Catching Up

Regulus' Tale

30 August 1993

"Hi, Harry," a group of girls chorused.

He waved absentmindedly then turned back to Rolf. "…so I'm half dead and, apparently, her uncle is withholding my location from everyone except Amelia Bones," Harry told Rolf. "Thankfully his ex-girlfriend has a little more sense."

They were on their way to Arithmancy. Draco swaggered just behind them, no doubt listening to Harry's tale.

Rolf nodded. "That's pretty much what she told me, but she said you ruined the relationship and got her uncle fired."

"I can't get anyone fired while I'm unconscious."

"Why did he hold you?" Rolf asked.

Harry sighed. "Because Amelia Bones thought I did something to her niece. She died…next year I'm going to take the two of you to the Chamber of Secrets," he said.

Draco stuttered in his steps and had to grab Harry's shoulder. "What?"

But Harry just shook his head. "Anyway, I was an unwilling accomplice in her uncle's bid for unemployment, but I'm not about to beg anyone to be my friend. There are better things to do with my time."

Like Divination.

"Good morning," Professor Mancy greeted in a slow, raspy voice.

She was short and dressed in a few layers of loose, flowy clothing that was all different hues of vibrant blue. She also wore a blue headscarf with gold trimming and each finger was adorned with at least two colorful rings. What interested him the most was her wand. The silver hilt of it, which he was now determined to get, was embellished with citrine and runes.

They were in the world of fertility. Rolf sighed and went over to sit by Mafalda after a shrug and a push from Harry. Harry sat next to Draco, who, after speaking to Aello, which, turned to Harry.

"He opened the Chamber of Secrets?" Draco hissed in his ear. "How?"

Harry nodded. "Yes to the first and I can't answer the second. Your mother already knows to watch her back. You should, too."

"Today, children, we will discuss scrying. Can anyone tell me what that is?"

Harry raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Potter?"

"Divination through something see-through – err – translucent?" he said slowly. "Or reflective."

She nodded. "Divination through something reflective, translucent, or transparent. Can you give me an example?"

"Fire and smoke," Harry said.

Bedside him, Draco sighed.

"Anyone else?" she asked.

Several students Harry didn't know raised their hands. That's when he realized this was a general population class.

"Crystal and crystal balls."

"Liquids; Water and white wine usually."

"Mirrors."

"Ink."

They spent most of the first hour and a half on crystals and crystal balls. She taught the mythology and symbolism of crystal and the history of their usage. After she handed them each a crystal ball to gaze in.

"Do you see anything, Malfoy?"

"Yes."

Harry grinned.

"I-I see the difference of the potions tournament. The winner will win by…by only one point."

Harry turned to Draco with a curled lip.

"I-I see the winner. It's-it's – "

Harry planted his face against the ball and Draco snorted.

The second half was spent on liquids, fire, and smoke. Another thing Harry took note of was the fact most of his days were now three hours longer. Thursdays were six hours longer.

And he had six extra classes.

Bloody Karkaroff.

That evening, Harry met Regulus in his office.

"So what the fuck happened?" Regulus asked Harry, was eating Jelly Slugs.

Harry placed the bag on the sofa then stood up to face Regulus, who was on the other sofa. He raised his robes to show his abdomen. "Tom Riddle tried to kill me."

Regulus paled then looked at his mark. It was blessedly pale gray.

"A teenage Tom Riddle, I think," Harry said. He silenced the room then said, "There's a lot you don't know. Err – last year Lucius came back…" He then explained everything that had gone on in the past year. He ended with, "Now I'm between three tyrants and I think Grindelwald is mad at me, so you should pack a bag and be ready to get the hell out of here. Just in case."

Regulus rubbed his face. "I've never unpacked my bags and I could've done without knowing I might die at fifty from a broken hip."

Harry coughed.

Regulus exhaled. "I know it's believed you are the reason for my change of heart. To be honest, I can attribute some of it to a filthy, little half-blood."

