A/N: Sorry to be switching again, but the slashes don't work and now the pointy brackets (for lack of a better word) aren't showing up for me either. So it's little dashes - text - for when Spanish is spoken. Sorry once again. I really don't mean to change it around but that's what's showing up.

Come the Maëlstrom

Chapter 15

"All right, I want to see some nice bright silvery Patronuses." Harry called out even though he had a feeling he was about to be disappointed.

Every student looked at him for a moment before each attempted to summon the spectral protectors. Most people had filmy indistinct shapes while a few had fairly clear shapes or indistinguishable blobs of silver. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He was just at his wits end with the third year group of students. They had been stuck with Patronuses at this level a good two weeks before he went into the rooms. And coming out, it was all still the same. He sighed. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that it was almost ten in the morning, but he didn't have the patience for this today; certainly not at this time of the day. To hell with what Hermione might say, he was done.

"Just pack it in for now," Harry said a moment later. "Be back here around seven, after dinner; we'll pick it up then."

And, as there was no one with any form of jinx, hex or curse to remove, Harry was the first one from the Room of Requirement. He could hear the students streaming out, the voices soft and muted with worry. It sounded a bit odd to hear the hallways filled with voices again. When he had come out the room, it was all deathly silent. Ron had been the one to tell him that the insane antics of that one day had caused the teachers to place a day-long lockdown as punishment on the respective houses. Hermione hadn't even been able to look him in the face without going beet red.

He stretched and linked his fingers behind his head as he walked down the hallway and started down a surprisingly empty flight of stairs. Since he had just managed to free up a good thirty minutes for himself, he'd probably –

"Oi! Potter!"

He turned at the sound of Draco's voice to find the blond Slytherin run up to him. He watched him for a moment before he continued walking.

"What? Can't wait?" Draco snapped as he caught up.

Harry's eyes flickered down for a moment. "I doubt your legs are broken and you were already running. What were a few more steps?"

Draco snorted. "I believe this is yours."

"So it is," Harry said as Draco held out the gold book. "I was wondering where it had disappeared to."

"Blaise found it."

"Did he?" Harry looked at Draco with a slight smirk. "Before or afterwards?"

"Bloody hell," Draco cursed. "How long were you in that room for?"

"Not long when you both got in there," Harry grinned. "Once you two started grinding on the floor, I was closing the door and locking it."

Draco's cheeks went an unbecoming colour of pink. "Yes, well..."

"Is that why you got worked up when I said I was looking at Blaise?"

Draco's face turned an even deeper shade of pink.

"Oh, so it was."

"Lay off Potter."

"As you wish," Harry said simply as he leafed through his dog-eared book. "But next time, make sure the room is empty."

"Rather hard to do that when you're having the best snog of your life." Draco snapped.

"Must have been to make you forget discretion," Harry mused. "Well, you gave me back the book. You don't need to stick around any longer than necessary."

"Hmph," Draco crossed his arms. "Too bad; you're stuck with me Potter."

Harry arched an eyebrow. "Taking me up on that offer?"

"I'm not a stupid man. As I was the one to offer friendship first, you're lucky I bothered to accept your offer. Even if it is six years too late."

"You know," Harry couldn't help but grin. "You could have picked a shorter way to say yes."

"What?" Draco sputtered. "I didn't –"

"There's more than one way to say yes you know." Harry said quietly. "You should be careful of how you say things."

"And just how did you learn that?" Draco demanded.

"Do you really want to know?" Harry asked, looking at him.

Draco shrugged. "Why not."

"I said something I thought was completely innocent, gave my word and next thing I knew, I was tied to a bed."

It was Draco's turn to regard Harry for a moment before he gave a lewd smirk. "Potter, you kinky bastard."

Harry's face went a bit red. Lucius had certainly taught him the many ways to say yes yesterday night. He coughed a little bit as he adjusted the top of his robe; he didn't need anyone to see that bite mark between his neck and shoulder. "So, just how long am I stuck with you for?"

"As long as I feel like," Draco said easily.

"Hm, then you're being dragged with me to see Professor Lupin."

