"Why did you make a sword in the first place? I've been meaning to ask for ages." Hermione asked Harry one day while he was looking for a book in the library.
"I needed to find a way to use my magic to prevent build up. I still pour magic into the blade upon occasion, in fact when I came into my majority and gained full control of my core, the explosion of energy that was building under my skin felt like it would kill me. I un-shrunk my sword and poured tons of power into it, though no matter how much magic I expelled I kept filling back up with power. For an entire hour I feared I would die, the sword itself actually vibrates with power." Harry explained, handing the sword over to Hermione, who marvelled at the craftsmanship.
"It is beautiful."
"It contains the fang of a basilisk and the tears of a phoenix, they are the only reason it has survived the sheer amount of power infused into it. I expected them to carry their individual properties, though I am thankful that they don't. Imagine me having to cut someone with my sword to heal them."
"What is the pommel?" She asked him.
"The Philosopher's Stone, or rather what is left of it. It is how I use the sword as a conduit for magic, I could use it as a wand, or rather like a staff, if I wanted to."
"I would very much like to make a sword of my own, not one with all of these absurd abilities mind you, but maybe a short sword that responds well to transfigurations, specifically ones that I perform."
"If you create the sword from your own magic you can ensure that only you can wield it, I could force you to drop my sword in an instant if I wanted to. I have no real use for it beyond using it to mediate my killing gaze, if I could figure out how to limit it to only petrification then I would have no real need for my sword."
"Why not transform some things into animals and use them to practice on."
"That is a very good idea, thanks Hermione." Harry responded, leaving the library with a spring in his step.
"Honestly, why do boys never think of these simple solutions." She muttered to herself, returning to her education.
/_^_^/
"What a waste of time." Harry shouted to himself an hour later, coming to realise that his killing gaze was only a petrification gaze.
"What is?" Luna asked him, walking through the Manor and following the stories that the walls and floors would tell her.
"It turns out that I've been practicing reflecting my gaze off my sword when in reality I can just stare people right in the eye."
"That sounds rather frustrating, would you like me to make you a cup of jasmine tea? I find it most relaxing."
"Honestly Luna, I'd love one." He admitted, following his friend to the kitchen.
"I hope you're okay with no sugar, I find it ruins the relaxing effect of the tea, though I can always add some if you'd like."
"I trust your judgement Luna, perhaps after this is all over I'll find myself drinking jasmine tea constantly."
"I could invent a charm to turn your saliva into jasmine tea, though I imagine that could become frustrating when the tea goblins come hunting you."
"Yes Luna, I rather imagine it would." Harry laughed, scolding his mouth on the tea as soon as it was placed in front of him.
"Burning yourself also reduces the calming effect of the tea." Luna pointed out helpfully.
"Noted." Harry responded with a smile, healing his mouth and cooling the tea slightly before taking a sip.
/_^_/
"I cannot believe that I am saying this, but I am worried about Grindelwald. He hasn't stopped talking to the shade of Dumbledore, he has somehow managed to keep him around without the resurrection stone." Draco informed Harry and Dudley one day, dragging the boys to the former Dark Lord's bedroom.
"Do you remember Vienna? How you cried at the beauty of the city?" The voice of Albus Dumbledore came through the door, with Grindelwald laughing in response.
"Don't forget how awed you were upon seeing the Rakotzbrücke in Kromlau, Albus, you would wax lyrical for days about it." Gellert replied with a laugh.
"I honestly don't think it is an issue, he has been alone for decades with a pack of wolves as his only companions. As long as he is safe and happy then I'm content to leave him. I'm sure you would wish to be left to talk with a long lost loved one."
"I still don't feel right about this. It's Valentine's day, if he hasn't left his room by sunday then I'm going to check on him. Who knows what price he is paying to keep Dumbledore here without the stone."
"He has a point you know." Dudley agreed with Draco, knowing full well what isolation could do to a person's mind.
"I know he does, if he hasn't left his room in four days then I will go in there with you." Harry promised, walking with his friends to get their next mission from Marvolo and Moody, who worked surprisingly well together and had organised their efforts from mad scrambling around to surgical strike teams, having captured dozens of men who were put under the imperius curse by Voldemort or his few remaining Death Eaters. The Intel they were gathering was extraordinary in its uselessness, Bellatrix LeStrange had long since bitten off her own tongue and bled out while in custody, while the imperioused men didn't know anything of value.
Goyle had been very cooperative but even he couldn't outright tell them where Voldemort's base was.
The three boys entered the war room and found that everyone there was scrambling around madly.
"What on Earth has happened?" Draco exclaimed.
"Voldemort has been feeding Muggles to his basilisks, he has managed to speed up their development by mutating them and as a result he has ten mature basilisk on his side." Marvolo informed them, pulling the three boys away from the shouting and organising.
"What about the men trapped in the Manor? Not all of the Death Eaters are allowed to leave." Harry asked his mentor.
"You know as well as I do that Voldemort is more and more unstable, our latest intelligence suggests that he is even sending Nagini to attack people."
"He has made more Horcruxes then, there can be no other reason for his extreme 180° turn in regards to the protection of her."
"That is what we fear, I need the three of you and Bailey to go on a reconnaissance mission as soon as we get the location."
"Don't worry Marvolo, we are ready." Dudley answered.
/_^_=
The mission wasn't as glamorous as expected, they were stationed in Devonshire, ordered to observe a patch of land. Braise could have done this on his own, being able to detect any vibrations in the ground, even being able to detect a spike in his friends' heart rate.
They were standing in a clearing, obscured by the Invisibility Cloak, just observing their surroundings, when Harry got bored and decided to levitate over to Draco and tap him on the back, following the changing air current as he turned.
"Guys! Something just poked me." He whispered, turning around, with Harry floating behind him.
"Sure it did Draco, next you'll tell me that you can reach behind you and feel something." Blaise responded, inspiring Draco to reach behind him. Knowing he would never get this opportunity again, Harry grabbed Draco's hand and flew the two of them a hundred feet in the air.
"Thank you for flying Air Potter, the local time is one-forty-five in the morning." Harry called out before dropping Draco, swooping down to catch him before he was injured.
"I say this with sincerity Harry, piss off." Dtaco responded, his face as red as an embarrassed Weasley, causing Blaise and Harry to laugh at him, while Draco was still being carried bridal style by Harry.
"What was that, you wish to fly to two hundred feet?" Harry questioned, earning an elbow to the chest as Draco rolled out of his arms.
"We are supposed to be on a mission." Draco grumbled in a heap on the floor.
/_^_^_/