CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Though Charms, break and Potions passed with nothing too much untoward happening – other than Slughorn assuring Harry that she was safe at Hogwarts and that Dippet was already onto the source of the leak, and having to hide in the archives to not see people staring at her – Harry's luck was once again about to run out, as it somehow always did.
Defence Against the Dark Arts followed lunch, which only meant one thing. Professor Merrythought was very likely to either put Harry to the test, or pit her once more against Riddle. Harry had managed to hide in her Ancient Runes books during Charms but there was no way in every part of Avalon that she was going to be able to hide from Galathea Merrythought, even if the class wasn't a practical one. Professor McCullagh had done her that courtesy, but Professor Merrythought was not really one for sparing someone's feelings.
As the seventh years took their seats, Harry, as usual, sat with Artemis, Loreley, Orion and Minerva on the side with the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. By this point most of the lions considered the two exiled Slytherins as honorary lions so they completely ignored it. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws didn't blink an eye. The Slytherins, however, glared at the floor like it had done something to offend them. Professor Merrythought, who was not yet used to the new seating arrangement, raised an eyebrow, looked between the Slytherins – notably at Riddle – and then back at Harry and Orion.
Damn, the woman misses nothing, Harry commented to herself, smirking slightly.
"Good afternoon, everyone. I had a lesson planned on Boggarts," Professor Merrythought announced, which caused many in the room to look at each other in absolute panic, "however, given recent events, I thought it prudent to postpone it momentarily and focus instead on Dementors and the Patronus Charm."
Harry tried to ignore the stares that had commenced. Her jaw did clench a little on its own accord. The Defence professor turned her steely gaze on the so-called dark horse of Hogwarts.
"Miss Evans, I am sure that I am not the first, nor the last, to tell you this but that was an impressive display you put on during the Quidditch match," Professor Merrythought twirled her wand between her fingers. "I must say, I have never seen a Patronus in the shape of a magical creature, let alone four at the same time."
Harry made the effort to meet her teacher's gaze unflinchingly and unblinkingly but made no effort to speak, simply preferring to wait if Professor Merrythought would ask any questions.
Professor Merrythought, in turn, studied her closely. "You must have had a very skilled tutor. Who taught you?"
"My uncle Remus," Harry replied curtly.
The Defence teacher frowned. "Tone, Miss Evans."
Harry's own brow furrowed, her gaze still meeting her teacher's. "Forgive me, ma'am. You are putting me under a Dumbledore-style interrogation, so apologies if I am a little hostile."
Professor Merrythought's stern expression softened a midge. "My apologies, Miss Evans. What you did, many Aurors study years to do and yet some can barely manage one corporeal Patronus, let alone four! It is unheard of-"
"I was surprised as you were." Harry decided to go for the truthful route.
Professor Merrythought blinked. So did most of the class. "What?"
Harry sighed, cleared her throat and sat up straight. "I was surprised that I managed to conjure four Patronuses. You see, I was expecting only to see the stag – it refers to my father. His Animagus form was a stag you see, and his nickname amongst his friends was Prongs because of it." Harry knew she was rambling; Orion had robbed off too much on her. "I never conjured the other three, until now."
"Interesting," Professor Merrythought's expression brightened. "Forgive me, Miss Evans, once more for my perhaps intrusive curiosity, but why did your uncle Remus teach you the Patronus?"
Harry chuckled coldly. At least here she could tell the truth as well. "There was an escaped convict on the loose close to our … hiding place. Someone had pulled some strings with the local government and the idiots in charge had decided to post around one hundred Dementors at our borders."
"WHAT?!" Not only Merrythought could contain their thoughts on that. More than half the class could not keep their thoughts to themselves.
Harry decided to keep talking before she decided to chicken out. "Now, that in itself is an issue, one could say. But as it turns out, Dementors … they have a rather nasty effect on me. Kind of found out when I came face to face with one when they were patrolling. I saw a flash of green, heard a woman screaming – and the next thing I know I am on the ground and being fed chocolate. Apparently I had fainted."
Technically all true, Harry congratulated herself.
There was a cold silence. So Harry decided to fill it before it got awkward. "Unfortunately that wasn't the last I saw of them. Us kids we were playing Quidditch – it was raining buckets but none of the adults thought it too dangerous to stop us." Harry swallowed. "Cedric and I both chased the Snitch up into the sky, but after receiving a nasty shock of lightning Ced went back down. I was too stubborn so I didn't. I was chasing the Snitch and the next thing I know, ice was forming on my broom stick and there were around five Dementors flying right in front of my nose."
