CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Harry had no qualms distancing herself from Tom, his gang and the rest of Slytherin from that moment on. Any guilt that she felt about keeping her secret evaporated. In fact, Harry felt like she had been set free. She had some time and space to think, and in some ways be herself more than she had been for a while.
Harry and Orion met up and ate breakfast with Artemis, Loreley, Minerva and some of the other Gryffindors. The breakfast was fun and Harry found that she could actually laugh without feeling like she was committing some kind of heinous crime. The Gryffindors were laid back and easy going, which is what Harry was more accustomed to, and did not let the green in Harry and Orion's robes stop them from including them in conversations and harmless pranks. The Weasley twins even challenged them to games of Exploding Snap. The best part, none of them cared about Harry's revealed Potter-Peverell status, or mentioned it once.
There was an occasion where Harry did shoot one or two looks at the Slytherin table to see if anything had changed. The answer was a hard and firm yes. Nott was closed off, his chatty and relaxed persona gone. Rosier tried to include him in conversations but Nott did not respond. Dolohov, Tom, Avery and Mulciber all focused on Rosier, utterly ignoring Nott's presence. Lestrange was back to his usual, quiet self, looking pensive and sad. Druella and Harry's dormmates sat with War, Bletchley and some of the other girls; they were all angrily talking, glaring at Tom and his gang now and again. The children all had dark rings under their eyes.
"It would appear," Minerva noted with a hint of amusement, following Harry's gaze, "that you and Orion Black were the life and soul of your House. I have not seen Slytherin look so bleak in all my years."
"Not my problem," Harry answered dismissively. Minerva shot her a look of undisguised sympathy.
"Harry! Owl incoming!" Artemis announced suddenly.
Everyone's eyes turned up to see a Gringotts owl fly in with a giant rectangular package. To the surprise of most people, the owl headed for the Slytherin table but it halted sharply when it saw no sign of Harry. It circled back and when it saw her at the Gryffindor table, dived to her. Once it landed, it hooted indignantly as though scolding Harry for not being in her usual spot.
Harry appeased it with some bacon and untied the package and the letter. The owl started cleaning its feathers and afterwards took off again; Harry opened her letter swiftly.
Dear Lady Hera Peverell,
We have been made aware by Mr. Rowle through his cousin Ophelia that your identity at Hogwarts is compromised, partly on account of our letters. We truly are sorry for any inconveniences we may have caused for you, but as you may be aware, we could not in good conscience call you Evans. For that is not who you are to us.
We hope that this may help to put your mind off things. A new assignment has arrived. Aurors raided the home of one of Grindelwald's closest followers and among them was this artefact we send to you. It was gifted to our King but he noticed there was something wrong with it. It is a portrait of some note, but we have no idea what could be wrong with it.
May your enemies tremble at your feet, my Lady,
Griphook.
Harry smiled broadly for the first time in a while. After reading her letter Harry promptly set the letter alight with orange fire and conjured a heat-proof bowl to put it in. Artemis, Loreley and Orion watched with sad smiles.
"What assignment do you have now?" Orion asked eagerly.
"Help me open it," Harry responded with a grin.
Orion sprang to his feet. Artemis too helped to peel back the old brown paper and the string from around the package. Loreley, Minerva and the Gryffindors watched in interest. Finally, when the portrait was out of its paper and in full view, Harry began laughing in glee.
The portrait was extraordinarily ugly. It was of two men – one with straight, blonde hair and one with black raven hair and rather large ears. Comically so. The faces of the men were the only decent looking part about the portrait, despite the fact there were looks of shock and fear on their countenances. The rest of the shapes and colours in the portrait did not fit well together and looked more macabre than anything. It suited the halls of a pureblood's house, Harry snidely thought.
"Wow! Talk about a poor paint job!" Septimus Weasley commented, shaking his head at it. "Whoever commissioned this should ask their money back."
"The appearance of it is not important," Loreley replied whimsically. "What matters is what is inside."
Orion, who had also been studying the ugly thing, suddenly lit up and in a second was practically jumping up and down in excitement. "Merlin and Morgana and all the Druids of old! This is like the Portrait of Dorian Grey."
Harry laughed shortly, though silently kicking herself for not noticing before. "Orion, you bloody genius!" She turned to the others around them. "All right. Do any of you know of a spell or ritual that can tether a person to a portrait in order to provide them with immortality?"