"Lupin?" Draco rolled his eyes. "Don't you have anyone else to talk to? Like Mudblood or Weasel?"

"Hermione and Ron," Harry said sternly. "Are busy teaching a class at the moment."

"Shouldn't you be teaching one now?"

"I should. But three weeks of Patronuses with no improvement finally got to me." Harry replied with a shrug.

"Well, I certainly have no interest in waiting while you speak to Lupin," Draco said lazily. "I'll be in the courtyard later if you can be bothered to haul your lazy ass down there for once."

Harry couldn't help but chuckle as Draco made his way down a hallway with a few milling students. Now, if he remembered correctly, Remus had a class that should have been finishing up around now, on the sixth floor. He was just stepping onto the flight of stairs when a large bunch of students made their way down. Yup, Remus' class must have been finishing up. He waited by the door until all the students had filed out. He waited a few minutes longer before he knocked on the door and stuck his head in.

"Professor Lupin?"

"Harry!" Remus looked a touch tired but pleasantly surprised. "Come in!"

Harry gave a momentary grin as he stepped into the room and looked around, making his way closer to Remus. "Nice room."

"It reminds me of the DADA classroom," Remus started packing away some instruments. "Shouldn't you be teaching a class right now?"

"I should. But I don't think they were quite up and awake. I know the Room of Requirement is free at seven just after dinner, so I told them to meet back there at that time." He paused as Remus looked at him curiously. "Is something wrong?"

Remus didn't answer for a moment as he stepped closer to Harry. Then he took a deep breath and frowned. "Harry, are you seeing Seamus again?"

"Seamus? No."

"Oh," Remus' brow furrowed as he took a small sniff. "No...it's not Seamus. Weird..."

"What's weird?"

"The way you smell."

"The... way I smell?" Harry asked a bit weakly.

"Yes, the way you smell." Remus said flatly. "I thought it might have been my imagination the first time but it's much stronger on you now."

"Um...what is?" Harry asked; apparently taking an hour long shower wasn't good enough to fool a werewolf's nose.

"That scent," Remus frowned. "I smell a whiff of it all over the school every now and then. But now, it's all over you. Like someone's marked you."

"Marked me?"

Remus nodded. "You're sure you and Seamus..."

"I'm positive." Harry said, feeling mightily embarrassed. "You're sure it's not from me hitting a growth spurt?"

Remus nodded his head. "Albus told me and Moody the reason why you had to go into the room for the day. So, I half expected you to have changed, and you certainly smell more...well, for lack of a better word, mature. But this other scent... no, someone has definitely marked you. Very strong pheromones too."

He managed a very light chuckle. Lucius had told him that traces of Veela blood from his great grandmother ran in his veins but Harry didn't put much stock in it; just what could traces do exactly. But now, with what Remus was saying, telling Lucius about Seamus' attempt on him wasn't the brightest thing. In retrospect that is, when it was all useless to act upon.

"Well, considering how crazy it was in the school a few days ago, some of it might have rubbed off on me; those phero-things that is."

"That's a possibility," Remus mused. "But still..." he trailed off, scrutinising Harry.

"First you were worrying about me growing and now you're worried about me being marked? Do you ever stop worrying about me?"

Remus chuckled in embarrassed amusement. "I suppose not. Your well being is something I take very seriously."

"Hm, speaking of which," Harry said, seizing the perfect opening. "I was wondering if you've heard of someone."

"Who is this someone?" Remus asked turning his attention back to packing away the things.

"A barrister; Valerian Slean Nihilare."

Remus glanced at Harry for a moment. "How do you know about him?"

"I bumped into him in a hallway one day. He was here at the school to deliver something. So you do know about him?"

"He's well known in many circles. A very good lawyer if you can manage to secure his services."

"He isn't one of those high-priced ones?"

"He works on a sliding scale," Remus explained. "And does plenty of pro bono work. He's almost always working, which makes it hard to get him to represent you; unless you can afford to have him on retainer. Why, were you thinking I should talk to him?"