"Shit," Harry heard Artemis seethe next to her.
"I tried to trick them, out fly them – it was no good," Harry paused. "The next thing I know, I hear the same screaming, see the flash of green – and I am tumbling down through the air. After that, nothing."
"You fell from the sky?!" Avery, to her surprise, exclaimed.
"Apparently what happened was the leader of our little resistance had saved me, sent a Howler to the local authorities and then sent the Dementors away," Harry replied, sounding a little despondent. "My broom was destroyed by an angry tree, so I suppose I got off lightly."
Her poor Nimbus 2000. Harry still mourned the loss of her first broomstick, no matter how much she loved her Firebolt.
Nervous laughter ran around the room. Professor Merrythought, looking appalled, began pacing. "So your uncle Remus decided to train you so you could defend yourself against them."
"Indeed, professor," Harry confirmed.
"I must ask, the screaming, the green light – why-"
"A Dark Lord attacked my family when I was one," Harry informed coolly. "Fitting it was on Samhain too. He became my literal bogeyman!"
Merrythought's eyes widened. "So the green light-"
"Killing Curse," Harry confirmed lightly, and almost too flippantly. "Mother had done something to protect me and well, he failed. Miserably. Didn't stop him from repeatedly trying to kill me, though." Harry laughed coldly. "He actually almost managed it a few months ago!"
Once more, a cold silence descended on the class.
"How can you laugh about that?" someone from Hufflepuff asked in a tone barely more than a whisper.
"Because I am used to it by now," Harry replied matter-of-factly. "I have lived in danger my entire life. My mother's family were a threat to me, Dark Lords are a threat to my life and the pesky Fainting Sickness could make me drop at any moment."
"No one should live like that," one of the Gryffindors stated.
"True," Harry agreed.
"A Patronus is conjured through the use of a powerful, happy memory," Professor Merrythought informed the class. She had her eyes on Harry once more. "Miss Evans, if it isn't too personal, what were the memories you selected the first time you succeeded at casting the Patronus?"
Harry smiled nostalgically. "First time I succeeded? I don't know if you want to know that. The memory, it's rather boring."
"I doubt that," Professor Merrythought stated with a genuine smile.
Harry sighed for a moment and closed her eyes. "A quiet evening, my parents were sitting there on the sofa, I was curled up in an armchair with a book. Believe it or not, we were just talking. About everything and nothing. It was complete normalcy. No war, no Dark Lord – just a quiet evening."
"I do not see anything remotely boring," Professor Merrythought assured her gently. "Did you pick that same memory again yesterday?"
Harry found her smile only grow, and she shook her head. "No, ma'am."
Professor Merrythought looked surprised. "Your happiest memory changed?"
"Yes, ma'am," Harry found herself chuckling. The memory was real, but now it needed slight tweaking. "A group of us had managed to take a rare break and take a trip to Switzerland. Getting permission had been a hassle but worth it. Especially for Uncle Remus." Harry laughed. "My uncle, he was chocolate mad. The adults spent half the time trying to drag him away from chocolatiers to go to other shops as well. They failed miserably when we came to the largest one in both the Muggle and Magical market place. It took Uncle Sirius, Molly, Arthur, Tonks and Kingsley to drag Remus out of it! Hermione, Ron, Ron's siblings and I just looked at each other and watched these adults act like children." Harry laughed even more. "Eventually we bought Uncle Remus a good sized chocolate wolf and he calmed down."
"Do you know if … they are OK?" someone dared to ask.
Harry's eyes darkened. "Uncle Remus and Tonks, his wife, are dead. Died in battle a few months ago. Uncle Sirius, my godfather, died two years ago. Killed by his own cousin. Molly, Arthur and Kingsley were alive the last I saw of them. Including my friends. Don't know if that is still the case."
"Morgana's ill-fitted corset! Fate doesn't give you a break, does she?" Octavius Weasley exploded.
Harry fought away the tears and shrugged. "Used to it. I am more concerned about my friends. I tried to train them up in a secret club I set up when we were fifteen – Patronus included."
"You taught your friends the Patronus Charm?" Artemis looked ecstatic.
"Yes. Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Luna all managed to get corporeals in one lesson," Harry looked rather proud at that. "Hermione's is an otter, Ron's a Jack Russel, Ginny's is a horse and Luna's is a hare. Seamus managed to get it too, his is a fox. The rest managed to get shields at least."
"You must be a decent tutor!" Orion was practically bouncing.