Harry sniffed.

"But when I was nineteen, the Dark Lord told us he required an elf." Regulus smirked and shook his head. "I was eager to please and wanted recognition, so I offered Kreacher."

Harry moved to sit down and stare at Regulus.

"So Kreacher went and he returned to me shaken," Regulus said. "He told me the Dark Lord brought him to a cave by the sea. An abandoned cave. He took him inside and took him across more water that was full of bodies; moving, dead bodies. He said the Dark Lord made him drink a potion that made him relive his darkest moments. Then the Dark Lord dropped a locket into the basin the potion had been in and left."

"You have one?"

Regulus shook his head. "No, I wasn't trying to die."

Harry exhaled. "Someone has to go get it."

••

Showing Off

31 August 1993

The next afternoon they headed to Arithmancy. He sat Draco sat with Rolf and Aello. The former spoke in low tones with Draco, which, again, piqued Harry's interest. Draco was still a roach; he still put stock in surnames and that wouldn't change regardless of Harry's changing feelings. So who the hell were the Fitzgeralds?

Their teacher, Professor Primo, was a slender man with thinning, brown hair and brown, browline glasses.

Harry removed his arithmancy folder. He made to take out only what was due, but Primo placed a hairy hand on the folder.

"What is this up to?"

"All of September and a little of October."

Primo nodded. "Give me September and on the first class of October hand me all of that. We'll do that each month for the next two years."

"Next two," Draco said softly as Primo walked away. "Because the Triwizard is already a given."

Harry leaned forward. "Duh."

Primo spent the class going over numbers four to six.

Having found the class to be dull overall, Harry, in the last minutes, asked, "Will we go over potion-making and spell-crafting?"

Primo inclined his head. "Yes. Next year August." When Harry grimaced, he said, "Be patient with me, Potter."

Harry nodded with a smile. "One more question…"

Primo hummed.

"Numerology is the reason ingredients and turns in a recipe don't go past nine? Just because I want to get a headstart."

Primo exhaled. "Yes."

"Thank you."

Rolf turned to Harry as Primo turned to Aello. "In order to understand the purpose of an ingredient or turn we'd look at numbers one through nine…"

Harry nodded. "But I'm trying to create, so I'd come up with base ingredients for a potion and play with the numbers in order improve or lessen the magical affect of a given ingredient."

"What are you trying to do?" Rolf asked.

"Create vitamins. Or specific strengthening potions."

Rolf tilted his head. "We already have those? Wit-Sharpening, Bone-Strengthening – "

"They're not good enough," Draco said.

Rolf looked between them. "Why do I feel like I'm out of the loop?"

"It's complicated," Harry said. "Wait! You're from an old family. Have some people on any side of your family died from – err – do you have a great-great grandfather that died from similar to a great-great-uncle?'

Rolf frowned. "Not the Scamanders, but Grams has mentioned her grandmother died from something similar to one of the English Goldsteins."

Harry nodded. "I would like to speak to her this summer, please."

Rolf nodded. "We'll be at your house for New Year's."

"Oh, right."

Draco leaned forward. "So will I. I cannot wait to see Audrey's future house. I think she's determined now actually."

Harry stopped and stared.

Draco continued walking, laughing all the way to Banquet Hall.

"It's not funny," Harry spat.

Harry sat beside Jason, who said, "What's not funny?"

"Audrey is…looking for a husband."

"Rosier?" Jason asked.

Astoria, a beautiful blonde with blue eyes, said, "I didn't think the Potters did that type of thing."

"We don't," Harry and Jason said together.

"They have Dawn Park back," Jason explained. "And it's humongous. Bigger than Potter Manor an' that's huge."

Astoria perked. "You're having a party…and we weren't invited. Oh, that's what grandfather meant." She crossed her arms and huffed. "How dare you?"

Harry pointed at Thanos with his chin. "Your other grandfather will be there, I think."

Astoria looked at Thanos then, when she turned back to Harry, sniffed. "Fine."