The Gryffindors all stared at her blankly as though she had said, "Do I have a parrot on my head?".
"Not that we know of," Minerva answered weakly. "Soul magic is usually not discussed, let alone practised-"
"Doesn't mean that it doesn't happen," Harry pointed out, picking up the portrait and examining it once more for a bit before eagerly turning to her friends. "So, who wants to help me figure this one out?"
"Me!" Orion and Loreley chorused immediately.
"Hahaha, I'll pass," Artemis replied with a grin. "Exams are enough for me. Though do keep me informed of your progress."
"Same here, but thank you for the offer," Minerva answered with a small smile.
None of the other Gryffindors took her up on the offer but they all cheerfully wished them luck with it. Harry found she did not have enough time to bring the portrait back to the dungeons and get to History of Magic in time, so she cheerfully carted the thing to Binns' classroom. Ironically, it could brighten the place up.
Harry and Orion joined Loreley on the Ravenclaw side, portrait leaning against the nearest column. Harry took out a few of her books, her parchment and quill and shot a quick look at the Slytherins. Druella and Walburga looked determined but they seemed to have lost a little colour – they had banished themselves to the back benches. The boys all took a few rows behind the row they usually took. Harry almost snorted at this.
Binns floated into the classroom, looking quite … alive. There seemed to be more speed in the pace he was floating, somehow. For once, he seemed to notice the placement of his students. The fact Harry was sitting with the Ravenclaws for one, made him double take for a moment. That and the portrait.
"Ah, Miss Evans, did you buy some new art? It is rather … unique," he commented lightly.
There were a few quiet snickers from the Slytherin side.
"Gringotts assignment, sir," Harry responded crisply. "It came late so I didn't have enough time to get it to the dorms."
Binns, to everyone's shock, chuckled. "Ah yes. Headmaster Dippet mentioned that you're a Cursebreaker. What manner of Dark artefact have you brought into my classroom?"
"That is my job to find out, sir," Harry drawled in a manner Snape would have wept a tiny tear for at least.
"Indeed," Binns agreed … brightly. He turned around and floated to the blackboard. Harry exchanged a look with Orion, who was shaking his head. Loreley looked as dreamy as ever, not seeming to notice, or care, that Binns was acting … human. Never mind the fact the man was a ghost, that was scary enough. A human Binns! Harry opened up her book on Medieval Blood Curses and began to read.
"Today, class, we will be covering the subject of the role of wizards in Muggle wars during the Medieval era, with emphasis on the United Kingdom," Binns announced with a spring in his voice. "So, bearing that in mind, what time period are we looking at?"
The class remained silent. They clearly expected Harry to provide the answer, but the witch in question had written the title of the class on her parchment and was sitting with her arms crossed and her mouth shut.
"Miss Evans?" Binns called on her with a tone of uncertainty.
"500 CE to 1400 CE," Harry regurgitated obediently. "In the case of the Muggle wars, the rules of participation underwent evolution that stopped us from using magic in front of them and turn to more covert means, such as rituals and non-verbal spells. Our participation was too overt from 500 to 900 CE during the invasions of the Angles, Jutes, Scotti and eventually the Vikings, which eventually resulted in the founding of Hogwarts in 990 CE to protect magical children from being hunted by angry Christian Muggles."
"Good," Binns praised with a beaming smile. Harry wished the chair would swallow her.
But Harry's behaviour did not change throughout the lesson. She obediently kept quiet and made notes until Binns called on her by name to try and provide an answer to his questions. Not even Tom Riddle, the teacher's pet of everyone save Dumbledore, raised his hand. The baby Dark Lord kept his eyes firmly fixed on Harry with a look of puzzlement. It only made Harry's jaw clench further. Harry's fiery passion, which was the reason people stayed awake, was absent from each answer. Out of the corner of her eyes, Harry saw people begin to doze off. Even Binns looked bored of his own topic.
As soon as the lesson was over, Orion and Loreley both questioned Harry on her behaviour. Harry simply shrugged in reply. "I didn't feel like History today."
It was a complete lie. But the plan had worked perfectly: people had wanted Harry to disappear, so that is exactly what she would do. Harry's plan of revenge was to give them exactly what they wanted.
