Hogwarts was becoming unbearable. After being free of the oppressive light side of the wizarding world for so long the feeling was once again creeping up on him the longer he stayed at Hogwarts. When he would write his father, he so wanted to ask if he could come home, to their crazy family, to the man that filled his dreams but didn't know how much he affected Nathair with just a thought. But he didn't, he couldn't bear to disappoint his father and stayed quiet, not even mentioning it to Draco or Severus. If that wasn't enough to make him want to leave, Granger and Weasley were as annoying as ever, and Dumbledore seemed to be watching him wherever he went. Nathair did his best to be uninteresting, and act like every other student, but Dumbledore seemed as watchful as ever, much like when he was still Harry Potter.

Nathair had forgotten what it was like to be at Hogwarts, surrounded by people his own age. When he was at home the only other person he saw on a regular basis that was even close to his age was Draco, now he had people surrounding him all the time. He was used to doing all kinds of magic, everything and anything he could get his hands on, at least what he could get his hands on that wasn't too dangerous. And even then he read about the dangerous magic, learned all he could about it even if he couldn't do it yet. Now what they were being taught, and he had already learned all of it, and it was making him bored. After he had left Hogwarts his father had taught him everything he could, and what he couldn't teach he got someone else to teach Nathair. Having already learned it all he got perfect grades, even in History, which was near impossible since Professor Binns didn't grade the papers half of the time. Already knowing everything gave Nathair plenty of free time, and it made Hermione Granger angry every time a teacher complimented him on his work in class.

It was Samhain today, and even though he loved his father and his new crazy family he couldn't help but think of his parents. Before he had found out he was a wizard he hadn't known when his parents died, only that they were dead. But now it was so hard to ignore what had happened on that day. Not that anyone in the school but Draco, and the twins really knew who he was and how hard the day would be for him. It wasn't even really all that bad, his first year at Hogwarts was horrible, the guilt and pain was overwhelming, and he had even gotten sick. But after learning the truth that everything was a lie, that Dumbledore had killed his parents because they knew the truth and were willing to fight against him, and that it wasn't his fault for their deaths as the whole world thought. Not to mention the headmaster's and their respective groups of students had arrived early that morning just in time for breakfast, after having scared many of the students on their way to breakfast.

The Beauxbatons flying carriage had passed by many windows before finally landing and almost killing Hagrid. Durmstrang hadn't been much better, nearly killing the giant squid when their enchanted ship rose from below the waters of the black lake, trapping the squid on it's deck, suffocating it. Nathair was unimpressed with the foreign students, especially those that would later want to join his father. But what really put Nathair off his food was Durmstrang's Headmaster, Igor Karkaroff. The traitor, having been caught after his father's near destruction, the man had broken down and gave the Ministry whatever information it wanted, exposing and destroying the lives of the undercover men they had. It was one thing to give up information, but it was something else entirely to give up people who he had been friends with. Everyone on the darkside wanted to see him dead, and to die painfully, which was the very reason Nathair was there.

Sure there had been other reasons to have Nathair return to Hogwarts this year but the fact that Igor Karkaroff was going to be there and vulnerable was too much an opportunity to pass up. Sure other people could do the job and probably do it better but he would know them, see it coming from a mile away. Nathair was new to the wizarding world, a fresh face that had no ties to anyone of anything, light or dark. He had the best luck for getting to the Headmaster and making him pay for what he had done to save himself.

The only respite he got was in the solitude of his room and when he could escape away from others and into the chamber and seeing Tanis. It had been just as amazing as he thought it would be to meet the ancient snake and she was more than happy to not only have company but a mouth watering supply of giant rats. Not only did the chamber protect the secrets hidden there, of which was not limited to Tanis, but ancient powerful magic and things that people could only dream of. Thankfully the chamber was far enough away and had its own wards that magic, dark magic especially, couldn't be detected by Dumbledore, so the chamber was the perfect place to practice new spells.

Nathair had been beyond impressed at the chamber and even though his father had told him much of it, telling and seeing in person were two different things. Draco had made Nathair promise to take him to see the chamber and when he did Nathair had almost been sure Draco had a stroke. Draco had just stood there in awe for the longest time before running around looking everywhere and at everything he could. But it was priceless when Draco met Tanis, as Nathir didn't tell him about her, and though he would never admit it Draco had let out the loudest, most girlish scream anyone had ever heard. After those initial moments of panic Draco became fascinated with her and asked Nathair to ask her so many questions that Nathair could barely understand the babbling blond.

