautiful. They glinted purple whenever he moved, and he knew they would stand out at the ball. He was just worried they didn't look good on him.
Draco left the bathroom and came back a moment later with Pansy in tow.
He couldn't help but gasp when he saw her. She was wearing a draping forest green dress that moved elegantly around her as she walked. "Wow, Pansy. You look beautiful. Theo is a lucky man."
She smiled and adjusted his bow tie, "You look great too Harry. Daphne and I made sure of it. Everyone is going to be in awe of you."
"You sure?" he laughed awkwardly. "What if I mess up and fall over or something during the dance."
"Harry Potter," she frowned. "Are you telling me I'm a bad teacher? Because I distinctly remember teaching you how to dance myself."
"I… no, uh…" Harry stuttered.
Her face broke into a grin. "Just relax Harry, Blaise won't let you fall."
Harry rubbed the back of his neck and smiled.
"Do you need help putting the earring in?" she asked.
He nodded, "Please." Pansy had pierced his ear a few days earlier. It was completely painless, and healed in just a few seconds.
She helped him put on the earring. Together, the earring and his dark robes made his eyes and pale skin glow.
"You look like a god," she told him with a grin. "Blaise is going to have a difficult time keeping everyone away from you."
He blushed and shook his head, but felt better nonetheless. "Thanks Pansy."
"Now let's go," she linked their arms. "We have men to knock dead."
He laughed and led her out of the bathroom. Together they made their way down to the common room.
Their friends were all waiting for them. Castor had his arm around Daphne, and they were talking to Draco, Luna, Blaise, and Theo in front of one of the fireplaces. They all stopped their conversations and turned to look as they reached the bottom of the stairs.
Daphne immediately came over and hugged them both, "Absolutely gorgeous," she whispered.
Blaise and Theo were right behind her. Theo took Pansy's hand and kissed it gently, "My lady," he said with a smirk. She waved him off, but Harry could tell she was pleased.
Harry could barely pay attention to them though, because Blaise was standing right in front of him looking like a king. Blaise's robes matched Harry's. They were a royal purple with a single black strap crossing over his chest. He also wore expensive looking black dragonhide gloves and a silver pendant which hung from his neck. The pendant was a dagger, almost identical to the one in his earring. Harry didn't think that was a coincidence.
"You look perfect," He told Blaise, and he meant it. He felt a lot more comfortable knowing it was Blaise he would be dancing with.
"As do you," Blaise grinned. "I'm lucky I asked you before someone else did."
Blaise reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver chain. "By the way," he said. "We have one final gift for you before we go."
He handed the chain to Harry, who realized it was a snake pendant. It was similar to the Slytherin crest, but more detailed and realistic. He ran his fingertips over the fine metalwork in awe, "I seriously can't accept any more gifts."
"Its tradition," Draco explained. "Wizards almost always wear a pendant composed of their family crest to formal events."
It was then that Harry realized Draco was also wearing a silver pendant, except his pendant was a dragon. Castor's was a knight holding a sword, and Theo's was a winged stallion.
"We thought the Potter lion might be a little too similar to Gryffindor, so we decided to give you a pendant that represented your Slytherin mind instead," Castor smirked.
Harry smiled. Another way for him to reject Gryffindor. He slipped the chain over his neck, and Blaise adjusted it for him.
"Ready?" Blaise asked quietly.
Harry nodded, "Let's go." He linked arms with Blaise, and they followed the crowds to the Great Hall.
Once they arrived, Harry and Blaise were whisked away from their group by a flustered McGonagall. "Oh come along this way boys, the dance is starting soon," she pulled them over to a group made of the champions and their dates.
Harry was surprised to see Hermione was Viktor Krum's date, but he didn't show it, choosing to ignore her instead.
"Right Mr. Potter, you will go last, since you are the youngest contestant," McGonagall informed him.
Harry nodded, "Yes professor."
McGonagall turned to enter the hall and almost ran into an irritated Ron Weasley. Harry raised an eyebrow when he saw Ron's dress robes. They were horrific.
"Oh, Mr. Weasley," McGonagall adjusted his bow tie. She then fled, as if she couldn't stand to look at Ron's horrible robes any longer.
Harry barely contained his laugh. Blaise on the other hand, didn't even try. A blushing Ron turned to face Blaise, "Got something to say Zabini?"
"No, nothing at all," Blaise, still smiling, wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. The entrance hall was empty except for them now.
"At least my mother isn't a gold digger! " Ron snapped.
Blaise went from laughing, to pointing his wand at Ron's throat in less than a second. Harry didn't even have time to react.
"Say that again Weasley. I dare you," Blaise hissed. If they weren't in public, Harry knew Blaise would curse Ron within an inch of his life.
Harry pulled Blaise back and got inbetween them, "Not here, not now. Later, I promise." He whispered into Blaise's ear. Blaise took a deep breath and nodded.
Harry turned and immediately got in Ron's face. He almost laughed when Ron stepped back nervously. "Don't you ever, ever, say something like that again. Do you understand me?"
Ron swallowed thickly, "Or what?"
"Just don't Ron!" Harry shouted and pushed him back. Ron staggered away, looking both hurt and offended.
Harry watched him go, the anger still boiling inside of him.
Blaise moved to stand in front of him and touched his shoulder. "Thank you," he whispered before bending forward to kiss his cheek.
Harry blushed, and instantly felt the anger leave him. "Um, yeah of course."
He briefly made eye contact with Hermione, and noticed the anger in her eyes too. Though it seemed to be directed more towards Ron than Harry.
McGonagall returned a moment later and clapped her hands together, "Alright champions, it is time."
Blaise took Harry's arm as the music began to play. They followed Cedric and Cho into the Great Hall. Harry felt only bliss.
When they reached the dance floor Harry confidently put his hands on Blaise's waist.
Together they spun elegantly around the dance floor, and somewhere in the crowd he thought he heard Pansy cheer.
As time went on more people joined the champions on the dance floor, but Harry kept dancing. He was grinning as he spun Blaise around.
One song blended into the next, but Harry barely noticed. Surprisingly enough he was having the time of his life.
Pansy appeared next to them some time later, "May I cut in Blaise?"
Balise rolled his eyes, "If you must."
Pansy took Blaise's place, and the two of them began to dance. It was exactly like their lessons, except this time they weren't alone.
"Harry Potter," she grinned. "Are you sure you're not a professional?"
"I wish," he laughed.
"Everyone has been watching you all night so far. The professors, the students. They are in awe of you."
"Really? I hadn't even noticed anyone was watching."
Now Pansy rolled her eyes, "Of course they are. I wasn't joking when I said you looked like a god."
Harry blushed. They finished their dance, and Harry was quickly swept away by Daphne. Then Draco was next, and Castor. They all danced together for the next hour, laughing and smiling the entire time.
Eventually Blaise pushed Castor out of the way, "My turn," he winked.
They finished one dance, then Blaise whispered in his ear, "Hey, some of the older Slytherins spiked the punch. Do you want some?"
"Yeah sure," Harry laughed. You could always count on the Slytherins. They made their way to the punch table and found Draco already there with Luna and Castor.
"Blaise told us what happened," Draco smirked. "Nice move Potter."
Harry just shrugged, "I wasn't just going to let him say something like that."
Castor sipped from his drink, "He's over there," he gestured towards the back corner of the ballroom, and Harry realized he was right.
Ron was hiding alone in the corner, holding an ice pack to the back of his head. Ron was glaring at him, but Harry ignored him and turned back to his friends. He took the glass Blaise handed to him, "Well he looks like he's having fun."
Neville appeared suddenly beside them with Ginny. "Hey guys," he smiled.
"Hey Neville," Draco greeted him and poured them both drinks. "Hello Ginny."
Ginny looked nervous being near so many Slytherins, but she smiled and nodded, "Hi Draco."
Harry noticed Ron walking towards their group out of the corner of his eye. Oh great. "Ron's coming," he whispered to Blaise. Blaise nodded slightly, and Harry noticed him take out his wand.
Ron grabbed Ginny's shoulder and tried to pull her away, "Come on Ginny, you shouldn't be talking to them."
"Back off Ron," Ginny frowned.
Ron tried again, but Neville got between them. "Go away Ron, you don't get to ruin her night. We are having fun."
Ron's face turned red, but Neville didn't budge. Ron glared at Ginny and hissed, "I'm writing a letter to mum."
"Maybe I should write her one myself," Harry announced. "You know, and tell her all about how you abandoned me. I think she would like that."
Ron looked like a fish, the way his mouth opened and closed.
"Leave Ron. Go find someone else to bother," Neville frowned. Ron bit his lip and returned to his lonely corner of the ballroom without another word.
"He has been unbearable lately," Neville sighed, and Ginny nodded in agreement.
"I think he misses you Harry," Ginny said. "But at the same time he is extremely jealous, especially since you hang out with Slytherins," she gave the Slytherins apologetic looks.
"I don't care," Harry shrugged. "He doesn't get to treat me the way he did and come back into my life whenever he feels like it. That's not how it works."
"I know," Ginny nodded. "I agree with you."
"You do?" He asked.
"Of course. And I'm glad you found loyal friends now."
"Thanks Ginny," he said softly. It was nice to know not all Gryffindors hated him.
Neville and Ginny hung out with them for the rest of the night, and by the end of it Ginny was laughing with Pansy and Daphne. Neville and Ginny both fit right in with their group. Even Fred and George danced with them for a while.
They didn't leave the ballroom until McGonagall told them to return to their dorm rooms and go to bed.
Cassius Warrington found them as they were leaving the Great Hall. "After party in the Slytherin common room." He then ran to catch up with his own friends.
"Do you guys want to come?" Harry asked Neville, Ginny, and the twins. The twins said yes without hesitating.
"I will go if Ginny wants to," Neville smiled.
She hesitated, "Are you sure?"
"Of course," Pansy insisted. She linked arms with Ginny
Ginny smiled, "Okay."
They all returned to the Slytherin common room to find the after party in full swing.
"Well obviously I was wrong about Gryffindor being the fun house," Ginny said with wide eyes.
"So was I," Harry laughed.
The rest of the night was much like the night after the first task. It was a blur of music, food, and friends.
Chapter End Notes
I hope you liked the new chapter! Ron won't really play a big part moving forward, but I think this conflict was long overdue.
Go check out my new book 'Blackfire', I think you guys are really going to like it!
Summary: Babies in the magical world are born with either green or brown eyes. Green for light magic, and brown for dark magic.
Harry Potter comes from a long line of light witches and wizards. Everyone expects Harry to be born with green eyes, but when his eyes turn brown shortly after his birth, his parents do the only thing they can think of to protect him.
They send him to live with the Dursleys.
The Black Library
Chapter Notes
If you like Dark/Smart Harry, go check out my new fic Black Fire!
Thank you as always!
See the end of the chapter for more notes
"Who the hell is that?" Draco scowled at the first years sitting in their compartment on the train. "We claimed this compartment when we were first years. Who do they think they are?"
"They are just clueless first years Draco," Harry sighed.
He entered the compartment and leveled the Ravenclaw first years with a look. "Listen guys, you have to find a different compartment. This one belongs to the Slytherins."
One of the Ravenclaws, a girl with big brown eyes and light brown hair frowned. "You're not a Slytherin."
Harry rolled his eyes, "Yes, obviously I'm a Gryffindor. But I'm friends with the Slytherins, so leave."
The Ravenclaws just blinked stubbornly, so Harry crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you really want Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson coming in here to make you leave? Because they will."
The Ravenclaws glanced at each other, before shrugging and gathering their belongings.
Draco glared at them as they left the compartment, but they didn't shrink away from his glare. He seemed very put off by this as he sulked his way into the compartment.
Castor grinned, "Aw poor Draco. Don't worry, I'm sure they were scared on the inside."
Draco huffed, but didn't retort. Everyone laughed as they settled into the compartment. It was the start of the Yule holiday, and they were all excited to have a break from school.
Luna, Daphne, Neville, and the Weasleys all decided to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays, so the compartment was only half full.
Blaise was going to his family home in Italy with his mother, while Draco was going to France with his parents. Pansy was staying home in London, and Castor was going on holiday in Spain with his mother and father.
Harry was suddenly reminded that all of his friends were the children of Death Eaters. He decided he didn't want to think about it, and pushed all thoughts of Death Eaters out of his head. He wanted to enjoy his last few hours with his friends before he met Sirius in Diagon Alley.
Sirius had written to him a few days prior to explain his plan. After Harry left Kingscross Station, he would take the Knight bus to Diagon Alley and go shopping while he waited for Sirius to meet him in the Leaky Cauldron under a polyjuice potion.
Sirius had explained he would be late due to Order of the Phoenix business. This suited Harry just fine, because he had… plans.
He wanted to buy a few books from Knockturn Alley, and he definitely wouldn't be able to do that if Sirius was with him.
The train ride went quickly. The hours were spent watching Blaise beat Castor in wizarding chess, and listening to Pansy fill them in on the latest Hogwarts gossip. Before they knew it, they were pulling into the station.
Harry pulled on a warm, black hooded cloak over his navy blue jumper. He needed something to cover his face in Knockturn Alley. He didn't want people knowing 'The Harry Potter' was into the Dark Arts. Rita Skeeter would have a field day with that one, he knew. He swung his backpack over his shoulder and followed his friends off of the train.
"Bye Harry!" Pansy and the others waved as they left to find their parents on the platform. Blaise waited until they were gone before facing Harry. "Will you write me?"
"Of course I will," Harry grinned. "Hedwig is going to spend a lot of time in Italy over the next few weeks. I hope she likes it."