Rolf looked between Thanos and Astoria then turned to Harry. Draco was looking at him, too.

"Really?" Rolf said.

Harry nodded. "Her Aunt. Mother's sister."

"What if I didn't want people to know that?" Astoria asked.

"You would've told me to shut up."

Andrei plopped down next to Astoria. "Evening all. Except you," he said to Harry. "I hate you so much. It's burning my chest."

"Are you still moaning about what I told you last night? I'm sorry. You have three more years. I'll even help you."

Andrei sniffed. "No, I hate you for a new reason. Juaquin."

"Huh? Sofia? What about her?"

"What's going on between you and the Asian babe from Hogwarts?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Nothing."

"That didn't go anywhere?"

"It was fine for a month. We had fun. Then I took her to a party. She started then Fleur started more and then ugh."

Andrei shook his head. "You're not that great. I've been around you all my life. What's wrong with these girls? You're not even tall."

"His eyes are beautiful," Astoria said unhelpfully with a sigh. "Look at them."

Jason frowned at Harry. "They're just green."

Oh, boy.

"I will not," Andrei said. He looked at the ceiling when Harry turned to look him in the eye. "Anyway, Juaquin has been annoying me about you. Where is he? Is he coming back? Is he with that girl from Hogwarts? For fuck's sake. Go shove your tongue in her mouth."

Harry looked around to find Sofia sitting at a table surrounded by a group of girls. He hesitated and ultimately stayed where he was, choosing to send her a note instead. In the shape of a bird, it flew across the room and nudged her cheek.

"I can't believe you just did that," Rolf said.

Sofia opened the note and, with an amused smile, looked around for him. He wiggled his fingers when she spotted him. She then turned back around and scribbled an answer.

Harry exhaled when it didn't burst into flames. He caught it then stuffed it in his pocket. He ran his hand through his hair and winked at her.

"I can't believe you just did that," Rolf repeated.

"You disgust me," Andrei said.

Astoria nodded in agreement.

Draco and Jason just looked amazed.

Something poked his cheek and he looked up to see parchment in the shape of a snake next to his face. He opened it to find words scribbled in Regulus' hand. It read:

You look like James Potter. Stop it. It's making me nauseous.

Harry looked at the table to find both a disgusted Regulus and a smirking Karkaroff looking at him.

He grinned and winked then mouthed 'thank you.'

••

Impervius

2 September 1993

"Good morning," Professor Ferro greeted. She was a slender redhead with silver eyes. "Pass your work forward." When she had them in hand, she said, "Open your books and brew the Pepper-Up Potion."

Harry, who knew Snape's annotated recipe by heart, took out his tools then went to the cupboard to get what he needed.

With his mind on other things, he chopped and sliced and diced and ground and powdered and juiced as he had always done: quickly. But there was little conscious thought in the actions. Only when he found Aello eying his ingredients did he stop to marvel at how far he had come.

But not far enough.

He placed water in his cauldron and turned the fire on. Some seconds later, he looked into the cauldron only for his glasses to fog up.

He tried to brew with them on, but, in the end, took them off and brewed by memory.

Ferro watched him. "Is this your grandfather's recipe?"

"No," Harry said. "It's from an…old friend of my stepmother's."

Beside him, Draco paused until he, seemingly, realized who the stepmother was.

"As Veen's prize, I would expect you to be able to care for your glasses in a situation like this."

Harry shrugged. "It only comes up in the winter and I never considered it would be a problem here."

"Freezing temperatures is often a trial in the tournament," she said.

Harry's potion came out well. Excellent, in fact, but he was still left feeling dismayed:

"What's the charm to prevent fogging glasses?" he asked Rolf.

"The Impervius Charm," Draco answered. "Don't you read about quidditch anymore?"

Harry looked at him sadly. "No."

••

Friends?

4 September 1993

Heathen House was a dark pub in the village Barri. The décor was mostly black with some silver and gold accents. Even the glass tables were black.