Harry huffed. "Decent enough. I hoped to be an Auror, a teacher or a mind healer."
"Mind healer? Interesting," Professor Merrythought stated once more. "Not really a profession many take seriously at present."
"Many still don't take us witches seriously," Harry shot back.
Professor Merrythought actually laughed. "Miss Evans, do not ever hold your tongue, for all our sakes! Merlin, girl!" The Defence professor composed herself again. "Since you have experience with the charm and teaching it, how about some extra credit?"
Harry perked up slightly at that prospect. "Oh?"
A look of mischief glinted in the eyes of this stern Irish witch. "How about you take over the class and teach them?"
Harry had to do a double-take as excited whispers ran around the room. "What?! Forgive me, but did I hear you correctly? You cannot be serious, ma'am!"
"You heard me perfectly, Miss Evans. I assure you, I am quite serious about this offer," Professor Merrythought stated, leaning against her desk. "It is clear that you have more experience than I on this subject, and I am not ashamed to admit that. So, what do you say?"
Harry felt eyes on her again, but this time most of them looked hopeful rather than awed or sad or suspicious. She felt Orion vibrating behind her with excitement and anticipation, as always. Her eyes darted momentarily to look at the Slytherins. Druella and Walburga were practically praying for her to agree, Nott was sitting on the edge of his seat for her answer, Heron Lestrange looked strangely anxious for her answer and Avery was practically bouncing in his seat. Even Riddle looked like he was waiting for her answer with bated breath.
Harry took a deep, fortifying breath and stood up from her seat, straightening her blazer and tartan skirt. "Oh, what the hell? Why not?"
Exuberant chatter quite quickly ran around the room.
Harry walked up to the front of the class and looked at the boxes Professor Merrythought had brought into the room and frowned. She pointed towards them as she turned to one of her favourite teachers. "Ma'am, what are those?"
"They were meant for today's lesson before I changed my mind. They contain Boggarts," Professor Merrythought informed. She furrowed her brow and titled her head to one side in curiosity. "Why do you ask?"
Harry looked like she was internally debating something and then looked at Merrythought with such a serious glance, the Defence teacher was slightly taken aback. "Do I have your permission to teach the class the way I was taught?"
An elegant eyebrow went up. "Oh and how were you taught?"
Harry also raised her eyebrow. "With a Boggart."
The Defence professor looked like she was about to admonish Harry when suddenly the colour drained slightly from her cheeks when it clicked why Harry used Boggarts as practise for the Patronus Charm. In a daze, Professor Merrythought gave a gesture into the affirmative for Harry to use the Boggarts. Harry dragged the boxes to the front of the class and promptly used a non-verbal unlocking spell to open them.
To the horror of everyone present, no sooner had the boxes been unlocked did two nasty Dementor-Boggarts drifted out eagerly, looking at Harry rather hungrily. Not flinching for a moment, Harry drew her wand. "Expecto Patronum!"
This time, only Padfoot and Prongs sprung forth from the silver mist and tackled both Boggart-Dementors to the ground, Padfoot growling and barking, pushing his fake Dementor into a corner where it began to cower. As for Prongs, he used his antlers to pin his fake Dementor to the ground.
Harry turned around to face the shellshocked class. "Dementors – as you probably have guessed by now – are the thing I fear the most. Uncle Remus used this tactic in order to give me some proper training without using the real thing. Hence, since the Patronus needs something to protect you from, they will also be my unpleasant teaching assistants."
"Are you mad?" Dolohov demanded once he had regained the ability to speak, shaking his head in disbelief. "We could get our souls sucked out!"
Harry tried not to laugh or roll her eyes, so she simply folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at him. "Incorrect, Mr. Dolohov. These Boggarts do not have half the power that the real thing does. They do not have the capability of sucking your souls, simply because they take the form of the Dementor. If you fail against these two, the worst thing that can happen to you is that you faint and will need a lot of chocolate afterwards. These two are nowhere near as bad as the things that attacked the Quidditch match yesterday, though I can say from personal experience that they are quite nasty."
She looked to Professor Merrythought, who nodded for her to continue. "The only way to learn this spell, is via practise and experience. Even if you manage to conjure a shield, that can be enough between having your soul sucked out, or not. First, all of you must pick the happiest memory you can. Close your eyes."
