Chapter 59
Later that day, Harry was still in the same location since this morning after breakfast. Then he received came from Mr. Oluwusi saying that his project was nearly complete. Apparently, he and the other team members were enamored with the work environment and wanted to stay on his payroll. According to the man, the new battle suits should be operational by the end of March, and he predicted that it would yield a lot of money and be worth the wait. Harry understood why the suits took so long as the blueprints he sent for what he wanted the suit to have were not easy to create. Even King Ragnok's people and employees would have difficulty managing the prototypes.
Harry sat on the couch, pondering what his next move was going to be. While he knew the first task for the tournament was fast approaching, and he would soon have to face some a wizard-killing creature. If he wanted to make it out of their alive, he would need a plan and few in reserve. The ringing on the mantle pulled him out of his thoughts, as they indicated that someone was trying to get in touch with him. Activating the crystals to form the viewing screen, the face of Alexander Taymore gave him a warm smile.
"Good evening, Hadrian. I hope that I am not interrupting anything important," the man looked down at him.
"Not at all, sir," Harry replied. "How are things on your end? Anything of concern?"
Alex sighed "we're still trying to find the missing death eaters, and Ichika is fighting an uphill battle trying to locate them. Intelligence reports that more than twenty people who sided with them in the past have resurfaced and rejoined their allies."
"What about Master Hayato," Harry enquired. "I thought he spoke with the Magus council, and they agreed to help." But, unfortunately, even though he was a Magus himself, he was still a trainee and couldn't get all the details.
"He did, and they are helping us," the man confirmed. "So, far, they've shut down a few of their operations and either captured or executed them in the process. The ones alive were questioned, but so far, they have little to no information about the whereabouts of their comrades."
Harry let out an annoyed breath as a small part of him hoped that one of them would have had some useful information. Putting it in the back of his mind, he resumed the conversation "so, what do I owe the nature of your call?"
Alex grinned at him. "I have some information regarding the first task," he began. "Apparently, they're going to be two parts. The creatures you and the others will have to face are between Class- XXXX and XXXXX.".
"That's comforting," Harry said with sarcasm in his voice before returning it to a neutral one. "So, what am I looking at?"
Alex left for a moment to retrieve the information from one of his cabinets. The next moment he returned with a folder. "I verified this from the Tri-wizard committee as these are the creatures that will appear. Two manticores, chimera, Graphorn, and a wampus cat, will be used during the first part of the task. The second part is going to be a whole lot worse." Harry visibly cringed as to what could be worse than the creatures that were listed. "For the final part, it will involve dragons, and not just dragons but nesting dragons."
Harry paled at what he said but kept his composure. Though he could feel his heart sinking, "really, I have to find a way to get past dragons," he groaned. "I think I'm going to be sick."
"Good luck, my friend. You're going to need it."
Harry gave him a curt nod. "Can you send me the file you got about the first task?"
Alex answered without delay. "Sure thing! Mind if I use one of your house-elves?" Harry shook his head. "Alright, standby." After calling one of the house-elves, he asked if she could deliver it to Harry. The elf accepted the folder and apparated with a pop appearing right next to her master.
"Tipsy has brought files for young Hadrian," holding it out to him, which he accepted.
"Thank you, Tipsy. You may leave me now," accepting the folder before she popped away. He turned back to the screen. "I appreciate the information you got for me. Thank you."
"Your welcome, and try to get some rest while you can," Alex said before cutting the communications off.
Taking a seat back on the couch, the young raven-haired boy began reading through the list of creatures he and the others were going to be up against. When he pulled out the list of dragons that were going to be used, his eyes opened wide. Dragons were one thing, but nesting dragons were a completely different story as they were extremely protective of their eggs. There were going to be four dragons: the Hungarian Horntail, the Chinese Fireball, the Swedish Short-Snout, and a Welsh Green. Out of all the types of dragons in the world, the Hungarian Horntail was by far the most dangerous of them all and trying to tame one usually required twelve or so dragon tamers.
Byakko trotted over from the bed he shared with Iroh to where Harry was seated. "What is it?" sensing his partner's uneasiness. Harry explained the meeting he had with the commander and told him what the first task entailed. "Wow, you're going to have your work cut out for you," he commented. "Are you going to tell the other champions?"
Harry nodded. "It is the honorable thing to do, and I don't want to see any of them die because of the Ministry's foolishness." Leaning back in his seat, "the creatures we have to face are known wizard killers, and like us are being forced into this matter for the amusement of the wizarding world," agitation in his voice as he was angry at the people in the wizarding world. He scoffed at their ignorance as they only saw them as dangerous creatures they could kill whenever they wanted. This was wrong. The populace had little to no honor nor any respect for the magical world.
Understanding the anger and pain the boy was feeling, Byakko hopped on the sofa and rested his head on Harry's lap. He knew all too well that Harry cared about the magical world and wanted to do what was best for it along with his brothers and sisters. This was something he had sensed after forming the pact with him. A person who would do whatever it took to protect the magical world, even if others didn't agree with him.
"These fools are insane," Harry groaned while at the same time rubbing his partner's head. The next minute a large fire appeared before them and manifested into Suzaku. Looks like the Vermillion bird had a good time hunting, given by the way he trilled. He flew to Harry's shoulder and nuzzled his face affectionately.
"What is the matter?" he asked, sensing the turmoil the boy was in.
Harry would have answered if not for Severus's untimely arrival. Severus noticed the discomfort expression on his son's face. "I take it you got some questionable information about the first task," gesturing to the folder next to him.
Rather than answering, Harry handed him the folder so he could see for himself. Severus's face became sour as he read through the creatures the boy had to face "these fools are insane," gritting his teeth. "These creatures are some of the most dangerous species to have ever been brought into the wizarding world."
"Trust me, I've noticed," Harry commented. "However, I'm more concerned as to how I am going to deal with a dragon. Their hides are extremely resistant to magic, and only a few spells can affect them. Even then, I have no desire to kill it. They don't deserve to be treated like savages."
"I understand your reluctance to use excessive force," Severus began. "However, you are going to need to find a way to get past the dragon without killing it."
"I'll think of something, dad."
Severus walked over and placed a comforting hand on Harry's free shoulder. "I know you will."
