Another night in the dark room with the stone. This time Harry played with the fire. He thought about Parvati, she only got attacked because Harry only knew how to land a punch. Harry needed to learn curses.
He felt useless. He didn't know any spells besides a levitation spell, which wasn't useful in a duel. Harry played with the dancing flames, they didn't burn him. Maybe it was just his dream and he was actually flammable in the real world. He didn't know. Just in case Harry taught himself to hold fire in his palm in this dream world.
xXxXxXx
Harry woke up, he realized he was on the floor of the hospital wing. It was still dark out. According to the clock, it was 5:13 in the morning. Harry waited seventeen minutes so that it would be after the curfew broke. Harry went to the Slytherin dormitories. On his way down he saw some Hufflepuffs coming out of a portrait, he assumed that was their dormitory.
A moment later Harry passed the great hall.
"Ah, Harry," Someone said, "Good to see you this early in the morning, follow me."
It was Dumbledore.
"Please don't kick me out! It won't happen again!" Harry said.
He heard whispers from the small group of Hufflepuffs behind him.
"What won't happen again?" The old man asked.
"The duel, the one that knocked Malfoy unconscious," Harry said. Was this a test? Was he failing? Why would he tell the headmaster this?
"That is the first I have heard of a duel," Dumbledore said, "Madam Pomfrey made a request. A request to have you stay at Hogwarts over all future summer breaks."
"Can I?" Harry asked hopefully.
"No," Dumbledore said, "You must return to your Aunt and Uncle's house over summer break, you are welcome over all other breaks."
Harry screamed internally.
"Well I shouldn't keep you waiting, you seem preoccupied," Dumbledore said as he walked into the great hall.
"Yeah I am," Harry said under his breath.
Harry turned around. The Hufflepuffs were all looking at him. No doubt they were listening to every word.
xXxXxXx
It was almost time for classes to start. Harry was in the library, after his talk with Dumbledore he got everything he needed for classes and went straight to the library. It was quiet and full of interesting spellbooks.
Harry found a spellbook that had a lot of basic dueling curses and jinxes. Harry checked it out right before heading to the potions lab.
Harry got in the line of Gryffindors and Slytherins. He looked around. Neither Draco or Parvati was in line. Harry opened the spell book and worked on memorizing a spell, Expelliramus. This would cause the wand of your opponent fly directly into your hand. Harry remembered diving for Malfoy's wand. Never again.
"What are you reading?" Parvati asked.
She must've just got to the corridor outside the potions lab.
"You're alright!" Harry hugged her, "Madam Pomfrey did amazing. I was honestly scared for you, you lost so much blood!"
"Well, Slytherin boy, there is this thing you may not have heard of. It's amazing and very few people know of it. It's called magic," Parvati said.
"You're calling me that too now?" Harry smiled.
"Yes, Slytherin boy," Parvati said, "Oh also, people are watching."
"Let them watch."
xXxXxXx
"You will sit in the same seats as you did all of last week, these will be the seats you have for the rest of the year," Said greasy old Professor Snape, "Today is partner work."
Harry raised his hand.
"It looks like our own celebrity has something to say. Tell us Potter, what was so important that you have to interrupt me while I was teaching."
"My partner is unconscious," Harry said.
"Granger," Snape said.
At least his parter was going to be smart and capable.
"Go sit with Brown and Patil," Snape cracked a grin, "Longbottom, go work with Potter."
Well shit, what Harry saw so far from Longbottom he knew one thing for sure. They were both going to fail.
Snape wrote the instructions on the board, "Follow these instructions exactly and you will have a good outcome, if you don't, things will be disastrous."
"Alright, you take a period to chill, I'll work on the potion," Harry said.
"I thought you wanted a partner," Longbottom said to Harry.
Harry didn't respond but instead started working on the poison antidote.
"I understand," Longbottom sounded hurt.
"No, that's not what I meant," Harry lied, "You just look tired."
Harry tried not to make Longbottom feel bad.
"Here, could you crush this for me?" Harry handed him the little seed and knife.
