The letter from madam Malfoy was rather informative. The titles given hinted that the dark lord was researching Campione in great detail. A subject which was to no great surprise to both Harry and his group after a moment of thought. Dumbledore seemed to have predicted this line of thought and had nothing to add initially. Only that he would look for a pattern just in case.
"I don't think she is telling us everything." Hermione said after a while they had left Dumbledore's office. "That is a given. But I doubt the headmaster will allow Harry to point his sword at Malfoy junior again." Cressida agreed firmly while Mia looked curious. "What made you think that Hermione?" "I read most of those books in the library after Harry ascended. The liberian even selected a few of them." Hermione answered factually.
"Interesting, as I recognize none of the titles I assume they are on your side of the divide then?" The intrigued tone from Cressida surprised Hermione . "Yes." the bushy haired girl confirmed. "Are any of those titles rare?" Cressida pressed for more information. "No. As far as I know they are all recently updated even to include Harry where relevant." Hermione replied and Harry repressed the sudden urge to bang his head into something solid.
"Well that should make it easy to call her out on it. After all it is clear she now thinks she is only communicating with me and thus would not know this." She turned to Harry. "May I draft a suitable letter in reply to remind her you are no fool and feel quite insulted by her presumption? Perhaps with a subtle reminder Draco dear is quite close?"
"Do you think that will give us the information Tom is looking for?" Harry asked unsurely. "I can not give you any insurance, Harry. But I think that letting her think she has outwitted you will only conjure further problems down the line as they will see it as a weakness to exploit." Cressida pointed out. The explanation made sense to Harry. "Fine, but without the threat."
Cressida hid her emotions at the final command and simply nodded that she would do as she was bid. 'Still the mention of the library has given me an idea.' Harry mused as he watched her leave.
"Now that all our bellies are filled. I would like your attention for an announcement." Dumbledore seemed to say suddenly. Since it was only the fourth day at school everyone wondered what it could be about. "As you know. We have a Campione hosted in these hallowed halls. Due to a certain incident the staff believes it is relevant for the first year students to be informed what exactly a Campione is. There will also be lessons taught by me for the older students who wish for a refresher."
Predictably a lot of heads swiveled around to look at Harry to find him just as surprised as the rest of them. He shot Dumbledore a questioning look but the man refused to meet his eyes. As the other teachers did not seem to be taken off guard they were informed beforehand.
"The schedules for these lessons will be in your common rooms. Participation is mandatory for the first year students." he nodded to himself. "That is all. Thank you for your attention." "Did you know about this?" he asked Cressida and Mia who both shook their heads. As the tables started to disperse to head to the common rooms and hang out somewhere else in the castle until curfew Harry saw that professor McGonagall was a woman on a mission.
A mission that seemed to involve him. "Mister Potter." She greeted Harryin her usual somewhat stern way. "Professor." Harry acknowledged politely while trying to figure out what was going on. "I had hoped to inform you of the headmaster's decision before the announcement. I could however not find you."
Harry scratched his cheek at the unspoken accusation. "I was outside practicing my swordplay with Mia." The transfiguration professor acknowledged that with a nod. "The headmaster hopes that you have the time to attend the lesson for the first years. In his own words he hopes to 'humanize' you before the propaganda gets to them."
"O...kay?" Harry replied unsurely. He was caught flat footed that it apparently was such a problem. The deputy headmistress had no answers for his confusion however and rattled off a pair of times and class room for him to be at. Bade him a nice evening, reminded him that the rules he was learning would be tested and left.
Since the first lesson would be the next day it was a rather restless night for Harry.
Harry showed up early with his two knights in tow to find Dumbledore was already present. "Mister Potter." he said in pleased surprise. "I am glad you are early. Please have a seat in that corner if you would. I set up some basic illusion and warding spells to ensure that the students are focused on me. I am sure you noticed some of the not so covert staring the younger years have started indulging in."
The young Campione gave a nod to hide he had completely missed it. He was so used to being stared at it must have fallen off his senses as none of the students were planning to hurt him in any way. He led the way and wondered what the spells Dumbledore used were doing as he could still see the chairs and tables.
He focused with his eyes to see the world slightly shift and Dumbledore's magic stood out in the colorful background of magic that was Hogwarts. He walked through the barrier without ill effect. He turned around to ask Dumbledore to ask if his spells were working to find that Cressida and Mia had more trouble with the subtle suggestion spell.