"Oh, I can't believe I forgot," Suzaku trilled. "Harry remember how you can speak parseltongue?" Harry nodded, wondering what he was getting at. "Well, you see, dragons also speak the same language, albeit it's a different dialect. So you might be able to communicate with them fairly easily."
Byakko soon added, "that could be an idea," he thought. "Though, I would suggest that you have a few contingency plans in place. Remember, dragons are highly aggressive that including nesting mothers. Seeing as you can transform into a dragon yourself, then you'll be able to understand them a lot better. Hopefully, you can get out of there without a fight. Just keep in mind that you also have the power of manifesting dragon's fire. So, you should be able to manipulate theirs."
Harry gawked at what he said. It was true that while he was a fire elemental, and could manipulate it with ease. However, dragon's fire was completely different as it was more destructive and potent. He would have to practice manipulating dragon's fire to get a feel for it.
Severus cleared his throat, bringing the attention back to him. "Though, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. There are some things we need to discuss," looking at the others. "To start off, someone has been stealing from my personal stores again," the anger in his black eyes could be seen. "Originally, I believed to be the work of Granger and Weasley as they've stolen from me before. But after what happened in the great hall a couple days ago, they're off the list of suspects."
"What ingredients were stolen?" Harry wondered who would be bold enough or foolish enough to steal from his dad.
Thinning his lips, "boomslang skin, lacewing flies, and knotgrass."
Harry's eyes opened wide as those ingredients were expensive. "But aren't those some of the key ingredients to making polyjuice potion?"
"They are," Severus confirmed, "and that is why I am going to need you and your friends to be careful. As anyone could be using polyjuice potion to try to get information. However, that is not the only thing that concerns me as the wards around Hogwarts should have gone off."
"What do you mean?" Byakko asked.
"The wards around the school are supposed to warn anyone who is in charge that someone has been using polyjuice potion," Severus explained. He raised a hand before either he or Harry could speak. "I have already spoken to Septima about the matter, and she hasn't received any warnings."
Suzaku spoke, "do you think this is Dumbledore's doing?"
"I don't know if this is Albus's doing as it could be the person who's been using the potion. But, I can say that whoever's been stealing from me will pay dearly." He then looked directly at Harry. "There is something else we need to discuss, and believe me when I say that this is the absolute last thing I want to do again."
Predictably Harry responded the way he thought the boy would react. Severus explained that if the dark lord rises again, he will have to be in his and Dumbledore's services again. Harry vocally objected as he didn't want his father to be in either of their ranks again. Owing to the fact of either of them learning of where Severus's loyalty truly lies with. And what would happen once he was no longer of any use to them? They'd toss him aside without a second thought. Severus completely understood the boy's anger as he, too, had no wish to go back and be a spy for them.
(0^0)
Late at night, someone entered the manor of where his master and fellow death eaters were. After entering the manor, he made his way to the living room door, where the others should be. Opening the door, he walked into the room, where he noticed the others standing off to the side. The young man knelt down as he approached the chair next to the fire.
"Milord, I apologize for my delay. The security around Hogwarts has been strengthened, and trying to get away undetected has become a lot more difficult."
"Bellatrix, turn me around so that I can face young Barty," commanded the cold rasp voice of Voldemort. "Yes, milord" she moved from her spot on the wall to turn her master around.
The deformed babyish figure of Voldemort was now facing his death eater. He carefully stroked his snake Nagini before speaking, "rise, Barty," he commanded, ignoring what the man in front of him said when he came in. "Has the boy been entered in the tournament?"
"Yes, Potter has been entered in the tournament and has to complete all the tasks or risk losing his magic," Barty stated with a smile. "I have also brought you some entertainment regarding the boy. Not only that, but I think you'll find what he did to both Dumbledore and Karkaroff most amusing." He desperately wanted to get that traitorous sack of shite. Because it was his fault that he was thrown in Azkaban years ago. If he didn't rat on him during the trial, he would never have gone to prison.
Voldemort burned with anger at the mention of his former death eater. No one betrayed him and lived to tell about it. With that in mind, he wanted to know what Potter did to the old fool. "What did Potter do to them?" he asked with a curious expression on his face.
"It would be better if you see it for yourself," Barty pulled out three recording crystals. Holding one up, "this one shows the duel the boy had with Igor," activating the crystal in the dimly lit room. Voldemort and his death eaters watched the recording of the duel between Potter and Karkaroff. Needless to say, they were all surprised by the way Potter destroyed Igor.
After the footage ended, Barty showed them the verbal beatdown Potter gave Dumbledore when his name came out of the Goblet of fire. Voldemort found it amusing that the 'mighty Dumbledore was brought down by a fourteen-year-old. The way Potter rallied everyone against the old fool and gave him an ultimatum. Either punish the blood traitor and mudblood or risk having his name blackened should the boy and everyone else take their houses and leave Hogwarts for good. It rejuvenated him to see Dumbledore put in a bind and be unhinged. The only thing that he was pissed about was when it was revealed that Lucius's son brought two filthy Gryffindors into the noble house of Slytherin. He would be sure to exact his displeasure on both Lucius and his son.
Finally, Barty showed the last recording of Potter going head to head against fourteen seventh-year from Durmstrang. Bellatrix did a silly dance as she watched the boy utterly defeat the students. His power and ferocity were amazing as she could only imagine what he was truly capable of. She noticed that while the boy was holding back his power, he made sure to let them know who it was they were messing with. Bellatrix eerily saw a resemblance between the boy and her grandfather. Oh, she remembered him well as a powerful and ruthless man. If anything, she had a feeling that he was the one who trained the boy to fight like that. Evidence, by what Potter did to Igor as he brutalized him with not only lightning but managed to burn him with the same spell that was only known to the Blacks.
Voldemort was beside himself as he watched with amazement at how far Harry Potter had come. There was no question that the boy would make a fantastically and apprentice. If anything, he saw much of himself in the boy. Powerful, dangerous, resourceful, brutal, ruthless, immensely intelligent, and highly skilled in combat. Then again, he remembered Potter's grandfather was indeed a force to be reckoned with when he was alive. Getting rid of him had cost him not only a fortune but also over a hundred of his followers.