Harry and Sofia sat at one such table across from each other in a booth. Both had a plate of smoked crayfish in front of them.

"…you've known Dolohov a long time?"

"All my life."

She ate some of her crayfish. "Delacour and Taylor, too?"

"Most of my life."

"How?"

Harry felt his hackles raise, but kept his voice moderate. "A friend of mine introduced me to them and their families."

"You mean Minister Crouch?"

Harry nodded.

"How…how did you do it?"

Harry tilted his head. Henry had had discussions with him about girls, using Naomi and Lily as prime examples. Not that he wasn't already a critic of the company he kept. Lily and Darius had ensured he would always need to check and check again.

"I was in the right place at the right time. Why?"

She placed her hair behind her ears. "That's not it. Everyone liked that Mafalda girl a week ago. Or at least they pretended to. Now only your friend Rolf speaks to her. They are being nice to the Malfoy boy now. The upper years don't really speak to the lower years. It's why most don't sit there. Heimir thinks she's better than everyone. Quatri and Krum have their noses in the air…" She waved her hand. "But everyone – even the twins – have given you attention almost from the first day. You haven't noticed any of this?"

Harry leaned back. "No," he said slowly.

She shook her head. "Even at Beauxbatons and Dreamtime? Well, no one was really at Dreamtime, but Beauxbatons…all of our parents saw who came to see you at Beauxbatons."

And who were her parents? He didn't voice the question, though. Elijah had taught him how rude such a question was, but, beyond that, he didn't have to ask her. Between Narcissa, Charlus, and Bartemius he'd know all about the Juaquins of Spain by next Saturday.

"What are you after?" he asked.

"A friend?"

Harry exhaled and held out his hand.

••

Unforgivable

8 September 1993

"Good morning," Regulus greeted after taking attendance. "We will not be doing practical lessons today – not in the traditional sense – and for most of the rest of the year. Most of you know how to duel well. Now you need to master spellwork and expand your repertoire. Quills and parchment out."

A few moments of scraping noises until they all had parchment, quills, and some had ink in front of them.

"Today we will begin studying Unforgivable Curses."

Harry and Draco blew out simultaneous breaths. Draco was once again seated between Harry and Aello. Rolf was seated by Mafalda.

"Rai, name one."

"The Killing Curse."

Regulus nodded. "The only unlockable spell. No one has survived it."

He placed something on the table then enlarged it. Students sitting in the front row moved away from the huge beetle. It tried to scurry off the table, but Regulus said, "Avada Kedavra."

Green light burst out the wand and the beetle fell onto the floor with a thump.

He vanished the remains of the beetle then said, "Ali, another."

"The Cruciatus Curse."

Regulus enlarged another beetle. "The torture curse. Unbearable pain that can destroy your mind in minutes. Crucio."

Harry gripped the table when the beetle started twitching. He swore he could hear it screaming. He exhaled when Regulus relented after a few minutes.

Regulus pointed at a girl in the corner. "Vulchanova, the last one."

"The Imperius Curse."

Regulus nodded. "Complete mind control. Most of the time a victim's only hope is the death of caster. Very few people can fight this curse. Imperio. Do backflips."

The beetle did as it was told, performing extraordinary gymnastics. Only a few people were amused, but even they had enough sense not to laugh.

When Regulus relented and vanished the beetle. He then pointed at the standing students. "Sit." When they were seated, he said, "Now what makes these three curses unforgivable? There are worse things than controlling someone. You have a curse that eats flesh. There's one to boil your insides. Another to melt you completely. Why these three?" When no one raised their hand, Regulus turned to Harry. "Potter?"

Harry sighed as Bellatrix whispered in his ear. "You have to mean it. Righteous feelings won't cut it. You have to want to control, torture, and kill."

Regulus nodded. "Correct," he said softly. He stepped back and turned to the board. "Today we will focus only on the Imperius Curse."

With a half-hour left in class, Regulus went around the room placing them under the Imperius Curse.