"You love History," Orion whispered, facing dropping. "Harry … do not let Riddle, Nott or anyone else ruin this for you."
"Too late, Orion," Harry responded with a cold smile. "Come on. We're late for Defence otherwise. I know that Merrythought will put us into a week's worth of detentions."
"If you show her the painting, she might have mercy on us," Orion wished whimsically.
Harry laughed shortly. "I may have not been here long, but I know that mercy is not in Merrythought's nature."
"It isn't," Loreley confirmed with a smirk.
############
Harry began peeling herself away from Slytherin piece by piece. She spent her free hours in the Room of Requirement with a confused Athenaïs, Cursebreaking books and the portrait, which was put in a containment cage just in case. None of the books Thanatos had sent her before were of use, but perhaps it was because she had no idea what the portrait was. The only clue she had was the concept of a Muggle book that Orion had pointed out had a very similar situation to the one she was facing.
Harry had run some diagnostics on the thing and found that it was essentially sentient, or was holding something sentient. Two somethings sentient. Whatever it was, it had two living consciouses inside of it. Harry had been pacing for around twenty minutes, mulling things over as Athenaïs watched her curiously. Portrait of Dorian Grey … What matters is what is in the inside, Loreley said.
Harry halted in her tracks as a thought hit her. That was when Harry started laughing quite manically to herself and clap her hands in delight causing Athenaïs to cock her head to one side in puzzlement.
That was it! It was a prison, not something that a soul had been put into. And every prison cell has a door; Harry just needed to pick the lock. At lunch, she told Orion and Loreley of her theory, which made Orion pale for a moment but Loreley simply hum. Artemis had looked set to faint at the idea that Harry had been taking two trapped wizards to her classes!
"What if those wizards served Grindelwald?"Artemis had wailed quite loudly, which had caused several students from all Houses to turn around in either surprise or irritation. Minerva had been freaked out as well, but the Weasley twins had looked quite excited. Merlin, they reminded Harry of Fred and George now and then. It made her heart throb with pain.
Orion, Loreley and Harry spent all of their free time until dinner trying to figure out how to release whoever was in the painting from the canvas, or wherever it was they were stuck. Athenaïs studied the portrait closely and would even look through the books herself. The Room, which both Orion and Loreley had to double take at first, supplied them with endless streams of books, snacks and coffee. But by dinner, they had tried several different combinations of Old Futhark and Old English runic magic, layers of unlocking spells, and some powerful sigil magic from the Peverell books, and the portrait still had not set its prisoners free.
The three came to dinner, brow-beaten and exhausted. Athenaïs, disguised with a Glamour, came with them for the first time. Loreley actually almost fallen asleep onto her plate but was saved by Minerva taking the plate last minute, but Loreley's head had collided with the table with a nasty THUNK! Only one half of Orion's brain was fully functional, so everything that was said to him had to be repeated to him at least twice. Except when his favourite dessert was under his nose. Even Harry had to fight to keep her eyes from falling shut. Minerva promptly began supplying Harry with coffee and Artemis supplied her honorary sister with treacle tart. Athenaïs chirped in encouragement. It did the trick, for now. As Harry helped herself to her usual helping of treacle tart, Artemis scooted closer to her.
"I have been keeping an eye on those slimy snakes," she informed quietly. "I have seen several of them looking at the entrance periodically. Druella and the others mostly, but Nott now and again as well. I think he misses you. Lestrange too. Avery looked once; even Riddle. War and Bletchley have been taking it in turns to keep vigil. They have only just gone back to eating dinner normally."
Harry shrugged nonchalantly. Her soul sang a little but she could not let her pleasure register; not for one moment. It was Harry's Gryffindor stubbornness that refused to let any forgiveness for the Slytherins into her heart. No, they were going to have to work to get any level of trust back.
After dinner, Harry bade good night to Loreley, Artemis and Minerva and together, she, Athenaïs and Orion went back to the common room, looking tired but quite happy and content. They stood together for a moment in silence in the middle of the common room, before embracing and saying good night. Orion even hugged Athenaïs. It had made Harry ecstatic; affection did not come naturally to purebloods and Orion was no different. In fact, it was this precise moment that Harry no longer cared that Orion was Sirius' father. He was now a friend for life.
