Chapter Eleven: Avis Lingua

What Harry did not notice was that Philander had not spoken directly to him, so when he did, he along with the others in the common room were surprised when Harry answered Philanders question – "When is your next Quidditch match?"

"Tommorow." Harry didn't seem surprised until he realized the room was quiet and put his book down for Potions. "What did I do now?"

Ron spoke on behalf of the rest who were speechless. "You can speak avis lingua!"

"What are you talking about?" Harry had no idea what Ron was talking about.

"You can talk to birds, Harry. You talked to the phoenix." Harry looked at Philander. "Is that bad then?"

"No but it only has been seen by only two recorded people in the last five centuries." Hermione spoke out loud, but deep in thought.

"And they might be?" Harry asked quizzically.

"Albus Dumbledore and your father."

"My father was an avis lingua?" Harry was in shock.

"Now everyone will think you are the heir of Gryffindor." Ron moaned. Last time the school thought he was the heir of Slytherin because he could talk to snakes and a lot of students including Hermione got petrified as a Basilisk was set loose.

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Ron was right. By the time dinner came and Harry entered with Philander, people were whispering and looking at him. "They're talking about you as if you were going to kill Voldemort right now." Philander said as he looked at the whispering students.

"They'll shut up now that I am talking your language. What was it again?" Everyone fell silent and gawked at Harry.

"Avis Lingua."

"Yeah that's it. Avis lingua. Sounds prettier than Parseltounge. Maybe next I'll be talking to eagles or even badgers. Everyone will think I'm a heir for all the houses." Harry couldn't help but laughing out loud. He caught sight of the head table and he could see Snape with that loathing in his eyes. He saw Hagrid looking proud; who stuck his thumbs up in admiration. He saw Dumbledore who was resting his head on his hands, pondering over something. Then he saw Professor McGonagall who was standing up and looking right at him with pursed lips.

"Mr Potter, would you like to share with the rest of us what you find so amusing in the english language?"

"Well, first I was the Slytherin heir because I could talk to snakes. You know a Parseltongue. He purposely said the last part in Parseltongue to annoy the Slytherins-and it worked. 'Now since I can talk to a phoenix I must be the Gryffindor heir. You know an avis lingua. But I might be the Ravenclaw heir because there banner has an eagle. Hence me being able to talk to them."

"Potter, don't think to highly of yourself. Just because you have a reputation to keep clean…" Snape said angrily but was cut off by the headmaster's hand.

"Thank you Severus for your input. Mr Potter. As I know most of the Slytherins know and most of the Ravenclaws worked out, you are the heir of Gryffindor. Would you like to make it clear why the sorting hat chose Gryffindor instead of Slytherin?"

Everyone looked at Harry in shock. He had never told anyone about that particular secret, not even his best friends. "I uh, well, when I put the sorting hat on, it really wanted to put me in Slytherin, but I firmly told it anywhere, but there, even though he kept saying I would do great there, but I said no so it put me in Gryffindor."

Everyone was silent. Even the Slytherins couldn't speak. Snape was giving him a calculating look again. The headmaster spoke again. "That might answer some questions. Now let's eat, there is school tommorow."

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Harry had woken up with his scar tingling. Not in pain when it usually was connected to Voldemort nor did it feel good like after he washed his face and he got a cool tingling feeling.

He pointed this to Ron and Hermione and they suggested asking McGonagall or Dumbledore. Harry decided he would wait until dinnertime to see if anything had changed.

As they sat down, Neville questioned Ron. "Ron, I lost my timetable again, can you tell me what we've got today?"

Ron and others nearby laughed and pulled out his timetable. "Oh Neville, it might be a good thing you lost your timetable. It's DADA first, with Transfiguration next. After lunch, oh - ' He glanced at Harry when he said it, 'Potions. And then in the afternoon Charms and Divination."