On the other hand, James Potter was much simpler to deal with as he didn't have the killer instinct to do what must be done. Sure, the fool was arguably highly skilled in battle transfiguration, but he was only slightly above average when it came to other forms of combat magic. And the way Harry burned Dumbledore was positively the best kind of entertainment he had heard in a long time.
According to Severus's report, a few years ago, the old muggle-loving fool and Potter did not get along. That was when he hatched a brilliant plan to make Potter his apprentice to kill Dumbledore. The fact that they weren't getting along was all the more intriguing as it was clear the boy had a lot of anger towards the man. If he could get the boy under his control, conquering the world would be even easier. His red eyes rested on young Barty.
"You have done well by bringing me this information Barty," he said with a smile. "I dare say that this is the most entertainment that I have had in a long time. And once I have regained my body, then you shall be handsomely rewarded."
"Milord, you honor me with your words as I live to serve," kneeling in front of his master.
Voldemort saw that the young man wanted to say something. "Is there anything further to report?"
"No, milord," he stuttered for a moment, "but I would like to ask your permission to silence that traitorous dog, Igor. Please let me have the pleasure of silencing him once and for all."
Voldemort gave him a cold laugh. "Once I have regained my body, you and the others may exact your revenge upon Igor. First, torture him; however, you like, and only after he has suffered more than he ever thought possible, you may end his worthless existence. But before you end him, I want you to make sure he knows what the price is for betraying me."
"Yes, master," they all said in unison.
"Now Barty, you will return to Hogwarts and monitor the boy's progress. Make sure he survives until the final task as the ritual cannot be completed without him," Voldemort ordered.
"I understand, master," Barty rose from his position and left the room.
Over at the wall, Rudolphus held his wife's hand as he could literally feel the glee radiating from her person. Like her, he was also impressed with the Potter boy's performance as he was truly a force to be reckoned with. While he was furious with the children of the death eaters who abandoned their roles in exchange for escaping prison. Potter's performance alleviated most of his anger. Then again, like his wife, the boy was a member of the House of Black, and they were well-known for their ruthlessness.
Back to his master Voldemort stopped stroking Nagini and looked directly at Bellatrix. "Tell me, Bella, what are your thoughts regarding the boy?"
Bellatrix moved from the wall to look at the dark lord. "The boy is exceedingly powerful and very different from those useless cousins of mine," mentally thinking about James and Sirius. She never held the latter in such high regard, but the former had some talent for transfiguration and warding. "Unlike that useless mongrel, the boy actually has a great amount of ambition and a thirst to be the best. And if I may add myself, I think my grandfather has already named him the Potter boy as his heir. Given by the way he dealt with fourteen seventh years by himself says a lot."
Voldemort chuckled at the way Bella described Potter. In terms of magical knowledge and power, Potter easily surpassed many adult wizards. However, the power and sheer ruthlessness of the boy greatly intrigued him as he couldn't let so much power escape his grasp. All he had to do was be patient, and when the time was right, he would either convert the boy to his side or silence him.
"Tell me do you think the boy would make a good apprentice to me apprentice?"
"Undoubtedly, milord," she said without hesitation. "Potter should consider it an honor of being your apprentice as there is no one better to mentor him than you. The boy already hates that muggle-loving fool Dumbledore and appears to despise blood traitors and mudbloods."
Rabastan soon came into the conversation. "With your permission, milord, I would like to add my own opinion of Potter," kneeling down in front of him.
The deformed baby-like form of Voldemort gave his death eater a curt nod.
"There is no question that the boy is powerful as that is pretty obvious by the way he dealt with Karkaroff and the students from Durmstrang." He found it highly entertaining how the Potter boy brutalized that traitorous shite but was shocked to see him deal with fourteen students at once. "That said, wouldn't it be wise to observe the boy. I mean, we don't yet know the limits of his skills and power."
Voldemort had to agree with him as it would be more beneficial to see what Potter was truly capable of. "You are correct," he began. "I need to know the true extent of Potter's power. If he is to be my apprentice, then I will need to know where he currently is in terms of magical abilities."
The next time Barty junior was in his presence, he would have him watch the boy and keep tabs on him. The more he knew about the child, the easier it would be for him to convert him to his side. But before that, he would have Barty follow him.
(0^0)
During the next day, the students were ecstatic that their morning classes went by fairly quickly, and they ventured into the great hall for lunch. Daphne and the others found seats at the Ravenclaw table and began eating their individual meals. Nicole talked about the potions Professor Snape had her brew, and from the tone in her voice, the others knew they were difficult. It seemed like Professor Snape was trying to get her familiar with brewing highly advanced potions. Aaron looked at his sister and could tell she was exhausted from not only having to complete her revisions for her NEWT exams but trying to obtain her mastery in potions was getting to her. That wasn't even counting the other lessons they had with him.
Severus began drilling them in occlumency along with offensive and defensive magic. The man was quite adamant about being prepared should they run across any of the escaped death eaters or their sympathizers. Out of everyone in their group, they were the rookies and still adjusting to the training regime; it was no surprise that they always looked ready to collapse from the exertions.
Aaron made a mental note to speak with her before today ends. However, his thoughts soon went to Hadrian as he was aware that he was not only supposed to take his NEWTs as well, but he also had to compete in a tournament designed to kill people. He was about to speak, but Susan beat him to it.
"Have you guys seen Harry anywhere?" The strawberry blonde Hufflepuff girl asked. "While I understand that he needs to prepare for the first task, he does need to keep up his strength and eat. Also, I need to tell him something important."
The others looked at each other as neither of them had seen the raven-haired boy at all. It may have been true that Harry didn't have to attend classes because he was a champion, but they still should have seen him walking the halls. Emily, however, adopted a sad expression as she gripped the locket around her neck. Last night, she felt a wave of anger and sadness radiating from him and knowing her brother, as well as she, did. So she used the mental link between them to see what had caused him to feel the way he was. Knowing that he would feel her presence, she couldn't get more than a glimpse of what he was thinking. It was only for a fraction of a second, but Emily saw him looking through the list of creatures he might have to face. And it terrified her to no end as he would have to face some of the most dangerous creatures in the magical world.
Meanwhile, Adrian spoke, "I can't even imagine what he is going through at the moment," gripping the end of the table. "Being forced into a tournament that is well-known for its high death tolls and having to study for his exams is a lot to ask of anyone."