HP/FG-TW

If it wasn't bad enough before leaving Hogwarts in his first year it was even worse now, Yule was just a week away and while he wanted to jump at the chance to return home he didn't know if he should. He had been thinking that it might be too hard to return home only to have to come back to Hogwarts a few days later.

In the end it didn't really matter, Tom needed him to come home even if he wouldn't say it directly, he was worried with Nathair being at Hogwarts so close to Dumbledore and Karkaroff. Not that he had gotten any closer to the traitor. Igor had spent most of his time onboard the ship that had brought them to Hogwarts, venturing out only to dinner and to watch over his students, especially Viktor Krum. The Bulgarian Quidditch player had been chosen by the goblet to be the Durmstrang champion, Beauxbatons' champion was a half veela girl named Fleur Delacour, and Hogwarts' was a Hufflepuff named Cedric Diggory. Though Nathair had plans brewing, contingencies for complications, and more plans in case he wasn't able to try one of his initial plans. Either way he was going to get what he came for, it was only a matter of time before he could strike and take Karkaroff to the justice that was awaiting him.

Also in his father's letters as the winter break grew closer his father was hinting at wanting to show him something, something that was part of his Yule present. Nathir put the newest letter from his father away on his bedside table as he got ready for the first task. It was to take place in a temporary amphitheater outside. Snow had been falling steadily for the past week and even though there were wards and such that could keep out the snow and cold for whatever reason Dumbledore refused to use them, claiming that everyone would be perfectly fine for the hour or so that the task would take.

Pulling on his thick, heat charmed winter cloak that was also fur lined Nathair left his bedroom, his thick dragonhide boots making a soft thudding noise on the tiled floor. Draco wasn't in his room and Nathair found him ready and waiting with the others in the common room.

"Took you long enough," said Draco as he lounged on a heavily padded arm chair.

"Father sent another letter, I was just looking over it before getting ready."

"I wonder what the first task is?" Wondered Theo as he stood from his seat to put his cloak on as the other did as well.

"No one knows. They've been keeping it a secret for weeks, though I heard Hagrid muttering about creatures. Though I don't know if that is just him being him or it has to do with one of the task's."

"Who knows. I have a bet on Diggory fifty Galleons," said Blaise as they left the common room and headed to the task.

"I have forty on him," said Nathair. "Krum seems to be an idiot and I haven't been able to tell if the girl from Beauxbatons is any smarter."

"Yeah, Diggory at least has a brain, he's in the top ten students of his year."

They filled in behind the other students that had gotten out of the school early so they could get good seats and passed by Fred and George who were calling out for people to place their last minute bets.

"Well we don't need to do that now," said Pansy.

Nathair brushed past one of the twins passing a note to the redhead discreetly as he walked with the other Slytherins.

The group didn't have to wait long after they sat down for the first task to begin, each champion taking their turn. Many people were shocked when Hagrid led in a fully grown Sphinx. Each of the three champions had to answer the riddles that the Sphinx gave them and each time they answered right a small box no bigger than a book appeared on the ground between them and the creature, and each champion had their own pile of boxes by the end. After they each answered five riddles correctly, did the Sphinx give one last riddle before being led away.

"Of the boxes before you, only one holds a clue. Do your best to find out which one is meant for you. Two hold fake clues which will be of no help and another two are empty, but don't be deceived by what you see. They might not look it but all are guarded well, and of all you will only be able to open two. So do your best, lest you not get a clue at all."

The boxes held all kinds of spells, wards, and even magical plants and animals. One was covered in devil's snare, another in flesh eating slugs, and the other were covered by all manner of dangers. It took a while as the three champions tried to get past the dangers on the boxes and only after they had safely cleared as many boxes they could did they pick which two boxes they wanted to open. The boxes were all the same, same size, shape, weight, so by the outside only the boxes gave nothing away. After picking their two boxes both Diggory and Krum had feathers, Diggory had some sea shells, Fleur had rocks and nothing else, and Krum had an apple.

Nobody could figure out what the clues could mean and knew they would have to wait until after the Yule holiday break was over to find out what the next task was.