XIV. Hidden Signs

The first week of classes flew by, and soon the Gryffindor group found themselves relaxing on their first Saturday morning. Galdir had continued his intense training regime in the mornings, and though he had still to best Dûr, there was definitely an increase in speed and endurance. Their duels were considerably more aggressive, and it did not take them very long to reach the point in which they were mere blurs of movement. Hermione and Galdir were the only ones awake at the breakfast table, since Harry and Neville were quite literally drooling on their plates, barely conscious of the world around them. This is of course with the notable exception of the existence of food in front of them. That never went unnoticed.

"I'm glad the week is over", mumbled Neville.

"I agree. The exams that we had were getting tiresome", replied Galdir.

"Tell me about it. How you manage to look so calm after all of that is beyond me", said Harry.

"Practice Harry. I was no more nervous than you were", answered Galdir.

"So what shall we do today?" asked Neville.

"Well, I was thinking of heading over to the library to get a head start on the assignments…"

"Absolutely not. I refuse to let you waste such a beautiful day indoors", said Neville. He instantly blushed as he realized what he had said.

Thanks to the friendship he was developing with Harry and Galdir, Neville was finally shedding the shell that he had created around himself for so many years. He carried himself with more confidence, and his marks had improved overall. He no longer cowered as much under Snape's gaze, though he still had ways to go before being able to challenge him directly like Harry and Galdir did. This had several reactions on the rest of the group: first of all, Harry began warming up considerably more to Neville. He quickly forgot the bitter aftertaste that the fallout with Ron had left him and was no considering him a close friend, and could very easily see them becoming something more akin to brothers. Galdir, though his style was as formal as always, also encouraged the relationship with Neville, often giving him pointers in class when nobody else was looking so he could perform things better.

The most interesting change happened with Hermione. She had been aware from the beginning that her attraction to Neville was entirely physical. She had also come to the realization that the conversation that she had had with Hedwig regarding her possible relationship with Neville had been entirely pointless. She had, at least at the time, no way of knowing if he even liked her, much less if they could date. That was quickly changed the night that they had arrived to Hogwarts. His overall demeanour towards her seemed to indicate that he was interested in her at the very least, if not that he outright fancied her. The way that he slowly changed was also something that she both admired and was incredibly drawn towards. He was starting to resemble a man that would stand for what he thought, that was not afraid to confront things, regardless of the outcome. In this regard, she was amazed by the similarities between Harry and Neville. It was almost as if they were brothers, even though they had different mothers. Were the difference between them lay and the reason why Hermione was more attracted to Neville than she was to Harry was that Neville was more selfish than Harry, or at least that was the way that she had come along to calling it. It wasn't true, since Neville had the same nobility streak that Harry had, the difference being that he was not entirely ruled by it. And that was evident in the way that he treated her. Of course, trying to flirt with Hermione was a gambit and both she and Neville knew it. However, this did not prevent Neville from giving it a shot simply because he wanted to. This simple fact made all the difference in the world to Hermione.

That is not to say that she did not admire this in Harry, far from it. But sometimes she felt like she wanted to yell at Harry to simply do things because he wanted to, regardless of whether it was the right thing or not. Though she understood why Harry had never chosen to risk their relationship in an attempt to woo her, the fact was that while Harry treated her more like a sister, Neville treated her like she was a precious thing; the way that he had thought of her concern first when Ron had attacked them or the way that he personally addressed her drove that home. So it happened that Hermione found her thoughts slowly being occupied by a certain boy with hazel eyes.

Neville on the other hand was a complete mess in this regard. He was careful to always keep his composure when Hermione was around, but that did not mean that inside he wasn't trembling in fear. The thing was that he liked Hermione with a passion that almost rivalled his love for Herbology. He found everything about her just plain fascinating. While this would be a clear cut case for anyone, Neville was far from certain about the situation. As far as he could tell, Hermione was also interested in him, but the part that he was unsure about was Harry. Sharing the same sense of nobility and loyalty as him, Neville did not want to risk ruining the relationship with a person with whom he could eventually have a surrogate brother. Harry had been the one that had accepted him into his entourage, far before the breakdown with Ron. Although they hadn't really bonded until their fifth year, Harry had always been kind to him, even going as far as defending Neville from Malfoy and his bullies. This all had a huge impact on Neville, and that was the source of his concern. If he tried something with Hermione, he had no guarantees that Harry would approve. More concerning, if things went sour, he risked not only losing his chance with a woman that he was sure he fancied, but he would also lose the friendship of the only one who had shown any kindness towards him when he first arrived to Hogwarts. The solution that he had come up with was simple: keep going slowly. When the time was right, he would ask Harry how he felt about it and then he would proceed accordingly. Though this appeased him somewhat, it was still a source of concern.

Out of the four, the only one whose feelings weren't muddled was Galdir. He was completely aware of the budding romance between Hermione and Neville, though he was somewhat unsure of Harry's reaction to it, or how the dynamic of the group would change. He was sure that Harry would accept the new couple, of that he had no doubt. What he did not know, and that was the only part that worried him, was the way he would react internally. He would naturally feel pushed aside, and that could lead to several things, of which Galdir was mostly concerned by him becoming more isolated than he already was. During the morning walks to the Pitch and back he had discussed this in depth with the voice that was now a constant companion to him, thing for which he was grateful. However, they always arrived at the same conclusion: it would be unwise for him to interfere with the relationship. This did not mean that he could not keep tabs on them, especially on a certain young Slytherin, whose thoughts seemed to be drawn more often to the bespectacled youth.