"That's putting it mildly," Blaise commented, taking a swig of his pumpkin juice. "You didn't even mention the fact of him tutoring some of the third-years who are "supposedly" struggling with Arithmancy."
Tracey rolled her eyes as she didn't believe the third years were only looking for an excuse to be around Harry. They just didn't know when to leave him alone. "Do you think he's-"
"In the same place, he's been at since yesterday. Yeah," Blaise replied, releasing a breath. Harry was more than his best friend. They were brothers in all but blood.
"Do you think he has a chance of surviving through the tournament?" Lilith asked.
"Harry won't lose," Daphne spoke with determination in her voice. Her face didn't show it, but she was concerned about him. "He's going to survive this tournament. He has to." She no longer had an appetite and put her food down.
"I know my brother better than anybody," Emily said. "Right now, he's in pain and is looking for any clues that would link to find anyone who put him in the tournament. But, that said, he doesn't want the others to die for the amusement of the Ministry, nor does he wish to be part of this madness."
"Do you know what the first task entails?" Nicole shakingly asked.
"I only know a little, but apparently, it's going to involve the eggs of a nesting dragon."
"What?" all of them exclaimed in unison, causing other occupants to look at them.
"Shh. Keep it down. He doesn't know, I know, and the last thing he needs is for you guys to start worrying about him."
Daphne was the first to respond, "are you seriously saying that he has to go against a nesting dragon?" Her voice was low enough so that only Emily and the others could hear. "Nesting dragons are extremely protective of their unborn babies, and trying to go against one is suicide." Daphne was torn between being angry and fearful.
Anger because the people in the Ministry were planning on putting him and the others near nesting mothers. Her fear was because she didn't want to think about what might happen once he set foot in the arena. They continued talking throughout the remainder of lunch, mentally cursing the officials with every fiber of their beings for their incompetence. Finally, when lunch was over, they went to attend their afternoon classes for the day.
Hours later, when classes finally ended, Harry soon found himself in an abandoned classroom waiting for the other champions. He didn't know what game the tournament officials were playing, and he certainly didn't like it. However, he was sure that neither of the other champions knew about the first task and probably wouldn't know until a day or two before the task. So, earlier that day, he wrote letters to the other three participants telling them to meet him in the abandoned charms classroom when their classes were over and warned them to be discreet. Not wanting to take any chances, he employed a number of wards on the door and around the room to keep anyone from listening in.
Five minutes later, the wards alerted him that three people were approaching the door, extending his senses. He detected the magical signatures of Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor. After the first knock, Harry waved his wand to allow them in. Once they were inside, he gave another wave locking the door and activated the wards.
"Are you three sure you were not followed?"
They all nodded in unison.
"So, why did you call uz 'ere?"
Harry looked at Fleur. "I have information regarding the first task," he replied in a neutral tone while they stared at him with wide eyes.
"Blimey, you're pulling my leg right," Cedric spoke in a skeptical voice. However, the expression on his face changed after noticing the serious expression on Harry's face. "Oh my god, your serious, aren't you?"
Harry gave the sixth-year Hufflepuff a curt nod; reaching into his watch, he pulled out the folder that contained the information about the first task.
"They're a few things you need to know about the first task," he began. "First, there are two parts to it, and we're going to be up against Class- XXXX and XXXXX magical creatures." Cedric and Fleur paled at what he said as they would be pitted against known wizard-killing creatures. Viktor remained expressionless on the outside, but on the inside, he was surprised. "Second, we're going to have to retrieve something from nesting dragons," this time Viktor did pale. Fleur was frozen in place while Cedric looked like he was going to pass out.
"If you don't believe me, then read what's in here," giving Viktor the folder, which he hesitantly accepted.
Viktor pulled out the first file and showed it to the others. Then, when they were done with the first sheet, he pulled out the second one. "Merlin, please save us," Viktor said in a low whisper. "They actually want us to face these creatures. How are we going to survive?"
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm pretty scared," Cedric mused, and Fleur nodded her head in agreement.
"Believe me, I am not any happier about this than you are," Harry said in a cold voice. "However, now is not the time to worry. If any of us want to make it out of this tournament alive, we need to help one another. Start by gathering information."
"Oui," Fleur said. "We need to 'elp one anozer in zis tournament."
"Agreed!"
"Da."
"How did you get this information so quickly?" Cedric turned to Harry. "And why share it with us?"
Harry sucked in a breath "it is the honorable thing to do, and I'm pretty sure none of us want to end up dead. Knowledge is power. The more you guys know, the more of a chance we have of surviving. As for how I got this, let's just say that I have some very powerful friends in the ICW." He figured that would be enough as he had an entire network of contacts.
"However, that should be the least of our concerns," he resumed. "Our main focus should be about surviving the first task."
"Agreed, we're going to need to prepare to face these creatures," Viktor entered the conversation. "Starting with dragons. From what I know, they're cold-blooded, their hides are impervious to most types of magic, and they have a good sense of smell and sight."
"Yeah, and don't forget that they can be dangerous when trying to protect their babies," Cedric added.
They spent the next half hour comparing notes on what they knew about the other creatures. It only seemed like Harry was the one who knew the most; the others only knew a minimum amount of information. Harry then recommended they pay a visit to the library's restricted section to find anything they could about the creatures. Once everything was agreed upon, their conversation shifted to the press. Cedric introduced them to Luna, and after negotiating with the young Ravenclaw, she agreed to represent them in the Quibbler. They even took Harry's advice and wrote to their families about having interviews with the International press rather than the Daily Prophet. Emphasizing that it was Rita Skeeter who was writing about the tournament. Which they did before classes began that morning.
When they were done, they went their separate way. Instead of going outside or to the great hall, Harry decided to leave for the Room of Requirement. If he's going to be forced to fight against a dragon, he would need to know how to combat their fire. Based on his knowledge, dragon's fire was much more destructive; it was equivalent to a standard fiendfyre. So while he could use his Genesis dragon form, it would reveal that he had a second form. Not wanting to reveal a secret as big as that, he quickly formed a plan of how he could still use his ability without showing his form. After entering the room, he locked the door behind him so no one could enter without knowing the password. When he saw his animal companions relaxing near the fire or on the couch, a smile appeared on his face.