Harry considered taking up her usual spot in front of the fire. Those dancing embers called to her like a Siren's song. But no, Harry was not going to work in the common room again. Not until this was resolved somehow. She may be liable to spill some awkward secrets about Riddle in revenge. Instead, Harry built her book fort in front of the giant windows looking into the Black Lake in her dorm room. It was cold and uncomfortable but Harry lay her blankets around to keep warm and waving to the merpeople and kelpies was rather fun. She decided to do her Potions, Charms and Herbology work first, since they were the ones with greater work load. Defence came last since that was her best subject. Seraphina and Athenaïs joined her as well. Surprisingly, Sigyn behaved herself and even lay down next to Seraphina, joining the Keep Harry Company club. All three studied the Ashwinder egg in fascination.
When Druella, Walburga, Ophelia and Ygraine finally returned to the dorm from their awkward dinner, they froze in their tracks at the sight before them. There was Harry in her book fort, but not in front of the fire. They thought that there was something weird about the common room being empty.
"Harry? What are you doing?" Ophelia asked a little stupidly.
"Doing my homework. What else?" Harry answered crisply, not looking up from her Herbology essay on Cobra Lilies. She had just started the paragraph on Cobra Lilies being affected by singing for a yet unexplored reason, which she would hope would garner some points from Griffith. She did still feel rather guilty about missing his lesson.
"But … you do that in the common room. In front of the fire," Druella pointed out.
Harry chuckled coldly. "Not anymore."
That made the atmosphere tense up more than Harry meant it to.
"Harry, do not let them scare you away from your spot," Walburga cajoled gently.
"I am not scared," Harry contradicted curtly. "I am simply doing what they want. Making myself scarce." She looked up for a moment with a cold smirk. "They get exactly what they want; they should be happy."
"No one is happy!" Ygraine told her, practically flinging her arms in the air. "We have not lasted two days and I can tell that everything has changed. You brought warmth into Slytherin, Harry. You have no idea how many times people simply felt safe with you just doing your work in front of the fire. You tried to take pain away, nightmares-"
"And behold how I am thanked for it!" Harry cut across coolly. "A mistake I will never make again."
"Harry, I know you are angry. We are too," Walburga reassured calmly, in a tone that ironically enough sounded motherly. If only she had been like this with Sirius. "We're still trying to narrow down who it could have been-"
"Do you know who is in Avery's spy ring?"
That question put an extra layer of frosting over the already frosty situation.
"You know?" Ophelia whispered.
"Oh yes, I know. Though sadly not from your lips," Harry responded snarkily as she completed her Charms essay on the various uses of the Blue Sparks Charm. Merlin, how she hated that some elements of the curriculum had not changed in fifty years. "I had to be told by Artemis."
"We have a few names we know for certain," Druella answered firmly. "One Hufflepuff, four Ravenclaws, one Gryffindor – most are in Slytherin. Diggory, McLagan, Campbell-"
"How many of his spies are girls and in Slytherin?"
"Girls?" Ophelia scoffed. "Avery is a misogynistic prick in some areas. Spying is one of them. He has no female spies … although, I do see him talk to his sister quite regularly."
"That's normal, Ophelia," Druella pointed out, rolling her eyes a little.
"True, but there was this one conversation they had in the common room that just did not sit well with me. I have no idea why."
The conversation effectively ended there, for now. Harry continued with her homework; Sigyn snoozed, Seraphina prowled back to her bed and Athenaïs began studying the ugly portrait again. Ygraine readied herself for bed and read a book while Walburga also took a leaf out of Harry's book and decided to begin her essays. Druella and Ophelia played wizard's chess.
Harry was content with how normal her evening passed. But, as she predicted, it did not stay that way for long.
Harry, has my brother got you yet?
Harry sighed irritably. No, not yet, Tosti. What is it?
Meet me in your common room. Hypnos has most of your House in his Realm.
Harry grumbled grumpily but nonetheless got out of bed, tiptoed out of her dormitory and found Thanatos sitting leisurely in the high-backed chair that everyone knew was Tom's chair. "You are mad," she stated.
"For sitting in Voldemort's throne or meeting you here?" Thanatos asked teasingly.
"Both," Harry decided. "What is it?"
Thanatos beckoned her over and Harry obediently complied, taking a seat on one of the sofas. "I am here to tell you that are closer to awakening the next two base powers – Soul Control and Death Infusion. You may also find that creatures of Death and the Undead may gravitate towards you. Some of them … are not very friendly."