"I agree with Neville Hermione. We'll have time to do homework later today. Right now, I think we should enjoy the sunshine while we still can", said Harry. Hermione declared defeat and nodded.

"Well, if you two are done with your breakfast, we can get going", said Galdir. An owl swooped in as he finished speaking, landing gracefully in front of her master.

"Hello girl. How are you?" asked Harry as he stroked Hedwig's chest. Before coming to Hogwarts they had both agreed to keep her human form a secret. This was agreed under the premise that Harry would come and visit at least once a week, if not more. He had planned on going to visit her later that day to tell her about his first week. Harry took the letter that Hedwig carried and offered her some food. After having experienced human food, Hedwig refused to eat mice. This had caused somewhat of a problem with the House Elves, since Harry had to explain why she refused to eat. In the end, the entire situation was handled by Dobby, who was more than happy with providing her with fresh food. Harry's eyebrows shot upwards as he read the short letter.

"What is it Harry?" asked Hermione.

"Dumbledore wants to meet with me tomorrow night. Something about extra lessons", said Harry.

"Really? You're going to be learning from Dumbledore? Harry that's great!" said Neville.

"It really is! You're going to have to tell us everything afterwards", said Hermione.

"Of course! So shall we go outside?" asked Harry. He received nods from everyone and the four friends parted towards the school grounds.

"Harry, have you decided when you're going to hold Quidditch Trials?" asked Hermione.

"I'm thinking sometime next week would be nice. I want to get them out of the way so we can have the schedule set up for practices", said Harry.

"And you have to make sure that you have enough time for everything else", said Hermione.

"True. I'm probably going to need your help with the scheduling. You know I'm absolute rubbish at it."

"Are you thinking on trying out Neville?" asked Galdir.

"I hadn't really thought about it. I don't know if I'll be any good at it to be honest", he replied.

"I for one think that you would be either a good beater or a good keeper Neville. You definitely have the build for it", said Galdir.

"I agree. You should definitely try it out Neville. It would be wicked to have you on the team", said Harry. Neville said nothing, though Hermione could tell that he was really considering it.

"Are you going to give it a shot Galdir?" asked Harry.

"No. I have always enjoyed watching it, not so much playing it", said Galdir.

"But playing it is so much better!" said Neville.

"I'll think about it", said Galdir with a smile.

The group arrived to the edge of the Black Lake, where Galdir conjured a blanket for them to sit on.

"So Harry, Neville told me quite a tale on the train about your exploits", said Galdir. Neville's face immediately reddened in shame and Hermione bristled at the comment. Harry's face remained composed, but Galdir could sense the turmoil that his comment had made. "I apologize if it makes you uncomfortable. He merely mentioned the same things that the papers mentioned. You do not have to answer if you do not want to." Harry relaxed visibly at his comment.

"It's fine. I guess you were bound to get curious and ask me at some point. Everyone does."

"Harry, I want to make something perfectly clear: I am by no means interested on what people say about you, nor will I judge you for what you have lived. All that I care about is getting to know the person whom I believe is my friend", said Galdir in a serious tone.

"So you don't care that I'm the Chosen One or the Boy Who Lived?"

"I could not care less. They are just titles that society has given you. While you may have to bear them, possibly for the rest of your life, they tell me nothing of who the person is. Your actions do that for themselves."

"You sound like Dumbledore at times. Did you know that?" asked Neville.

"I have been told I sound older than my age. Possibly for living with adults only", said Galdir with a smile.

"I guess I can tell you what happened. Just keep in mind that there are things that I won't be able to tell right away…"

"And it would be foolish to trust a stranger with all your secrets. Everybody has them Harry. There is no shame in not being able to tell something to someone, especially if it is for their own protection."

Harry launched into his tale, and soon he found himself unable to stop. Years of anguish, fear, joy, and so many other things came gushing out. Galdir simply sat there, listening attentively. Hermione noticed that he seemed to absorb everything like a sponge, seemingly sifting and storing the information as it was being delivered. By the time that Harry had finished his tale, it was already past lunch time and close to dinner. Galdir's face was a mask of thoughtfulness, but Hermione noticed that his eyes told a different story. There was admiration, but there was also something else that she did not fully recognize. Neville had the general idea of many of these events, but he had never heard the more complete version, and he was floored. He admired Harry for his bravery, but what he heard was absolutely ridiculous. He had done more things than the people that went to his Gran's parties claimed to do. Not only that, but while they puffed their chests out and strut around like overgrown peacocks, Harry was humble about it. In fact, he was at times downright ashamed of it. Neville thought that perhaps this would be a good time to bring up a certain piece of information that he had been keeping, but decided against it.

"I suggest we head back to the castle. All this heavy conversation has given me quite an appetite", said Galdir.

"I hadn't noticed how late it was. And I didn't get to do any homework thanks to you three!" said Hermione.

"Relax. We can get some work done before we call it a day. Besides, it's not like we have a lot to go over right?" said Neville.

"I concur. The amount of work that we have assigned is not yet sufficient to warrant worry. We can get some tasks done today", said Galdir. He started to head towards the castle with Hermione in tow. Neville made a sign, asking Harry to wait behind. She soon noticed this and turned around, inquisitiveness written on her face.