"It's time to get to work."
Byakko and Suzaku shared a look as they knew what he was thinking.
(0^0)
Meanwhile, the others left the library after finishing their essays and looked relatively exhausted. They went straight to the great hall for dinner; leading the way to the hall were Astoria, Emily, and Luna. The blonde third-year was radiating pure happiness as she was super pumped about the prospect of interviewing the champions for the tournament. When they approached her, she thought it was all a dream. She was glad to know she wasn't dreaming and immediately agreed to write to her father about the news.
The group behind them was having their own conversation about the classes they were doing. But, more notably, Aaron, Daphne, and Nicole wanted nothing more than to crawl in bed and fall asleep. Their professors were piling assignments after assignments on them. In Nicole's case, the girl was feeling the strain of preparing for her NEWT exams and having to keep up with Severus's grueling training regime.
"I don't know about you guys, but all I want to do at the moment is eat and go to bed," she groaned.
"You and me both, sis," Aaron commented, feeling as tired as her. "If this is what OWLs are like, then I don't want to know how bad NEWTs are. Now, I know how Harry and you felt when you guys were preparing for your exams."
"Trust me, Aaron, you don't have a clue and most certainly don't want to know," Daphne chimed. "Harry told me that the OWL exams at Mahoutokoro were more challenging than the ones here. Besides, what do you have to complain about? I'm doing three more OWL exams in June."
Tracey looked at her as if she'd grown a second head. "I still can't believe you requested to do them. One would think that doing ten of those exams would be enough."
"Speaking of which," Adrian joined the conversation. "What are the other three exams in?"
Daphne answered. "Healing, Dueling, and Ritual."
"Damn, woman," a shocked expression appeared on his face. "I wish you the best."
As they neared the great hall, they continued talking. Eventually, they found seats at the Hufflepuff table next to Susan, Hannah, Cedric, and a few other badgers. Aaron, however, went over to the Gryffindor table to sit with Katie and her fellow chasers. All the while ignoring the angry and irritated looks of the Weasley twins and Jordan.
"So, what was so urgent that you needed to speak to my brother about," Emily looked at Susan, who took a breath and leaned closer.
"Okay, you didn't hear this from me, but my aunt told me something happened to Harry's muggle aunt. Apparently, she was killed two days ago." Emily's eyes widened considerably at what she said. "I know he might not care about what happens to her. But I thought he should know."
"Your right! He won't care," Emily said after regaining herself, "especially not after what she, her husband, and her son put him through as a child. Speaking of which, he should have been here by now," craning her neck to search for him. After surveying the hall, she looked back at her food.
"Figures he not here," sighing in annoyance. She had a feeling he was either in the room of requirement or the chamber of secrets. While she understood that Harry had to be ready for the tournament, he still needed to eat and take care of himself.
"I swear that brother of mine is going to burn himself out; if he keeps going at the rate, he is."
"I'll go check on him." After receiving an appreciative nod from Emily, Daphne got up and left the great hall.
While Daphne didn't know where Harry was, her instincts told her he was in the room of requirement. So, finding an isolated spot, she transformed into her phoenix form and iced herself in front of the door. Transforming back into a human, she scanned the area to make sure no one was around. After verifying that no one was around, she muttered the password to enter the room. What she saw shocked her to her core as she saw him controlling the flames with nothing but his hands. Harry was completely topless, and the leg of his pants was mostly destroyed. However, that is not what shocked her as he was making the flames form a dome over himself and augmented the flames to whatever forms he wanted. The temperature in the room was so hot that it felt like she was in a desert. Finally, he turned the flames into a giant comet and shot it towards the target on the wall destroying it completely.
Daphne was taken out of her shocked state when she saw that he was going to fall back. Springing to action, she rushed forward just as he was about to collapse and caught him before hitting the ground.
"I got you."
Harry coughed a bit as he felt a pair of arms around him, "Daphne? Thank you," giving her a tired smile.
"What were you doing?" she asked, helping to the couch that materialized thanks to the room.
He was too dehydrated to speak, so he reached into his watch and pulled out a bottle of water. Twisting the cap off, he drank it like there was no tomorrow. After drinking the entire bottle, he leaned back and tried to catch his breath. "I... was practicing... with dragon's fire," stating as he refilled the bottle, "aguamenti." Within the next moment, the bottle was full again.
"Anyway, what are you doing here?" Harry asked as Byakko and Suzaku came over to rest by them.
"It's time for dinner," she replied, still looking at him as if he were crazy. "And what did you mean when you said you were experimenting with dragon's fire? The way you were manipulating the flames was astonishing. You were augmenting them as if they were a part of you, increasing their power and potency of the fire."
It soon hit her, and the young Slytherin girl's eyes became wide "wait, don't tell me. This has something to do with the first task, correct?"
Harry gave a slow nod. "The first task has two parts. As we already summarized, it will require the champions to face a dangerous creature." Reaching over to rub Byakko's head. "For whatever reason, the judges decided to put nesting dragons in the tournament along with creatures like manticores, graphorn, chimera, and a wampus cat."
"What?!" Daphne shouted. "They must have lost their minds. They're making you and the other champions face against some of the most dangerous magical creatures in a tournament. It takes a large group of specialized handlers to even get one of them under control. That's not counting nesting dragons, as they're fiercely protective of their eggs."
"Yeah, I know, and I've already warned the others, and they're as shocked as we are. That's why I'm preparing for every contingency. Starting with the dragons."
Suzaku then took over. "You see, child, the Ukrainian Ironbelly is capable of producing the second hottest flames, and it is roughly equal to that of what you wand wavers call a fiendfyre." Daphne's mouth slightly fell open as she looked at the three of them. "As such, Byakko and I are training Harry to manipulate dragon's fire."
"You said a dragon's fire is equivalent to a fiendfyre?" Suzaku nodded. "But Harry can turn into the king of all dragons, and the Genesis dragon can produce the most powerful fire out of all the other dragons."
"Hmm, bright girl," Suzaku looked at Byakko, who shared the same opinion. "Genesis is basically the ruler of all dragons and is by far the most powerful. Since they're all but extinct now, that makes Harry's form essential to his training. If he can master the full firepower of a Genesis dragon, he can manipulate the fires of other dragons with fewer difficulties."