Harry felt weird while holding the knife, two in one. He didn't have an urge to do who knows what to Malfoy and he made Longbottom happier.
xXxXxXx
"Not bad, Potter, Longbottom," said Snape.
"He's scary," Longbottom said once they got back to their desk, "I bet you're not afraid of him, you're the boy who lived, and you're a Slytherin. Must be nice."
"It's not at what you think it's like."
The ghosts of his past followed him more than his own shadow. Images flashed through his head, His mom's screams as she fell limply to the floor, Parvati and Draco lying limply on the floor, Parvati screaming as unimaginable pain flooded her, Padma crying because she knew she was helpless against her sister's pain.
The air felt thick. Harry's eyes darted around the room.
"No, no, not again," Harry muttered.
"You alright?" Neville asked.
"Yeah," Harry faked a smile, "Yeah, I'm fine."
Well if he could sum that up in one word he would choose lie. Harry was not alright. Parvati's screams were flooding his brain.
"This is your fault," said a raspy voice, it seemed familiar.
"What?" Harry looked around, trying to figure out who said that.
"I didn't say anything," Longbottom said, "You sure you're alright?"
No, Harry was not alright. Was he going mentally insane? Did he hallucinate? Was he dying?
"Yeah, must've been my ears playing tricks on me," Harry said.
Longbottom clearly wasn't buying the fake act but kept quiet.
xXxXxXx
Transfiguration flew by quickly, they practiced turning a needle into a push pin. Nobody managed to do it correctly the first time, but Finnigan managed to make his needle explode.
During Herbology Harry got a chance to speak with Padma.
"I've already had two classes with Parvati, she seems fine," Harry told them as they watered a weird flower that sneezed a lot.
"Good, Ravenclaws and Gryffindors don't have any classes together, just like Slytherin and Hufflepuff," Padma said.
"Besides flying lessons," Harry said.
"Oh, you know what I mean," Padma said, "Oh, have you heard? Gryffindor might not be able to play this year. Nobody wants the role of the seeker."
"Huh, weird," Harry said.
Harry had read briefly about Quidditch, one seeker, two beaters, three chasers, and a keeper.
"Someone will probably turn up," Padma said, "If they don't Gryffindor will have to forfeit."
"Well, then Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff all have increased chances of winning," Harry said.
"True," Padma said.
xXxXxXx
Lunch was filled with pestering questions. Word got out that he and Malfoy had a duel, people were confused. Apparently the Patil twins were mere spectators and there were over a hundred spectators. Harry laughed when someone asked him if it was true. He had to explain that there were no spectators and half of it was a fist fight. He didn't tell the complete truth. He didn't want too much attention or the Patil twins getting in trouble.
Harry didn't even get time to open his book during lunch. Before he knew it it was time for History of Magic. He spent the whole class memorizing the reverse spell for a stunner, revenerate.
So for he memorized multiple spells, Expellaramus, Lumos, and Stupify. He hasn't gotten the chance to use any yet. He'd like to try a couple darker spells on Malfoy when he came back.
xXxXxXx
Before he knew it he was in defense agaisnt the dark arts. They started learning basic theory of basic spells. Time flew by. Before he knew it the Gryffindors and Slytherins were walking alongside the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaw who were coming from who knows what class.
Parvati, Padma and Harry all walked together.
"Malfoy back from the dead yet?" Padma asked.
"I didn't kill him, I simply knocked him unconscious for a few hours. Alright, alright fine, a few days."
Some people stared at him.
"Ah well," Parvati said, changing the topic, "If I'm honest, I am really nervous to ride a broom."
"You'll do fine," Harry said, barely even listening, his thoughts were going bezerk.
Harry's mind was having a civil war.
What if he was about as good as Longbottom? What if He was worse?
No, no, that couldn't be possible, his broom came up with ease.
That was a week ago, they had flying lessons only every Monday, Tuesday through Friday they had free time during that period.
As the battle raged on inside his head, the crowd drew near the large courtyard. The air felt thick.
No, no, no. Not again.
