Harry moved into the great hall with his friends. He frowned as Luna skipped towards the Ravenclaw house and snorted a moment. She had no protector there the thought echoed through his head causing him to frown. Really why did the young Ravenclaw need a protector? Harry shook his head once more before sitting at his house table.
"Wow, who are you?" He hears one of his housemates ask as Ron and Hermione soon sit next to him. He looks up and blinks a few times his eyes settling on Dean and Seamus who were staring at him in shock. Ron looked at the two and laughed a moment.
"Oh yeah, you haven't seen him during the summer to witness the changes. Seamus, Dean this is our own Harry Potter." Ron stated. The other two boys just stared at Harry as he reached up to scratch at the back of his head and laugh.
"There is no way. I mean you are huge?" Seamus cried out eyes wide. Harry just sighed and looked at the table. After a bit of whispering about his size, he distracted himself by looking up at the head table. His eyes going over each of the teachers. He paused recognizing the woman who had interrupted his questioning at the DMLE and frowned.
"Yeah yeah I know I'm huge, Umm why is the undersecretary to the Minister of Magic at the teacher's table?" Harry asked pulling a few other peoples attention to the front table. Hermione and Ron both frowned as several of the others shifted. Slowly Harry groaned and placed his head on the table. "It's gonna be another one of these years…"
"Harry you can't know that for sure." Hermione said placing a hand on one of Harry's shoulders. Harry lifted his head just enough so he could turn it to look at her rolling his eyes.
"Hermione when have I had a good school year?" Harry asked softly. "Also anyone want to bet on at what point of the year it will be when the new Defense teacher attempts to kill me?" Harry added sardonically.
"True. still can't I hope for the best?" Hermione asked softly and smiled at Harry causing him to chuckle quietly. He slowly nodded and looked up.
"You can but I prefer to expect the worst when more than once it's been proven." Harry stated causing several of the students around him to look at each other and frown in thought. So much had been happening since Harry had shown up at the school. Some of it was really hard to believe, but most had some form of proof.
"Come on Harry she's a ministry employee she has to be smarter than being as obvious as to attempt to kill you." Hermione whispered. Harry glanced again at Hermione and rubbed at his face.
"Hermione your trust in authority figures is going to get you into a lot of trouble." Harry stated. Ron just blinked and looked between to the two of them a few times. He sighed as the announcements and the ministry woman's introduction and plans. Harry kept looking at Hermione as the woman continued on her rant about ministry approval.
"Why though. I mean people in power are supposed to look out for that under them." Hermione stated. Harry chuckled again shaking his head a bit. He lightly placed one of his hands on Hermione's shoulder.
"Hermione, those in power are often corrupt. If not when they enter into power then by the time they leave. It is hard for most people to keep their morals." Harry spoke softly. There was a sense of recognition of corruption easily taking over everything.
"But there should be things to prevent that!" Hermione stated as the food finally appeared. Harry looked over the normal British fare and sighed a bit sadly before filling his plate with the basics, before again looking at Hermione.
"There should be, but those in power that have become corrupt do all they can to make sure there is not a way." Harry pointed out softly. Hermione frowned and looked up at the woman again her eyes narrowing a bit.
"Maybe I can work at fixing this." Hermione murmured causing Harry to smile at Hermione again shaking his head a bit as he ate happily. It seemed Hermione was becoming inspired to try and shake up the ministry. He frowned wondering if he would be able to help out her new plans. It would probably be a good idea if he survived to the point of adulthood. He finished eating shortly after everyone else and looked up. Slowly groups started and Hermione and Ron gathered the first years to take them up to the dorm rooms and Harry watched quietly for a bit.
Harry stood drawing many people's attention to himself as he moved, being larger than even most if not all the 7th years in the school. He slowly looked around his eyes landing on Luna then onto Draco and he frowned a bit feeling himself bristle in a desire to actually fight with the other boy.
He shook his head as Draco sneered in Harry's direction. Harry smirked back at Draco his eyes shining darkly. After a few moments, Draco gulped and looked away making Harry chuckle as he turned and headed up for the Gryffindor dorms. Harry walked into the common room only for everyone to turn and face him. Harry glanced about them and sighed a moment.
"Can I at least sit down before you all start interrogating me about the changes?" Harry requested with a groan. Several of his housemates moved out of the way and Harry sat on one of the large armchairs glad to see he fit on it easily still.
"What did you take to end up being the giant monster?: One of the younger years asked making Harry roll his eyes. Really a monster was he not this time and he planned to keep it that way. He frowned at that thought then shook his head.