To her surprise, the class followed her instructions immediately. "Concentrate," Harry instructed, looking from side of the room to the other. "Allow the memory to not only dance before your eyes but embed itself in the fibre of your being. Allow it to fill you up." She began pacing a little, watching the class. Some had their faces scrunched up in concentration while others looked way too calm and collected. Such as Riddle, Mulciber and Dolohov. "OK, good. Open your eyes."
All eyes opened and people sat up again. As they did so, Harry conjured a bowl filled with chocolate in preparation and turned back to face her fellow year mates.
"Who would like to go first?" Harry asked the ominous question.
To her surprise, Minerva and Walburga were the quickest to step forth. Harry nodded at them. "I am going to stand in the middle of the two of you to keep the Boggarts in their form. Once you are ready, I will call my Patronuses away from them. Remember, even if you fail the worst that can happen is that you faint, but I will call my Patronuses to intervene hopefully before that happens. Is that clear?"
"Yes," both girls chorused.
"All right," Harry turned around sharply and put her right thumb and index finger in her mouth and gave a loud, sharp whistle. Padfoot and Prongs immediately released the Boggart-Dementors and trotted to stand with Professor Merrythought, who was watching with no certain amount of anticipation. As soon as they were released, the creepy, cloaked beings floated up into the air and turned their attention back on Harry, barely focusing on the two people next to her.
Minerva and Walburga, steeling their nerves, both raised their wands as the creatures approached, their ominous cloaks billowing in a non-existent wind. "Expecto Patronum!" they called almost at the exact same time.
From Minerva's wand came a silver disk that stopped the left Boggart-Dementor from moving an inch further as it seemed to have caught it in mid-air. Walburga had conjured a stream of misty silver that collided with the face of the right hand Boggart-Dementor, causing it to – what sounded like – cough and splutter irritation. While the Boggarts were paralysed and distracted, Harry whistled again. In an instant, Padfoot and Prongs moved from their places and regained control of their eerie charges. Harry turned to her friends.
"Not bad!" Harry praised, grinning. "Minerva, that was a really good method of catching the Dementor but it would have petered out quickly, leaving you very vulnerable. Walburga, causing a nuisance for them may slow them down but that isn't going to save you." She sighed. "Out of curiosity, what memories did you pick?"
"Playing bagpipes with my father early in the morning when my mother and brothers are still sleeping," Minerva answered, looking a little embarrassed.
"Not bad but not ideal either," Harry stated. "Your father and the bagpipes; try and find something similar but more powerful." She turned to her dorm mate. "Walburga?"
"Sword fighting with my brother Alphard," Walburga answered, looking slightly ashamed of herself.
"While I get that spending time with siblings can result in some happy memories, this particular one is not nearly good enough," Harry admonished gently.
"I … don't have many happy memories," Walburga admitted quietly.
Harry's expression softened. Cautiously, she put a hand on Walburga's shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze. "It's OK. Take a break. Maybe think a bit. It's OK."
Walburga nodded and resumed her seat. Minerva tried again against her Boggart-Dementor with a different memory she wanted to try. This time, she managed to conjure not only a silver shield, but Harry saw a sliver of the beautiful silver cat Patronus she remembered McGonagall conjuring during the Battle of Hogwarts.
Up next were Artemis and Orion, both of whom had been itching to try it following Minerva and Walburga's decent performances. Much to her own disappointment, Artemis barely got a whisp on her first try and Padfoot was forced to intervene to avoid Artemis fainting. On her second try Artemis did manage to shoot the Boggart in where, theoretically, the eyes should be with a stream of silver, much to the amusement of everyone. The Boggart was less amused, though. Unlike Walburga, Artemis tried for a third time. They say three times the charm, and it was true in this case because the third time the Dementor-Boggart came for Artemis, she managed to conjure a spiral of silver from which an eagle emerged to claw the face of Boggart-Dementor. Soon after, Artemis went back to her seat with some chocolate, looking quite pale but Harry was elated that her fellow Potter had persevered and succeeded.
As for Orion, somehow it had taken him only one try to conjure, from a spiral of silver, a beautiful, elegant dolphin Patronus that took great pleasure in slapping the Boggart-Dementor down with its tail and swimming around the room before fizzling out. Harry had to control herself not to jump up and down in excitement.
Several more shields and whisps later from other Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, Harry noted of all the Slytherins, only the girls and outsiders had participated. Well, this simply would not do. Harry harrumphed quietly at this and decided to change that, while perhaps getting a little revenge.
She turned her unbending green eyes onto Riddle and his Knights after Druella and her Hufflepuff partner sat back down with their chocolate, looking rather worse for wear, and rather disappointed at their own performances. Harry played mental eenie-meanie-miney until she decided to settle on one of her least favourites amongst the Knights.
