Chapter: Chapter Fifteen: A Slytherin Apart
Author: King Harrison
Category: Action/Adventure
Sub-Category: Romance
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: SS/PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP,
Summary: Wherein Harry is still bored in class-just for a different reason, and a surprising friend is made.
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Also, this chapter includes some reference to an idea created and/or used by Orson Scott Card in his 'Ender Wiggin' series. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author Notes: I would just like to point out that while Harry and Hermione are in class, they will still act like it's all new to them. Harry will seem to have occasional problems-but he is going to be quite a bit like Hermione this year. Read and Review!
"I'm Hermione Granger, by the way. Who are you?"-Hermione Jane Granger, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Chapter Fifteen: A Slytherin Apart
The doors to the Great Hall flew open, and a great many inside gasped. Four people entered the room. Two of them were in Hogwarts uniforms, but the other two wore royal blue robes. What made the people within gasp was the fact that they were matching pairs. Harry Potter in black and Harry Potter in blue. Hermione Granger in black and Hermione Granger in blue.
Severus Snape was the first to speak. "What is the meaning of this, Potter? I think I'll take twenty points off of Gryffindor for using what is obviously an illegal–"
Professor Potter smiled. "Take them off all you like, Severus. I'll just give them back." As Snape began to splutter, the two clad in blue went up to the staff table and sat down in the two vacant seats next to Dumbledore. The other two sat down at the Gryffindor table.
Ron leaned over and asked quietly, "What's going on?"
Hermione laughed. "No need to be quiet, Ron! Harry and I are teachers now." Hermione pulled out her time-turner. "The two of us up there have already gone through today once. We are on our first time, so we will be doing the day over, as teachers, tomorrow. It's actually quite nice, because no matter what, one of the two groups will have already gone through the day once and we'll be prepared for anything."
Ginny looked flabbergastedly at them. "You two are teachers? So you can give detentions and take points off and–"
"Yes, yes." Hermione interrupted her. "We can-at least when we are teachers. Actually, we can do it all the time, since we're part of the Tempus Olympus."
"The what?" Ron aked them, clueless as usual. Hermione briefly explained it to the group.
"Cool!" was pretty much the unanimous reply of Gryffindor house.
At the end of breakfast, Dumbledore rose. "Attention, everyone. As I told you last night, the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts had not yet been filled. But now it has. May I welcome Proffesors Potter and Granger." There was thunderous applause from Gryffindor, a smatter from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and evil glares from the Slytherins.
"Now, all of you are probably wondering why I hired students as teachers." There was a murmur of assent. "It's quite simple. Can anyone here truly say that they know more about defending themselves from the Dark Arts than Harry Potter does? I didn't think so. And if anyone here can truly say that they are smarter than Hermione Granger, speak now. Once again, I didn't think so." He ignored Malfoy, who had just been saying that he was better than both Harry and Hermione.
"And you will notice that I have both of them, not just one person, as the teacher. Now, off to class after Professor Mcgonagall hands out schedules."
The first class on the list was Defense Against the Dark Arts. All classes that year were to be with all four houses, so Harry figured on meeting Malfoy, who, although evil, was ranked third in the class; right behind Harry and Hermione.
They were the first to arrive, using passages not even on the Marauders' Map. After the rest of the class, minus Malfoy, had filed in, Professors Potter and Granger entered the room.
When the bell rang, Professor Granger began speaking. "Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts cl–"
The door opened and Malfoy strode in, sneering at Professor Potter and Professor Granger. "Ah, yes, Mr. Malfoy." Professor Potter turned to the class. "Anyone who is late to this class will receive a five-point reduction from their house. After five times, it will be ten points, and after the tenth time, it will be twenty points and a detention. This applies to everyone. I don't care if you have a note. Do. Not. Be. Late. The things you will learn here are more important that frivolity. Mr. Malfoy, seeing as this is the first day, I will accept a note from you, if you have one."
"So what if I don't?"
"Then five points will be taken from Slytherin."
Malfoy turned red. "Potter, you have no right–"
"I have every right, Mr. Malfoy. Also, I would normally ask you not to call us 'Professor,' but seeing as we have another Harry and Hermione in this class, it will have to do. And since it will have to do, I expect no one to call us anything but Professor. If you continue to break that rule, it will land you in serious trouble, because I do not have time for your idiosyntric and imbicilic disregard for the rules just because your father has bribed half of the ministry."
Still angry, Malfoy sat down. Professor Granger began to talk. "Now, as I was saying, Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. This year you will primarily be learning the Dark Arts themselves, so that you can defend against them properly. If anyone in this class is found using these spells outside of this class, he will receive a two-hundred point deduction from his house, a month of detentions, and suspension or expulsion if I can manage it. And let me tell you, I will probably manage it."
"Actually, if you gain Professor Lupin's permission, you may use them in his class as well. But under no other circumstances." Professor Potter smiled at them. "On a slightly lighter and less foreboding note, let's begin with our first lesson. All of you know what the Dark Arts are, so I will demonstrate an example." He raised his wand and then spun it in a small circle in the air. "Tempus Fugit!"