To help them he reached out and pulled them both over. "Well that looked weird, having your arms appear out of thin air." Mia grumbled as she shook her head. "Did you even notice the spell?" "Not at all. I suppose you could not see the chairs and desks either?" "No. We could see those. You disappeared instead so it looks like these places are empty."
"Illusions work on Campione? I thought no magic would." Harry asked surprised and Cressida let out a long, suffering sigh. "You must have dozed off when I mentioned it." She did not give Harry time to look innocent. "I should keep Hermione close when I am lecturing you. She at least manages to make you pay attention all the time." She added.
"And to think you thought keeping her close would be distracting him." The grin Mia got when she said that made Harry wonder what else he had missed. The flat look Cressida returned only increased the grin. "And now I admit I was mistaken. Hermione is a well learned and studious individual."
"Well, I just take solace that he isn't as bad as the Italian Campione." Cressida added as if it was a poor consolation prize. Harry sniffed imperiously as the first first year students started to droop in. The curiosity on their faces almost had Harry laughing. "Well then you'll be pleased to note I look up to him ever since he decided to tutor my 'brother'." He stated, trying to sound as serious as he could.
"Oh gods upon the endless sky no." Cressida moaned while Mia giggled evilly with approval. "Cheer up Cressida. If he takes after that man he might even get the more lecherous bits of his 'brother' as well. That would be fun don't you agree?" The suggestion came with an extremely dangerous glint in her eyes.
"A good thing I already have a girlfriend then." Harry rapidly backpedaled as he wondered how the conversation took a turn to his 'brother's' more lewd reputation. "Aww. Don't you want to give us some loving Harry. I thought you liked us." Mia pleaded with innocent doe eyes that hid the impurity of her words.
Harry started to freak out at the knight's sudden change of behaviour and worried that the twins managed to hit her with a spell of sorts. Suddenly there was a massive grin on her face. "Hah. You should see your expression now Harry." "Tsk. And here I was wondering what you were ensorcelled by." Cressida muttered through Harry's giant sigh of relief.
"Well sooner or later Harry is going to run into a heretic god or goddess who will try to flirt with him." Mia defended herself. Neither of her companions could be bothered to answer as Dumbledore began his lecture by welcoming all the first years to the lesson. To his surprise it wasn't just two houses like he expected. But Dumbledore had invited all four of them, making Harry wonder why he had planned a second lesson.
He listened attentively to the old wizard as the man told the students up front he would give them two perspectives. He did this after explaining that the magical world went further beyond the wanded wizards and witches. The first perspective was that of the world in general. While the second would be his own.
None of the trio was surprised when he began quoting the italian man again about how a Campione was a devil. It did sum up the general feeling about Campione rather well as Dumbledore proceeded to explain. As the material was familiar to him or a general recap of what Cressida had been trying to stomp into his head the past year Harry started to wonder if it was possible to get Dumbledore to teach anything else.
As he was a Campione he was quite certain it wasn't magic that Dumbledore used to ensnare the class to pay attention. 'Perhaps seeing him dressed as a proper professor without any exotic looking get up immediately makes us pay attention to the wizened old man?'
His musings were cut off by Dumbledore's next words. "And now we turn to my personal perspective." The class seemed to lean in closer. "Campione are men and women of great power. This power comes with great responsibility and expectations while the threat of corruption always lurks in the corner."
He turned to the class and seemed to make eye contact with everyone at the same time. "However they are still men and women. Each with the same strengths and weaknesses as the rest of us. This is a fact I believe many people, including the Campione themselves, seem to lose sight of."
There was a moment of silence before he turned back to the desk. "As mister Potter has ably demonstrated with the aid of mister Malfoy. They can still get upset and act like any other student. They do have access to greater power, and thus greater consequences flow from thoughtless actions."
Harry sighed at the reminder. Still he couldn't exactly blame the headmaster for being unhappy at students threatening each other with the intent of lethal harm. It did go further than the leg locking hex or other such kind 'pranks' in the hallways. "Now as you're undoubtedly aware, these hallowed halls hold a Champion of their own. Harry Potter, if you could please step up?"