Mafalda waved her hand. "This has to be unethical. If not illegal."

Regulus snorted. "You are in His Grindelwald's territory and at Durmstrang, Prewett," he mocked. "But if you ask your righteous uncles, they will tell you of all the things His Majesty Albus Dumbledore allowed at Hogwarts." He whistled. "We had a grand time."

Mafalda flushed and Rolf scowled at Regulus as Jeffrey Montague snorted. His eyes widened and he darted a look at Harry, who looked back in confusion. He was left even more confused when Montague's eyes lit up.

Harry looked at Draco.

"He knows her parents are squibs. A lot of people do, but they're afraid of you."

"Oh." His eyes widened as he remembered Sofia's words. "Oh."

Regulus came to their table and softly apologized to him and Draco. He then pointed his wand at Harry. "Imperio."

A feeling of blissful unawareness overtook him. He had no thoughts. No concerns. No opinions. He just existed and it felt good.

"Stand up," a voice whispered in his ear.

Harry made to stand, but paused. "Why?"

"Stand up," the voice said again. This time of was louder and more commanding.

He shook his head. "No, I'm comfortable."

"STAND UP!"

Harry got to his feet and grimaced for his knee had hit something. The blissful feeling then left him and the room came back into focus. He looked around to find the rest of the class gaping at him.

"Of course, you can do that," Mafalda complained.

Harry rolled his eyes and sat back down.

"That is how you fight off the Imperius Curse," Regulus said with a note of pride. "By pure force of will and unadulterated determination." To Harry he said, "We will work on that until you get it."

••

Twenty Questions

29 September 1993

"You wanted to see me, Professor?"

Thanos nodded and beckoned him inside.

So he entered and closed the door with his back. Out the corner of his eye he saw movement.

"Merlin, please," he said as he turned to place his face against the door.

"I'm a damn site better than Merlin," Charlus said. "Come over here and stop being dramatic."

Harry stepped back, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. He turned to find Charlus lounging on Thanos' aqua-colored sofa with a snifter full of something amber in his hand. He looked a little haggard and harassed.

Harry tilted his head. "What happened to you?"

"What happened to me? You are what happened to me."

"I'm sorry."

Charlus curled his lip. "Don't lie to my face."

Harry sat down with a soft smile on his lips.

"Your father…" Charlus waved his hand around. "He hasn't been so-so fucking whiney in years. Grown man throwing a tantrum because he can't know everything. And Brazil. Merlin, I wish I could escape to Brazil to get away from his incessant bitching. I thought to tell him to go take it up with Grindelwald, but I settled on telling him to shut the fuck up."

Harry placed a hand on Charlus' shoulder.

However, Charlus moved it away from him. "Unhand me. I can't run away because you decided to start a war of all things and don't even have the decency to stick around to fight it."

"I didn't start this. Your brother did."

"Stop calling that man my brother!"

Harry tilted his head. "Why? You look alike."

Charlus swiped his hand, but Harry had already been moving.

On his feet, Harry said, "If you lose weight in your neck you could look just alike."

Charlus' eyes bulged as Thanos laughed.

"Go to hell, boy!" He wagged his finger. "You are keeping Cassiopeia alive, son."

Harry took a bow.

"That wasn't a compliment."

"Sorry, but your neck is huge," Harry said. "But your head is so big, so I get it."

Thanos laughed harder.

"What did you bring him here for?" Charlus asked her.

She ignored the question. "I don't believe I've ever seen you interact. You're worse at home," she mused.

"Top form," he corrected.

Thanos smiled pleasantly. "Are you hungry?"

Harry looked at Charlus, who shrugged. "Yeah?"

She stood and opened a door. "Food."

Harry looked at Charlus again. He then walked back to Charlus and hid his mouth from her with his hand. "What's wrong with her?" he mumbled.

Charlus darted his eyes towards her then shrugged. "The hell if I know," he said softly while making a face.

"Puttin' your plan in motion?" Harry mumbled.