"Yeah, it did occur to me." Harry said.

"Considering the cases he's won on behalf of werewolves that have set precedence, he's done more than enough for me."

"But –" Harry began.

"Harry, if it wasn't for that man, I couldn't even consider the hope of employment. Trust me, he's done enough." Remus snapped the case shut and looked at his watch. "Now, Miss Granger should be done teaching in about five minutes. And it will probably take her about five minutes to find out what you did. Perhaps avoiding her wrath is a good idea." Remus smiled. "Do you think you could spare a few minutes to nip down to the kitchen for a cup of tea or cocoa?"

"I think I can manage that before I have to flee for my life." Harry chuckled.

The soft murmur of Spanish greeted him as he walked into his rooms. He had a long day. After talking to Remus over a cup of cocoa and fleeing back to his rooms for a good hour to avoid Hermione, he had a few more classes to teach before everyone packed off for dinner. That was when he chose to head down to the courtyard for some fresh air. Apparently Draco had the same idea, and they spent a good forty minutes talking while insulting one another. It didn't matter as much since most of the barb and venom was gone but he was still prickly when Draco called Hermione a Mudblood and Ron by Weasel. But other than that, you wouldn't have thought that they had been enemies for the past six years. Then he went back to deal with the third years who did a much better job with their Patronuses.

- Oh! There you are! - Ernesto called from his seat on the couch as Harry walked by the parlour. - We saved you some dinner! -

He smiled and made his way in, looking at the covered tray. - And what's dinner this time? -

- A feast fit for a king, - Valencia said as she placed a hand on the cover and removed it with a flourish. - Baked chicken and macaroni and cheese. All made from scratch mind you. -

- By Dobby you mean, - Harry said.

- Let her enjoy not cooking for once! - Ernesto hissed.

- Still made from scratch though, - Valencia said. - I asked what brand Dobby used. He was very offended by that. Said it was only made from the freshest ingredients for Harry Potter. -

Harry laughed. - That sounds like Dobby. - He picked up the fork and prodded the noodles in their sauce. - It's cold. Isn't there a charm on the food? -

- Well, we figured you'd be back in time, so she asked Dobby not to charm the food. - Ernesto explained.

- Interesting how it went from we to just me. - Valencia said dryly. - We can ask Dobby to get you a hot plate can't we? If it's not too much trouble for him that is. -

- He'll probably knock himself out silly doing that, - Harry muttered. - I'll just warm it up myself. -

- You can do that? You know the right spell to use? - Ernesto asked.

- Considering the amount of food I've snuck from the kitchens, I know the charm pretty well, - Harry grinned as he drew his wand. "Calora." He said, aiming it at the plate's contents.

Almost immediately the food exploded, spattering them and the room in cheese sauce, noodles and bits of chicken. Harry blinked at the plate in surprise while, a moment later, stifled laughter came from Ernesto and Valencia. He looked at them, feeling his face go red.

"Oh. That's new." He said a bit stupidly.

Ernesto looked at him and roared with laughter, tears streaming down his face. - That's what you said last night! -

Harry was even more puzzled until Valencia leaned over and patted his knee with a cheesy hand.

- I don't know how you managed to sneak him in, but you two certainly weren't quiet. I suppose you forgot to put up one of those silencing things on the room. -

Immediately, Harry wanted the couch to swallow him whole. He wanted to vanish away into nothing; anything to not exist at this particular moment in time. This couldn't possibly get any worse.

"Harry!" Bucephalus bellowed from the hallway. "Hermione's here demanding to see you."

He stood corrected. "Tell her I made a mess and I'm cleaning it up. I'll be eating dinner afterwards, so she'll have to come see me tomorrow!" he called. "Plus she's out after curfew... surprising for her... and that she actually wants to see me, even if it is to yell at me." He grumbled as he wiped some cheese sauce from his face. - That's odd... my wand's never done that before. -

- Well test it on something then, - Ernesto looked around the room before he bounded from his seat and seized a vase and placed it on the table. - Here. Try something on this. God knows it's hideous enough. -

- Ernesto, that's a baroque style vase! It's gorgeous! - Valencia protested.