Blaise returned his smile and relaxed. "I will take good care of her, I promise."
Blaise then spotted his mother across the platform. She was a tall, graceful woman Harry realized. She shared Blaise's dark complexion and intense, observant eyes. Her stare was directed at Harry, and it took all of his self control not to squirm. She tipped her chin at Blaise, who waved goodbye to Harry and walked quickly to her.
Harry didn't think he would ever want to be in a room alone with her.
Once Blaise and his mother apparated away, Harry walked through the barrier and made his way to the busy London streets. He pulled on a pair of black dragonhide gloves and walked for a while, shivering as the rain soaked through his hooded cloak. He wished he could cast drying and warming charms, but he couldn't with the trace. Stupid ministry, he cursed in his head.
Sighing, he walked until he found a relatively quiet street. He looked around to make sure no one was watching. Once he was certain he was alone, he took out his wand and summoned the Knight bus.
He wasn't prepared for the way the magical bus appeared with a loud 'bang' out of thin air. Harry staggered back as a gaunt man with crooked teeth stepped off the bus to greet him. "Welcome to the Knight bus," he said, "emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. My name is Stan Shunpike and I will be your conductor for this morning. Where are you heading?"
"Diagon Alley," Harry righted himself and dug in his pocket for 11 sickles. He handed the money to Stan and quickly boarded the bus to escape the rain.
He slumped in his seat and let the heat warm him. His peace didn't last long however, because both Stan, and a bodiless head hanging from the ceiling yelled "Take it away Ernie!" And the bus roared to life. Harry's eyes widened as he was forced backward into his seat. He had ridden the bus once before in his third year, but the intensity of the ride still surprised him.
The bus whipped through the streets of London, and all Harry could do was hold on for dear life. It was more intense than the wronski feint he often employed during quidditch matches. He honestly wouldn't have been surprised if the bus left a trail of flames in its wake.
Harry felt giddy as the bus stopped outside of the Leaky Cauldron. He guessed there was a reason he had been sorted into Gryffindor after all. He did love a thrill.
"The Leaky Cauldron," Stan called, and Harry was quick to exit. He wanted to spend as much time as possible in Knockturn Alley.
Harry nodded to Tom, the bartender as he tapped the bricks to enter Diagon with his wand. He pulled his hood up and positioned it to cover his face. Then he once again set out into the rain.
Harry tried to look as inconspicuous as possible and stuck to the shadows. Luckily enough for him however, Diagon was rather empty.
He didn't hesitate to duck into the narrow entryway of Knockturn after passing Gringotts.
Harry considered himself lucky, for he first noticed the entrance the previous summer while shopping with the Weasleys. At first he had no idea what it was, but then Mrs. Weasley ushered them away and warned them to 'stay far away from Knockturn'.
Now he was entering the supposedly dangerous alley completely alone to buy books on the Dark Arts.
Oh how things have changed, he mused.
Harry felt slightly nervous as he passed a rather large, drunk looking man with a bald head supporting himself against the wall. He kept going anyways, not sparing the man a second look.
Soon enough, the narrow passage opened into something much larger, and Harry was surprised to find that Knockturn was almost as big as Diagon Alley. And strangely enough, it didn't feel dangerous.
He honestly expected to find an alley full of thugs and thieves, but instead he found a rather calm shopping district full of people simply going about their days. He saw a mother carrying a baby into a restaurant, and an elderly man conversing with a man selling the Daily Profit. He assumed they were all dark witches and wizards, but they didn't appear to be dangerous.
He wasn't sure which way to go, so he decided to go left and look for a book shop. After passing several shops and restaurants, he came across a store named The Dark Volumes.
He entered the book shop quickly to escape the rain. A bell rang as he entered, but the shopkeeper didn't look up from the book he was reading.
Harry kept his hood up as he began exploring the shelves. There were thousands of books he realized. They were stacked on every available surface, and in every corner. He noticed there were faded signs indicating which books were located where, and decided to visit the 'Dark Dueling' section.
He picked up a book titled 'Essential Fire Spells' and tucked it underneath his arm. He found several other titles, including 'Battle Wards', 'Basic Attack Spells', and 'Dark Spells to Distract Your Opponent'.
They all sounded incredibly useful, and he figured they would be a good place to start. In another section labeled 'Rituals' he picked up two books on rituals for new dark wizards.
He spent the next 20 minutes searching for a book on 'The Dark Code', but couldn't find anything even remotely close. He searched for dark organizations, dark governments, dark clubs, dueling clubs, Hogwarts dark witches and wizards… nothing. Blaise was right, they were very secretive. You could find books on any type of dark magic in existence, but there was nothing available on the code.
Eventually he gave up and grabbed a few more books on elemental spells, runes, and dueling. He carried his heavy pile of books to the counter and handed over the galleons to the shopkeeper. The man didn't even bother looking at him, and he quickly turned back to his book after shrinking down Harry's purchases into a small bundle.
Harry slipped the bundle into his backpack and left the bookstore. He was sure he would visit again at some point, but his new books would be enough for now.
He stopped over at a stationary shop and bought a dark leather journal to record the spells and rituals he learned. So far, he had been writing everything down on various pieces of parchment, but it was an unorganized mess and he needed to change that. The last thing he needed was a parchment full of dark spells to fall out of his backpack during charms class.
After checking the time, he realized he had very little time until he was supposed to meet Sirius.
Harry stuffed the new journal into his backpack and left Knockturn Alley as discreetly as possible. Once in Diagon, he hurried back to the Leaky Cauldron and chose a table hidden in the corner. He ordered a butterbeer from Tom, the bartender when asked.
He sipped quietly from his drink for the next several minutes, watching the doors carefully for Sirius. He had no idea what Sirius would look like, given that he would be under a polyjuice potion.
Minutes passed, and Harry grew more and more anxious. What if the potion was faulty and wore off? What if someone recognized him? What if someone like Moody had a magical eye, and could see through such things?
He tapped his foot against the floor, trying to distract himself.
Finally, a bright eyed younger man who looked to be in his 20's walked through the door. Harry could tell instantly it was Sirus. Sirius always did have an arrogant bounce in his step.
Harry had to stifle a grin, after all this time he was finally going to spend time with his godfather.
Sirius noticed him almost immediately. He smiled warmly as he made his way over to Harry. Unable to help himself, Harry stood and enveloped Sirius in a tight hug.
"Ahh it's good to see you old friend," Sirius spoke loud enough for Tom to hear. In Harry's ear he whispered, "I missed you too pup. You look great without glasses."
Chapter End Notes
Hey! I started a new story a few weeks ago called 'Black Fire'. In this fic, your eye color indicates whether or not you are a dark or light witch or wizard (and your eye color cannot be hidden or changed).
Go and check it out if you are interested in reading more Dark/Smart Harry!
Thank you all!!!
The Dark Code
Chapter Notes
I want to thank my good friend Saren_Voros0 for helping me write this chapter. I wouldn't have been able to do it without them!
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Sirius released Harry and clapped him on the shoulder with a grin, "Let's get going. I want to give you a tour before dinner."
"Okay,"
Harry smiled and followed Sirius out of the Leaky Cauldron and into muggle London. Sirius guided them into an empty alleyway and pulled out a silver goblet from the inside of his cloak. "Touch this," he instructed. "It's a portkey."
Harry reached out without hesitating and grabbed the portkey. He didn't like portkeys after using one to go to the quidditch world cup, but he guessed it was the easiest way to travel across countries.
The second his fingers made contact he was spinning. He tried to focus on the goblet and ignore the churning in his gut, but this portkey journey was much further than his first experience. He fell to his knees and groaned a sigh of relief when they finally hit solid ground.
Sirius smiled and dragged him to his feet. "It's alright pup." He pointed his wand at Harry and muttered a spell Harry didn't know.
Harry immediately felt better and was able to look up at his surroundings.
They were in an overgrown garden he realized. There were vines, large bushes, and flowers covering everything except for a narrow grassy path. The garden was so thick he couldn't even see a manor.
"This manor belonged to my grandparents," Sirius explained as he began guiding Harry through the gardens. "My grandmother disliked well-tended gardens. She preferred a bit of chaos. She was my favorite grandparent," Sirius grinned.
Harry grinned back, "I like it."
"I thought you would." Sirius still didn't look like himself. The polyjuice hadn't yet worn off, but Harry knew it would soon enough.
They rounded a corner and Harry couldn't help but gasp.
The manor was the same color as the jagged stone cliffs that surrounded it, and it was difficult to distinguish between the two. It was covered in bright green vines, and only the roof was visible. The area to the left of the manor was cleared for a small vineyard, and on the other side was a large, deep blue pond.
"It's beautiful," Harry muttered awe struck.
"I agree," Sirius smiled proudly. "It's much better than the dark and boring house in London that I grew up in. I despise that place, and I didn't want us to spend your holiday there. Let's go inside."
Together they walked up to the manor's entrance, and Harry felt a growing sense of dread. How would Sirius feel about his new friends? Did he already know? Had he spoken with Dumbledore? Harry wasn't sure, and he didn't know if he should even bring up the subject.
Taking a page out of the Slytherin playbook, Harry forced a positive expression onto his face and ignored his growing anxiety. He wanted to enjoy his time with Sirius. He didn't want it to come to a premature end simply because he couldn't keep his mouth shut.
Sirius spent the next hour showing Harry around the manor. He showed him the kitchens and introduced him to the house elves. He also showed him the various sitting rooms and lounge areas.
"And this is the library," Sirius guided him into an expansive, well lit room. There were books everywhere, and the chaotic space reminded Harry of the gardens outside. He instantly felt at home there.
Harry glanced at some of the book titles, and was shocked to see books on the dark arts. He saw titles such as ' Dark Healing spells', ' Dark Witches through the Ages', and 'The Dark Code'.
'The Dark Code'.
After reading the last title, Harry forced himself to look away from the books. He didn't want to appear too interested, but his heart was thudding in his chest so loudly he thought Sirius could almost certainly hear it. Of course the only books on the code would be inside of old pureblood libraries. Any witch or wizard could visit ' The Dark Volumes' in Knockturn Alley and buy books, whether they were light or dark. Dark witches and wizards would never allow books on the code to circulate in public. Plus, the Black family was one of the oldest pureblood families. He should have expected to find more information here.
Harry smiled at Sirius, "This is really cool, but I'm still not much of a reader."
Sirius barked out a laugh and threw up his hands, "Neither am I. Let's get out of here and I'll show you your room."
They made their way down a wide corridor to the other side of the manor. Sirius continued pointing things out and telling stories, but Harry was distracted. He had to get that book.
Later that night after listening to Sirius tell stories about his time at Hogwarts, Harry was sitting comfortably on the wide window seat in his bedroom. He relaxed onto the soft pillows and looked out into the night.
The stars reflected in the pond that was located just outside of his window, and he closed his eyes as a cool breeze ruffled his hair. Sirius had insisted on giving him one of the best rooms in the manor, and he wasn't complaining.
Spending time with Sirius was freeing. The hours were spent laughing until their stomachs hurt. Harry never wanted to leave the Black manor. He felt like he had a family here. He felt loved, and even the thought of going back to the Dursleys repulsed him in a way it never had before. Why should he go back to people who hated him when his godfather cared for him and wanted him to stay?
He swore to himself that he wouldn't go back, no matter the circumstances. He would do whatever it took to stay with Sirius.
With his good mood gone, Harry spent the next few hours reading his new books. He recorded several new spells he wanted to learn in his new journal for when he returned to Hogwarts to pass the time.
Despite his fatigue, he forced himself to stay awake until almost three in the morning. He wanted to be certain that Sirius was asleep before attempting to sneak into the library and read the book.
After pulling on a dark green hoodie to chase off the evening chill, and sticking his journal and a quill in his pocket, Harry quietly snuck out of his room and made his way to the library a floor below him.
He thanked Merlin that the manor house had so many windows. Without the moonlight, Harry was certain he would have fallen down the stairs.
The library's double doors were wide open when Harry finally reached them. He looked carefully around the corner to make sure the library was empty before going inside. He found the shelf he needed and grabbed the book as quickly as he could.
Harry found a comfortable chair in the far corner of the library with adequate moonlight, and sat down to read. He wanted to take the book to his room and read it through the night, but he didn't know what kinds of protection had been placed on the books. He didn't know if Sirius would be alerted if he took a book from the room.
So Harry opened the book to the first page and began to read.
The Dark Code
From magic we came, and to magic we shall return.
Using her gifts we seek to replace ignorance with
wisdom. We strive to better ourselves, for
complacency equals stagnation, and through
stagnation we lose the gifts she granted unto us.
We learn all that magic has to offer, striving to grow
closer to her in body, mind and spirit. We live
passionately, knowing every day may be our last. We
act with honor and integrity, and do not use our
gifts to harm those less fortunate. Through loyalty
and fraternity we grow stronger, for empires only fall
from within. There is no light without darkness. We
maintain the balance.
May secrets and shadows guide us.
Harry released a breath and felt the words sink into his soul. He could feel them there, branded into his very being. The words held power, and it wasn't until that moment that he realized the book was humming in his hands.
He almost dropped the book in shock. The code wasn't just a bunch of words, he realized. He could feel the magic attached to it. He could feel the souls of all the dead dark witches and wizards who had previously agreed to follow the code. It was intense, and he found himself slamming the cover shut.
He closed his eyes tightly and took several deep, calming breaths. Get it together, he told himself, It's just a book.
It wasn't just a regular book and he knew that, but the thought made him feel better nonetheless.
He opened the book and reread the code. He again felt the strange presence of the dark witches and wizards of the past. He thought he could almost feel their curiosity. They were curious about him.