The Campione in question did not need to use his magical sight to know that the spells Dumbledore had used to hide them had disappeared as the entire horde of first year students turned to face him. He did his best to put on a smile and calmly walked his way down to the headmaster.
"Now as you can see Mister Potter looks like any other fifth year student. That is why I believe that despite the eccentric tendencies most Campione have, they are just people with incredible powers. One of which is rather easy to demonstrate. Mister Potter, do you mind if I cast a stunning spell?"
Harry shook his head and with surprising speed the headmaster cast the spell without intoning its name or doing the wand movements. The red spell slammed into his chest and did exactly nothing. "As you can see it had no effect. If I had hit anyone else they would be knocked out with a severe bruise to show for it."
"Most magic directly affecting someone, no matter what kind it is cast by, is unable to affect a Campione. This is both for harmful magic or benevolent magic such as healing spells. I personally believe this is one of the main reasons why all magical organisations tiptoe around a Campione. Regardless of the Authorities or other benefits a Campione has." He turned an elderly smile towards the raised hand of one of the Ravenclaws. "We will cover Authorities in a moment."
"Mister Potter, if you could return to your seat." Dumbledore asked and Harry kept himself from shrugging as he headed back. "Now to understand what an Authority is. You need to first learn what exactly a heretic 'god' is. The term 'god' is rather subjective as persons of legend like Heracles and Merlin could be either part of a 'god' or be a heretic entity on their own."
The headmaster waded into the subject with a neutral stance that amazed Harry. He then doled out an example of how a legend could be twisted by both humanity and the heretic god itself. The lesson ended much sooner than Harry expected and he was slightly disappointed that it was.
"Now for the next lesson I want you to remember to pack light, as mister Potter will be demonstrating an Authority." Harry gave the headmaster a surprised look and got an amused eye-twinkle in reply. "I also expect each and everyone of you to have a good question about the subject we just discussed to ask me or mister Potter. I will detract house points if you do not."
The first years all trooped out with startling speed and efficiency. "Mister Potter, thank you for your time. I suspect that the new generation will have a much easier time interacting with you." Dumbledore said as he took his leave. Harry was a bit sceptical if that was truly the case. "Well that happened." Harry muttered as he set off with the girls in tow. He was certain he would have to give Hermione a full report once she came out of Arithmancy.
To his surprise there was a firstie Gryffindor waiting outside. Since Dumbledore was already at the end of the hallway her business was with him. "Can I help you?" Harry asked as he kept himself from sinking to his knees and giving the girl an encouraging pat on the head. "Uhm… I know I should ask... " she paused and gasped. "Oh. I am sorry. I am Matilda Marigold."
"Well in case you didn't know. I am Harry Potter." Harry replied with a grin wondering if Dumbledore was onto something after all. "The girl in armor is Mia and Cressida is probably holding a book." he introduced his companions without looking to his sides. "So what do you want to ask?" "Can you learn all forms of magic?" the girl blurted out.
Harry blinked as he thought the answer over. "Actually I do not know." "You might be able to. But it could be you could have learned other kinds of magic before ascending." Cressida answered before Harry could look his shoulder to her. "It is something I need to try out." Harry answered to the young girl. "Thank you for asking. Do you know how to get to the next lesson?"
Matilda smiled shyly and then realised she had been left behind by the rest of the Gryffindor pack. "Uhm… if you could point me to the dungeons for potions." "I'll walk you there." Harry offered. The girl blushed and Harry took that as a yes. "Come along then." he said as he took the lead. Admittedly there was a chance of encountering the Potions professor but letting the girl get lost and face a ticked off professor would be even worse.
With the knowledge of a pair of secret passages that shaved a good part of the time much to the wide eyed surprise of Matilda. "You'll learn more of the passages as you explore the castle. We are the house of the brave after all." Harry calmly explained as the painting swung aside to let them out again to the hallways. "You should be on time. Just walk down the hallway in that direction and you'll be there."
"Thank you." Matilda said with an attempt at a courtesy. Harry sketched a quick bow as she dashed off. "Still it is an interesting question." Harry admitted to Cressida and Mia. "Well if you wish we could…" "Try it later." Harry interrupted the woman before she could cram more studying into his schedule. Which in his opinion was full enough already.