- It's a hideous eyesore. How about you blow it up? - Ernesto suggested easily with a grin.

- Erm... - he glanced at Valencia; he had thought the vase was rather ugly.

She threw up her hands with a disgusted sound. - Just be careful. You blew up the food. I don't think we all want to be showered with bits of that vase... -

Harry nodded his head, trying to think of something simple. "Oh, I know. Wingardium Leviosa."

He said the words gently and prodded his wand forward. The vase leapt from the table, almost reaching the far wall before it smashed to pieces on the ground. Harry blinked and looked at his wand in puzzlement, while Ernesto cheered the demise of the vase and Valencia sighed heavily. Just what was going on with his wand? It had never acted like this before. He frowned as he rose slowly.

- Harry? - Valencia called.

- I'm popping out for a bit. I should be back soon. - he said absently as he walked down the hallway and out the rooms.

He was still staring at his wand, debating just who he should ask. There was Remus, but he looked much more tired than usual and the full moon was approaching. And he certainly didn't feel like bothering Snape or McGonagall; Merlin knew he pestered Snape with enough already. He certainly didn't want to go see Dumbledore about this. He was so busy pacing around outside his portrait that he never noticed the shadows that settled over him.

"Mr. Potter, what do you think you're doing outside your chambers after curfew?"

He gulped and turned around to find Snape and McGonagall standing there looking at him. The stern expressions on their faces dissolved once he turned around.

"Potter," Snape asked after a moment. "What are you covered in?"

"My dinner." He said a bit sheepishly, realising he hadn't cleaned himself up.

McGonagall tsked and waved her wand, vanishing the cheesy mess. "Now, just how did you get your dinner all over yourself?"

Harry looked between them both. "I cast a charm to heat it up and it exploded."

Both McGonagall and Snape raised their eyebrows. Snape coughed politely, obviously refraining from saying something.

"Perhaps you cast the charm a bit too forcefully?" McGonagall suggested as she glanced at Snape momentarily.

"No, I doubt that. I've used it loads of times before when I snu- erm, this has never happened to me before."

Snape already had a shrewd gleam in his eye. "Didn't you have an appointment with Longbottom, Minerva?"

"Oh yes," McGonagall sighed. "Third one this week. He's been reacting strangely to all this pressure. Will I need to deal with you later on Mr. Potter?"

"No Professor." He said.

"Then back to your chambers you go." McGonagall said before she hurried up the stairs.

Harry watched her go before he looked back at Snape a bit uncertainly. Snape was scrutinising him like a hawk and he was starting to feel distinctly uncomfortable. Like he was being poked and prodded under some sort of microscope.

"Follow me, Potter." He finally said turning on his heel.

A bit unsure, Harry followed after him. Snape lead him down to the dungeons to his classroom and shut the door before striding to the front. Harry lingered back at the door, wondering just what was going on.

"Get up here," Snape snapped irritably once he saw where Harry was. "I assure you nothing will happen to you. If I had planned something, I would have done it by now."

"That's so very comforting to know, Sir." Harry replied sarcastically as he made his way up. "If I may –"

"See that desk there?" Snape asked, cutting him off.

"The one with the stuff crusted on top?"

"Yes that one."

"What about it?"

"I want you to set it on fire."

"What?!" Harry looked sharply at Snape.

"You heard me dunderhead. Set it on fire!"

"Fine, fine, how big a fire?" Harry mumbled, raising his wand reluctantly.

"A decent sized one."

"You asked for it," he said heavily. "I suggest you have your wand handy. Inflamma!"

He jabbed his wand imperiously at the desk. Almost immediately the entire surface burst into a large roaring fire. A few seconds later the fire was outed and the wet desktop was smouldering with thick tendrils of smoke. Harry winced as he saw the large scorch marks on the desk.

"Are you happy now? I almost set fire to your dungeon and burned it to a crisp." He mumbled.

"Perfectly," Snape said calmly as he tucked his wand away. "Since stone doesn't burn, I don't think I had that much to worry about. Besides, that was Crabbe's desk and fire was the only thing that removed that gunk."