All the fifth years groaned. Especially Harry and Neville. Neville clenched his fists. "I'm going to the infirmery, I don't feel well at all." And with that got up and left the chattering hall.

As they got up to go get their books for the first lesson; Harry decided to go see the headmaster after lunch.

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"Where is NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM?" Snape bellowed at the cowering Gryffindors.

Harry who was the only one who did not fear Snape spoke. "He is unwell and is recovering in the infirmery." Harry said this slowly as if Snape might miss a word.

"5 points from Gryffindor for thing I am a dimwit and 15points from Mr Longbottom for being exactly like his parents and not showing up to class. Any objections?" Snape sneered, as did the Slytherins at the Gryffindors who gave angry looks, before his eyes settled on a boy who was getting something out his bag.

"So Mr Potter thinks he can do whatever he wants in my classroom?"

Harry stood up. "Actually yes I do. And at this moment, instead of cursing you on false assumptions you feel about the Longbottoms, I will go see if Mr Longbottom is feeling better to attend class and you can see just how much a coward a Longbottom can be." He than left the very shocked room and headed towards the infirmery.

His scar's tingling raised a notch and it made him feel uneasy. But he pushed it aside as he walked up the charms corridor and saw a spell zoom by him. He than saw another zoom past his ear. He hid next to a statue and looked around, three more spells hit the statue and one grazed his arm, which started to bleed. He peered down the corridor, but to no avail saw noone in site. He quickly made his way past the library and into the infirmery. Unfortunatley Madame Pomfrey saw him first and forcing him onto a bed fixing his arm.

"Mr Potter do you really enjoy the infirmery that much or is it me that keeps you coming back? I think I'll make a bed that is just for you, since it does not go cold anyway with the many times you come and visit me. Now please tell of the adventure that landed you in here this time?" Pomfrey said all this in one breath and fixed his arm completely.

Harry couldn't help but grin. He knew she was right. "Well I came in to see Neville and was walking along the Charms corridor when curses or something passed by me, so I hid behind a statue and when a couple more passed it and hit me."

Pomfrey did not actually expect that to be said. "I think you should inform Professors Dumbledore or McGonagall."

"I'm going to see the head master after dinner about other matters, so I will inform him then. Now would I please be able to see Neville Longbottom then, please?"

Pomfrey simply nodded and walked back into her office. Harry pulled back the curtains that revealed a very happy and content Neville, who was playing wizards chess. "Neville, I want you out of bed in one minute and back into Potions in three minutes. Now!" Harry continued looking at Neville as he pointed to the door.

"But Harry. I can't stand him. I always just barely pass every year and there hasn't been one year when I haven't melted a cauldron. He hates me and knows I'm afraid of him." Neville still in bed, slightly shaking at the memories.

Harry just crossed his arms. "Don't give him the satisfaction, Neville. Your strong, I know you are and so does Snape. But he knows ho to get to you, because you let him. Just see him as that boggart you made in our third year and ignore what he says. Please Neville?"

After what seemed like forever, Neville got up and pulled on his robes. "I cannot believe I'm doing this. If I cannot get through the rest of potions, I don't know how I'll get through the rest of the day." After informing the matron about Neville, the two set off going through the transfiguration corridor above the charms to avoid any suprises. But as soon as they hit the bottem step that led to the dungeons, curses flew by their heads and once again grazing Harry's arm. "Run Neville!"

They ran with the curses flying by and grazing Harry's arms and legs as he tried to dodge them. Neville grazed his right arm and left leg. And that's how they entered the Potions classroom, with curses still flying by.

They silently walked to their table and began to take the ingrediants that they needed. Professor Snape loomed over him. "What in the world happened?" He was staring at their torn robes.

"Someone's trying to curse me. That would be the second time in less than an hour." Snape just took 10 points each for being late and strode into his office and only came out when the bell rang to tell them, they had to write a three foot essay on the uses of bloomslang skin and gilly weed.