"Dolohov, you next," Harry decided it was time to take the slimy bastard down a peg or two.
Dolohov, who had the audacity to look shocked, looked set to protest but when he saw that Professor Merrythought was not going to intervene, and eyeing him expectantly. She was not going to stop whatever Peverell was planning. He sighed in irritation and got to his feet. Harry then turned to the Knights again, this time picking one of her favourites. "Lestrange, you too."
Heron looked a little surprised, but got to his feet without complaint. Harry noted to herself that every single Knight, except Rosier and Nott, looked absolutely terrified for some reason and something told her that it wasn't the Boggart-Dementors. It almost made her smirk in sadistic pleasure. They were scared of her.
Pushing the thought aside, Harry turned to the two Knights. "I think the both of you know the drill by now. Both of you have a memory prepared?"
"Yes," Lestrange nodded.
Dolohov grunted an affirmative. Harry had a sudden urge to punch him but pushed it aside quickly.
"Good. Begin!"
Harry whistled sharply once more. Padfoot and Prongs released their fake Dementors obediently. Lestrange faced down his Boggart-Dementor and had made a genuine attempt at his Patronus, but only managed to conjure a small shield that was a minor irritant to his foe. Harry had asked Prongs to intervene while she gave Lestrange some advice on the kind of memory to pick for next time. Lestrange nodded along, making mental notes. When Harry flashed a smile at him for his efforts, Lestrange flushed and turned away quite quickly. As for Dolohov, however, he, unsurprisingly, put in barely any effort, so it was not surprising when only whisps came from his wand.
As a result, Dolohov grew more and more agitated, and failed with each try. Eventually, Harry had to get Padfoot to regain control of his fake before Dolohov could be at risk of fainting. Harry gave Lestrange a pointed look; he got the message immediately and sat back down. Harry then turned her attention back onto her least favourite Knight, arms folded and an expectant look in her eyes. "Your memory is not powerful enough, Dolohov. What memory did you choose?"
Dolohov glared at her coldly before answering, "none of your damn business."
Bad move.
"Mr. Dolohov," Professor Merrythought interfered for the first time in the lesson. "You will answer Miss Evans' question."
Dolohov said something rude in Russian under his breath before he turned back to Harry. "My first day at Hogwarts."
Harry blinked. "That's it? Really?"
"Yes," Dolohov gritted out.
Harry felt her blood boil. The arrogant little toerag!
"Haven't you listened to a word I have been saying?" Harry snapped at him. "A memory like that, despite being a happy one, is not powerful enough to deal with the misery and despair that manifests itself as a Dementor! Dementors suck everything that's happy out of you and feed off it – they will eat through that memory quicker than I can hoover up a treacle tart!"
Dolohov had at least the dignity to flinch at that last statement. Harry scoffed and shook her head at him. "It seems that you don't take me seriously enough. It goes one ear in and one ear out with you, doesn't it? Perhaps I need to give you more incentive to actually put your back into it," she snarled rather viciously, even for her own standards. Harry turned her sharp, unbending gaze onto the Knights again, who were looking at her as though they did not recognise her. To an extent, it was true. She was in full angry teacher mode. Harry's peridot orbs fell onto the person who Dolohov had been trying to win over. "Rosier, come here," she ordered.
Arcturus Rosier looked like a deer in the headlights, as did Nott, who paled in an instant. Even Riddle, who had kept stoic for most of the lesson, was now frowning deeply and looking at Harry as though he were trying to figure out what she was thinking. Druella, too, frowned at her dorm mate and friend.
Nonetheless, Rosier got to his feet shakily and approached the front of the class cautiously.
"Miss Evans, what are you planning?" Professor Merrythought asked gently.
"Here is something not many people know: I had to once fight the one hundred Dementors that had been sent away to protect my godfather," Harry informed coldly, still looking at Dolohov. "Someone I love was at risk of harm and it was up to me to protect him. There was no one there to help me. I was what stood between him and certain doom! I had no room for error. No time to doubt." She then gestured to Rosier. "So, let us see if you can actually put some effort into it for someone you claim is a friend! Either you get a better memory, pronto, or Rosier will be in trouble!"
Dolohov stared at her in utter disbelief. "You can't be serious."
"Deadly," Harry answered almost in a growl. The tension in the room suddenly spiked. She whistled and once more, Padfoot and Prongs released the fake Dementors.