"Of course," Harry drawled. "Because if it is one thing I attract it's people who want me dead."
"I have also given your darling little dragon the ability to detect Otherworldly creatures and entities," Thanatos continued. "She will be able to help you in your endeavours much better."
Harry nodded. Perhaps that was why she had a firm interest in the portrait. "OK."
Thanatos reached into his robes and fished out three books. "Here. These will help you once you begin to notice your awakening. They might be a bit more … intense than the one you're going through right now."
Harry deflated as she took the books. "So instead of a brick hitting me, it will be a train? Great."
"I am sorry for it," Thanatos whispered.
"I'm not! Managed to save the life of someone with it, though the maggot hardly deserved it," Harry grumbled bitterly. She then stopped and regarded the deity. "I have another assignment. A painting that acts as some kind of prison. Do you have any books that could help?"
Thanatos smiled sadly. "No, I do not. But the answer you seek is not in a book." Thanatos leant forward and took Harry's hands into his. "You have very good instincts, Harry. Trust them more – you are not your friend Hermione. Follow your instincts and the answer will come."
Harry deflated again. "Thanks. I think."
"You're welcome, Mistress. Sleep well."
In a blink of an eye, Thanatos was gone. Harry muttered something about 'cryptic gods and their nonsense' and went to bed. Hypnos knew well she needed it, which was probably why Harry was treated to a rare dream about flying with her friends and a couple of dragons that were not out to kill them.
################
The atmosphere in Slytherin did not improve over the next two days. Harry had covertly tried to help some of the younger years who came to her with their insomnia problems during her free period, but quickly backed off when fifth, sixth and seventh years berated the poor sods for so much as looking at Harry's direction and told them to stop being so soft and weak.
Dolohov was amongst them and Harry had been quite tempted to give the almighty arseling a piece of her mind, but Orion had been quick to see the danger and had dragged an apoplectic Harry out of the Slytherin common rooms and towards the Great Hall to grab some lunch. Harry could be quite cranky when hungry, but hunger had nothing to do with this.
Orion knew that, but had little experience in dealing with it. Fortunately, a certain Ravenclaw Malfoy did have a remedy for the problem, and so after lunch, Loreley took Harry down to the Forbidden Forest. The overcast day, the cold temperature and the feeling of isolation all made Harry think back to her fifth year in her own time, when she felt so utterly alone and hopeless and Luna was one of the few people who had made Harry feel warm and cared for.
And it seemed that Abraxas' wayward sister could pick up on this.
"It will pass," Loreley reassured, her voice not as airy as it usually was. "Slytherins do care for their own."
"They have made their position clear," Harry scoffed. "I am not one of them. I never have been."
"That was true when you were first sorted," Loreley contradicted. "You were still very much a Gryffindor. But I am afraid that your new friends have changed you, Harry Potter. You are still the same person who died in this very forest at the core. It's why you are so loved here. Your friends and family would be proud."
Harry's heart started drumming rapidly. "How …?"
Loreley chuckled. "I think you know the answer to that already. You are friends with my descendant Luna, after all." Loreley sighed gently. "I am glad to know that I have not produced ill-fated whelps like my brother."
"So I guessed correctly. You're a Seer," Harry breathed. "One with True Sight."
"Indeed," Loreley confirmed. "My brother has the Gift too, to an extent. Only mine doesn't stop. I have known who you are for a very long time, Mistress of Death." Loreley laughed musically as Harry paled. "You have nothing to fear from me. Your secrets are safe with me."
"I think I know that," Harry responded. "I just … am a little shell-shocked. It has been a while since I have truly been myself."
"I know, which is why I wanted to give you a piece of home," Loreley replied with an honest and pure smile as they came to the clearing and gestured to it.
Harry obediently stepped into the clearing and came to a halt, before chuckling a little. In front of her, was the Thestral herd responsible for pulling the carriages. The Thestrals noticed them come in and whinnied to them in greeting.
"You are possibly one of the bravest people I will ever know," Loreley told her in a soft voice. "You showed compassion to a man who'd have you dead. You wanted to show him mercy, love even. Though he would never do that for you, you didn't need to think about it twice."