"You must be careful Harry, that is a powerful book you are holding."
Harry closed the book and jumped to his feet. "Sirius, I…"
Sirius was leaning against the library's far wall, a cigar hanging casually from his lips. The moonlight framed his face, and Harry was filled with dread. The expression on his godfather's face was significant.
Harry didn't say anything. He didn't want to make things worse than they already were. Sirius was going to send him back to Hogwarts, back to the Dursley's.
Sirius breathed out a cloud of thick smoke which hung in the air. "After speaking with Dumbledore I had a gut feeling," he said. "So I put a ward on the doors to alert me if anyone came down here."
Harry clenched his jaw, suddenly filled with hatred after hearing Dumbledore's name. "I'm sorry for reading your books without permission, but I'm not sorry for anything else."
"I know," Sirius shrugged. "I'm not angry. I'm proud of the decisions you have made."
Harry stopped, dumbfounded. Sirius flicked the cigar, "You saw through Dumbledore and you made allies to help you escape."
"You're… you're not mad?" Harry blurted. "But you're light Sirius? How.."
"I'm not actually," Sirius cut him off. "I never have been. Most people tend to forget that I am a Black, after all."
Harry was blown away by this information. "But what about my parents? They were light."
Sirius stepped closer. "Yes, and I was their friend. I fought with them, but they didn't know the truth. I never told them I was dark. They thought I left that world behind when I left my family behind, Harry. I didn't though. My magic is my magic, and I wasn't about to give it up simply because I hated my mother."
Harry slumped back into his chair. "So you're dark, but, Dumbledore?" He couldn't even form sentences.
"Dumbledore left me to rot for twelve years in Azkaban," Sirius hissed with more venom than Harry had ever heard from the man. "He could have gotten me out Harry, but he didn't. So no, I don't blame you for escaping him. The same would have happened to you eventually. I am proud of you."
This confirmation of his worst fears lit a fire in his chest. He felt his entire being burn as he imagined himself locked away in Azkaban, having already done Dumbledore's bidding.
"My best friends are Slytherins," Harry admitted. "I am learning dark magic, and my parents would hate me if they knew. I'm not going to stop."
Sirius' face relaxed and he laughed, "No, I don't think they would hate you if they knew. I think they would be proud of you for protecting yourself."
He relaxed hearing that. It was very reassuring in a way he couldn't put into words.
Harry looked down at the book in his hands. Sirius reached out and gently took it from him. "Tomorrow we can read the rest of this together, alright? I believe it's time for bed."
Chapter End Notes
Again I wanted to thank Saren_Voros0 for helping me with this chapter. I am extremely grateful!
I never understood why Sirius continued living in Grimmauld place when he had access to the Black Vaults. Plus, why would the Black family, one of the wealthiest families in Britain live in such a terrible place? I never understood that, so I figured this would be a good alternative.
Go and check out my other fic 'The Masked Dragon' if you are interested in more Dark Harry!!!
The Chancellor and Council of Shadows
Chapter Notes
I'm sorry that it has been so long! Things have been hectic lately. I hope you guys enjoy!
"Snape is what?" Harry asked, feeling bewildered.
Sirius nodded, "Snape is a member of The Council of Shadows. If you wish to continue down this path you will have to speak to him."
Harry's head was spinning with everything he had learned over the past couple of hours.
After eating breakfast, they returned to the Black library where Sirius began teaching him everything there was to know about the Dark Code and the Dark Order.
Apparently, dark witches and wizards swore themselves to the Dark Order after their third year at Hogwarts. By swearing themselves to the Dark Order, they were then placed under the Dark Order's protection.
The Dark Order, as it turned out, was a highly organized governing body that operated without the Ministry For Magic's knowledge.
At the very heart of it all was The Council of Shadows. A group of seven witches and wizards who were considered to be the wisest and most powerful in the country.
Council members are elected to the council by the members of the Dark Order, where they then serve for the remainder of their lives.
And apparently, Professor Snape was also known as Councilor Snape within the Dark Order.
"What do I say to him? He hates me." Harry shook his head. "He will probably refuse me."
"He won't," Sirius assured him. "His behavior towards you is, and always has been an act."
Harry's jaw dropped, "I definitely don't believe you."
Sirius laced his hands together behind his head. "Snape is a double agent. He serves the dark, but Dumbledore thinks Snape is loyal to him alone. In order to maintain appearances Snape can't appear too interested in you."
He shook his head indignantly, "But that doesn't make sense. That's not a good enough reason to treat me the way he does."
"I agree," Sirius nodded. "And I suspect that is something you will have to discuss with him."
Harry cringed at the thought of meeting Snape, but if he wanted to continue down this path, he had to.
"Snape will oversee your induction ceremony at Hogwarts and tell you what is required if you decide to go down this path at some point. I was inducted at the start of my fourth year."
"You were?" Harry eyed his godfather, interested. "How did you manage being loyal to the Dark Order while also serving Dumbledore with my parents?"
"That's complicated," Sirius admitted, looking uncomfortable. "Perhaps we should save that for a later time."
Harry frowned and wondered what his godfather was hiding.
Sirius changed the subject, "There is something else you should know Harry. The Dark Order is ruled by The Council of Shadows, but there is one person who is ranked above them. Like the Minister for Magic, I suppose. That person is called the Chancellor. At the moment, that position is held by Rodolphus Lestrange, your friend Castor Lestrange's father…"
Something clicked in Harry's head and he tensed, "but it used to be Voldemort." He felt abruptly angry. "Is The Council of Shadows another fancy name for the Death Eaters?"
"No, absolutely not," Sirius shook his head vehemently. "The Council of Shadows is independent of the Chancellor. They don't serve him/her, but they do work with him/her to govern the order. The Death Eaters were Voldemort's closest allies and followers. They had no place in the council. In fact the council has veto power over the Chancellor if they think it necessary."
Harry's head was spinning. He was questioning his own desires to follow the code and join the Dark Order. What if Voldemort returned and took his place as Chancellor once again? Would he have Harry killed on sight?
Was all of this one giant mistake?
He felt his stomach churn unpleasantly. He needed to talk to Blaise.
"Why are you so open to telling me everything?" Harry asked. "Everyone else has been hiding it from me. Won't you get in trouble?"
"You're my family," Sirius said with a shrug. "You are allowed to tell your family members."
Later that evening Harry sat down at the small desk in his bedroom to write to Blaise. He unrolled a length of parchment and dipped his quill in ink.
The quill hovered over the parchment as he considered what to say to Blaise. He didn't want to say anything obvious about the code or dark magic in case the letter was intercepted.
Dear Blaise,
Remember that night after the first task? Well I spoke with a friend recently and learned quite a lot about the topic we discussed.
I find the topic inspiring, but I have some concerns about how I may be perceived by others who are interested in the topic as well. Do you think I would be well received? Do you think they would reject me? Or maybe even look to harm me?
I look forward to seeing you soon,
Harry
He read the letter over and over again, trying to discern whether or not he was being too obvious. After a moment he decided that if someone like Dumbledore came across the letter, they would probably understand the meaning of it.
Harry removed his spell journal from the desk drawer and flipped to the page where he had listed several concealment spells.
He pointed his wand at the letter and imagined Blaise in his mind, " Pro Amicis Meis Epularer."
He thanked the Black family for placing anti-trace wards on the manor. To his eyes the letter looked the same, but to anyone else except for Blaise, the letter would look like a blank piece of parchment.
He rolled up the parchment and tied it to Hedwig's leg gently, "Take this to Blaise Zabini girl."
Hedwig gave a satisfied hoot and spread her wings wide. She soared into the air and out the bedroom window into the night.
It was Christmas morning, and Harry woke with a shout as something large pounced onto his bed.
"Sirius!" He said in an irritated tone. "I was sleeping."
Sirius, who was already fully dressed, grinned and pulled Harry out of bed and down the stairs into the living room. "No sleeping in today Harry, it's Christmas!"
Harry rubbed his eyes and flopped into an armchair by the fire.
He felt so groggy that it took him a moment to realize that someone was sitting across from him. "Professor Lupin!" Harry shouted in surprise.
"It's just Remus now Harry," the old defense against the dark arts professor grinned. "Happy Christmas, or Yule, whatever you prefer."
Harry grinned and looked down in awe at the massive pile of presents before them.
Sirius reentered the room a moment later followed by two house elves. One carried a large plate of biscuits, while the other carried tea and hot chocolate.
Sirius sat with his legs crossed on the floor in front of the large pile, his eyes shining with excitement. "Let's begin!"
Sirius grabbed a gift from the pile before Remus and Harry even had a chance to. Harry laughed and picked up the first one he saw with his name on it.
It was from Pansy and Daphne. He opened it carefully and rolled his eyes when he saw the expanded box full of new clothing. Each piece was clearly designer, and Harry sighed at the thought of them spending so much money on him.
Castor sent him several disguised books on dark magic, and Blaise sent him new dragon hide gloves along with new books on elemental magic and dark warding. Theo sent expensive chocolates and custom self inking quills.
The twins sent him a book on prank spells. Neville sent him a package of Venomous Tentacula seeds, which he stared at apprehensively. They hadn't worked with the plant yet in herbology, but he still remembered how the sixth years looked after working with it the previous term.
He set them aside and opened Luna's gift. It looked to be a homemade charm bracelet, filled with odd trinkets, like bottle caps and dancing mushrooms. Harry grinned and set it next to his other gifts.
"Harry you shouldn't have!" Remus was staring at his new jumpers in awe.
Harry grinned at his old professor. He had sent Remus three jumpers for Christmas after remembering how tattered his clothing had been at Hogwarts. He knew it was extremely difficult for werewolves to find jobs, so he wanted to surprise Remus with new clothing.
Sirius looked gleeful after opening his new prank kit from Zonko's Joke Shop in Hogsmeade. "Just don't use it on me," Harry warned him with a devious smile.
Sirius clutched his chest dramatically, "Harry I would never do such a thing."
Harry rolled his eyes and Remus barked out a laugh.
Sirius pointed out a large package directly in front of the fire. "That one is from me Harry, open it next."
Harry looked at the huge package in awe, he had never received such a large gift before. He tore the silver paper slowly, savoring it.
Underneath the paper was a beautiful antique mahogany trunk. It had dark metal clasps, and looked to be in almost perfect condition except for a few minor scratches. The most unique part of the trunk however, was the raven carved into the lid. It was identical to the pendant Harry had received many months prior. He brushed his fingers across the carving, wondering how the two items were connected.
Harry kept his thoughts to himself, and instead gave Sirius a bright smile. "I love it."
"I knew you would," he grinned back. "This trunk is special. It is protected by wards which make it impossible for even the strongest witches and wizards to break inside."
Sirius winked at him, and Harry felt immensely grateful all of the sudden. He could safely keep his Dark Arts books hidden without having to worry.
Remus stood and passed Harry a smaller gift, "It's not much, but I thought it would be useful to you considering how much trouble you tend to find yourself in."
Harry accepted the package and opened it. Inside the small box he found a black ring. He slipped it onto his finger, "Thank you Remus," he said happily.
"There are a few protection spells cast on the ring," he explained. "It's meant to deflect minor hexes and jinxes. I know it's not much but…"
Harry quickly hugged Remus. "I love it. Thank you."
Remus hugged him back briefly. Harry then hugged Sirius and thanked him again.
Sirius pointed towards Harry's remaining gift, "You still have one more left to go."
On top of the package was a letter addressed to Harry from Draco Malfoy.
Draco sent him four books. The first two were on basic survival magic, the third was on protection wards, and the last was filled with various transfiguration and conjuring spells. Harry realized all of the books were on light magic, not dark magic.
He frowned in confusion and reached for Draco's letter. The paper was blank, and Harry realized he must have disguised it. Harry grabbed his wand while Sirius and Remus were distracted by the biscuits and tea.
He muttered a dark revealing spell, and Draco's handwriting began to spread across the page.
Dear Harry,
My father recently disclosed the details of the second task to me. I have sent you several books that will help you prepare. Study them carefully and I will tell you the details when we return to Hogwarts.
Draco
Harry set the letter aside and looked more carefully at the titles of the books. The Basics of Survival Magic, Essential Wilderness Survival Spells, How to Stay Hidden: Wards for the Secretive, and Transfiguration and Conjuring Spells for All Occasions.
Harry felt his stomach drop. Whatever was coming in the next task certainly wouldn't be good if Draco's books were anything to go by.
In his shock, Harry accidentally knocked the letter to the floor. Before Harry could stop him, Sirius bent over and picked up Draco's letter and read it.
His eyes scanned the page, then glanced at the books in Harry's lap. An angry glint appeared in his eyes.
He picked up one of the books and flipped through it. "Looks like you will be spending some time in the wilderness Harry," he said anxiously.
Harry didn't know what to say. He didn't like Sirius worrying about him.
Sirius handed him back the book, "Don't worry pup, I will help you learn everything in these books before you go back. There are probably a few other useful ones in the library."
Harry felt instant relief. He nodded.
"Hedwig," Harry smiled as his owl flew in through his open window and landed on his bed. "Hi girl."
He grabbed the letter from her talons, and gave her a treat. "Good girl, I'm so proud of you."
Hedwig hooted and snatched up her treat before settling into her open cage to rest.