"We'll be right there Hermione. I just want to talk to Harry about something", said Neville in answer to her unspoken question. She nodded and continued to walk, her mind gears spinning at full speed trying to figure out what they were talking about.

"Harry, there's something that I meant to ask you since we got back to Hogwarts…"

"What's up Nev?" asked Harry.

"Would you be okay with me asking Hermione out?" whispered Neville. Harry froze, more in shock that Neville was asking for his permission than anything else.

"Sure…?"

"It's just that you spend a lot of time together, and I wanted to make sure that there was nothing going on. I also didn't want to risk our friendship over this."

"Neville its fine. Hermione's like a sister to me. But I guess that I should warn you that if you hurt her in any way, I'll have to deal with you", said Harry in as much of a threating tone as he could muster. The two teens burst out laughing.

"That was good. I almost believed you would actually hurt me."

"Yeah well, I had to do it right? Or at least that's what I've heard brothers do."

"I wouldn't know either. But what say we go back to the castle and eat? I'm famished."

"Yeah me too. We don't want the elves to leave us without food now would we?"

Later that evening, the four teens were reviewing in their corner of the common room.

"So, when can you start teaching us?" asked Hermione, already excited at the prospect of learning something new.

"I can start tonight if you wish. I only require a more… private setting", said Galdir.

"We can use the Room of Requirement!" said Harry.

"Or an empty classroom would work as well", offered Neville.

"Let us go with an empty classroom. There is no need for something as elaborate at first. Later on, we shall migrate to the Room of Requirement", said Galdir.

"Well, let's go hunting", said Hermione.

Fortunately for them, they found an unused classroom not too far away from the common room. As soon as they were all inside, Galdir drew his wand and cast a couple of privacy charms to ensure that they were not disturbed. With a wave of his hand, he moved the furniture so it was sitting next to the walls and conjured some cushions so they could sit. Neville and Hermione sat close together, while Harry sat further apart. Unconsciously, they had formed a semi-circle around Galdir, who sat cross-legged.

"I would like to start with the following question: how do we cast a spell?"

"You do the necessary movements and say the incantation", said Hermione.

"That is the textbook answer. What I am looking for goes beyond what is written" replied Galdir.

"You need to have the power to cast the spell", offered Neville.

"Correct. But you have told me what we need to cast it, not how we cast it. Harry?"

"I don't know. I know that Hermione's right, but there has to be more than that."

"Such as?"

"Well, I've been able to summon things without the motion. I just said 'Accio' and the object flew towards me", said Harry carefully avoiding mention more details of the events of the Triwizard Tournament.

"Based on those experiences, what can you conclude Harry?"

"That the spell is independent of the motion?" Galdir smiled.

"Indeed. Is it possible to derive something else?"

"Is the spell also independent of words?" asked Hermione.

"Exactly Hermione. Can we generalize the conclusion?"

"Magic is independent of words or motion" said Neville.

"Indeed. Casting does not require wand movements or words. Allow me to illustrate the point." Galdir got up and drew his wand. He then waved it erratically and then said "Protego". A shimmering shield appeared before him. "You will notice that the waving that I did was not the one needed to cast the spell. Now observe what happens when I cast the same spell with a different incantation. Humunculus" The same shield appeared. "And now without any movement or words." The shield materialized once again.

"So, I have just proven that words and movements are unnecessary for casting. So how do we cast? How was I able to produce a shield?" asked Galdir. Harry stared blankly, his mind lost in thought.

"You said it in your mind", said Hermione. "That's what every book says about silent casting."

"Very true. And that definitely does work, however I use a different approach, one that does not require words of any kind."

"You willed it", muttered Harry. Galdir was beaming.

"What did you say Harry?" he asked.

"I said you willed it. When I summoned the object I wanted it come to me. I willed it to come to me", answered Harry.

"Exactly. That is the key to magic: not words, not movements. Will."

"But then why do we learn the spells and movements then?" asked Neville.

"Why indeed. In order to will something you need something else: focus."

"And the incantations give us that", said Hermione.

"Correct. The movements and spells are a way to focus your mind so you do not become distracted. It is a way of honing your will to the task at hand, without interference from other sources within you. The downside is fairly obvious: should you allow it, they can become a crutch, hence why not many can do silent spell casting, much less wandless", explained Galdir.

He paused for a few moments to let the information that he had just given them to sink in. The way that he was teaching them was the same way that Elves taught magic. Since they were more in tune with the flow of magic than humans were, this way adapted more to this. While humans were initially taught this way as well, hence why wizards such as Merlin were famous for their wandless magic, humans slowly grew dependant on other mediums to channel their magic, until the knowledge was almost lost.

"But then, if magic is independent of language and motion, can we not also conclude that it is independent of wands?" asked Hermione.

"Elaborate."

"Well, in wandless magic, you don't rely on wands to channel your magic, which suggests that magic doesn't need to be channelled through something."

"Almost correct. Magic is channelled through your magical core; however it does not require an additional medium to function. For example, I could cast Lumos with my wand and the tip would illuminate", said Galdir as he demonstrated. "However, I could also do this." He extended his other hand and a little orb of light appeared.

"Then how do you focus your magic? I mean, I understand the will part, but how do you force it to appear in your hand?" asked Harry.

"How indeed. Tell me, what do you feel when you cast magic?" asked Galdir.

"Nothing. I mean, unless you're doing something that could magically exhaust you", answered Harry.