"I didn't take anything. Since this started I have been at the DMLE and seen by an unspeakable because of an odd reaction to Veritaserum." Harry stated. Several of the kids looked at each other then one of the others narrowed his eyes at Harry.
"Did you cause Diggory's death?" He snarled causing Harry to stiffen and growl glaring at the other boy.
"Not on purpose. I made the mistake of encouraging us to take the cup together. I didn't realize it was a trap which was foolish of me." Harry stated. The other boy glared at Harry taking a step closer obviously not wanting to believe. what Harry stated.
"Trap where is the proof?" The boy snarled trying to intimidate Harry. Harry just looked up at the other boy and blinked his eyes completely unimpressed with the boy's attempt. He reached up and pulled his hair free from its tie causing the shoulder length fire red hair to actually look like flames for a moment as it flared around his head.
"The proof was kissed without being questioned. It was a man who was supposed to have died in Azkaban and then pretended to be our defense teacher for the entire year using Polyjuice, but as soon as he was caught without being questioned he was kissed by Dementors on orders of our Minister." Harry stated seeing no reason to lie about the situation. The other boy glared at Harry shaking his head.
"The ministry wouldn't do such a thing!" He growled as Harry groaned again and covered his face. He slowly pulled his hands away and looked at the other again his face showing irritation.
"I never said the ministry as a whole I said the minister. He has become so obsessed with his position he won't let anything risk his losing it, even what is right to do." Harry stated then stood slowly. "Those not ready to handle power and balance it with wisdom and courage are doomed to corruption."
"You have no idea what you are talking about." The other boy growled at him as Harry shut his eyes and shook his head slowly before opening the eyes and glancing at Hermione.
"Hermione, you want to teach this pure blooded fool about Muggle history and corruption?" Harry asked as Hermione sniffed glaring at the boy. The boy snorted and started to try even harder to intimidate Harry looking like a small-time schoolyard bully as he does.
"That's muggles everyone knows they are foolish and stupid." He stated causing at least half of the lions around him to turn and stare at him in shock as Harry moved towards the seventh year surprised that he was even taller than him. He swelled up a bit his eyes flashing gold and the mark on the back of his hand beginning to glow.
"Careful with what you say, the smartest witch in this common room is a muggle-born. My mother was also a muggle-born and was considered the smartest witch of her generation." Harry growled. He stepped right in front of the seventh years whose eyes started to go wide at the sheer size Harry now had. The boy gulped a moment staring up into brilliant rage-filled yellow eyes his brown eyes flicking for help to the other seventh years three of who were leaning back in a corner ignoring him.
"Hey, you guys should be backing me up!" The 7th year yelped to them making Harry start to chuckle darkly.
"Can't stand up alone to a 5th year?" Harry asked as the twins and their best friend Lee rolled there eyes.
"You should have thought on that before trying to bully the largest kid within the common room." Lee said with a shrug. The seventh year starts to back away from Harry as he slowly looked around the room. Irritation was obvious on his face.
"I will say this once and only once. So all of you listen well, stop being sheep and trusting the ministry blindly. Look into things and actually pay attention to people's motives because most people are greedy selfish bastards who would sacrifice your life to make theirs easier." Harry growled then pushed past everyone heading towards his dorm and bed.
"You are all idiots. Though I can not blame you since you don't have all the information on what is going on but a quick warning. Don't piss Harry off. The changes have included a shortening of his temper and an increased chance of violent accidental magic." Ron warned the group. Harry clearly heard Ron's words as he reached the dorm room and groaned softly. He walked over and collapsed onto his bed covering his eyes only just noticing the mark on his hand glowing yet again.
"Goddesses why does this keep happening to me?" Harry muttered irritably. He laid on his bed as slowly his dorm mates trickled in Ron flopping onto Harry's bed and looking at him.
"You okay there Harry not gonna burn the room down right?" Ron asked in a humorous voice as Harry slowly pulled his arm away from his eyes.
"Ron you are going to make everyone fear me for having no control. I have a lot more control than what you are making it sound like." Harry growled in a half-hearted irritation.
"Hey better than them starting to fear you cause you do lose control of that anger. That magic ball thing was starting to form in your hand as you were arguing with the stupid seventh year." Ron pointed out making Harry sit up violently.
"Oh, goddesses please tell me I didn't almost do that again!" Harry cried out face going pale having not noticed he had been powering up another energy ball. Harry flopped back on the bed with a groan as the others in the room look at Harry and Ron wondering what they were talking about.
"Sorry, Harry but you were. Just glad no one else noticed it. Don't wanna know what would have happened had you thrown that at the kid. It was darker than your previous ones." Ron explained bringing Harry's attention to him more than him being upset at himself.