"No one is born evil," Harry replied. "Dumbledore manipulated us for his own gains. Voldemort was a monster of his making, and I was nothing more than a soldier. All because of some damn prophecy-"
"It was fake."
A penny could have been heard falling. It was almost as though the rest of Harry's world shattered.
"What?" Harry breathed out weakly.
Loreley reached into her pocket and fed the Thestral nearest to her a carrot. "The prophecy was a fake. It was tampered with. In fact, it had already been fulfilled. Riddle had no reason to target your parents, or you. Dumbledore did not want to admit it."
Harry's hands curled into fists. Her hair began snapping with electricity. The hate and anger built up inside of her, and Harry's peridot eyes bled bright silver. The Thestrals whinnied in anxiety and began flapping their bat wings in fear, but Harry did not pay them any mind. She raised her wand hand and a bolt of silver lightning flew forth and struck the nearest oak tree.
Upon impact, the tree turned bright silver momentarily before turning as black as obsidian. The tree's leaves in an instant plummeted to the ground, looking ashen grey and crumbling into dust when a Thestral so much as blew on them. The branches of the tree twisted and became quite gnarled. Harry looked upon the specimen in horror, but Loreley chuckled.
"Your powers are volatile, Mistress of Death," Loreley commented, "but powerful. You should take Thanatos' offer of training more seriously."
Harry scoffed warily. "How much do you know about me?"
"Enough," Loreley replied cryptically. "I don't see everything about you. Only the most important details. Including your purpose here."
Harry chuckled coolly. "And look where I am now! Nowhere near my goal," she seethed bitterly.
"On the contrary, you are more than on your way," Loreley argued simply. "Riddle has never felt regret for anything in his life, as you fully well know. But I have seen enough to know he does regret what he has done to you, more and more with each passing day."
"I am still angry at him."
"And you have every right to be." Loreley came over and embraced Harry in the same warm, mystical hug that Luna used to give. "Just know, you are on the way to succeed in not only saving Riddle, but us all. Chosen One."
Harry barked with laughter at her old epithet. Merlin, she really hated the Moirai sometimes.
"Just promise me something," Loreley stated solemnly.
Harry looked quite taken aback. "Anything."
"No matter how much you hate him right now, take Dumbledore's offer."
Harry frowned deeply but nodded solemnly. Now that her suspicions were more than confirmed, there was very little Harry would not do for Loreley. "I will," she vowed.
Loreley gave a curt nod, looking quite forlorn. "It will be all right in the end. Trust me."
Harry laughed shortly and she petted the snout of a young Thestral. "I think it is safe to say you are one of the few people I can trust. But I can't help being sceptical."
"Comes with being betrayed so many times," Loreley pointed out sagely. "I understand. Keep trusting your instincts, Harry. Thanatos is right; you have some of the sharpest ones in existence."
"Has anyone ever told you that you can be pretty scary sometimes?" Harry asked, paling.
"Once or twice," Loreley grinned.
Loreley and Harry spent the rest of the time riding on Thestrals and talking about everything under the sun. Apparently Loreley had been the one to see her young cousin die of Dragon Pox, which was the reason she could see the Thestrals and Abraxas couldn't. Harry also learnt that Loreley had a passion for breeding and racing Abraxans. In turn, Loreley acted as a confessor for Harry as for the first time in aeons, Harry could talk about her own time without fear of being locked away. Like Luna, Loreley knew exactly when to ask questions and what questions to ask.
A bucket load of stress had been relieved off Harry's shoulders by the time she and Loreley were forced to go to Charms. When they approached the classroom, they saw Orion pacing nervously, clearly waiting for them. Loreley and Harry giggled at Orion's trepidation and laughed heartily when he exhaled in relief when he saw them both in good spirits. Though they tried to mask it, Harry had caught Riddle, Nott, Lestrange and Avery watching them with downcast looks.
"So you went Thestral riding," Orion turned a nasty shade of grey. Indeed, Professor Binns looked healthier. "That is one way of getting rid of stress."
"I used to go Thestral riding with my friend Luna," Harry told him truthfully. "Plus no one can truly stay stressed after a ride in the Scottish highlands. Or flying. There truly is nothing that can beat it."
Charms flew by quite quickly. Harry went to Quidditch practise feeling a whole lot better than she had been in days. Artemis, Loreley and Orion accompanied her down to the pitch and took their usual places in the stands. Harry, though she tried to keep her high spirits, could not help but feel a little anxious about going to practise.