"Then you do feel something, but it is so weak that you do not realize that it is there. Let us try an experiment, to see if I can prove my point." Galdir got up and motioned to them to do the same. "I want you to conjure a shield. I will push against this shield in an attempt to break it. Your job is to prevent me from doing so. What I want you to pay attention to is what it feels like to cast and sustain the shield as the pressure increases. Try to trace the feeling back to its source."

The three teens got up and brought their wands out. Galdir squared in front of them and raised his hands.

"On the count of three. One… two… three."

"Protego!" yelled the three and immediately three shimmering shields sprang to life. Galdir created a flow of magic that began to push against them, trying to crack the surface. Harry's brow was wrinkled in concentration, Neville's face was slowly turning red, and Hermione's wand began to waver. Galdir slowly increased the pressure on their shields, watching their reactions closely. As soon as the pressure became equivalent to a rock bashing against it, Hermione's shield cracked and shattered in a shower of light. Her breathing came in short gasps, and she bent over, trying to catch her breath. Neville lost his focus soon after and his shield exploded as well. With all his attention focused solely on Harry, Galdir began to increase the pressure more rapidly. At some point, the room began to darken, and Harry began to tremble. The desks that were pushed to the side slowly began to vibrate as Harry poured more magic into the spell. Galdir on the other hand seemed perfectly composed, with a hint of curiosity in his eyes. The test had turned from an exercise to teach them how magic felt when used into a trial to determine how far Harry could go. His wand was shaking violently, and the wood seemed to threaten to explode. Unconsciously, Harry raised his other hand and pushed on the shield.

"Stop it! You're going to hurt him" yelled Hermione.

"He can handle it", said Galdir. Without anyone noticing, he had cast several layers of protective charms on Harry's wand, thereby ensuring that it would resist the massive flow of magic that it was experiencing.

"He's shaking!" yelled Neville.

"He is fine."

The pressure had become so great that Harry had dropped down to his knees. At some point, there was a soft clatter as he dropped his wand. The shield had slowly turned from its usual pale blue shade into a deeper colour that seemed to reflect the light from an unseen source. He was sweating profusely, and the room around him was vibrating intensely. Just before Galdir felt that the tremors would become noticeable beyond the boundary of his charms, he ended the spell. Harry's hands dropped down as he staggered to catch his breath. Hermione rushed forward and held him, trying to help him straighten up so his lungs could draw more air in.

"What were you thinking?! You nearly killed him!" shrieked Hermione.

"Does he look dead to you? He is not even magically drained", said Galdir.

"How can you…"

"I'm fine Hermione", panted Harry.

"No you're not! Look at you! You're sweating and panting and can barely stand up…"

"I'm just tired. He's right. I'm not magically drained."

"Harry mate you don't know what you're saying. You're as pale as a ghost!" said Neville.

"I am fine Neville. Honest. Galdir didn't harm me, he just pushed me a bit."

"A bit! He could have killed you!" shrieked Hermione.

"But he didn't. He obviously knows more than we do alright? So why don't you trust him?"

"It's not that…" said Hermione

"Then what is it? Hermione don't you understand? I have to defeat Voldemort. And the only way that I'm going to beat someone who is more powerful than me is by training. Pushing myself, not by skating around like I've been doing all this time. Every time I've met with Voldemort I've escaped because of blind luck. I can't rely on it anymore. I need to train."

Hermione was speechless. She knew that he was right of course. The only way that Harry could ever hope to defeat Voldemort was to train harder than he had ever done before. To push his limits. This of course did not mean that she wasn't scared for him. Watching Harry kneel down due to the sheer pressure that Galdir was applying had shocked her, even more after she saw how Harry was after the spell ended. She had never seen him so… weak. She had seen him injured more times than she cared to count, but he always seemed strong. Even when he was lying in the Hospital Wing he looked strong. To see him like this was a shock to her. Neville on the other hand marvelled Harry's determination. He had embraced his destiny fully. What's more, he was doing everything that he could to ensure that he would survive the encounter. He laid a hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"He's right Hermione. We both know it", he said softly. Hermione nodded and slowly helped Harry on to his feet.

"How did you know that I wasn't going to exhaust myself?" asked Harry.

"I know what I am doing. I can also sense the way that magic is being used. In a way, I can see its currents, and I was paying very close attention to how much magic you were using. The problem here is not your core, but rather your body. While your core can handle the drain in magic, your body cannot. Hence the tremors and shortness of breath", explained Galdir.

"That still doesn't explain why you pushed him so hard. Especially without warning", said Neville.

"Did anyone see what happened at the end?" asked Galdir.

"Other than the trembling?" asked Hermione.

"Yes, aside from that. Did anyone notice that the room was trembling? That the desks were about to be reduced to splinters? That he dropped his wand and was holding the shield with his hands?"

"I did?" asked Harry.

"Yes. What you displayed tonight is a degree of power that I am not sure many have. It also means that you need to learn to control that power and use it more efficiently. If you could, for instance, direct the magic that is making the room vibrate into your shield, you would be able to hold on a lot longer. But that will be another time. Now, did anyone feel anything as they were pushing magic into their shields? Were you able to identify its source?"

"I managed to follow it up my arm, but that's it", said Neville.

"Same with me. I couldn't get very far", said Hermione.

"The source is our core", whispered Harry.

"Indeed. Magic travels from your core, down your arm, and out your wand. However, since we have determined that we do not need wands, what does this tell you about wandless magic?" asked Galdir.