"Yeah, no problem. Glad I could help out and be your guinea pig in one go."

Snape simply regarded him with a slightly amused look, the corners of his lips curling into a sardonic smirk. "Tell me Potter, have you heard the term assimilation before?"

"Can't say that I have."

"I see. What about magic channels?"

Harry simply blinked. That certainly was much better than saying, 'Huh?' to Snape of all people.

"Assimilation is when a wizard fully comes into his power. This normally happens past the age of twenty-one... however, it seems that the potions you took jump started yours." Snape didn't say anything for a long moment. "For most wizards, assimilation generally takes about five or six months before their magic settles down completely."

Harry took a deep breath; and this all started a 'month' ago. "You mean it's only going to get worse before it gets any better?"

"Precisely."

"So it doesn't matter that we actually spent one day in those rooms? My body still thinks that one month has passed?"

"While wizards can manipulate time, it is much more difficult thing to fool the body. If it thinks a month has passed that is what it operates on, even though the mind knows differently."

"So that's why everything I cast has gone crazy," he murmured.

"Since there were no major casualties in the day, I'll assume that tonight was the first time you used your wand?"

Harry nodded his head; thank God for lessons and review where no on expected him to demonstrate anything. "I don't think I should use it any more."

"And you can simply waltz into Ollivander's for a new one?"

"Touché," Harry said. "Maybe I just shouldn't teach... try to get used to... everything." He frowned. "Just what's wrong with my wand anyways?"

"A day ago, nothing was wrong with your wand," Snape began. "But now it's far too narrow for you. Hypothetically I suppose; this isn't my field of expertise."

"Could you attempt to explain it then?" Harry did his best to not smile at his jab.

Snape gave a momentary scowl. "The core of the wizard's wand acts as a channel for their magic. It can be wide or narrow, depending on the wizard and their magic. Some wizards require a combined core because their magic is much more complex and requires multiple channels, ergo, multiple cores. Others can suffice with one. Life experiences also play a key role, since the affect the wizard's magic and therefore the type of core and the number of them. From what I just saw, I'm guessing one of two things..."

Harry waited as Snape trailed off. "Well?" he finally demanded a few minutes later.

"One is that your wand's channels are too wide and allows everything to just blast forth. Before this wouldn't have caused a problem since your magic would have been a trickle as compared to now. But the floodgates have been opened."

"And the second one?"

"Your wand's channels are too narrow. Have you ever squirted a liquid from a narrow opening, Potter?"

"Yes..." Harry said slowly, as he eyed his wand warily, comprehension dawning on him fully. He was quite literally a loaded weapon waiting to go off.

"The second one requires greater aim, which you seem to possess. If your wand's channel was wide, you probably would have set three desks on fire rather than one. It's a different thing but just as devastating," Snape said. "If anything, you may need a wand with a combined core to diffuse the power of your magic later on in life. I daresay you might find wandless magic a bit easier now. But I wouldn't recommend it. It can be very draining on a wizard's magic and it takes awhile to recover from."

"Oh..." Harry was stopped before he even began.

"I'd suggest you don't teach any more classes and spend some time trying to control your magic. Being riled up during this period is also a bad idea as you can cause spontaneous magic to occur. Control is key, Potter. If you could learn Occlumency from me after two years, I'm sure you can manage this without someone to hold your hand."

"All right," Harry murmured before he paused. "Hey, wait a minute, what are you? My bloody Healer?"

"Considering the amount of stupidity you put me through, I might as well be. Someone has to patch you up from time to time, don't they? If you did it yourself, you'd be a bloody mess." Snape's smirk became even smugger. "Consider this predicament solved and ending here."

Harry watched Snape for a long moment before he smiled. "Thanks Sir."

"Now, if that's all," he drew his wand once more and swished it over Crabbe's desk, fixing it. "I suggest you get back to your rooms before Minerva finds out about this and has my head."

"Yes Sir." Harry said before he ran from the room with a grin on his face.