Avery was captain, and was one of Riddle's sycophants. He was also possibly the one behind her booting from the Slytherin echelons. Harry still had no idea who could have eavesdropped on her and her dorm mates, but she suspected whoever it was, knew Oizys Avery and told the spiteful little cow what they heard.
To Harry's surprise, practise went off without a hitch. She had only a few close calls with the Bludgers, but it didn't stop her from catching the Snitch under fifteen minutes each time. Her personal record was ten minutes, which made Harry smile to herself. Even War gave her thumbs up for that one.
However, it was at the end of practise where everything went down-hill. Lament had been sulking the entire time Harry had been in the air, and had tried to stir up trouble when she and War were just chatting at the side of the pitch to let the reserves have their turn. War had worn a sneer and Harry had merely rolled her eyes at his petulance.
When Avery called Lament and Harry together, she had expected the captain of the team to reprimand the sore loser. What Avery ended up doing, was kicking her from the main team.
Even War's jaw dropped to the ground when hearing this. Harry's eyes flashed dangerously. "You cannot be serious!"
Lament had a shit-eating grin on his face. "So you have finally seen sense, Avery!"
"Avery, this is a load of Squid vomit. Lament is not nearly as efficient as Evans is!" War shouted. "She is twice as fast and has the ability to somehow sense what the damn things are going to do! You've gone barmy."
Avery gave her a pointed look, before turning to Harry. "I think I was rash in my decision. Lament is a skilled Seeker and has been part of the team for years. Plus, there is a thing called beginner's luck-"
"Beginner?" Harry scoffed, laughing coldly. "I have been flying for years! Are you dissatisfied with my performance? My catching rate not quick enough for you?"
Avery had the nerve to look surprised. "Of course not, Harry. You catch the Snitch quicker-"
"Then why in Avalon can't she play?" War exploded.
"War, this does not concern you," Avery snapped. He turned to Harry with a slightly softened expression. "I am sorry, Harry, but what I did was hardly fair on Lament."
"Since when do you care about fairness?" Harry sneered.
Avery's eyes turned cold. "Careful. Remember to whom you are speaking to."
"Oh I remember," Harry reassured him in a dangerously quiet voice. Avery saw something in her eyes that made him pale slightly, "and I don't forget."
Avery took a few steps back from her, swallowing. "Reserve practise is over. You may leave."
"Oh I will leave," Harry reassured. "But if you think I will simply sit on a bench and look pretty, you have another thing coming."
Harry strode out the exit of the training grounds with Artemis, Orion and Loreley on her heels. Artemis had apparently been set to jump Avery but had been restrained by Orion and Loreley and silenced with at least three charms. Loreley looked deceptively calm, but there was a sadness in her eyes that made Harry wonder if Loreley knew exactly what would happen.
Looking back, she most likely did.
Harry decided to try and take her mind off everything by heading to the Room of Requirement with her assignment. Loreley and Artemis went to take a shower in preparation for dinner while Orion and Harry headed towards the Slytherin common room to also shower. It was on the way that another of Loreley's predictions came to fruition.
"Ah! How fortuitous! Miss Evans and Mr. Black, could you spare me a moment of your time?"
Harry and Orion came to a halt and saw Dumbledore coming towards them, a jovial smile on his face and that damn twinkle in his eyes. Today, Dumbledore wore a robe embroidered with magnolias and wore a pointed hat with wave patterns. When he saw the downtrodden expressions on Harry and Orion's face, his smile disappeared in an instant.
"Forgive me. Have I caught the two of you at a bad time?"
Orion swallowed and looked to Harry, as though asking her permission. Harry gave a subtle nod. Orion turned back to the eccentric Transfigurations teacher. "It's Avery, sir. He booted Harry off the team for no good reason."
"Oh dear," Dumbledore looked genuinely saddened by this. "I am sorry to hear that. Why don't the two of you come and have a cup of tea with me, and tell me what happened?"
Take Dumbledore's offer, Loreley's words rang in Harry's head as clearly as peals of bells.
"Thank you sir," Harry smiled gratefully. "We'd love to."
Dumbledore's twinkle returned a jot. "Good."