"That it's the exact same process, just without the added part of the wand", said Neville.

"Excellent!"

"But wouldn't that make casting easier? I mean, if you don't use your wand, then the distance is less", said Hermione.

"And that is why once people learn how to properly cast wandless, they try to reduce their wand usage as much as they can. So, since it is getting late, what I want you to think about is this: if casting is about willing magic from your core outwards, then how would you go about casting a simple Lumos? Would you change anything? Would you still say the spell even though you know that it is useless? Sleep on that tonight and we shall return to this tomorrow."

Early the next day, Harry woke up after Galdir had already left. His mind had been reeling all night and did not allow him to sleep very well. Thankfully, Ron had been moved to another dormitory, so although they still saw each other in the common room, at least he was in relative peace inside his actual dormitory. Harry got up and dressed. He exited the common room and headed towards the owlery. Hedwig swooped down as soon as he entered and transformed, engulfing Harry in a warm hug.

"Hey you. I was expecting you to come over sooner", she said.

"Sorry Hed. I was a bit busy last night."

"So why don't you tell me about your first week? How did the exams go?"

"First week was alright. Not too much work, aside from the almost constant stream of exams that I had. They went well, I think. Arithmancy could have gone a bit better, but overall it seems that I did well enough to be admitted into the classes."

"I told you that you had nothing to worry about. And what about your friends?"

"Hermione's fine. Excited as you might guess to be back in school and learning. Neville… well he seems a lot more…"

"Confident? Grown up?"

"Yes. It's almost like he just turned into another person over the summer."

"And this is bad?"

"No! It's really good and I'm really proud of him, but he… asked me something yesterday that I haven't been able to shake off."

"What did he ask?"

"He asked… he asked me for permission to date Hermione." Hedwig was silent at this.

"And?"

"I told him yes."

"I already know that you did sweety. I meant what do you think? How do you feel about them?"

"I'm happy for them. Hermione needs someone who's strong as Neville seems to be. And he needs someone who will support him."

"You know that's not what I meant."

"I just… I don't know."

"You feel alone."

"Yes. Now that they're going to be together I just feel left out. Like a third wheel."

"That's part of life Harry. You can't expect her to remain always by your side, especially if you're not going to be with her in that sense."

"I know, and I would never ask her to do something like that. I just don't know what to do."

"You could get yourself a girlfriend. That way you won't feel left out." Harry said nothing.

"I'm guessing that you have one already in mind?"

"I don't know yet. She's really pretty and all, but I don't know her, and…"

"And?"

"She's in Slytherin."

"Does it matter? You of all people should know never to judge someone by labels."

"I wasn't, honest. It just makes things complicated."

"Something'll come up. You'll see. What about Galdir?"

"He's… odd, for the lack of a better word. He seems to know far too much for a student, but then again he was home schooled. His overall demeanour is too… old for someone his age. He's far too proper. And then there's the way that he teaches. He's too reminiscent of Mad-Eye."

"But is he a good person? Could he be your friend?"

"I believe so. He seems genuinely interested in me as a person, and he looks like he really wants to help."

"Then what does it matter if he acts older? You don't know what he may have experienced as he was growing up. You yourself act a lot older than you should, but that is understandable. Maybe there's a reason that he just hasn't shared yet."

"Maybe."

While Harry talked to Hedwig, Galdir was having a completely different conversation with his shade. Instead of their usual fight with swords, this time they had agreed to limit themselves to using only magic; needless to say that if the Quidditch Pitch wasn't warded, there would be a large crater instead. As the two battled, a third figure stood at the edge of the wards. His skin was covered in crimson scales, and his eyes were the same shade as Dûr's and were also slits. He stood just under 7 feet, and was clad in a dark yellow silk robe. His eyes tracked the two combatants even as they moved at speeds beyond what any could see. Eventually, Galdir and Dûr landed, panting heavily, magic radiating from them in waves. Their auras were visible, giving them an off-worldly look. Galdir ended the spell and Dûr disappeared.

"A fascinating duel Selda. Your powers have grown since last we saw each other", said the figure in a deep voice.

"I thank your praise Heru. Though I confess myself surprised that you are here", replied Galdir.

"The amount of magic that you released was enough to allow me to take this shape. I would have gone for something else, but I suspect my true form would be harder to conceal."

"Indeed it would. The charms that I have placed are strong, but not enough to hide you."

"So, how goes the quest to train young Lord Potter?"

"I began yesterday. He shows much promise. Even for a human, his power is astounding."

"Yet that is what we expected did we not? The Prophecy guarantees his powers."

"The prophecy guarantees his powers. Not his ability to use them."

"I take it that the results of your little 'experiment' went as planned?"

"Better than I had hoped. He has much raw power in him. Should he learn to harness it, he could become a force to be reckoned."

"Will he be ready to face him?"

"That is far in the future. Though I believe that he will eventually attain the mastery necessary to do so, he still has a long path to tread."

"And the situation with the two?"

"Events have begun to move. What their outcome will be I can only guess, but I believe that it will happen as we anticipated."

"Hmm. This may pose a problem. Especially if the other is not introduced into the picture in time."

"Those events still have too many variables. However, I do believe that things will work out for the best."

"Balance?"

"Balance."

After breakfast, the four teens met in the unused classroom that they had used the previous night.

"Have you given any thought to what I mentioned last night?" asked Galdir.