"As you wish." Cressida noted neutrally while Mia grinned. Harry put the conversation out of his mind and headed towards the library. His act of chivalry should have cost enough time for Hermione's lesson to end.
Narcissa Malfoy sighed as the now familiar form of the white owl winged its way rudely into the living room instead of waiting at the small owlery like the creature should be. Sadly however the owl was as brazen as her owner and dropped the letter from the air into her lap with commendable accuracy.
She checked if the letter contained any traps, well aware she was testing the patience of the woman who had written it. Lucius had informed her that the Dark Lord had learned of Draco's mistake and had suitably punished Lucius as Draco was outside his reach. Her husband had not gone into the details, but as he promised to whip Draco once with his cane she could tell it was a dire pain he had suffered.
"She is running out of patience and she is not afraid to show it." Narcissa mumbled thoughtfully. She snapped her fingers to get an elf. The creature popped into the room. "My writing materials please." she commanded the being. 'I had hoped to throw them off by using books she would have never heard of. Yet she replied immediately that the books were common lore.'
'But how could she know that? Is she older than she looks and the information I managed to obtain, as scarce as it is, was wrong?' Narcissa thought as she started to write down the pureblood formalities to fill space. 'Or is that muggleborn child involved as well. Draco had said she was a useless bookworm. But she is positioning herself to be the Campione's wife.'
Narcissa sighed as she realised her son was making the same mistake she had. She disliked muggleborn yes, but Narcissa was smart enough to know that the rude intruders were far from the unwashed idiots they were a century or two ago. 'The girl must have read some of those books to recognise them, informed this to Cressida who must have guessed the rest with a quick search in the library, as Dumbledore is known for not remembering if tomes or rare or not.'
'So what do I tell her? There is no real threat here aside that the Campione is getting impatient. My family's standing currently cannot sink any lower in his eyes so that is no real threat. Nor will the consequences not be noted until a few years later. Fudge's vote of no confidence passed earlier today despite her best efforts on her husband's behalf. So that was not the angle either for them.' Narcissa thought as she tried to examine the issue from every angle.
And although Narcissa might not like the policies and ideology the headmaster believed in. She could trust the old wizard that the Campione would not be allowed to harm her son. 'And Draco should be smart enough now to know not to give him an excuse to slip up and 'accidentally' kill him.' she added mentally to reassure herself.
'However I would be going against my own advice to send another letter with no information. My very avoidance must now make them suspect I know more than I actually do. But not even the other inner circle members summoned by the Dark Lord have any idea what he plans to do with the information and material they gather for him. Only that it is vital to his plan to deal with the Potter boy.' Narcissa concluded grimly as she felt an invisible trap slowly closing down around her.
She sighed out loud and for a moment wished she had a husband who was not foolish enough to bind himself in such a permanent manner. She also spared a moment to hate her inability to give birth to another child. A daughter who could ply her charms on a Campione would give her so many more options.
That line of thought made her also dislike her fellow purebloods for being so passive. That a plain looking muggleborn managed to establish herself so firmly was a failure of the other pureblood young women in the castle. Harry Potter might be a half blood but his muggle born mother was admittedly a capable witch which would be the pride of any pureblood family. She knew her distant aunt would have approved of her if the dragon pox had not taken her.
Narcissa forced herself to focus back on the letter she had to write. 'So what do I do? String her along further and risk retaliation or give away a minor secret I know from Lucius to throw them off?' She grimaced as she realised that it was possible that Cressida potentially had an entire magical organisation to set out on whatever small hint she gave. Potter did not often exercise his authority as a demon king directly, preferring to do so through intermediaries.
'So if he decides the crumb of information is important they can find out more than I want. However on the other hand he could also act through Bones now that Fudge has been voted out. Her mind provided the image of a force of aurors barging their way into the Malfoy manor. The family's position's useless against the divine order from a Campione to shake them down.
'And Bones has enough of a grudge to bend her own morals to get her hands on anything on Lucius.' Her hand hovered indecisively over the letter as she weighed her options. 'I shall delay replying for a day and send Draco a letter to give me his opinion on what Potter would do. Perhaps he can even give an insight on this Cressida.'
With a nod to herself that she had charted the best course she could in the poor situation her son placed his family in she snapped her fingers for a fresh letter and wrote one to her son. She hoped her child was smart enough to gather the information without her prompting.