His worry took control of him. He was going to fuck up, wasn't he.
NO!
He pulled himself back to reality.
"Harry? Hello?" Padma was asking.
"Yeah, sorry, zoned out for a moment," Harry said, rubbing his scar.
The twins exchanged glances.
The large crowd finally stepped outside the large noble doors.
It was easier to breathe out here. Harry took deep breaths of the sweet, fresh air.
"Everyone to a broom!" Madam Hooch yelled at them, "Longbottom, you're sitting this one out!"
Neville sadly walked over to Madam Hooch while everyone else claimed a broom. Neville threw a glance over his shoulder. Harry looked forward, determined to do well.
"Same drill as last week! Up!" Madam Hooch yelled.
Harry's broom flew to his hand first try, just like last week.
"Mount your brooms!"
Harry mounted, staring forward.
"Kick off in three!"
Some people adjusted their grip.
"In two!"
Harry cleared his head.
"One!"
Everyone kicked off.
"Fly around a bit! Get used to the feel of flying! Do not leave the quidditch pitch!"
Harry felt great, he dodged other students, flew higher than he's ever been before. Harry felt free, like nothing in the world could stop him.
"Harry! Catch!" Zabini threw a crumpled up piece of parchment.
Harry flew near the ball, the ball was falling fast. Harry dived. He was catching up. He extended his arm. He was aware there were people watching. The gush of wind passed his. The ball was about to hit the ground, so was he. He was going to crash.
Wait. The ball was so close. Keep going. Harry accelerated. His hand closed around the ball of parchment, not a moment too late. Harry pulled out of the dive. An extra few seconds and he'd be put in the hospital wing.
Over half of the first years were watching him.
"See? I told you!" Zabini yelled as he landed, "Quidditch talent is both genetic and acquired!"
Harry didn't care about the science behind it. He finally found something he was good at, really good at.
xXxXxXx
He sat with Neville during charms. He spent the whole class thinking about Quidditch. Were first years allowed to join the team? He'd ask Zabini later.
xXxXxXx
"Zabini," Harry said when the five of them got back to the dormitory.
"Yeah?"
"Do you know if first years are allowed to join the Slytherin Quidditch team?" Harry asked.
"We aren't," Zabini said, closing his book, "Follow me, I have to show you something."
Zabini and Harry were about to leave the room when Theodore said, "Where are you two going?"
"I gotta show Harry something," Zabini said.
"I'm coming," Theodore said.
"Alright, c'mon," Zabini led them out of the dormitory.
They walked through the common room, through the dungeons, up the stairs, through the halls, into the trophy room, and in front of four display cases.
Each case had a different material, one was a bronze and blue case, another was yellow and black, one was green and black and the one Harry, Theodore and Zabini walked in front of was gold and red.
Zabini pointed to one of the plaques.
"Was your dad's name James?" Zabini asked.
"Yeah, wait-" Harry realized what the colors represented, "My dad was a Gryffindork?"
"Suppose he was," Theodore said.
xXxXxXx
During the feast he read Quidditch Through the Ages, which he checked out from the school library. He wanted to figure out more about quidditch, especially since his dad, James F. Potter, was apparently one of the best there was at quidditch.
Harry wanted to be either a beater or a seeker. A seeker got to work alone and didn't depend on anyone, a beater would get to hit things hard with a large club. Maybe he could take his anger out on the bludger instead of Weasley or Malfoy.
Harry went straight back to the common room after dinner, he started the essay Snape assigned every student. He was about to write his conclusion paragraph when he paused, he looked into the green fireplace.
Suddenly and without warning, a sharp pain came from his forehead. He felt very angry about something. It took all his might not to cry out in pain. The newfound anger flowed through his veins, reaching every part of his body. Harry clenched his teeth.
The dim green common room faded away, he was in the dream room with the red stone. He extended a hand that didn't belong to him. His newly acquired hand was about to grab the stone when he got launched back to the Slytherin common room.
If there was one thing he was sure of; It wasn't just a dream, and someone was trying to take the stone.