Professor Potter slowly walked to the back of the room, paying no attention to the seemingly frozen faces of his class. Once he had reached the back row of desks, he ended the spell. Everyone stared at the spot he had been in in confusion. "I'm right here," he told them. They spun around to see him. Professor Potter walked back up to the front of the room.
"The spell I just used, class, was 'Tempus Fugit.' Translated into English, it literally means 'Time Flies.' When under the spell, everything you do takes a period of time equal to approximately two milliseconds. If you stayed under it for thirty years, it would still only take two milliseconds. As with all forms of Dark Magic, there is a downside. For every second you are under the influence of the spell, your inner body ages 100 times more than normal. If you stayed under it for a week, you would cut two years out of your lifespan. While you would not appear to age, you would age all the same.
"That, plus the fact of how much devastation it can cause, is the reason that the spell has been deemed illegal. If it weren't for that fact, the spell could theoretically be used for such things as surgery, Auror and fire station deployment, and anything that could help someone by speeding up time. Now, normally Hogwarts has, as part of it's wards, a slowing field that slows down a Tempus Fugit user to normal speeds. It was lifted for today's purpose, and will be replaced at the end of this class period.
"You may all attempt to learn this spell during this block because in many cases, the only way to defeat Dark Magic is to use Dark Magic. You know, fight fire with fire and all that."
So the class set to work on learning the spell. At the end of the class, Professor Potter spoke to them all. "Remember that as a minor, you cannot be prosecuted for the use of this spell. But once you turn seventeen, the use of the spell is punishable by twenty to forty years in Azkaban. Class dismissed." The bell rang at exactly that moment.
Professor Granger smiled. "We did well today. Almost everyone learned the spell."
"Yes, but Malfoy took to it far too well."
"I know."
-
Harry and Hermione hurried to their next class. It was Transfiguration, and Harry was planning on giving Minerva a heart attack.
When Minerva entered the classroom, she quickly picked up their homework from the holiday. There hadn't been any in Defense Against the Dark Arts, since Umbridge had 'left' early. More like 'had been sacked.'
Minerva quickly put them to reviewing switching spells while she graded their papers. About thirty minutes later, she called out, "Mr. Potter. Come here please."
Harry stood up, walked up to her desk, and looked at her questioningly. "Mr. Potter. Did you write this paper?" She showed him the paper he had wrote that summer for her class.
"Yes."
"Exactly how much help did you have from Hermione Granger?"
"None whatsoever."
She sighed. "That, I find hard to believe."
Harry smiled. "It's true."
She glared at him. "Ok, then if you really wrote this on your own, you can explain Merlinus Theoraticus and it's revelancy to Transfiguration and, more specifically, the Animagus Transformation."
"Certainly," Harry quipped. "In Philoticus Theoraticus, Merlin stated that a person's form is held together by their most inner self-what he called a aiúa. An aiúa is actually an immensely strong philote. A philote is an infinitismal piece of matter, so small that it fits only in a geometric point, and everything in the universe is made of them.
"The aiúas, as I said, are immensely strong philotes, some of which are not really all that strong and control base creatures like dogs and cats. Some aiúas are stronger still and are the basis for creatures such as Kneazles and Owls. Even sronger ones are the basis for intelligent creatures such as lesser dragons and humans. The strongest aiúas of all are in the higher order of dragons, other intelligent magical creatures, and witches and wizards. The magical potential of each witch or wizard is determined by the strength of his aiúa.
"The revelence of the philotes, aiúas, and the Philoticus Theoraticus to the Animagus Transformation is simple. Merlin said that the aiúas specifically control the form of the creature they control. Therefore, with training, one can usually force the aiúa in one's body to transform into another creature. Most witches and wizards can only do this with one animal that they are familiar with, but some few are able to do it with many."
(A/N-This is the thing I mentioned that had to do with Orson Scott Card. Above)
McGonagall stared. "V-very good Harry!" She marked a 100 and an Outstanding on the paper. "Fifteen points to Gryffindor for such an excellent paper!"
Harry grinned. "Thank you, Minerva." He turned around, returned to his seat, and continued transforming the items on his desk.
At the end of the class, Minerva returned the papers, and Ron stared at Harry's. "How did you manage that?" he asked, flabbergasted.
"Three-hundred years of practice."
Hermione left Harry and Ron as they left the classroom. "It will be so much more interesting in History of Magic without Professor Binns."
Harry retorded smugly, "It will be a lot less fake now that Trelawney is gone!"
Hermione huffed and walked away. Harry and Ron laughed as they ascended to the North Tower and the Divination classroom.
When they entered the room, they found it much different than it had been before. The fire and puffy chairs were gone. The circular tables were still there, but the chairs around them were wooden with cushions. At the front of the room, in front of the teachers desk was a pedistal and a lone book.
Harry gasped as he saw it. "The Halliwell magic book!" he exclaimed. A voice then came from behind him.
"You recognize it then?" Harry and Ron spun around. It was Phoebe Halliwell. "The book. You recognize it?"
"Of course," Harry responded. "That is one of the most thorough and valuable book about American magic in existance!"