"I don't have a plan," Charlus hissed.

Harry snorted and glanced at Thanos before saying to Charlus, "Talked yourself down?" He shrugged. "What do you think?"

"You understand this room is silent and I can distinguish words and phrases, correct?"

Harry looked at her. "Now I do." He leaned over to whisper in Charlus' ear. "Hearing like a bat that one."

Charlus laughed and got up as Thanos narrowed her eyes.

"What plan?" she asked Charlus, who stopped laughing almost immediately.

Harry picked up where he left off.

"I don't have a plan," Charlus said. "The boy is annoying."

"What plan, Potter?"

Harry wagged his finger. "No."

They entered a private chamber with sage green wallpaper with lighter green, flower motifs. Tall windows over looking the grounds were to the left of the door. The sky was already dark, but they could see the outline of the swaying trees.

"Rabbit stew," Harry said in Greek. "How did you know?"

Thanos looked at him with obvious bemusement. When Harry just blinked at her, Charlus said, "He enjoys the dish."

Harry took a seat at the small rectangular table, where Greek salad and retsina accompanied the stew.

"So…" Harry said.

Thanos sighed and Charlus closed his eyes in, what looked like, silent invocation.

"Do you have any brothers?"

Thanos blinked. "No? That was not at all what I expected."

"I'm unpredictable. Like to keep you people on your toes." He placed some salad on his salad plate. "And you're the oldest?"

"Uh huh," she said.

Harry glanced at Charlus then grinned when he found his eyes narrowed and on him. "And does your family follow inheritance rules or were you your grandfather's favorite, too?"

Charlus choked on his wine.

"You need not worry, Potter," she said. "I have money and an eye-catching home."

Harry nodded. "Good, 'cause he doesn't have a house and he can't stay with me."

Thanos placed her hand over her mouth to hide her pursed lips.

Charlus looked at her. "Why is he here?"

"For my entertainment," she gasped out.

Charlus sighed. "He's not that damn funny."

Harry winked at him then turned back to her. "Did you want to duel as a career?" When she continued to look baffled, he said, "I said I like to keep you on your toes."

"No," she answered at last. "I had something to prove. I prefer to study potions and curses."

Harry scoffed. "He married a Black and his mother was a Borgin. Say Dark Arts. We're self-righteous and moralistic. Not hypocrites." He was amused to find faint color rise in her cheeks and exasperation on Charlus'. "How do you like the Greengrasses. Not your sister, I mean. You know, her husband and his father."

"Where are you going with this line of questioning?" Charlus asked.

Harry waved the question away.

"They're fine."

Harry peered at her over his glasses. "You have to give me more than that."

"Daniel is a firm believer in riding the fence, but Mr. Greengrass – Basilius – wants to get closer to your great-grandfather. You. You're a prize, but given Daphne's crush on your brother, he'll…" She darted a look at Charlus. "Ahem – uhh…"

"Settle for what he can get," Harry finished. "A Greengrass. Naomi will be ecstatic and I'll have to top that 'cause I don't do second. And I hate her."

Charlus coughed and Harry winked at him.

"Yes, that was close to his phrasing," she said. "Is that what you wanted to know?"

Harry made a so-so motion with his hand. "No, but I think I got the answer to what I wanted to know. Do you travel a lot?"

Thanos looked at Charlus, who held up his hands. "You opened the door. Either shut it or kick it open."

Thanos narrowed her eyes at Harry, who just kept smiling. "Not as much as I would like, no."

Harry continued to question her and even answered every question when she turned the intrusive tables. Harry had no idea if Thanos was playing a game, but Charlus seemed to have figured out his. He would leave this room knowing that she was not unlike them; a stray looking for a family, but, unlike them, Gellert Grindelwald was holding her back.

After dinner, Charlus ruffled his hair. "Thank you."

"For what?"

Charlus just shook his head. "Good luck on Saturday and make Quintinus proud."

Harry nodded. "You, too."