"I would try to remove the incantation and the motions. If they're useless, then I don't see any reason to use them", said Harry.

"A very pragmatic approach. What about you, Neville?"

"I would remove the waving and use what the books say: say it in your mind."

"A valid point. It removes the predictability of announcing the spell, while still ensuring that you are focused enough to not cast anything else accidentally. Hermione?"

"Same as Neville."

"Excellent. Based on what you have just told me, try to cast Lumos. I would recommend doing it with a wand first, since you are used to it, but if you want you can attempt to do it without one."

Harry kept his wand in his pocket and extended his right hand. His brow creased in focus as he slowly willed magic to form the sphere of light that Galdir had created. Hermione and Neville kept their wands out, and attempted to cast the spell silently. After several failed tries, Harry sighed in exasperation.

"Visualize it", said Galdir.

"What?" asked the three in unison.

"If you can truly see the sphere of light in your mind, then you will cast the spell. But I do not mean just imagining that the sphere is there. I mean truly seeing it. Being able to visualize every detail, every texture, sound, and taste. If you can do that, then you will succeed."

Hermione attempted this, but try as she might, she could not will the tip of her wand to light up. Neville did not have much success either. At some point the wand flickered for a bit, but it was brief and insubstantial. Harry stared intently at his hand, his brow creased in intense concentration. The air seemed to shimmer around his hand as he poured magic into the spell, but he could not get it to coalesce into a solid object. After the sixth failed attempt, Harry dropped his hand and started to walk restlessly in circles, trying to calm himself.

"Maybe if you used your wand…" said Hermione.

"What's the point? I did it yesterday, I just… can't get it to work again", snapped Harry.

"I think we all could use with a break", said Neville.

"You guys go ahead. I want to keep trying."

"I will stay with you in case you need help", said Galdir. Neville and Hermione left the room, while Harry drew himself together to give it another shot.
"Harry, before you start, I would like to try something. Please, sit." Galdir summoned two chairs. "When you were holding the shield last night you felt something correct? Something that you only feel when you are under pressure."

"Yes. I just can't make it feel like that."

"Hmm. Let us try this then: before you cast, focus only on my voice. Close your eyes and focus on it. Does it sound like a good idea?" Harry nodded. They both stood up. Harry closed his eyes and extended his palm.

"I want you to listen only to the sound of my voice. Nothing else matters. Nothing exists but the sound of my voice. Lose yourself in it. Become one with it. Let it fill you until there is nothing left. Let it guide you to that place that you know exists. Grasp it. Sense it."

Harry felt Galdir's soothing voice reverberate inside his skull. Inside his very being. His mind slowly shifted until he saw a glowing sphere of light. It shone like the sun, but it did not harm his eyes. Harry stretched his hand and was greeted with a cool feeling. Like touching the crystal surface of a lake. Something deep inside him slowly stirred; roused by Galdir's voice. Slowly it uncoiled itself, rising closer to the surface beneath which it slept. In front of it was a boy with emerald green eyes. Eyes like his own. The creature beckoned the boy to come closer, until they were standing face to face, with only a sheet of glass separating them. It smiled at the boy and slowly extended a claw until it touched the glass, pointing towards the boy's heart. A light seemed to glow from the point in which the claw had touched the glass. It grew brighter and brighter until Harry had to shield his eyes from the glare. The light diminished slightly, and Harry lowered his arm and stared blankly. In his hand, floating mere millimetres from his skin, was a glowing sphere of light. Galdir stood in front of him, were the creature had stood, and smiled.

"What did you do?" asked Harry.

"I placed you on a mild trance Harry."

"A trance? But how… you mean… what I saw… it wasn't real?"

"What did you see?"

"A dragon. It was standing behind a wall of glass. It told me to come closer, and then he reached forward with his claw and pointed towards my chest. A light appeared and then it grew so bright that I had to close my eyes… what are you smiling about?"

"What you saw Harry, is a manifestation of the power that you have always had within you. You are one of the few that can say that they have seen what their core looks like. Or at least, what their mind envisions their core looks like."

"What does this mean?"

"It means Harry, that next time you try to cast, you will not have to be in a trance. All that I did was allow you to access your subconscious mind. You did the rest."

"But what did I do?"

"You accessed it. You made the conscious decision to access your core. What the wall of glass represents I do not know, but I do know that by heeding its call, you have gained access to it. And that will make any kind of casting easier."

"What's the catch?"

"Very wise Harry. It is true that this gift does not come without a price. Since you now possess direct access to your core, it is very possible for you to drain it quickly. Also, it will make your spells harder to control, since you will have access to more power. However, if you learn how to wield it, you will become more powerful than you can imagine."

"Can you teach me?"

"I most certainly can Harry."

"What about Neville and Hermione? Can you put them in a trance as well?"

"I will try next time. The reason why it worked so well with you is because you have accessed it before, just not as consistently. When you were under pressure, your mind immediately sought a way to help. So you had, in fact, accessed your core before, but it was mainly in a need only basis. Neville and Hermione have not had to do this, so their process will be slower and somewhat harder."

"But they can do it right?"

"Yes. But it will require determination."

"They'll do it." A smile graced Galdir's face.

"I am sure they will Harry."

The rest of the day passed without much eventuality. Hermione headed to the library, while Neville went to the greenhouses. Of course, neither one was completely satisfied with their choice, but given Neville's shyness it was to be expected. After dinner, Harry and his friends headed towards the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office.