"That wasn't full power?" wondering how much heat a Genesis dragon can generate.
Byakko let out a booming laugh "child, that was barely 7% of the fire Hadrian created. That might be enough to handle a dragon that is only 3 years old, but against a full-grown dragon, he might as well shop for a tombstone." He saw the despondent look on his partner's face "no offense."
"Byakko, if you're trying to make me feel like shite, then you are doing a good job," Harry sarcastically commented.
Byakko gave him an imperious look, "would you prefer if I lied and sent you out there unprepared?"
"Point taken!" Harry was a bit annoyed.
"Young one, look at me," Harry looked down at Byakko. "I know you despise the fact of having to compete in the tournament. But like it or not, you're a participant, and if you want to survive and keep your magic, you will need to be at your best."
Suzaku started trilling a beautiful melody, trying to alleviate some of the boy's exhaustion. "The pussy cat is correct," ignoring the scathing glare from his godly companion. "You're going to need every advantage you can get, but for now, I say we call it a day. We'll pick this up tomorrow. Now, go get something to eat. You will need to maintain your strength."
"I'll eat in here," he said, then looked to his left. "Care to join, Sapphire?"
"I wouldn't object." Daphne then called some of the house elves and asked if they could bring them some food.
For the most part, they ate in silence. Daphne occasionally stole glances at Harry; she could tell his mind was on the first task. His body language, micro-expressions, and the fact that he barely ate anything. He was capable of fooling most people, but she spent most of her time with him. So, she could tell when something was bothering him. Finally, she decided to break the silence.
"You're worried about the first task," she knowingly stated. Of course, he didn't need to say anything as his face said it all. "Is it the dragons?"
"Among other things," he finally said. "The judges are putting us against some of the most dangerous creatures in the magical world. They expect us to either die in the process or kill them. Through no faults of their own, the newborns haven't hatched yet, and will likely die. All for some bullshite tournament. Their mothers will likely go into a frenzy if they sense any danger is intended toward their hatchlings. That said, I have no desire to separate the mother from her babies." Just imagining that made him think about the night Voldemort took his mother away, and he knew the kind of pain that came with losing someone you loved.
Daphne rose up and rounded the table until she was behind him and put her arms around him. "You really are one in a million." Leave it to Harry to be more worried about the safety and well-being of the dragons and their unborn children. She had a feeling that she knew why he was so concerned about them over his own safety. Thinking about the dragon mothers made him think about his own and the events of what happened that night. Daphne could hardly imagine the pain he went through every Halloween night as it served as a constant reminder of what he lost.
"You're a good person Harry," Daphne said. "Despite what has happened to you in the past. You turned into a better man as most would only seek revenge until they were swallowed up by their own darkness and ultimately become the very thing they wished to destroy. How you can still remain so honorable is a miracle itself. Unlike others, who only desire power to accomplish their own selfish goals and are willing to sacrifice their morals to get them are wrong. However, you are different as while you may desire power, you use it to protect those who can't protect themselves. That is what separates you from others as you deeply care about the magical world. I know you'll develop a way to make it through the first task and will make it through the tournament. Just know that you will never be alone."
Harry gently grabbed one of her hands and pulled it up, giving it a kiss. "Thank you, Daphne, for standing with me!"
They sat back on the couch and talked about anything other than the tournament when dinner was over. Byakko and Suzaku saw how happy the boy was with the girl and mentally commented on how good of a match Daphne was for him.
"Do you believe they will become something more?" Suzaku mentally asked.
"I do indeed," Byakko replied. "Just as the magical world needs a protector. Harry needs her for she is to be his mate. Now, if only he could stop dragging his feet and finally confess to her."
"You think he will?" Suzaku eyed him skeptically.
"You apparently haven't been paying attention. One would think with your amazing eyesight that you will be able to see what I see," jabbing at the phoenix. "It's clear as day that they've developed feelings for each other. Give it till the end of the year, and you'll see!"
Down in the potions room, Severus was supervising Puecy and the Vaisey siblings in combat magic. Aaron spoke with his head of house, requesting that he go easier on Nicole as she was exhausted mentally and physically. Severus had already known how the girl looked, given how she was studying under him, and he knew what it was like when he studied under Hayato. The lack of sleep and energy to work was something he knew all too well. So, instead of doing combat magic, he had her work on occlumency.
When they first started, Severus summarized that they were average when it came to combat magic. As it came from him, they knew he meant to say novices. The training may have been grueling, but the three were now at the advanced level when it came to dueling, with Nicole leading the way. Severus even noted at the end of their last session that she might make it to the elite level once she left Hogwarts. Their occlumency shields were also growing, though admittedly, it was slower than what he would have liked. At the moment, they could detect and handle it should anyone use a light amount of legilimency. However, Severus was determined that they knew how to protect their minds. Therefore, this is where he spent the most time with them as he wanted to make sure they could protect themselves.
Two hours later, he called time, sending the trio back to the common room before curfew arrived. When they exited the room, Severus waved his wand, closing and locking the door. Sitting back in his chair, he thought about how their skills were growing. Powerful they might be in their own rights, but it won't do much good against the escaped death eaters. He would continue to train them while in school, but outside was another story. Rationalizing a decision, he would have to speak with their guardians regarding their training during the summer.
The next three days went by fairly smoothly, Harry continued practicing with dragon's fire. Instead of working in the room of requirement, he chose to train in the chamber of secrets. Even though it was exhausting, he began to understand the need to control a dragon's flames. As their fires were similar to the flames of a fiendfyre, it stood to reason that he would need to learn control. Since fiendfyre was a spell that required a lot of power to manifest and control, should the caster ever lose control, then the flames would run wild and destroy everything in their path.
Salazar was quite adamant that he didn't want Eleanor's body to be incinerated by the flames, so Harry used some talismans to create a shield around its hide. Even though the hide now belonged to Harry, the basilisk was Salazar's true familiar. The cranky man may have accepted that she was dead, but he still cared for her and made a vow to cherish her memory.