Before Neville and Harry could enter Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall shrieked, wouldn't let them into the classroom and rushed them to the infirmery at the onlook of passing students. "Poppy can you heal these two boys please?"

When she came out and saw Harry, she groaned. "Next time bring your trunk will you?"

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As he entered the Great Hall for lunch, the hall was full of whispers and rumours on why the boy who lived was being cursed and why he kept rubbing his scar.

The trio and the Gryffindors ignored this and happily talked about other things. Towards the end of lunch, the tingling in his scar grew another notch and a blanket of fear swept over him, though he didn't know why.

"Hermione, Ron, it just got worse. I think i need to talk to him now before it gets any worse. I'll see you in Defense, okay?" They nodded as he stood up. Luckily a lot of students had already left as he made his way up to the staff table with all eyes set on him. He finally reached Professor Dumbledore who smiled with the twinkle in his eyes.

"What may I help you with today, Mr Potter?"

"A chat over a cuppa would be nice sir?"

"Good. Harry lets go up to my study. They silently walked up to his study before sitting down. "I'll get straight to the point. Two things, my scar is tingling and someone is trying to curse me."

"Actually Harry I already know. It was hard not to hear that the boy who lived was continually was rubbing his scar and someone was trying to once again kill Harry Potter. The tabs were on Voldemort, Professor Snape and Mr Draco Malfoy. Actually Severus was in the lead only because his anger reached a new height when you, a Potter and the only student to ever walk out of his class and having the last say."

"Well only - " Dumbledore held up a hand. "No need to explain I know what happened and fully understand. Now lets start with the first issue. Have you had any dreams involving the dark side lately, Harry?"

"Just Voldemort and the deatheaters torturing people. The inner circle having meetings. From what Snape and Malfoy say, Voldemort won't do anything until he has me. Something about its already begun, by his next birthday it might be too late. Weird conversations like that."

Dumbledore just looked solemn and looked intently at Harry. "Harry let me ask you this. Do you feel anything new or any change?"

Harry raised an eyebrow in confusion. "You mean besides my scar and dreams?" The old man nodded. "No I don't think so. I studied a lot over the holidays so my marks are improving I guess. I've actually done some extra work and Hermione's proud." Harry grinned, as did Dumbledore. "Philander has made me feel safe around him so that's okay. Harry looked Dumbledore like he was going to say something but just said, "That is all."

Dumbledore locked his eyes with harry. "Are you sure there is nothing else?"

"Well, I sort of feel like I have a lot of power. Expecially when I get premonitions or do a spell."

"You are right, Harry. Now it is time to answer a 5 year old question."

Harry barely whispered, "Why does Voldemort want to kill me?"

"Yes. But in order to do that I hope you bear with me as i must tell you a story." Harry nodded.

"In your parent's last year at Hogwarts, as you do know they were in school with Remus Lupin, your godfather, Professor Snape, Lucious Malfoy and Mr Crabbe and Goyle's parents as well. During dinner of the Halloween feast, Professor Trelawny made a prediction. Let's see, what was said, oh yes:

Gryffindor heir's live. Another heir will be born

This heir will be stronger as he will have powers

Like no other. At fifteen it will start

At sixteen will be complete and at seventeen

The dark lord shall fall.

I personally don't think you should have found this out until next year, but since times have changed, I was forced to tell you. Do you understand the prophecy, Harry?"

Harry, who was too numb to speak, only nodded. He fully understood the prophecy and knew exactly what was too come, but nevertheless wished that prophecy was not directed at him.

The headmaster seemed to notice Harry's worries, spoke again. "Yes Harry, you are the Gryffindor's heir. And with someone cursing you, the Potion master has a fair idea and will let me know who is behind the attacks soon. Then I will be able to let you know. But it is getting late, go and tell your friends and get some rest. I'll speak to you soon, when Sirius comes to visit." He gave a warm smile as he stood up. "Goodnight Harry."

Harry headed for the door. "Goodnight headmaster."