"Have fun Harry! We'll be in the common room when you come back", said Hermione. Harry nodded and gave the password to the gargoyle, which immediately sprung to life and moved aside so he could pass. He climbed up the spiral staircase until he reached the door to the Headmaster's office. Before he even raised his hand to knock, the door opened.

"Harry come in", said Dumbledore. Harry entered the office, marvelling once again at all the objects that it housed. He felt a pang of guilt when he saw the collection of silver objects that he had trashed at the end of the previous year.

"Professor, I want to apologize again for…" Dumbledore raised his hand to silence him.

"Harry, these are just things. Objects of little real value. They can be replaced or repaired. What you lost because I withheld information from you on the other hand cannot be replaced or repaired. Think nothing of it." His eyes sparkled kindly as he spoke.

"Thank you", whispered Harry.

"How have you been Harry? How was the first week of school?"

"It was good. Tests were hard though, and I'm not sure of a few…"

"Rest assured Harry that you did pass all of them. Quite spectacularly too I might add. You remind me of myself, long ago. I assume that Miss Granger was involved?"

"Yes. She helped me study for the tests. She's brilliant."

"Indeed she is. I also want to express how sorry I am to see that you and Mr Weasley are no longer friends. Understandable of course, but sad nonetheless. I assume that you're pleased with the new bedroom arrangements?"

"Yes. Thank you Professor. It makes it a lot better, not having him in the room."

"I can imagine that it does. But something good did come of this did it not?"

"Neville and Galdir. Are you watching me Professor?" asked Harry with a grin.

"Perhaps." Dumbledore's eyes sparkled with mischief. The two burst out laughing after a moment. After Dumbledore's chuckles diminished, he rose from his chair and walked towards Harry. "What are your thoughts on Mr Aglaron?"

"He seems like a good guy. He acts a lot older than he is though, and his overall demeanour…"

"Yes?"

"He reminds me a bit of Mad-Eye."

"Yes. I can see the similarity. However, from what his mother has told me, his past fully justifies his attitude."

"What happened?"

"I'm not at liberty to say. That is up to Mr Aglaron to tell. Now, you're probably wondering what tonight's lesson is going to be."

"The thought had crossed my mind." Dumbledore smiled and walked towards a tower-like cupboard with glass doors. Inside, were dozens of tiny flasks containing a silver liquid.

"What you see here Harry, are memories. In this particular case, memories pertaining a unique individual. Can you guess who?"

"Voldemort?"

"Very good Harry. Throughout these sessions, I want to show these to you and then hear your thoughts on them."

"I'm guessing that you want me to get to know him better?"

"Yes. Understanding Voldemort is an invaluable key to defeating him. So, let's start with the first memory that I have. This one is mine, from the first time that I met Tom." Dumbledore took a flask and poured its contents into the Pensieve that sat on his desk. "After you Harry." Harry sighed and sank his head into the watery surface of the Pensieve.

He saw a younger Dumbledore walking down a street towards a building. The gate in front looked relatively new, and large bronze letters spelling "Orphanage". Clouds swirled above, and the rhythmic sound of raindrops hitting the cobblestones filled the air. Harry looked up, fascinated at the patterns of the clouds. Usually the array of clouds seemed to drift freely. Randomly. But on this day, it seemed like the clouds were drawing some kind of symbol. What the symbol was Harry had no idea, but it intrigued him. The scene cut to a woman leading Dumbledore up several flights of stairs.

"I was actually a bit confused by you letter Mr Dumbledore. In all the years that Tom has been here, he has never received any visitors. I was shocked when I received your letter asking to see him", said the woman.

"I have known of his name for some time. It was just not… pertinent for me to see him before now", replied Dumbledore.

"I have to warn you though, Tom is kind of… odd. There have been incidents with the other kids… nasty things…"

"Perhaps you could give me an example?"

"We took the boys out on a field trip to a nearby lake that has a large cliff. Tom took two kids to one of the caves and…"

"Yes?"

"The kids haven't spoken since." Harry turned to see the real Dumbledore, concert written on his face. They finally arrived at the room that belonged to Tom Riddle. The woman knocked on the door.

"You've got a visitor Tom."

"How do you do Tom", said the younger Dumbledore.

Harry looked around the room were Tom Riddle slept. There were several odd souvenirs, but all of them shared one distinctive feature: they were set in groups of seven. There was a picture of a windswept cave with waves smashing against its entrance. A carving of a snake could be scene in a dark corner of the room, or at least that is what Harry thought it was. Overall, the room was filled with an evil aura, one that chilled Harry to his bones, even in inside the memory. The younger Dumbledore seemed to sweep the room with his eyes, coming to a rest on the photo of the cave. He outstretched a hand to take a closer look.

"Don't", said the cold voice of Tom Riddle. Even as a child his voice carried a remarkable resemblance to the laugh that Harry heard the night he received his scar. Tom's eyes were cold and calculating, and analysed Dumbledore's every move. There was a clap of lightning, and for a brief flash Harry swore that he saw Tom's face change into something else. It was reminiscent of the snake-like features that he had now, but they seemed different. More demonic in nature.

"As you wish", said Dumbledore as he sat down on a nearby chair and met the boy's cold gaze.

"I'll leave you two alone then." The woman literally fled the room.

"You're a doctor aren't you?" asked Riddle.

"No. I am a professor", replied Dumbledore.

"You're lying. I know what they all think about me. I heard Mrs Cole. They think I'm different", spat Riddle.