Harry relaxed on his pillows and opened the letter. He immediately found himself bewildered by the contents,
If you know, you have the key
1:29 1:30 2:8 1:2 4:11,
8:5 10:3, 9:4 6:12 13:2 14:9, 8:12 7:8 2:1, 14:10 13:13 9:24, 12:6 3:9, 13:5 12:2 4:14 8:10, 14:3 10:7 2:1, 5:1 12:8 4:2 4:35 8:11 3:4, 7:9 14:11 6:34 11:8, 13:4 10:7, 8:1 12:2 7:3 3:17 4:5 4:8 3:6, 12:2 8:11 13:2 7:16 13:3 8:7 5:20, 6:11 10:8 12:6 5:1, 4:5 4:8 13:5 6:11 5:12 7:6., 10:2 1:1, 14:3 10:7 2:1, 1:18 4:8 1:12 3:13 7:16 11:8, 13:5 7:3, 2:9 4:2, 3:4 4:2 1:10 4:9, 6:11 12:8 10:2 5:1, 8:1 14:11 13:9 10:8, 4:11 4:2 2:1, 1:6 14:7 5:12, 13:2 4:14 13:9 7:3 1:5 5:3 13:5 10:2 9:2 1:6 4:5 8:11 14:3, 4:35 8:7 1:18 11:8 12:2, 13:5 10:8 5:12, 14:6 2:6 5:3 13:4 9:2 4:8 4:5 8:11 7:3 14:7, 4:6 4:9 7:16, 1:12 7:3 2:1 8:7 9:2 13:3 4:5, 4:2 1:1, 10:5 12:8 13:2 1:18 10:7 9:4 5:1, 8:1 14:7 7:3 6:11 4:8 1:12 13:9 3:2 10:7 8:7.,14:3 4:2 9:4, 4:9 11:8 5:12 1:18, 8:7 4:2 13:5, 9:4 7:3 14:7 12:2 4:12, 13:2 3:17 4:2 4:35 13:9, 4:11 7:3 4:14 7:6, 5:1 1:6 10:3 4:8 13:9 14:3, 2:1 8:7 4:5 11:8 5:1 10:5, 14:3 4:2 4:35, 3:17 7:6 5:12 1:6 8:13, 13:9 2:6 4:8, 1:12 7:3 3:4 5:12., 13:9 4:6 8:11 2:19, 5:1 7:3 4:2 5:9.
-3:17
He stared at the numbers feeling clueless. What was he supposed to do with this? What did it mean?
He could tell it was a code of some kind, though he had no idea how to solve it.
Blaise had written 'If you know, you have the key', at the very beginning of the letter.
His last letter to Blaise had been about the Dark Code, so he knew that must have something to do with it.
The key to the letter has to be the Dark Code, he repeated over and over in his head, but he had no idea what to do next. After staring at the letter for almost an hour he gave up and went to sleep.
It wasn't until the next morning after listening to Sirius talk about wanting to watch TV that it finally clicked.
Harry remembered a time when Dudley had been watching a spy show on TV, and the spies had used a code similar to the one Blaise had written.
In the show, the first number represented a line in a piece of text. The second number represented the letter in that line.
Harry waited until Sirius and Remus were busy working on Sirius' motorcycle before heading to the library.
Harry picked up the book on the Dark Code and copied the code down in his journal. He then placed the book back on the shelf and returned to his bedroom.
He sat down at his desk and pulled the letter out of his drawer. He tore a page out of his journal and began deciphering the code.
It took him nearly two hours to finish the whole thing. When he was done, he ended up with a rather short letter from Blaise.
Harry,
If what you say is true, you should have no problem reading this letter. If you decide to go down this path, you are automatically under the Chancellor and Council of Shadow's protection. You need not worry about your safety, unless you break the code. Talk soon.
-B
Though exhausted, he had to give Blaise credit. It was the perfect way to test how much Harry actually knew about the code. If he didn't know the code, he never would have been able to read the letter.
Harry felt relieved after reading Blaise's letter. He knew Blaise would never lie to him about something like this. He trusted his friend.
Feeling suddenly bold, Harry walked over to his new trunk and dug around inside until his hand closed around the red leather journal.
He brought it over to his desk and wrote,
From magic we came…
Why should I agree to join?
He didn't know why he felt the need to contact the mystery writer about this. Afterall, he had no guarantee that the person was a dark witch or wizard. It was a huge risk, but he had a gut feeling that the mystery writer was dark. The writer appeared to be on the same side as his Slytherin friends.
It didn't take long for a reply to appear,
Be careful. You are coming dangerously close to breaking the code.
Harry felt slightly embarrassed. He knew it was risky, but at least he had confirmation that the mystery writer was dark.
I never agreed to follow the code in the first place. I can't break it if I didn't agree to follow it.
Knowing the code means you are bound to keep it secret. You wouldn't know the code unless you were already walking the path.
After a second, the mystery writer added,
You would be safe if you joined.
I have never been safe, Harry wrote back. Someone is always trying to kill me. Why should I believe that will change now?
You weren't safe because you were not being protected by the Dark Order. You belong with us.
Unexpected Meetings
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
"Take these," Sirius handed him a large stack of books. "When I first started learning dark magic, I began with these books. Just don't get caught."
Harry smirked, "I'm basically an honorary Slytherin at this point. Don't worry, I won't get caught."
Sirius barked out a laugh as Harry placed the books in his trunk. Sirius helped him add an extra expanded compartment to the trunk to store books a few days before. It was perfect because he had been running out of space. He tapped his wand to the raven on the lid, and heard a hum as the wards activated. He cast a shrinking charm on the trunk and tucked it away in his backpack.
Sirius pulled him into a hug, "Be careful in the next task. And be careful around Dumbledore, he suspects you now. Who knows what he might do if he learned the full extent of the path you were taking."
Harry hugged him back tightly and his eyes burned a little as he said, "I will be careful, don't worry. Thanks for everything Sirius."
Sirius squeezed even tighter, before releasing him and patting him on the shoulder. In a choked voice he whispered, "Get going before you miss the train."
He handed Harry a sickle coin, and when Harry touched it he disappeared from the Black manor. After spinning for an eternity Harry landed hard on his knees on platform 9 .
He stood up while still feeling quite dizzy and brushed off his knees.
"Harry!"
He barely had time to brace himself before Pansy launched herself at him. "We missed you so much!"
He noticed an exasperated Draco standing a few feet away. Harry laughed, "I missed you guys too."
"Come on then," Draco rolled his eyes. "Everyone else is already on the train."
They found the rest of their group already in the Slytherin compartment. Blaise smiled broadly as they stepped inside, and Harry moved to sit beside him.
"Hey," Harry smiled back.
Blaise raised an eyebrow. "I would ask you about your holiday, but based on your letter it must have been eventful."
"It was," he admitted. "I learned a lot."
"What are you guys talking about?" Castor asked.
Blaise closed their compartment door and took out his wand to cast a privacy spell. The others watched him curiously.
"Harry knows about the order," he said as he retook his seat.
"How?!" Draco blurted out.
Pansy narrowed her eyes. "Did you tell him Blaise?"
"No I didn't," Blaise shook his head seriously.
"Then how?" Castor asked quietly. "Only direct family members may pass down that knowledge. How did you find out Harry?"
It was at that moment that Harry realized Castor was the son of the current chancellor. His father was quite literally the most powerful man in the Dark Order.
"I can't tell you how I know," Harry replied. He wasn't about to give Sirius up, even to his new friends. Sirius may not be a direct family, but he was the only family Harry had. "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone. The secret is safe with me."
"We have to take him to Snape as soon as we arrive at Hogwarts," Pansy said.
"Agreed," said Blaise.
Harry's eyes snapped to Blaise, he felt slightly betrayed. "And if I don't want to?"
"Harry it's not optional," Castor shook his head. "Snape is our guide, our guardian. You have to meet with him to discuss your plans now that you know."
"And what if I have no idea what I want to do?" Harry crossed his arms. It was true, he was interested in joining. The idea of being safe, of being free from Dumbledore was very appealing. The possibility of no longer being a pawn for Dumbledore and the light felt almost too good to be true. He was just a child, not a warrior. Plus, he loved dark magic. He loved how freeing it was, how easily it flowed through him. He was meant to practice dark magic, and that was something he knew with some degree of certainty.
Harry was mostly worried that by joining the Dark Order, he would become their pawn instead of Dumbledore's. He didn't want to trade one bad situation for another even worse situation. Even worse, because once he joined, the only way out was through death. Once he was part of the order, there was no escape. It wasn't an easy decision to make.
"Snape will help you make your choice. Like I said, he is a guide. He is someone for you to talk to about your concerns."
"I feel like I'm being forced into this," Harry shook his head.
"You're not," Blaise shook his head. "If you decide you don't want to go down this path, that's fine. But Snape will erase your memories of the Dark Code and the Dark Order."
Harry sighed and shifted uncomfortably. He hated the idea of his memories being erased, but at least there was a way out if he wanted it.
He wasn't sure what he was getting himself into anymore. Perhaps the best thing to do would be to talk to Snape after all. Maybe Snape could answer his questions and ease his concerns. Harry was doubtful of this, but he knew it was worth trying.
"Fine," he said. "I'll go."
Blaise squeezed his hand, "Trust me, it's for the best."
Harry nodded and squeezed back. He then turned to Draco, "So what about the second task? I studied the books you sent, but they didn't exactly explain what I'm up against."
Draco leaned forward and intertwined his fingers. "Simply put, it is both an obstacle course, and a survival test. You will be dropped off in a secluded location completely alone. You will be given a very minimal amount of supplies to survive, and you have to find an object in order for the task to end. Along the way there will be dangerous creatures, and barriers for you to cross. They will give you a map to find your object, but you might be out there for days, or even weeks. However long it takes for you to make it past all the obstacles and retrieve the item."
"Merlin's beard," Harry rubbed his face in frustration. "The hidebehind isn't looking so bad now."
His heart pounded in his chest as he imagined himself alone in the wilderness for an undetermined amount of time. It was terrifying to imagine.
"Did you study the book on transfiguration and conjuring?" Draco asked.
Harry nodded. It was the first book he studied with Sirius.
"Good," Draco nodded. "The one was the most important. You're not going to be able to bring supplies with you, so you have to know how to create what you need from what you have around you. Food transfiguration spells are going to be particularly important."
"That's true," pointed out Castor. "According to Gamp's law, you cannot create food from nothing. You can multiply food that you already have, you can enlarge food, and you can summon it, but you cannot create it from nothing."
"The good news is you are allowed to bring three items of your choice," Draco said. "The only exceptions are brooms and weapons. However, transfiguration is fair game so we just need to choose three items that you can transfigure."
"So what should I bring?" Harry asked, starting to feel overwhelmed.
"I think you should bring a meal of some kind. Maybe like a stew, or sandwich or something. Something nutritious that you can multiply while you are out there," Castor shrugged. "Whatever food you think is best."
"And the other items?"
"Definitely a backpack," Blaise nodded. "You need something to carry your supplies. You could conjure one, but it would be difficult and you want to conserve your energy."
"For the last item I would recommend a blanket." Pansy said. "You could expand it and waterproof it to make shelter. The possibilities are endless."
"Okay fair enough," Harry sighed. He had a lot of spells to learn and practice over the coming weeks. "What if we make an extra package of food and I summon it while I'm out there?"
"We have no idea where they will take you Harry," Draco admitted. "It might even be somewhere outside of the country. Summoning food could take ages, and it might not even work. Honestly the judges might ban it. Either way, bringing food and transfiguring it is the best option."
They sat in anxious silence for the rest of the journey. Harry made a mental list of all the subjects he needed to study. So far, that list included warding, transfiguration, and defense. He already knew a great deal about each of those subjects after studying all break, but he needed to practice. He felt completely unprepared.
Harry felt a distinct lack of excitement as the train pulled into Hogsmeade station. Now, Hogwarts meant dangerous tasks and conversations with his most hated professor Severus Snape.
He wasn't looking forward to any of it.
Dinner went by much more quickly than he would have liked, and immediately after it ended they were making their way down to Snape's office.
Draco knocked gently on the dark wooden door, and Snape opened it a second later.
Standing there in his usual black robes, Snape eyed their group curiously, "Yes?"
"May we come in professor?" Blaise asked politely.
Snape inclined his head and stepped out of the doorway to allow them inside. Behind them he closed the door and cast a privacy spell. "What is this about?" He asked slowly as he turned to face them.
"Harry knows about the code," Draco started, but Snape held up a hand.
"Everyone out," he ordered, and the Slytherins didn't hesitate to obey. Harry just stood there in shock as the Slytherins left him alone with Snape. He was going to have to deal with Snape alone.
Snape reapplied the privacy spells after the Slytherins were gone. He moved to sit behind his desk, and gestured to the chair across from him, "Sit Potter."
Harry did. Snape stared at him for a long moment before saying, "Tell me what you know."
Harry bit back a retort. He didn't want to start off this meeting badly. Instead, he told Snape everything he had learned. He told him about the code, the order, and about learning dark magic.
Snape listened silently, and when Harry was done talking, he rested his elbows on the arms of his chair and intertwined his hands.
"Who told you?"
"I can't say."
"Was it Black?"
Harry was taken aback for a moment, and Snape seemed to take that as a confirmation. He nodded, "It doesn't matter. The question now is, what do you plan to do?"
Harry opened and closed his mouth several times trying to think of what to say. In the end he simply said, "I don't know sir."
Snape tilted his head to the side, "What is preventing you from making a choice?"
Harry looked away, not knowing how to put his fears into words.
"You're afraid." Snape pointed out. Harry was about to say something rude, but Snape held up a hand. "I wasn't mocking you. I was simply pointing out a truth. To be afraid is to be wise. If you weren't afraid I would be questioning your intelligence."
Harry stared at Snape in surprise. Did Snape just give him… a compliment?