"Darker than the others what do you mean?" Harry asked curious yet worried as a headache echoed in his head. Ron frowned and shifted not sure what to say as he looked down.
"Previously when you created one of those there were like just a solid ball of bright light... This time it looked to be a ball of light surrounded by lightning that crackled black and red." Ron said. Harry blinked then moved so he was sitting up before standing and pacing around the dorm room.
"You are sure no one else saw this?" Harry requested of Ron worried someone may think he was playing with dark arts. He rubbed at his face in frustration as Ron shrugged a bit.
"I didn't see anyone else notice it but, I may have screwed up now…" Ron said finally noticing the other three who were staring between them.
"What do you mean Ron?" Harry asked his voice dropping a level in irritation at his friend. A soft cough pulled his attention from Ron and over to Neville's bed where Neville timidly waved to Harry. Harry's eyes slowly scanned the room seeing Dean and Seamus also sitting on their beds staring at Ron before glancing at Harry.
"Hey, Harry." Dean said softly and Harry just collapsed face down on his bed with a long groan. He slowly grabbed his pillow and buried his head under it. All of the others in the room could hear the muffled scream coming from Harry as he laid there. Harry slowly lifted his head as he pulled the pillow from his head and looked at the others.
"Can we pretend this discussion never happened please." Harry requested rubbing at his face trying not to look at any of his roommates.
"Depends how likely is this to happen in here with us here?" Seamus asked obviously not fully trusting the situation.
"As long as I don't get surprised or angry it shouldn't. Seems it is connected to what Muggles would call the flight or fight instinct." Harry stated with a shrug. He glanced at each of them Seamus still not looking the happiest about the situation but slowly nodded. Harry sighed shaking his head a bit.
"Weird but how have you figured that?" Dean asked from his spot drawing Harry's attention to him. Harry sighed and shut his eyes for a moment before standing and opening his trunk to grab his night clothing.
"Simple, every time something like that has happened has been in one of those situations. I mean well don't spread it around I kinda blasted Snape into a wall during the summer when he pissed me off." Harry let the others know. Neville, Dean, and Seamus all stared at Harry in shock. Harry sighed a moment then groaned.
"You just realized now that you are back in classes Snape is gonna try to find some way to get back at you for that." Ron stated as Harry was tempted to fall back onto his bed as the other three started to laugh seeing Harry's desire to collapse clearly on his face.
"Yes, Ron I did only just realize it. Anyways I'm gonna go shower and get ready for bed. We will have a busy day tomorrow." Harry reminded them as he slid into the bathroom and cleaned up before heading to bed where he collapsed as the others around him also prepared to sleep, by the time everyone was finished Harry was fast asleep on his bed, the others slowly joined him in sleep as well.
Harry groaned as he looked around. He was in a long corridor that he did not recognize. He frowned as he started to walk down it noticing many doors throughout the hall. It was a dim hallway and he frowned quickly turning around sure he had heard something. He frowned before moving forward again.
"You… mine.." Harry jumped hearing the words echoing about him only just audible. He looked around again in shock and snarled a bit trying to find the source. Harry shook his head before looking down at himself only to freeze in shock. His skin was dark and it looked like he was wearing leather and black metal armor. He twisted a hand around to look at his palm before again looking up to try and see if there was a mirror within the hall.
"My avatar" Whispered next to him making him jump and spin trying to find the source. He frowned and growled trying to find the source again of the voice.
"I am no ones! Get out of here!" Harry snarled in rage. A dark laugh echoed around Harry making him spin again.
"My hate is yours." The voice echoed again and Harry snarls feeling even more anger. He tried again to find the source of the voice his yellow eyes starting to glow golden again.
"How often do I have to state that I am no one's but my own!" Harry growled. He kept seeking the voice only to start seeing flames shifting around him.
"Let me in. You are mine!" The voice snarls in rage as Harry moves into a more defensive position within the Hall.
"Let me back in!" The voice snarls again and a black claw-like hand reaching out at him as though to grab him. Harry cried out and sat up violently coming out of his sleep violently. Harry gasped and looked around noticing the darkness. Harry groaned and shuddered slowly trying to get his mind settled after the dream.
"Goddesses, what was that.." Harry murmured and stood moving away from the bed. He stumbles into the bathroom where he washes his face with a groan. He was confused on the dream. The strange hallway had been weird and that voice. The voice seemed far too familiar to him. Harry stared into the mirror remembering how dark his skin had been while he was in the hall.
Finally, Harry shook his head turned away from the bathroom mirror and headed back into bed. He pushed thoughts of the strange dream aside slowly as he calmed his breathing back to sleep levels, and as he drifted back into sleep he could hear the crackling of fire and the sound of sand blowing on sand.