"Perhaps they're right."

"I am not crazy."

"Hogwarts, the school that I am a professor of, is not for crazy children." Riddle looked at Dumbledore more closely. It was almost like he was amused by this. "It is a school… of magic." There was no reaction from Tom. "You can do things, can't you Tom. Things that other kids cannot."

"Yes." His voice was nearly a whisper.

"Why don't you tell me?"

"I can make things move without touching them. I can make animals do what I want. I can make others hurt… if I want." Dumbledore says nothing. "Who are you?"

"I am like you Tom. I'm different."

"Prove it." Riddle's face reeked of challenge. Dumbledore arched an eyebrow and turned his gaze towards the cupboard, which was immediately engulfed in flames. It started to rattle, almost like it wanted to get rid of something inside it.

"I think that something wants to come out Tom." For the first time since Dumbledore arrived, Tom behaved like a normal child. His face was a mixture of fear and awe. Yet Harry could see something else. A hint of determination. Like the one that one gets after making a silent promise to do something. Tom got up and opened the cupboard. He slowly drew a box that was hidden inside. "Is anything in there not yours?" Tom nodded slowly. "Take it out." Riddle opened the box and withdrew seven objects. "Why Tom?"

"I like collecting things of other people. It makes me feel… close to them."

"Thievery is not tolerated at Hogwarts. There you will learn magic, as well as how to control it. Understood?" Tom nodded as Dumbledore got up. "I must go now. An owl will arrive soon with the details of what you need."

"I can talk to snakes too. Is that… normal?" asked Riddle. Dumbledore froze on the spot.

"It is unusual, but not unheard of."

The memory ended and Harry withdrew his face from the Pensieve. Dumbledore waited patiently for Harry to digest what he had seen.

"Did you know sir?" asked Harry.

"Did I know that I had just met the most dangerous wizard in all of history? No. I did not know."

"There were things that just didn't seem… right, with that scene." Dumbledore smiled.

"Care to elaborate Harry?"

"The clouds outside. They don't usually behave like that. It was almost like they were trying to draw something."

"I hadn't noticed anything outside of the ordinary. Let me take another look." Dumbledore dove inside the Pensieve once more and returned a couple of seconds later. "There's nothing off with the clouds. Are you sure you saw a sign Harry?"

"Positive."

"Very well. What else did you see?"

"The groups of seven. Every object that he had was grouped in seven."

"Very good Harry. I didn't notice this until later. Do you know why he did this?"

"From an Arithmancy view, seven is considered to be a very powerful number, but he would have had to know this, which makes no sense. How would a muggle-raised boy know that seven is a magical number, much less a strong one?"

"Legends Harry. It would not be a long shot to assume that Tom heard the legends of the muggles as a boy. In them, the number seven figures prominently. You are correct in saying that it is a powerful number, and since Riddle is drawn to power, it makes sense that he would use this number. What else?"

"He was very protective of the photo of the cave, which means that he's attached to it. It makes sense that he tortured the kids that he took there. Probably in revenge." Dumbledore was grinning widely.

"Excellent Harry! It took me several years to arrive to that conclusion. At the time I dismissed as nothing, but it did strike me as odd the way that he spoke when he said that he could make people hurt. What else?"

"He had an extraordinary amount of control over his magic. I wouldn't go as far as to say that he used a Cruciatus, but it wouldn't be very far off. His overall demeanour was evil, and then there was the snake on the wall and his face…"

"Harry?"

"Did you ever notice a snake-like symbol carved into his wall? Or how his face seemed to change after the lightning bolt?" Dumbledore was silent at this. His face wrinkled in thought.

"Harry none of these things happen on the memory that I showed you."

"But they were there! I saw them. Why would the same memory play differently for the both of us?"

"I do not know. I've never heard of any of this happening before. The Pensieve is only a way to see memories outside of the mind. It does not interfere with them."

"And you've never seen any of this? The change in his face, the clouds, nothing?"

"No. Harry, may I try something? I'm sure that by know you're familiar with Legilimency correct?" Harry stiffened at the mention of the word. Images of the gruelling sessions with Snape rushed into his mind. "Don't worry Harry it won't hurt. If you could focus on what you saw, I will try to see it in your mind." Harry nodded and focused on the images and waited for Dumbledore. Dumbledore drew his wand and aimed it at Harry. "Legilimens."

When Snape had 'taught' Harry Legilimency, he had used such force that Harry swore that he was using a battering ram instead of a wand. Dumbledore's touch on the other hand was like being brushed with a feather. It was almost like it wasn't there. Almost immediately Harry saw the images that he had been focusing on: the shape of the clouds, the carving on the wall, and Riddle's face changing. As soon as the images stopped shifting, Harry opened his eyes and looked at Dumbledore. Instead of relieved or curious, he looked worried. Very worried.

"Professor? Did you see what I told you?" asked Harry, concern clear in his voice.

"No Harry. I did not see anything. As a matter of fact, all that I saw was black glass, almost like obsidian. Harry, have you been practicing Occlumency?"

"N-No sir. I haven't. Not since last year." Dumbledore rubbed his beard as he walked towards his chair and sat down. Harry followed, growing more concerned by the second.

"Is something wrong with me?"

"No Harry. This does not feel like it's your magic. It feels different. Alien almost."

"What does that mean?"

"I honestly do not know Harry. I don't have the faintest idea of what this may mean."