"So tell me," he continued. "What is it that you are afraid of?"
"I don't want to be anyone's pawn," Harry admitted. "I don't want to be used. I just want to be safe."
It felt very strange to admit something like that to Snape. But as Harry looked at the man sitting across from him, the man he had hated for the past three and a half years, he could tell something was different.
Snape didn't look like the uncaring professor he usually was. The hate was gone from his eyes, eyes which were now filled with curiosity and understanding. He looked like a leader.
It was both uncomfortable and comforting at the same time.
"I'm going to be blunt Potter," Snape said. "Given who you are, your options are quite limited. It doesn't matter how much you wish to be neutral in this conflict, you will always find yourself being forced back into it. If you are alone, Dumbledore will always do everything within his power to get you back on his side. He will never give up."
Snape stood and began slowly pacing. "However, if you join the Dark Order, Dumbledore won't be able to force you to work for him. The Dark Order doesn't allow children to participate in politics or conflict. It is one of our laws. Alone, you are weak and vulnerable to Dumbledore. With us you will be protected."
"But how do I know things will be different?" Harry asked. "How can I be sure?"
" We learn all that magic has to offer, striving to grow closer to her in body, mind and spirit. We live passionately, knowing every day may be our last. We act with honor and integrity, and do not use our gifts to harm those less fortunate." Snape quoted. "It goes against our code to endanger children. How can we learn all that magic has to offer if we are thrown into conflict before we have the chance to mature? And endangering children certainly isn't acting with honor and integrity."
What Snape was saying made sense, and from what Harry could tell, they took the code very seriously.
He nodded slowly, and something clicked in his head, " We act with honor and integrity, and do not use our gifts to harm those less fortunate. Does that mean the dark doesn't hate muggleborns?" This was one of the main reasons Harry was hesitant about joining the order. He didn't want to be bigoted and hateful.
"You are correct Potter," Snape stopped pacing. "Muggleborns are in a very vulnerable position when they enter the wizarding world. For that reason we have no desire to harm them."
Harry's head was spinning. "If that's true, then why was the first wizarding world fought? None of it makes any sense."
"That is because you have grown up hearing only one side of the story. Think about it Potter, rumors are very effective strategies for weakening enemies. If you were a muggleborn, and you heard the Dark Order was hunting muggleborns and killing them, which side would you join? The Dark Order's? Or Dumbledore's?"
"Dumbledore's." Harry said instantly.
"Precisely." Snape resumed pacing. "No matter what you decide to do in the future, always remember that Dumbledore is a highly skilled politician. He may argue otherwise, but his actions speak the truth."
Snape returned to his chair as Harry took in this new information.
Snape raised an eyebrow, "Do you have any other concerns?"
Harry had many concerns. He was worried about the tasks, about Dumbledore, about Sirius, about all of it. However, he didn't voice his other concerns. He needed time to think, so instead he just shook his head no.
"Very well," Snape replied. "Going forward we will have more discussions until you have made a decision. Once you have made your decision, we can move forward by either inducting you into the order, or erasing your memories of it all."
Harry swallowed thickly. He felt much more confident after speaking with Snape, but he still wasn't ready to make his choice.
Snape moved to his office door and opened it for him, "You know where to find me if you need anything," Snape gave him a serious look. "Try not to be too obvious about it, and don't tell anyone except for the Slytherins about what you know."
Harry nodded and left Snape's office to find his friends.
Chapter End Notes
Hey guys thanks for reading!! I'm curious to know what you guys think about the next task and Harry's meeting with Snape?
3DM
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
"Multiplicatio."
Harry concentrated hard on the beef Stew in front of him, and watched happily as the portion size doubled.
He pointed his wand at the original beef stew and muttered, "Ponere habitus."
A yellowish white glow covered the food, creating a barrier before disappearing completely. It was a stasis charm he had been practicing and testing for the past two weeks. He not only needed to be able to replicate food for the tournament. He also needed to be able to prevent it from going bad.
The last thing he needed was to get sick during the tournament from eating rotten food. He internally thanked the Weasley twins for showing him the kitchens the previous week. Thanks to them, he had a private place to practice food transfiguration spells.
"Can Dobby gets you anything else Harry Potter?"
Dobby appeared beside him in his mismatched clothes, staring hopefully with his big brown eyes. Dobby had recently begun working in the Hogwarts kitchens for one galleon a week.
Dobby was very proud to work for Hogwarts, and Harry was happy for him. "No thanks Dobby, I just needed to practice for the next task."
"You must be careful Harry Potter. Dobby would hates to see Harry Potter get hurt in the awful task sir."
"I will be very careful, I promise," Harry smiled. "Thanks for everything Dobby. I'll be back later to visit."
Dobby squealed in delight. "Dobby would like that very much Harry Potter sir."
"I'll see you later Dobby," Harry waved before leaving the Hogwarts kitchens.
He barely entered the corridor and closed the portrait door behind him when Colin Creevy crashed into him. Harry reached out and grabbed the wall for support while Colin fell to the floor.
"Merlin, watch where you are going," Harry said as he helped Colin stand.
"Sorry," the small boy muttered. A grin spread across his face, "I'm supposed to bring you to the headmaster's office. All of the champions are meeting there to go over the next task."
Harry felt his stomach drop. The very last thing he wanted was to see the headmaster.
His dislike of Dumbledore had steadily grown over the past several months. The more he thought about everything that had happened since starting school, the more his anger grew.
Dumbledore repeatedly allowed Harry to end up in dangerous situations, and did very little to help him out of those situations. He allowed Sirius to spend twelve years in Azkaban, and he always insisted Harry live with the Dursleys despite their terrible treatment of him.
Harry's anger burned as he followed Colin to the headmasters office. He felt the dark magic inside of him coil, ready to attack.
But just before climbing the stairs, Harry stopped and forced himself to calm down. He knew being angry would only distract him. He could only hope the meeting wouldn't last long.
Colin knocked on the headmaster's office door, and a moment later Dumbledore's voice rang out, "Come in."
Harry swore internally as they entered Dumbledore's office. He was the first champion to arrive.
Somehow, he knew that wasn't an accident.
"Thank you Mr. Creevy, you may leave us," Dumbledore smiled politely.
Colin waved, "Bye Harry!" before running from the office and down the stairs.
Dumbledore remained seated behind his desk, "Ah hello Harry, how are you today?"
"Fine sir," Harry forced a pleasant expression on his face. "How are you?"
"I'm excellent, thank you for asking. Would you like a lemon drop?"
"No thank you sir, I just ate." Harry answered.
"Very good," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "A young man like you needs his strength."
"Yes sir," Harry nodded.
"I've been meaning to meet with you Harry. I wanted to ask you how you have been faring in the tournament?"
He felt dark magic flare up inside of him as his anger resurfaced, but he kept it tightly under control, "I'm fine sir. I have been practicing hard to prepare."
"Yes I have noticed," Dumbledore stroked his beard. "With the Slytherins."
"Yes sir."
"I hope you don't mind me asking Harry, but I have always wondered why you stopped being friends with Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger?"
Harry shrugged and did his best to appear casual, "They didn't want to be my friends sir. They were upset after someone entered my name in the tournament. They thought I did it for attention."
"Which you did not," Dumbledore nodded. "I understand Harry. I would however, advise caution. Many of the Slytherins have parents who are loyal to Voldemort."
"I am cautious sir, and they are not like their parents," Harry linked his hands behind his back. He was lying of course, but what else was he supposed to say?
"Of course, of course. You are a very smart boy Harry, I have faith in your abilities. You have grown."
"Thank you sir."
Just then there was a knock at the door. Dumbledore offered Harry one more kind smile before waving his hand and wandlessly opening his office door.
Cedric Diggory was there, along with Fleur Delecour and Victor Krum.
Cedric gave Harry an icy stare as he entered the office. The scar on his face was more visible than ever.
"Welcome champions," Dumbledore stood and moved to stand beside Harry. "Barty Crouch will join us shortly. Once he arrives, we can begin."
"May I ask why we are here sir?" Cedric asked curiously.
"Of course Mr. Diggory. We will be going over what you can expect during the second task."
Dumbledore's fireplace suddenly expanded and roared green fire. The stern looking Barty Crouch stepped out of the fire, wearing a bowler hat and pinstriped robes.
Another man Harry didn't recognize followed him a moment later. This man had dark curly hair and a short beard with streaks of grey showing though. He was skinny and of average height.
"Good afternoon Dumbledore, champions," Barty nodded to them all. "Let's begin, shall we? I have quite a busy schedule today."
"Of course Barty," Dumbledore nodded. "Would you like the honors?"
"Yes of course," Barty nodded quickly. Harry didn't like the man, he was always high strung and indifferent to the world around him. Harry couldn't help but wonder how he hadn't dropped dead from a heart attack yet.
"The next task is simple," Barty explained. "Each of you will be taken to remote locations. You will be given a magical map which will guide you to an object. You are expected to retrieve the object. Along the way you will face many challenges, including both magical and geographical. The task will last several days, maybe even a week. You will each be allowed three objects of your choice, not including your wand, the map and your uniform. You each have three days to decide which objects you wish to take with you. Once you have decided you must inform your headmaster or headmistress of your choices."
None of the other champions looked surprised, Harry noticed once again. He doubted he would ever be able to pay back the Slytherins for helping him.
"Are there any… limitations?" Krum asked slowly.
"You are not allowed weapons or brooms," Crouch noted.
"But sir, how will anyone watch the tournament?" Cedric asked.
Crouch nodded, "Allow me to introduce Augustus Rookwood, and unspeakable from the Ministry For Magic. Mr. Rookwood has been working on a revolutionary piece of magical technology for the past several years now, and he has recently completed his work. Mr. Rookwood and the Ministry agree the second task is the perfect opportunity to test such technology. Mr. Rookwood if you would please explain?"
The bearded man stepped forward and placed a small leather case on Dumbledore's desk. He opened it with a click, and pulled out two round, metallic objects. One of the objects was black, while the other was silver. They reminded Harry of a golden snitch, only slightly bigger. Rookwood threw the black object into the air, where it hovered above the group. The second silver object he placed on Dumbledore's desk alongside the case.
He pointed his wand at the floating black object and said quietly, " Illuminationes." it glowed temporarily with a white light. He repeated this with the other object on Dumbledore's desk before something unexpected happened.
Holograms of all four champions appeared floating above Dumbledore's desk. Their bodies were displayed in great detail, and even their sizes were identical. It reminded Harry greatly of a TV, except this appeared to be much more advanced.
"This technology is called 3DM," Rookwood explained in a monotone voice. "It stands for Three Dimensional Manuscript. For those of you familiar with the muggle world, it is similar to a television, only this version uses complicated magical holograms. It requires two pieces, the black object above you which is called 'the Eye' , and the object on the Headmaster's desk called 'the Circumflex'. "
He pointed his wand at the Eye above them. "Each of you will have an Eye with you throughout the next task. It will project your journey back to various Circumflexes placed around Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, and the Ministry for Magic so the judges and public may watch and listen."
Harry was both amazed and horrified. The technology was brilliant, there was no denying that. Harry had often wondered why the wizarding world didn't have some of the same technology found in the muggle world. It appeared now that wizards at the Ministry were working to change that.
However, Harry was also horrified, because the thought of the entire magical population watching his every move for a whole week was beyond intimidating.
"This is only a prototype," Rookwood noted. "Eventually we hope to expand and improve this technology. Someday, it may very well be the main means of sharing information in magical society."
"Absolutely brilliant," Dumbledore clapped his hands together. "Magnificent really."
"Thank you sir," Rookwood tipped his head though he didn't appear to be phased by Dumbledore's praise.
Both Krum and Delacour were busy moving their arms and watching as their hologram counterparts moved in tandem.
"How do we turn it off?" Harry asked.
"You may turn it off for very brief periods of time by using the incantation ' Prohibere', though these specific 3DM's are enchanted to automatically turn back on after 15 minutes. This helps to ensure your safety during the task. The judges will be able to monitor you and remove you during extreme circumstances."
Harry nodded in understanding. Rookwood summoned the Eye and Circumflex back to the case before retaking his place behind Crouch.
"Alright champions." Crouch nodded seriously. "You have three days to report back to your headmaster or headmistress with your three objects. Study hard. We will be seeing you again in just a few short weeks."
Chapter End Notes
I know in the books Augustus Rookwood is in Azkaban, but for the sake of this story he was never discovered as a Death Eater and still works for the Ministry.
Kudos and feedback is always greatly appreciated!!
Thanks for reading!
Ritual of Mental Clarity
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Harry gave a sigh of relief as he took down his protection ward. He was exhausted after practicing warding and transfiguration spells the entire weekend.
"That was great Harry," Theo nodded. "At least now you know how to ward your tent at night."
Harry nodded and sat on the floor in front of the study room fireplace.
He was tired, but at least he felt confident enough to protect himself during the second task. He was now a master of food transfiguration spells and protection wards. He knew how to transfigure a small blanket into a waterproof tent and sleeping bag. He knew plenty of fire spells, warming spells, and drying spells to help him stay warm. He knew cleansing spells to stay clean while in the wilderness for several days, and he knew many offensive and defensive spells. He could only hope it was enough to help him stay alive.
The task was only days away now. The weeks flew by after his meeting with Dumbledore and the other champions.
There wasn't much left for him to do now but wait for the task to start.
However, there was one thing he wanted to try. He didn't know if it would work, but he wanted to give himself an edge for the next task if he could.
The next night was a waxing moon, and he wanted to perform a mental clarity ritual to help him make decisions quickly during the next task.