Byakko and Suzaku continued to observe him as he worked with the flames. The latter commented that Harry's power was growing, and he could now handle 30% of the flames. However, if Harry wanted to control the flames of a normal dragon, he would need to handle 55%. If he wasn't doing that, then he was working on a device capable of containing Class-XXXX and Class-XXXXX magical creatures. However, there was only one problem: he couldn't bring the device onto the field as champions were only allowed a wand. The rules forbade it.
So, he decided to keep it in his watch in the company of his sister as she would be in the stands. Then, all he would need to do is summon it. If that didn't work, then he had a few backup plans should things go south.
At the moment, though, Harry was in his father's quarters getting ready for a meeting he had with Lord Greengrass. It was essential that tonight's meeting went smoothly as he really liked Daphne and wanted to deepen their relationship. However, if he wanted to court her, he would need the approval of Daphne's father. Being raised by the Blacks, the Stevensons, and Severus, Harry must follow their teachings to the letter. Yesterday, he spoke with both Roxanne and Severus about what he intended to do. Roxanne was happy that he finally decided to get off his bum and court her oldest daughter.
Lady Greengrass was well aware of what Daphne thought of him and knew he felt the same. When asked for how long, she suspected? Harry froze when she showed him the picture Skeeter took of them by the lake. Roxanne admitted they looked good together, even though she was pissed with what that gossip columnist Rita fucking Skeeter said about her daughter and her family as a whole. When the paper was delivered that morning, she went directly to the office of Daily Prophet to have "a talk" with Cuffe. Needless, to say the man was completely scared of her and knew that if he wanted to save his job, he would have to temper Skeeter. Say, what you want about the woman, but Harry could tell where Daphne got her ability to throw a mean punch. Roxanne invited both Harry and Severus to Greengrass manor the next day so he could speak with Cyrus.
After speaking with her, they went back to Severus's quarters, where he had Harry sit down while he gave him "the talk." Harry tried to run out of the room when his father began, but Severus bound him in rope and put him back on the couch. Severus went on to explain how he'd been preparing for this day since he was seven. It was practically the most uncomfortable conversation Harry ever had as he wanted nothing more than to obliviate himself of the conversation. When Byakko came in and saw his companion bound on the couch, Severus explained how he was giving him the talk. The white monarch then burst out laughing and went to sit next to the fire.
Finally, Severus was done and had to hold back a chuckle after noticing the embarrassed look on Harry's face. He then asked him if he would have preferred if he got the talk from his godfather? To which Harry fervently shook his head as he had no desire to have the talk with Sirius. Merlin knows what he might have said, given his interactions with the opposite sex.
Currently, Harry was using one of the spare rooms to get ready for dinner at Greengrass manor. He'd already informed the others that he would be absent from the feast for the night. They tried asking him where he was going? But the only thing he said was that he had to attend an important meeting after buttoning his white shirt up, putting on a pair of black trousers, and tying his dragonhide boots. Next, he grabbed a pair of black robes with his family crest on them. Checking himself over in the mirror, Harry saw his dad coming into the room with a big grin on his face. He, too, was dressed in respectable robes that carried the Prince's family crest.
Severus beamed with pride as he observed his son. It was hard for him to believe how fast Harry had grown up. Then, stepping into the room, "we are scheduled to meet Cyrus and Roxanne in a half hour. Are you ready?"
"I am, dad," Harry fully turned around with a smile on his face. "Thanks for coming with me."
Severus chuckled. "It's a father's responsibility to escort his son to meet the parents of the girl he wishes to enter a relationship with," stopping just in front of Harry and giving him a once over. "You have matured more than I have ever thought possible."
"That said, before we go, you need to fix your hair," commenting as he saw how unruly Harry's hair was.
Harry groaned. "I've tried everything to get it to stay down. My metamorph abilities, combing it and brushing it. But it's like it has a mind of its own."
This time Severus chuckled. "Let me see what I can do. Turn around," he picked up the comb that was on the dresser. "I know this hair thing is a weakness of mine, but I am going to have you look good. Like me!"
Five minutes later, after combing through his son's hair. He was finally able to get it to stay down, waving his hand to add a spell designed to keep a person's hair in place. "That's my boy. Now you're ready, " they left the room and walked into the main room to where the floo was.
Severus handed him the pot of floo powder; after taking a handful, Harry stepped into the fireplace and threw it down while saying, "Greengrass manor."
He was then transported to his destination. Stepping out of the floo network, he was met by Roxanne. "Lady Greengrass," he kissed her knuckles and bowed respectfully. A moment later, Severus came through the network.
The woman chuckled a bit, "well, me heir Potter. I am glad you and Severus could come today." After exchanging greetings, Roxanne led them to the dining room. "I hope you too brought an appetite because our house-elves make some very delicious food."
Reaching the dining room, Harry took a seat next to his father on the opposite side of Roxanne, where they engaged in a conversation. A moment later, Cyrus came in "ah, Severus, Hadrian, I am glad that the two of you could make it today." He then went over to kiss his wife on the cheek before taking his seat at the head table.
"Cyrus!" Severus gave him a curt nod.
"Lord Greengrass," got up from his seat and gave a respectful bow. "I thank you for seeing me today."
"Well, when someone wants to court one of my daughters, it should be done properly," he began in a neutral voice. "Though, I do have to wonder as to what your intentions are toward my oldest daughter." Looking directly at Harry as the elves brought the food out and ignoring the irritating look his wife was giving him. "You see, ever since the beginning of Daphne's first year, many of the other Lords have been annoying me by trying to sign a marriage contract. Lords Malfoy and Nott have been particularly stubborn in their attempts to unite their family's with mine. Knowing those men, they'd only want my daughter so they can elevate their statuses, and knowing their children, they'd only see her as an object rather than a woman. So, my question to you is, why are you interested in her?"
Harry looked the man dead in the eyes. He spent the rest of dinner explaining that he didn't care about Daphne's status. Even if she wasn't an heiress, he would still choose her over any other girl. It didn't matter what house she came from as Harry got to see what Daphne was really like whenever she took off her cold mask. That and a lot of other things he'd grown to like and respect about her. "She's even managed to get me out of my shell, which is a surprise even to me, and she never afraid to speak her mind. I see her as a strong-willed, intelligent woman who is very ambitious and quite prideful."