Phoebe smiled. "Yes. It has been in my family for generations. It has a special purpose today. Everyone in the class must attempt to touch it. Anyone who cannot will be expelled from the class."
"Seems plausible. You don't want anyone evil in your class, and the only true way to test it is to have them try to touch the book that repels evil."
Phoebe laughed. "You sure know a lot about it for a boy of you're years."
Harry face became blank. "Not really."
Phoebe frowned and touched him on the shoulder. She froze for several moments, flinching as if she were seeing something strange. She murmured to him quietly, "I suppose someone with a life like yours would know about it." She winked at him and mouthed, 'Mage.'
"So," she said, now businesslike, "why don't you two go ahead and attempt to touch it."
Ron touched it first. It didn't fly away like it would if he was evil. Harry walked near it, and it suddenly leaped, but not away. It flew strait into his arms.
Phoebe laughed. "I think it likes you!"
A drawling voice spoke up from behind him as he set the book back on the pedestal. "Well, that will be the only girlfriend you'll ever get, Potter."
"Haven't you learned your lesson yet, Malfoy?"
"You can't attack me at school, Potter."
"No, but I can suspend you, take points off your house, and give you detention. Not to mention revoke your status as prefect."
Malfoy blanched and stepped forward to touch the book. It leapt away, landing on the desk.
Phoebe rounded on him. "Out, Mr. Malfoy. Now. The book has rejected you!"
Angrily, Malfoy gathered his things and stormed out. The book accepted everyone else but Theodore Nott, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle. Phoebe sent them from the class as well.
Harry was surprised to find Blaise Zabini still in the class. He had never actually talked to the boy, but he had assumed that he, as a Slytherin, was evil. Harry, Ron, Neville, and Zabini ended up at the same table, no one wanting the lone Slytherin at their table. Harry nearly had to threaten Ron and Neville to accept him at the table.
Zabini looked nervously at them.
Harry laughed. "Don't worry, Zabini. We wont bite. They might try, but they wont succeed."
Zabini looked at him in confusion. "Why are you being nice to me? I'm a mangy, evil Slytherin." He said the last part quite sarcastically.
"It's simple. The book said you weren't evil. I decided to give you a chance, since I can truly say that I know a Slytherin who turned out quite good."
"Right. Nearly every Slytherin since Salazar himself has been considered evil." Harry looked at him pityingly, and decided to take a chance. Although he could easily erase it later, he decided to tell him.
"Blaise, Salazar Slytherin was not evil. He was far from it. His leaving the school was a ruse against the dark wizard Mordred Le Fey Pandragon."
Blaise looked at him in consternation. Harry waved his hand at the others in the room and they froze. As he began to tell his story, he was surprised to hear Phoebe Halliwell's voice.
"You should know that you can't freeze a good American witch, Harry. As long as you are using my sister's power, read up on it."
Harry grinned sheepishly. "I forgot. I'm not used to having American witches around."
"Hurry up, then. Freezing them doesn't stop time, you know."
Harry quickly outlined his story to Blaise. He stared for a moment, and then smiled. "Cool! A mage! I've heard a lot about them!"
Harry was suddenly interrupted. He's Dumbledore's third chance. It was Merlin
What?
Albus Dumbledore has the potential to become a mage. But mages must come in pairs. Dumbledore's first matchup was Grindewald. Because Grindewald was evil, we could not allow either of them to enter our ranks. The same thing occurred with Tom Riddle. Every good person with the potential has three chances for his pairup to be good. Blaise is Dumbledore's third. We originally disregarded him after he was sorted into Slytherin, on Salazar's insistance that his house had degraded too far. I know see that this boy might well be a good match for Dumbledore.
So he gets to be a mage, but my friends don't? Merlin didn't reply, but Harry sensed him laughing.
Phoebe's impatient voice broke in. "Can we resume class now?"
Harry turned to her. "Sorry. Of course."
After a moment, Phoebe threw up her hands. "I can't unfreeze them, you know. I'm not Piper."
Harry blushed. "Sorry. He waved his hand again, and the class went on, only to have the bell ring a minute later.
As they filed out in confusion, Phoebe mumbled something that sounded like, "Took him an hour to explain it! I'd've taken five minutes."
Harry winked at her, and she stormed away.
Luch was a completely uninteresting affair, except for one fact. About halfway through, Professors Potter and Granger stopped at the table and handed Harry a small golden quaffle.
Everyone at the table stared at it. "Way to go, Harry!" Ron congratulated him.
Professor Potter smiled and gave him something else-his firebolt. Harry grinned and banished it back to his bedroom.
Before Professor Potter could leave, Harry stopped him. "Why did you give me the Captains Quaffle? I thought that was the duty of the Head of House."
"Minerva gave us that position. She wanted to take it easy this year. As she put it: 'It will be quite relaxing not to have to constantly deal with such a rowdy and juvenile house.'"
They all laughed.
A/N- Kind of an abrupt end, but if I keep on going, this chapter will be anomalous to the rest of the fic, so I'll end it here! It's long enough anyway (NINE PAGES IN WORD) Read and Review, folks!