The ritual wouldn't make him a genius, but it would help him clear his mind and focus for the entire week.
According to his book on ritual magic, It was an easy beginner ritual. It didn't have any permanent impact on the witch or wizard, it only gave them temporary mental clarity to help with spell casting and decision making.
He knew it wasn't allowed in the tournament, but he didn't care. At the end of the day his main goal was to survive.
Besides, he was certain the other champions were doing their fair share of cheating. Cedric, being a dark wizard, probably already completed several rituals to help himself win.
So in the end, Harry didn't feel guilty. As Blaise once said, cheating is part of the tournament.
Later when they all returned from dinner, Harry brought up the subject with the Slytherins.
"I need a way out of the castle tomorrow night," he said after explaining his intention to complete the ritual.
The Slytherins looked at one another.
"It is a fairly easy ritual," Castor shrugged. "Plus we have all seen how good he is with dark magic. He should have no problem with it."
Blaise nodded, "I agree."
Draco bit his lip and thought quietly for a moment. "He could use the Slytherin secret passage, but I do think someone should go with him just to be safe."
"I'll be fine on my own," Harry frowned. "I just need a way into the forbidden forest."
"You really should take someone with you Harry," Pansy pleaded. "The forest is dangerous."
He knew the forest was dangerous, but performing his first ritual felt… private. He wanted to do it alone.
Blaise must have noticed his hesitation, because he instead suggested, "There is this opening in the forbidden forest that we usually use for rituals. It's the perfect place. I can take you there, and then wait for you from a distance. That way you're not alone."
Harry considered this briefly before nodding. It was a good idea to have someone with him. He needed to be outside in view of the moon for the ritual, but he also couldn't perform the ritual on Hogwarts grounds. Someone would surely notice him. His only choice was to go into the forbidden forest.
The problem with the forbidden forest was its lack of open space and many dangerous creatures. The trees were thick, and their branches blocked out almost all light, even during the day time. If his friends already had a ritual space in view of the moon, he would gladly use it. Plus having Blaise there waiting at a distance would offer extra protection.
It was decided that the following night Harry would sneak out of Gryffindor tower and meet Blaise outside of the Slytherin common room. From there, Blaise would take him to the Slytherin secret passage and they would leave the castle.
/
The following day after classes, Harry ate a large dinner and returned to his dorm to rest. He closed the curtains on his bed and cast a privacy ward around it.
He then fell into a deep sleep for the next four hours. His body was exhausted from practicing and needed extra rest. He even planned to skip classes the next day in order to rest. He needed to be at his best for the second task.
When he woke up it was 10:30 in the evening. He was supposed to meet Blaise at 11:30 so he could make it into the forbidden forest before performing the ritual at midnight.
He grabbed the ritual book out of his backpack and opened it. He read through it quickly, making sure he had it memorized.
Ritual for Mental Clarity
The purpose of this ritual is to temporarily clear the mind and aid in focus.
Tools needed:
One feather
Three drops of dragon's blood
A small fire
Directions:
Cast a protective circle around yourself (see pg. 3)
Light a small fire at the center of your circle. Kneel and face the east to embrace the element of air.
Repeat " Et voco super magicae elementum aeris, ut patet ex animo. Ut focus mea remota cogitandi et omne impedimentum."
Translation: "I call on magic and the element of air to clear my mind. To focus my thinking and remove all blockages."
Repeat: " Draco magnus pluma offero et dono sanguinis."
Translation: "I offer magic a feather and dragon's blood as a gift."
Drop the feather into the fire, followed by the three drops of dragon's blood. The fire should turn blue.
Repeat: "Cum haec dona mihi dare et ego rogabo magica ventis et innotescat. Magica petere auxilium mihi in me, et ventis rationaliter cogitare durum servato tempus."
Translation: "With these gifts I ask magic and the winds to give me clarity. I ask magic and the winds to help me think rationally in times of stress."
If your gifts are accepted, the flames will turn white before going out entirely.
Take the ashes from the fire and draw a circle clockwise on your forehead. The ritual is then complete.
Harry reread the directions several more times just to be certain he had it memorized. He then crossed his legs and closed his eyes. The beginning of the book recommended meditation before any ritual to ensure clear intentions.
He wasn't very good at meditating, but he tried his best anyways. The book said one of the easiest ways to meditate was to focus on breathing, so that's what he did. He took deep breaths in through his nose and slowly released the breaths through his mouth. At first it was difficult to sit there and focus on his breathing, but after a few minutes he felt his body start to relax.
Once he felt relaxed, he began to repeat the spell in his mind, focusing on his intentions.
Meditating wasn't easy, but by the time he opened his eyes again he understood that it could be beneficial. He felt calm and focused. He felt ready to do the ritual.
When it was nearing 11:30, Harry slowly peaked out of his curtains and saw the other Gryffindor boys were all sleeping with their curtains closed.
He cast a muffling spell on the room before pulling back his curtains and moving toward his trunk. He brushed his fingers over the Raven on the lid before opening it and pulling out a plain black cloak as well as his invisibility cloak and a pair of dragon hide gloves.
He pulled on the black cloak and gloves for warmth and closed his trunk. After checking the other boys were still asleep, he covered himself with the invisibility cloak and made his way down to the Slytherin common room.
Near the dungeons he almost ran right into Mr. Filch, but at the last minute he flattened himself against the castle's stone wall and avoided the collision. Luckily Mrs. Noris wasn't with him.
He released a sigh of relief when he finally saw Blaise standing in the shadows outside of the Slytherin common room.
He walked right up to Blaise and pulled off the invisibility cloak.
"Bloody hell Harry!" Blaise jumped back. "What the hell how did you do that?"
"Invisibility cloak," Harry grinned. "family heirloom."
"Merlin," Blaise shook his head. "I've never seen anything like it."
Harry promised, "I'll show you later. Just, um, don't tell anyone about it. Let's get going."
Blaise nodded and Harry threw the cloak over them both. Blaise began to give directions, and the two of them wandered the many corridors of the dungeons.
After what felt like ages, they reached a narrow dark corridor.
"We can take off the cloak now," Blaise said. Harry tucked the cloak in his pocket as they walked quickly down the long corridor. At the end of the corridor was a large crack in the stone wall, spanning from floor to ceiling.
Blaise tapped his wand to the crack and whispered, "I am lost without direction."
The stone rumbled and the crack grew larger.
Soon it was large enough for them to step through.
Blaise cast a lumos and gestured for him to follow. Harry lit his wand also, and soon found himself standing in another cave-like corridor. It was cold, and he could feel the bite of winter air flowing through the passage.
They walked for another 5 minutes or so until they finally came across a ladder. Harry looked up, but only saw darkness.
Blaise quickly climbed the ladder with his wand still in hand. Harry watched as he reached the top and pushed upwards.
With a loud crack, the heavy wooden door opened. Blaise climbed through the hole and Harry followed him.
When he pulled himself out of the hole after Blaise, he was surrounded by dark towering trees. "The secret passage ends in the forbidden forest?" Harry asked in awe.
"Yes," Blaise brushed dirt off his cloak.
"That's convenient."
He smirked, "Agreed. Now let's go. It's on the top of that hill over there." Blaise pointed to their left, and Harry could see the outline of a small hill.
It didn't take long to reach the top, and Harry was pleasantly surprised to see a large, flat open space. He looked up and saw the waxing moon through the trees. This place was perfect.
Blaise pointed his wand at the ground and used an elemental air spell to blow away the snow.
There was a stone pentagram slab that spanned across the open space. Harry stared in awe.
"This is usually where the Slytherins do their rituals," Blaise explained. "You're one of us now, so you are welcome to use it."
Harry felt a lump form in his throat. He reached out and squeezed Blaise's hand. "Thank you."
Blaise cleared his throat a little and squeezed back, "Your welcome. I will wait for you over by the secret passage entrance."
Blaise released his hand and walked slowly down the hill again.
Harry turned back to the pentagram. He took a moment to calm his breathing before stepping inside.
He set out all of his materials at the center, including one of Hedwig's feathers, three drops of dragon's blood in a crystal vial, and some sticks for a small fire.
He piled the sticks together and briefly used an ' Incendio' to start the fire.
He was beginning to feel cold, but he knew a warming spell might interfere with the ritual. The fire wasn't large enough to provide warmth. He would just have to endure.
He began by pointing his wand at the eastern point of the pentagram and began to cast his circle of protection, "Voco autem est elementum air."
He then moved slowly clockwise, and called on each of the elements. He ended by facing north and calling on the element of earth. Once he was finished, he pointed his wand towards the sky and slowly moved until it was facing the ground beneath his feet, "Una sub elementis his magica, et non mittet in circuitu eius circulus praesidium superius, inferius, et in."
It roughly translated to "With these elements together under magic, I cast a circle of protection above, below, and within."
The pentagram glowed momentarily, and he knew he correctly cast the circle.
The protection circle was very important, he knew. The circle kept all magic cast within the circle contained, and also protected the ritual from outside influences. His books explicitly stated that one should never do a ritual without first casting a circle of protection.
He knelt beside his small fire and took a moment to collect himself.
"Et voco super magicae elementum aeris, ut patet ex animo. Ut focus mea remota cogitandi et omne impedimentum," he said confidently.
"Draco magnus pluma offero et dono sanguinis."
He dropped Hedwig's feather into the fire first, followed by the three drops of dragon's blood. The fire slowly changed from orange to blue.
"Cum haec dona mihi dare et ego rogabo magica ventis et innotescat. Magica petere auxilium mihi in me, et ventis rationaliter cogitare durum servato tempus."
Harry's heart began to beat faster when nothing happened. He didn't dare move while he waited for the flames to change, he needed the ritual to work.
He breathed a great sigh of relief when the flames finally changed from blue to white.
The flames died out only seconds after this, and he wasted no time drawing the circle on his forehead using the fire's ashes.
As he did, he felt a sense of peace come over him. He felt relaxed, his mind was quiet and calm.
He wasn't concerned about the upcoming tournament any longer. He knew he would be alright as long as he remembered all the spells he had been practicing.
He stood from his kneeling position and raised his wand to open the circle. He pointed his wand toward the north and chanted in Latin, " Earth, thank you for your energy. I bid you farewell."
He repeated this with all the elements, slowly turning to face each point of the pentagram. Once he was finished he pointed his wand towards the north and chanted "Magic, I thank you and bid you farewell. I open this circle and release the energy back into the earth."
The pentagram glowed briefly once again before fading away. He felt the magic dissipate, but his sense of calm remained.
He cleaned up the remains of the fire using a vanishing spell before walking down the hill to find Blaise.
He found Blaise leaning against a tree with his arms crossed.
"Did it work?" Blaise asked as Harry approached him near the secret passage entrance.
Harry grinned, "It worked."
He raised an eyebrow, "And how do you feel?"
Harry's grin grew wider, and Blaise laughed.
Chapter End Notes
I literally used Google translate for this so don't come after me please hahaha
Alone in the Wilderness
"Where is Blaise?" Harry asked as he nervously tugged at his dark purple jacket. It was waterproof, and part of his uniform for the second task.
They were only minutes away from leaving the dorms to go to the Great Hall for the next task, and he hadn't seen Blaise all day.
"I'm not sure," Draco shook his head. "He had a meeting with Snape this morning and he hasn't come back yet. Maybe he will meet us in the Great Hall."
He quickly tied his sturdy black dragon hide boots and slipped his wand into the holster on his forearm. He pulled on a pair of dragon hide gloves and removed the raven pendant from his neck. He handed it to Draco,
"Hold onto this for me?"
Draco nodded, "Of course. Are you ready?"
Harry nodded. He didn't know why Blaise wasn't with them. It was highly unusual, and Harry thought Blaise would have wanted to see him off.
They left the Slytherin common room as a group. The corridors were empty, most of the students were already waiting in the Great Hall.
Pansy squeezed his hand as they walked, "You're going to do great Harry. You will win this one."
Harry squeezed back and gave her a small smile, "Thanks Pansy." He wasn't nervous this time, thanks to the clarity ritual. He knew he would be okay. He was more nervous about Blaise's sudden disappearance.
They entered the Great Hall to find the other students and champions already present. The hall was very loud, many students were discussing who would win the next task. Harry heard Cedric and Krum's names come up the most, but he also heard his name as well. Maybe the students were starting to believe he had a chance.
He scanned the hall for Blaise, but didn't see him anywhere. He saw the professors standing off to the side of the hall and noticed Snape was with them. Where was Blaise if he wasn't with Snape?
Dumbledore moved to stand behind his podium. "Silence!" He shouted. "Champions please join me at the front of the hall."
The Slytherins said good luck before Harry made his way to the front of the hall alone. Dumbledore ushered them into one of the side rooms off of the hall, and Crouch, Snape, Karkaroff, and Madam Maxine followed them. He tried to catch Snape's eye to ask about Blaise, but Snape refused to look at him. He couldn't help but notice that Snape looked slightly more irritated than usual.
"Champions," he said. "Today is the start of the second task. Each of you will be taken to different remote locations where you will be expected to survive and conquer. Barty, if you would."
Barty Crouch removed a pouch from the inside of his robes and held it out to the champions. "Each of you take one. This will determine which of the four locations you will be taken to."
Cedric reached into the pouch first and removed a rolled piece of parchment. Krum chose next, then Harry and Fluer.
Harry unrolled the parchment and realized it was a map. It wasn't a very descriptive map, but it did show several landmarks, as well as general directions he was to take. It wasn't much, but he would probably be able to find his way. He noticed a large lake on his path, as well as a dense forest. The only concerning feature he saw was a hill located near the object he was meant to retrieve. He could only hope it was small enough to climb with ease. He tucked it inside of his jacket. He wanted to keep the map close just in case.