Dumbledore's office was a smaller version of his eccentric office as Headmaster. The odd instruments, the knitted patterns and the mismatched décor was still very much prevalent. Orion was utterly uncomfortable in this setting, but Harry could not help but be warmed by it. It was a slice of home, a taste of normalcy. Though, amazingly enough, no Fawkes present.
Dumbledore took three beautiful porcelain tea cups and began pouring the lavender tea. "So, Mr. Avery has decided to remove you from the Slytherin team. Mr. Black said there was no reason for it?"
"Oh, there is reason for it," Harry scoffed. "But one that is so petty that I can't believe he did not take the high ground."
"Oh?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.
Harry gingerly shrugged her shoulders. "There has been a disagreement within the House. That is all I will say on the matter, sir." Harry swallowed. "I don't know, but somehow I expected more from Malum Avery."
"I did too," Orion piped up as he carefully sipped his tea, as though checking for poison. "But at the same time I am not surprised. No one has ever dared to argue with Tom Riddle, except Harry."
Dumbledore cocked his head curiously. "Indeed? You and Mr. Riddle butt heads often?"
Harry scoffed. "Not exactly. We have a difference of opinion but he has never held that against me. In fact, he found it, I don't know, entertaining?"
"Somehow!" Orion chuckled. "He is usually rather … threatened by a difference of opinion," he finished carefully. "But with Harry, he actually loved to enter in debates. He even willingly partnered with Harry during Defence classes, which is something he has never done!"
"So, what reason did Mr. Avery see fit to remove you?" Dumbledore questioned further, eyes not leaving Harry.
"He claims Neil Lament is a better Seeker than Harry, which is utter nonsense," Orion seethed. "He tried to claim unfairness of choice! As if that has ever stopped Avery being unfair in the past."
Dumbledore nodded along as Orion spoke. "I am very sorry, but as Head of Gryffindor House there is little I can do. Does Horace know?"
"I do not intend to tell Professor Slughorn," Harry admitted. "I have no wish to cause further trouble."
"I see," Dumbledore mused, setting his tea cup down. "Well, perhaps it is not as bleak as you might think it is."
Harry and Orion exchanged a dubious look.
"You see," Dumbledore continued, "I was sent by Headmaster Dippet to ask the both of you if you would like to be the commentators for the up and coming Quidditch games. Horace must not have told him you were selected for Seeker, but it seems it is not as problematic as I first thought. In the Headmaster's view, the commentary has been rather stale of late and wanted to try two new people. He asked the Sorting Hat for good candidates and the Hat suggested the two of you!"
Harry and Orion gaped at this.
"I … I am not sure I am suited," Orion stammered. "I am the Heir to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. It would be inappropriate for me to do this. It is beneath my standing! I would never hear the end of it from Father."
But Harry, her eyes were shining in an instant. Loreley, you bloody genius!
"I agree. I would love to!" Harry beamed. "I have always wanted to try it and it would allow me to still kind of be part of it all."
"Of course the up and coming Slytherin and Hufflepuff game will be a trial period-"
"That doesn't matter!" Harry was practically jumping up and down in joy. "I agree."
The twinkle was fully back. "Lovely! I will let Armando know. Thank you, Harry, though I am sorry it is under these circumstances. You are well, otherwise?"
"Yes, thank you, sir," Harry replied with a small smile. "I have gotten in touch with some old family friends who have agreed to take care of me until next year June."
"Really? Good to hear! Let me know if there is anything I can do."
"I will. Thank the Headmaster for me when you next see him."
"I will. Good evening, Miss Evans, Mr. Black."
Harry and Orion left the chaotic office, looking quite giddy and set to scream in excitement. Orion actually did a small dance. "So this is why the commentators had not been announced yet," he squealed. "Oh I cannot wait to see everyone's faces!"
Harry laughed. "It will be gold! You'll keep the secret?"
"Are you kidding me? My lips a firmly sealed!" Orion vowed. He clapped his hands in delight. "This is going to be EPIC!"
"Orion, lips – close them."
"Yes, ma'am."
###############
I don't know about you, but I hope Orion can keep his mouth shut; he's so excitable! If he manages it, the others will not know what will hit them! As for that portrait, sounds eerily familiar doesn't it? Hahahahaha.
Stayed tuned everyone and thank you for reading! Leave comments; I love reading them!
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