The two continued looking at each other without even blinking. Then Cyrus did something Harry didn't expect and burst out laughing. His laughter carried on for a few minutes until he finally composed himself.
"Oh Harry, you have no idea what you're in for," finishing the last of his dessert. But, in truth, he was happy that Harry was interested in Daphne as he had a feeling she felt the same towards him. Cyrus first got the impression they liked each other when Astoria told him about how she and Emily caught the two sleeping under a tree. The second was when he saw the morning newspaper written by Rita Skeeter, while he was initially angry with the woman. But, nevertheless, he couldn't deny how happy they were by the lake. "You should know that Daphne takes a lot after her mother. They are very passionate, stubborn, smart, cunning, and very ambitious. And don't even get me started about their tempers."
Roxanne playfully slapped him on the shoulder and sent a glare telling him to choose his next words carefully.
This time it was Harry's turn to chuckle as he'd already seen Daphne mad on a few occasions and knew what she was like. "Trust me, I've seen what Daphne's really like and know what it's like when she's mad. It's quite heart-stopping."
"You don't even know the half of it," Cyrus continued laughing a bit before changing his expression to a strict one. "However, Harry, I want you to know something: If you break my little girl's heart, fail to treat her like a proper woman, or do anything untoward. Then Voldemort and his death eaters will be the least of your problems. Clear?" giving him the best murderous look he could.
"Crystal, sir," Harry said with an expressionless voice.
A smile formed on Cyrus's face "you got a real pair of balls," he commented. "Most boys your age would be scared stiff about meeting with the fathers of the girl they wish to date."
"It would seem you've forgotten who I raised by," indicating to Severus, who smirked.
"As much as I would like to claim all the credit. I did have some help."
"Well, you did a great job raising him," Cyrus looked at his old friend. "He's learned well!"
"Please don't say that in front of him," playfully pleading while jabbing his thumb at Harry. "The last thing he needs is to get a big ego. But yes, he has learned well! However, there were times when being a father became the hardest job in the world. I cannot tell you how many times I've had to discipline him."
"Dad," Harry groaned in embarrassment, "and for the record, I could have turned out a lot worse."
"That is true," Severus flashed him a smile. "Being a single father can be the hardest job in the world, but it's also the most rewarding when you see how much your son has grown up."
"Anyway, off the record here," Cyrus brought the attention back to him. "This bulgogi recipe I got from Astoria is amazing. She told me you gave her the recipe for it. Do you have any more delicious recipes up your sleeve?"
Harry gave a sly smile. "You better get some parchment, a quill, and some ink, because I have a fair amount of them."
Cyrus's eyes lit up while Roxanne rolled her eyes. "Now, you did it! He's going to be trying every single recipe you give him."
Cyrus chuckled a bit. "Well, excuse me for liking this young man's food," pretending to look affronted.
They moved to the living room, where Cyrus summoned a house-elf requesting some writing materials. After receiving his request, he gave the materials to Harry, who started writing down a list of recipes. Most of which he knew the man would absolutely love. A half-hour later, he gave the list to Cyrus for him to look through later. The man looked like a kid in a candy store when he skimmed through the lists of dishes.
They spent the rest of the time talking with Roxanne, asking Harry how he intended to ask her daughter out. The only thing he said was that it would be something Daphne would never forget. She tried to get him to say more, but he evaded her to get more information. Severus looked at the clock on the wall to see that it was five minutes after nine-thirty.
"Cyrus, Roxanne, thank you for having us here today, but it's time for us to return to Hogwarts," rising from his seat and motioning for Harry to follow.
Cyrus stopped the young lad before he got to the fireplace. "Remember what I said, Harry. If you hurt my daughter, it's your arse."
Harry didn't have any traces of fear on his face. "I promise you that I will never intentionally hurt her." After saying goodbye, he exited the manor with his father via the floo network and was transported back to Severus's quarters.
The two spoke for a couple minutes before Harry flooed himself to the room of requirement. Arriving in the room, he saw Byakko sleeping next to Iroh in the corner. Suzaku was sleeping on his perch near the window. Not wanting to disturb them, he quietly went up the stairs to his bedroom, where he saw Daphne lying on the bed reading her grimoire in her pajamas. How she could look so amazing in pajamas was mind-boggling to him.
As Daphne lowered her grimoire, she saw Harry standing near the door. She saw he was dressed like a proper heir and wondered where he had to go that would require him to dress like that. "You seem to be in a good mood. Where were you?"
"I had an important meeting to attend to," he casually said, walking into the room. "Surprisingly, it went better than I thought it would," stripping into his boxers and putting on a loose shirt before getting into bed.
"Why did you miss me?" grinning at her.
Daphne scoffed a bit, "in your dreams Mr. Potter," poking him in the stomach. "I was only asking because I would miss my favorite pillow," she playfully stated.
"Oh, so I'm only good for a pillow, huh. Miss Greengrass, you wound me," placing a hand over his heart.
"Idiot," she put her grimoire on the nightstand next to her, "you have other appealing qualities. A few in which girls find attractive and would want you." She smiled at him. 'Like me,' mentally saying the last part.
"What kind of qualities are we talking about?" raising a single eyebrow.
Daphne's only response was kissing him on the cheek. "You smart figure it out," maneuvering herself into a comfortable position next to him.
A mischievous grin appeared on his face "maybe I can convince you to tell me."
Before she could speak, he began tickling her all around, making her laugh for a few minutes, until she reversed it and was now straddling and tickling him all over. Finally, after several minutes of tickling each other, it was Daphne who emerged as the victor.
"Guess I win," giving him a triumph smile.
"Yeah, yeah, you win," he admitted as she straddled him holding his arms down. Harry then felt himself harden and unconsciously moved his hips up.
Daphne pushed him back down and rested her head on his chest. "Down, boy," releasing his hands and closing her eyes.
"You're a menace woman."
"And you're an idiot. Night Harry."
"Night, Daphne."
The two were soon fast asleep.
A/N: Harry received information regarding the first task and passed it on to the others as he didn't want them to die. While Harry could use his dragon form in the tournament it would cause a lot of problems as people will question him left and right about how it is he has two animagus forms. This is another surprise I have in stored for Book 4 Don't worry I have a few more in mind.
Next chapter: It's time for the first task.