The champions were then given their chosen supplies. Snape handed Harry a backpack, which he knew contained a container of fresh, nutrient dense stew, as well as a small blanket which he would transfigure to meet his needs. Harry was happy to see the backpack given to him was a muggle backpack with strong, nylon straps. He would be able to extend the straps and use them as rope if he needed. It wasn't much, but he knew it would be enough. With magic, he could make almost anything he needed out of very few materials.
He swung the backpack around his shoulders and tightened the straps. He didn't want to risk anything happening to his few belongings.
He noticed that Fluer was handed a warm, thick coat, as well as a small package. Harry had no idea what was inside. Cedric was also handed a backpack, and Krum was given a rolled up bundle of canvas, maybe a tent, a small container of what Harry guessed was food, and a long stick.
"Now that you have received your supplies, we will return to the Great Hall for the announcements," Dumbledore gestured to the door.
"Champions, please stand beside me," Dumbledore pulled each of them over to his podium. The Great Hall quieted as they reentered. Students all turned to stare at the four champions standing beside Dumbledore. Harry again scanned the hall for Blaise, not caring about the stupid tournament. He was worried.
"Welcome to the second task," Dumbledore announced. "This morning, something was stolen from each of our champions. A treasure of sorts."
Harry's gaze snapped to Dumbledore. A treasure?
"These four treasures, one for each champion now rest in various remote locations. In order to win this task, each champion must retrieve their treasure using the map given to them. Simple enough, except for this. Along the way each champion will face various unknown obstacles. It will not be easy. Augustus Rookwood, if you would."
Rookwood stepped out of the shadows and tossed four black Eyes into the air above each of the champions. On each side of the hall, four Circumflexes activated and the Champions holograms appeared out of thin air. Gasps sounded throughout the hall as the students noticed the holograms showing the champions and the champion's surroundings projected high above them.
"This 3DM technology recently invented by Augustus Rookwood will allow those of us still here at Hogwarts, as well as the rest of the United Kingdom's magical community to witness the champions proceed on their journey."
At that moment something clicked in Harry's head. A treasure.
At that moment he realized they took Blaise from him. Blaise was the treasure. Dumbledore said something had been taken from each of the champions that very morning. Harry doubted it was a coincidence that Blaise happened to go missing that morning after meeting with Snape.
Harry quickly glanced around the hall, and noticed that Cho Chang, Fluer's sister, and Hermione Granger were also missing.
Rage filled him in a way he didn't know was possible. He trembled with it as he listened to Dumbledore explaining the task ahead. Dark magic prickled at his fingertips. How dare they.
He glared at Dumbledore and imagined his magic filled hands closing around the man's throat. Even the clarity ritual's magic wasn't strong enough to calm him in that moment. He was murderous.
They would pay for this.
"Classes have been canceled for the week. The Great Hall and each of the common rooms will have 3DM's so all students may watch the task. The task may take several days, or maybe even weeks depending on how long it takes the champions to retrieve their treasure. If at any time a champion is badly injured, they will be removed from the task immediately."
Students cheered, happy to know they didn't have to attend their classes. Harry didn't care, he was burning with fury. He would save Blaise and then he would make them pay. His only goal was to reach Blaise as quickly as possible. He would go without sleep if he needed to.
"Potter. Harry," Snape grabbed his shoulder and shook him. Harry snapped out of his thoughts and faced him. "Weren't you listening? I am to take you to your drop off point."
Students were clapping, and the other champions were being escorted out of the hall. Cedric with Dumbledore, Krum with Karkaroff, and Fleur with Madam Maxine. Harry clenched his jaw and nodded. Snape summoned the Eye hovering above Harry and deactivated it. He led him out of the Great Hall and into the corridor.
"What did you do to Blaise?" Harry asked in a harsh tone as they left Hogwarts and began the long walk to Hogsmeade. From there, they would be transported to their drop off points via side along apparition.
"I didn't do anything Potter," Snape snapped. "Calm yourself. He is fine."
"He met with you this morning!"
"Yes, because Dumbledore asked me to bring him to his office. I had no idea they intended to use them in the task." Snape explained. "They were placed under stasis and protection spells. Mr. Zabini will be fine."
That did almost nothing to calm Harry's rage. "Doesn't it bother you?"
"Of course it does!" Snape snapped. "I am a member of the Council of Shadows. It is my job to govern and protect members of the Dark Order."
"So why didn't you do more?" Harry shot back.
"Do you honestly think I would allow Mr. Zabini to be put at risk?" Snape hissed. "I placed the protection wards and stasis spells myself, Potter. No harm will come to him under my watch. He is perfectly safe."
Harry stopped, "Why didn't you just tell Dumbledore no? He shouldn't be allowed to use other students in the tasks."
Snape gave a tired sigh, "Dumbledore and I had no say in the tournament's design. It was the Ministry's decision. Dumbledore may be headmaster, and I may be a member of the council, but there is only so much we can do when facing the ministry. The time isn't right to rebel. Not everyone has the luxury of behaving like a Gryffindor. Mr. Zabini understands that."
Something about that statement made Harry pause, "When will the time be right?"
"Give me your map," Snape ignored his question and held out his hand.
Harry removed the map from the inside of his jacket and handed it to him. Snape opened it and looked it over as they walked. Snape sighed. "You need to be careful. Especially when you cross the lake."
Harry took back the map, "Can't I go around it?"
"Everything on that map is bigger than it looks," Snape explained. "Going around will add extra time to your journey."
Harry looked at the map apprehensively. He should have known it wouldn't be that easy. He tucked the map back into his jacket as they crossed the Hogwarts wards.
Snape grabbed Harry's arm without notice and apparated. Harry gasped as his body compressed and spun. It was painful, he felt like he was suffocating.
After what felt like an eternity he fell hard to the ground and gasped for air. "Bloody hell," he groaned.
Snape pulled him to his feet. He brushed dirt off of his clothes, "Where are we?" They were surrounded by trees, but it wasn't as cold as he expected.
"Austria," Snape replied.
"Austria?" Harry asked, confused. "I thought we were staying in the Scotland?"
"Surprise," Snape replied sarcastically as he tossed the Eye into the air above Harry. He gave Harry a significant look before apparating away. "Be careful Potter."
He disappeared with a loud crack, and Harry was left staring at the empty space where Snape once stood. He turned and punched the trunk of the nearest tree. He pushed all of his furious magic into the punch, and the entire tree exploded under his fist. Breath heaving in his chest, he glared at the surrounding carnage.
Still shaking, he looked up at the Eye hovering above him knowing that everyone was watching him and not caring. He would get Blaise back safely, no matter what it took.
He closed his eyes and took a moment to calm himself. He felt the magic of the clarity ritual seeping back into his mind.
A comforting voice in his head whispered, "Protect your supplies."
Harry removed the backpack and spent several minutes preserving his food, waterproofing his supplies, and reinforcing the food container and his backpack.
He also placed a waterproofing spell on his map and spelled it to stay attached to his jacket when he wasn't using it. He couldn't risk anything happening to his supplies.
Finally he cast a waterproofing spell on his boots and clothing. He knew wet boots and clothing would mean disaster for his overall health. Thankfully it wasn't very cold, so he didn't feel a need to cast warming charms.
Harry swung the backpack over his shoulders again and took a moment to study his map. Thankfully the map showed his current location. It looked like he was in a small valley, though he couldn't really see anything through the trees. He needed to go south through the valley and continue past the lake Snape warned him about. He then needed to travel through a forest and climb a steep hill to reach Blaise. He doubted it would be as easy as the map made it look, but he didn't have a choice. He could only hope he wouldn't run into any magical creatures along the way.
He balanced his wand in his palm and watched as the tip spun to face south. He turned to face that direction and began his long journey. He didn't want to waste any more time than necessary.
He hiked for over an hour without stopping. He stopped briefly to remove his jacket and tuck it away in his backpack. The air was cool, but he still felt warm from exerting himself. He also transfigured a stone into a water bottle which he filled using an aguamenti spell.
He continued on for another hour or so before stopping to take a short break and eat some of his stew. The valley he was traveling through was thick with trees, but the ground was clear of snow and underbrush which made for easy walking.
He looked at his map after he finished his meal. If the small cliff to his right was the same one on his map, he realized he was only about half way to the lake. He made it his goal to reach the lake before stopping for the night.
He set out again walking as quickly as he could, pushing himself to his limits. His legs were burning with effort, and sweat was pouring down his forehead. Leaves crunched under his boots as he walked. Birds were chirping contently in the trees, but the forest was rather quiet otherwise. The terrain was hilly, but not too difficult.
He occasionally looked up at the Eye following him through the forest. It was uncomfortable knowing he was being watched at all times, but at the end of the day, the tournament was meant to entertain. It wasn't any different from the muggle reality shows Petunia and Vernon sometimes watched. It made him feel sick. Their lives were being put at risk all for the public's pleasure.
Perhaps it was different for Krum, Cedric, and Fleur. Maybe they wanted the fame, but Harry never volunteered to be a prop. Someone else put his name in the goblet.
If he ever found out who did it, he would hurt them. He wasn't a toy to be played with.
The sun was beginning to set, so Harry pushed even harder. He would walk in the dark if he had to. He could use the heat detection spell to watch out for magical creatures.
He wanted to reach the lake tonight so he could cross it in the morning. He wasn't about to cross the lake in the dark, even with the heat detection spell. If it was anything like the Black Lake, it would be full of magical creatures.
He pressed on even after sunset, temporarily deactivating the Eye to cast the heat detection spell on himself. He didn't want to risk anyone noticing him using a dark spell.
With the heat detection spell he often saw birds in their nests, and even a few mice and rabbits, but no magical creatures.
Harry found it strange that he had not yet encountered any major obstacles. It made him feel uneasy.
Eventually, about a half an hour after dark he made it to the shore of the lake. He collapsed at the base of a tree and pulled his water bottle from his backpack. He drank deeply, and refilled it two more times until his thirst was quenched.
The combination of his heat detection spell and the darkness made it difficult to tell how large the lake actually was.
He sat there for a long time. His body was exhausted. He needed sleep, but first he needed to transfigure a tent and ward his camp.
He forced himself to stand and get to work. He wasn't safe resting out in the open.
He first found a small open, grassy space at the edge of the forest. The ground was flat, and he knew it was the best place to set up camp.
He first warded the space, before pulling the small green blanket out of his backpack and transfiguring it into a tent. He made a simple V shaped structure out of the expanded blanket by attaching it to two trees using sticking charms. He cast waterproofing and wind proofing spells on the fabric, and used an extra piece of the blanket to transfigure a warm sleeping bag. He cast warming spells on the tent and climbed inside.
He made sure to transfigure the tent to close behind him after climbing inside. He heard the Eye bounce off of the fabric and smirked. He wasn't allowing the damn thing inside his tent. He wasn't going to allow people to watch him sleep.
It wasn't the most comfortable space in the world, but at least he knew it was safe. Magical creatures wouldn't be able to sense him there.
He ate two servings of stew before climbing into his sleeping bag and falling into a deep, motionless sleep.
Harry woke early the next morning to an ear piercing screech. His eyes snapped open, but he stayed still and didn't make a sound. He didn't even breathe.
All at once the tent started shaking. He noticed small teeth were biting the fabric of his makeshift tent floor. The small teeth started to eat through the tent, so Harry jumped up and out of the tent as quickly as he could.
He was horrified by the sickening crunch under his boots as he ran outside. Thousands of small, worm-like creatures with snapping, razor sharp teeth were all coming up through the ground. The second they noticed him, they started coming after him, all of them snapping their vicious teeth. Harry pointed his wand and shouted, "Incendio!"
Fire erupted from his wand and spread across the ground in front of him. The screeches increased in volume, and he was disgusted by the smell of burning flesh. He realized they must have been trapped inside of his wards the previous night. That's why they were able to reach him.
When he released the spell, the worms had all stopped moving, but they were quickly being replaced by others.
Harry summoned the backpack and stuffed his blanket and food inside. Luckily, except for a few holes in the blanket and his other supplies were mostly unscathed.
"Ouch!" he shouted as the worms began to climb up his boots and bite his legs. He kicked them off and tore down his wards with a single, great sweep of his wand.
Unlucky for him, the worms appeared to be hell bent on eating him for breakfast.
He began backing up, towards the lake, casting Incendios and blasting curses left and right.
They were quickly overwhelming him. Their numbers were growing larger by the second. They had him surrounded on all sides, so he did the only thing he could. He jumped off of the small ledge where his camp was located and into the lake.
The water was icy cold, it took his breath away as his body submerged. He resurfaced with a gasp and noticed the worms didn't follow him. Clearly swimming wasn't one of their abilities.
He swam over to the ledge and held onto it for a moment to give himself time to recover. He also cast warming charms on himself to avoid hypothermia.
Not wanting to get eaten by worms, but needing to see how big the lake was, Harry pulled himself up onto the ledge ever so slightly.
He bit the inside of his cheek hard enough to draw blood when he finally realized what he was dealing with.
It was enormous. Clearly bigger than the Black Lake by far. He could barely see the other side.
Now he knew what Snape meant when he said Harry wouldn't be able to walk around it. Walking around would easily add two days to his trip.
He grit his teeth. He wasn't going to let Blaise sit there for an extra two days. He couldn't.
On the other hand, swimming wasn't an option either. He wouldn't even make it a quarter of the way before drowning. Besides, who knew what creatures lived in this lake.
He would need a raft.
Drowning in Prophecy
Chapter Notes
TRIGGER WARNING
-- DROWNING
Harry finished tying a wind proofed piece of his blanket to his raft to serve as a sail. The raft was far from perfect, only put together with dead logs he found in the nearby forest. Infact, it looked rather awful, but it could float and that's all he needed.
He climbed onto the raft and quickly cast extra waterproofing and sticking spells on his supplies and map.
He pointed his wand at the makeshift sail and incanted, "Ventus."
He made sure to lessen the amount of power he put into the spell. He didn't want to accidentally destroy his raft.
He held tight as the strong wind left his wand and the raft shot forward in the water. His stomach rumbled as he looked across the endless lake. Thanks to the man eating worms, he hadn't eaten anything.
He was extremely paranoid as he crossed the lake. His head was constantly turning, searching for signs of danger. He had cast several protection and concealment spells on the raft as he built it, but he was still nervous something would spot him.
He looked down into the water, but it was pitch black. For all he knew, there were grindylows swarming beneath him and he couldn't even see them.
Due to his anxiety, time went slowly. He knew he was making progress, but the lake just appeared to grow in size with every minute that passed.
It was only after the halfway point that he began to relax a little. Perhaps he would make it without any issues.
The lake suddenly became still and quiet. Where waves were once crashing up against his little raft, now there was nothing. It was like he was sailing across glass rather than water.
Harry clenched his teeth and gripped his wand tighter. He increased the power in his spell and held on as the raft picked up speed. He was beginning to tire after holding the spell for so long, but his gut was telling him he needed to hurry.
Large bubbles began to appear around him, breaking the surface and knocking his little raft from side to side.
"Bloody hell," he groaned as he tried to turn the raft and go in the other direction. He wasn't too far from the other side, he just needed to make it to shore…
A tentacle shot out of the water to his left and came down beside him like a falling tree. It missed him, but the wave it caused forced his raft to almost flip.
Harry leaned hard in the other direction, using his quidditch skills to right the raft.
"Ventus!" he nearly screamed.
The raft shot forward, the blanket began to tear from the force of the wind, so he released his hold on the raft and pointed his left hand towards the fabric. "Repairo," he focused hard while continuing to maintain his wind spell with his wand.
He breathed a sigh of relief as the fabric began to stitch itself back together. His wandless spell worked. He didn't know what drove him to try it, but he was glad he succeeded.
He was getting closer to shore now, but tentacles were continuing to crash down around him. He saw one coming straight for him, so acting on instinct he released the wind spell and pointed his wand at the tentacle, "Diffindo."
He put as much power into the spell as he could manage, and let out a cheer as the tentacle was sliced in half. Blood poured from the wound as it fell back into the water, but his excitement was short lived.
The water began to roll and shake around him. Three tentacles shot out at once and reached for him. He had no time to react as one grabbed his leg and pulled him into the water.
Harry managed to hold his breath as the creature pulled him down deeper and deeper. It was getting darker, and the water temperature dropped the further they went.
He tried to point his wand down, but the force of the water moving past him was too much. Panic set in and his lungs burned terribly as he struggled not to gasp for breath.
He was going to die.
"No!" Harry screamed in his head and used all the strength he had left to point his wand down towards whatever was trying to kill him.
Without thinking he cast the first spell that came to mind, using all the air he had left to do so,
" Vitam faciunt laminis!"
Obsidian blades left his wand and disappeared into the inky black water. The tentacle around his ankle shuddered and a dreadful scream echoed through the water.
Harry kicked the tentacle off of his ankle and tried to kick his way to the surface.
He kicked and pulled at the water, but knew he would never make it. His lungs were on fire, and he was so far from the tiny ray of light above him.
He really was going to die.
His body went suddenly limp. He was so so tired. His mind was screaming to fight, but his body wouldn't obey.
Just as he was about to lose consciousness something large rose up from the depths and struck his body hard. It began pushing him towards the surface.
Harry couldn't move. He could only hope he would make it in time.
The light got closer and closer with every second, and when he finally broke the surface he choked on a mixture of air and water. He coughed up water for several minutes. Again and again he took large gulps of air, filling his lungs until he could finally think straight.
Over time he realized he was laying on something large and solid. His entire body shook with cold and exhaustion as he rolled over and tried to see what saved his life.
He recoiled in a panic and fell back into the water when he finally realized what it was. It was the body of the creature that tried to kill him, bloody and shredded to pieces. He swam as quickly as he could through the blood filled water to reach his now stationary raft.
He used the last of his strength to pull himself onto the raft and out of the disgusting water.
He gagged as he clung to the raft. His entire body was covered in blood, and the coppery smell of it filled his nose.
He didn't know what the creature was. Some form of squid and sea monster hybrid. He couldn't see the entire thing, but it was a mess. His spell destroyed it completely. His dark spell.
He could only hope the Eye wasn't able to follow him down that deep into the lake. He didn't want to go to Azkaban for using a dark spell to save his own life.
He was exhausted, but he couldn't bring himself to stay near the creature. He took a few minutes to rest before again casting Ventus and continuing the rest of the way to shore.
When he reached a small sandy beach, he jumped into the clean water and rinsed as much of the blood off as he could. He cast several cleaning and drying spells on his body and clothing as he stepped onto dry land.
He removed his jacket so he was only wearing a black t-shirt and set about casting protection wards around a small opening in the trees next to the lake.
Once he felt properly protected, he sent up his tent and started a fire near the opening. It was only midday, but his body needed food and rest.
He gulped down several servings of stew and drank two bottles of water before climbing into his tent.
He tried to sleep, but his body wouldn't stop shaking. He kept tossing and turning. He imagined the tree sized tentacles reaching for him, trying to pull him into the deep black water over and over again.
His mind was a mess. There was a thought there, hidden underneath the exhaustion and panic. He knew he should be bothered by something, but he just didn't know what it was.
It wasn't until he was on the verge of sleep that it came to him.
They should have rescued him.
Dumbledore said in his speech that if the champions were in serious danger of dying they would be rescued.
Harry almost died. If the creature's body hadn't floated to the surface, he definitely would have. Yet, no one came to help him.
His body began to shake again, but this time with rage.
Why didn't they save him.
At the very least, Snape should have saved him. Harry knew he wasn't part of the Dark Order yet, but he had spoken to Snape about joining. He would have thought Snape might care enough to at least make sure he didn't die. He was wrong though, Snape clearly didn't care. Maybe the Dark Order didn't care about its people as much as he originally thought.
It looked like he wouldn't be joining them after all.
Unable to stay awake any longer, Harry fell into a fitful sleep.
Draco pounded his fist on Snape's office door, with Pansy, Theo, and Daphne standing behind him.
"Draco this isn't a good idea, calm down," Pansy warned. He ignored her and continued to knock.
When Snape finally opened his door, a sleep deprived Draco didn't even give him the chance to speak. "What the hell was that? Why wasn't he rescued from the task? Do you have any idea what will happen if he gets hurt?"
Snape's face turned cold and he grabbed a fist full of Draco's robes. He pulled the Slytherin boy inside of his office along with the others. The door slammed shut behind them so loudly Draco swore he felt the stone walls shake. He swallowed thickly.
"Harry might not have to show me respect, he's not yet a member of the order," Snape towered over him. "But. You. Are. You will show me proper respect, and you certainly won't go around saying incriminating things out in the open."
Realizing his massive mistake, Draco dropped to one knee and bowed his head, "I'm sorry Councilman Snape." He bit his lip. He was angry, but showing his anger was a Gryffindor tactic. He needed to control himself. Snape was patient, but he could be cruel if the situation called for it.
"I did save him, you petulant child," Snape explained. "Do you think the monster floated to the surface on its own? Normally that takes days of decomposition. I summoned the creature to the surface and prevented him from drowning."
Draco stared up at Snape, wide-eyed, "Oh."
Snape scoffed, "Stand up. Go back to the common room and sleep. Harry Potter will be fine."
By the time he woke up several hours later, the sun had already set and a cold wind was blowing through his tent.
Harry pulled in his thin jacket and cast a warming charm on himself. He rubbed his eyes and crawled out of his tent.
The stars and the moon were bright in the sky above him. So much so, that he had very little difficulty seeing his camp.
He deactivated the Eye anyways and cast the heat detection spell. He scanned the surrounding area, but didn't see anything particularly dangerous nearby. Only a rabbit running through the forest just outside of his wards.
Harry ate again and packed up his camp. After crossing the lake, he wasted the rest of his day sleeping. He couldn't afford to waste the rest of the night as well.
He took down his wards and set off towards the south once again. His body ached and his magic felt depleted, but he was desperate to get to Blaise and end the task. He hated how alone he felt out in the wilderness, knowing he was being watched the entire time. He wanted to go home, back to Hogwarts. He missed the castle and his friends. He missed his privacy.
He grit his teeth and walked faster. Maybe it was the Gryffindor in him, but he didn't care if he had to walk all night. He would do whatever it took to end it.
He walked until the moon disappeared and the sun took its place. Luckily, he hadn't run into any other magical creatures along the way, but his body was protesting severely. His magic had replenished itself a few hours earlier, but his legs were weak and unsteady.
He stood at the edge of a dark, foreboding forest with his map in hand. He knew he was going to have to go through it. As far as he could tell, the forest surrounded the hill where Blaise was waiting for him. There was no way around it.
He sighed heavily and set up his camp protection wards. He needed to rest for a while before attempting to venture inside. He knew he would likely encounter danger along the way so he needed his strength. He eagerly collapsed inside his tent and fell asleep.
It felt like he had only been asleep for a few minutes, but the sun was high above him when he stepped out of his tent. Several hours had passed.
After eating and packing Harry moved to stand at the edge of the dark forest.
It screamed danger. It was as dark as the forbidden forest, maybe even darker. No light could penetrate its canopy. He would need to use the heat detection spell while inside. He internally thanked the Slytherins for teaching him the spell, it was by far the most useful spell he knew.
With a tired sigh, Harry stepped inside the forest and walked quickly through the tall trees.
It wasn't long before he realized he had a problem.
He didn't know which way was south. His compass spell didn't work in the forest. His wand just spun in circles on his palm.
He internally began to panic. He didn't know which way to go. He couldn't even see the sun for reference.
Fear creeped up his spine, but he knew he couldn't stay put. He needed to keep moving if he wanted to escape.
In the end, he decided the best thing to do would be to continue in the same direction.
He stopped dead in his tracks a short while later when he heard a hissing sound to his right. He ducked behind a tree and looked in that direction, trying to see what made the sound.
When he didn't see anything, he waited a few minutes before continuing on.
A short while later however, he heard it again.
Again he saw nothing and continued walking.
He heard it a third and a fourth time, each time he saw nothing. He was gripping his wand so tight he thought it might break. He knew there was something out there. He just couldn't see it.
The further he walked, the louder the hissing became. Eventually, he realized he wasn't hearing hissing at all. He was actually hearing whispers.
Someone was whispering to him.
He stopped and leaned against a tree. He screwed his eyes shut, trying to get the whispering to stop. He didn't know where it was coming from. In fact, it appeared to be coming from everywhere at once. He couldn't understand it and couldn't escape it.
He didn't move a muscle, hoping it would eventually fade away.
He heard a branch crack beside him but he didn't dare move.
"Harry Potter," a voice whispered directly into his ear.
He broke into a run. He sprinted as fast as he could away from the voice. He could barely breathe through the intense fear he felt.
But the more he ran, the louder and clearer the voices became.
On the eve... seventh month…
A child…
The Dark Lord…
Will be born…
Harry Potter…
Listen…
Harry ran until his legs gave out underneath him. He fell to the ground and covered his ears to block out the whispers, but it didn't help. They were in his mind.
Harry Potter…
Listen…
Listen…
Harry Potter…
Listen? Harry stopped attempting to cover his ears. He pulled himself into a sitting position and looked around. Why were they telling him to listen?
It was then he realized where he was. He was kneeling in front of the biggest tree he had ever seen in his life. Its trunk was five times the size of any tree around it, and the strangest part, it was glowing.
Hundreds of colors, some he couldn't even name were flashing gently across his vision. It was simultaneously beautiful and terrifying.
As soon as he laid eyes on the tree, the many whispers all merged into one, strong feminine voice.
Harry Potter… listen…
He swallowed thickly and replied in a cracked voice, "I'm listening."
The voice boomed in his mind,
"Listen… Harry Potter…
The one with the power to restore magic approaches. On the eve of the seventh month, a child will be born in darkness . The child will have the power to return magic to its beginnings. The Dark Lord will seek out the child and act as a mentor, for they will only succeed working together as equals. On the eve of the seventh month, magic will die in darkness should they fail. No one will survive if left under the guardian's watch. The one with the power to restore magic approaches…"
Harry's eyes were wide as saucers by the time the voice finished speaking. He pointed his wand at the Eye and deactivated it.
"Who is the child?" he asked in a shaky tone.
"You… you… you.." a hundred different voices replied.
Harry felt his world come crashing down around him. He couldn't even begin to comprehend what he just heard. A prophecy about him… how? He remembered enough from Trelawney's class to recognize what it was.
Realizing he wasn't in the state of mind to think about it, he pulled the map out of his inner jacket and conjured a quill and ink from a stick and some dirt.
"Can you… can you repeat it?"
Thankfully the voice in his head obliged. Harry listened carefully and copied every word of the prophecy down on the back of the map. He then quickly stuffed the map in his jacket and vanished the quill and ink before the Eye reactivated.
The tree stopped glowing, and soon enough it vanished entirely. Only silence was left behind.
Afterword
End Notes
'Concedam Salutem' basically means 'Granting Safety' in Latin.
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