The Boggart-Dementors took to the air once more, floating straight to where Harry stood with Rosier. Rosier was as white as snow as the creatures approached and didn't even attempt to keep his composure as Harry heard his breathing quiver in fear. Harry, though, kept her unblinking gaze on Dolohov. Dolohov raised his wand, looking quite terrified. He could barely keep a firm hold of his wand, let alone incant the spell. At this rate, both he and Rosier would be in trouble. When the fakes drew too close, Harry had Padfoot and Prongs intervene, seeing that Dolohov had been rendered utterly useless.
"Hesitation. Not good," she scolded lightly. "It seems not even the prospect of Rosier's life being on the line can convince you to shape up. One more move and the both of you would have been toast!"
"You put us into that situation!" Dolohov snapped, rounding on her. "He wouldn't be in trouble if you-"
Harry started laughing mirthlessly. "I am holding your damn hand! These are bloody training wheels, Mr. Dolohov. Out there, where the Dementors have no sense of forgiveness or care whether you are innocent or guilty, where people fight dirty, you cannot afford to hesitate, cannot afford to fail! You hesitate, you die and anyone who may rely on you, will likely die as well. It is that simple. No ifs and no buts!"
Dolohov scowled at her but said nothing. Rosier was looking at his feet.
Harry scoffed and shook her head at her least favourite Knight. "I think you need to think long and hard about what I have said. Dolohov, sit down." Now it was time to take Rosier down another peg, and Harry knew exactly how to do it. "Nott, come here, please."
Rosier's head snapped up in an instant, eyes wide. Nott too looked like a startled stoat and it took him a second to get out of his seat and head to the front of the classroom. Harry turned to Rosier with a small smile. "Let's see if you can do better."
Rosier's brow furrowed. "Why?" he whispered.
"Nott is – from what I have seen over the few weeks I have been here – the closest thing you have to a brother," Harry stated, causing Rosier to look at her in shock, like he had not expected her to notice that. "There is no doubt to be had that you have affection for him. He is a loved one to you. Memory wise and incentive wise, it's the perfect match."
Rosier clenched his jaw for a moment before nodding a curt affirmative and readied his wand. Harry looked to Nott, who for a moment looked like he was about to burst into tears. For a moment, Harry thought maybe she was going too far. But Rosier needed to get a taste of her fury and vengeance somehow.
Harry took a deep breath, fortifying her own resolve, and whistled sharply.
Prongs and Padfoot sprang back from their charges. The fake Dementors approached Rosier and Nott, heading straight for them and Harry with a little more speed than they had the entire lesson. Unlike Dolohov, Rosier took the threat seriously. He levelled his wand with determination. "Expecto Patronum!"
To everyone's surprise, a giant orca swam out through the air, taking down both the fakes without so much as trying. At that point, before anyone could say or do anything, Professor Merrythought lured the Boggarts back into the boxes and said, "that's enough for today. Miss Evans, well done. Excellent work. Everyone, I am very impressed. Enjoy your lunch. Remember to take your chocolate!"
Harry nonverbally dissipated Padfoot and Prongs, gathered her things and left without so much as a backwards glance, followed closely by Loreley, Orion, Artemis and Minerva, who were practically running in order to keep up with her brisk pace.
"You are terrifying, you know that?" Artemis commented.
"What do you mean?" Harry managed to ask, breathing quite heavily with left over anger.
"What you did with Dolohov and Rosier, and Nott," Artemis clarified. "I keep forgetting the hell you have gone through. It's just … you were very intense."
"I am not sorry for it," Harry replied candidly.
"You don't have to be," Orion reassured. "But I can tell you right now that they will not be happy with you."
Harry laughed shortly. "They already aren't happy with me! This is not going to change a bloody thing, Orion!"
"Perhaps, perhaps not," Minerva stated. "But I have to say, I have never seen Riddle or any of his friends look as scared as you made them feel. They will not forget this."
"They have made me an outsider in my own House," Harry pointed out coldly as they entered the Great Hall and took their seat at the Gryffindor table. The friends started plating their lunch plates. "They stripped me off my dignity. They should have seen some kind of retribution coming."
"You … did it deliberately?" Orion's eyes widened and the marmalade dropped from his spoon onto the table. "You deliberately scared the daylights out of them?"
"Dolohov, Rosier and Nott have been crossed off my list," Harry informed as she put the cream on her scone, and then the jam. "Next are Riddle and Avery."
"Merlin, what are you planning on doing to them?" Artemis looked and sounded between appalled and excited.
"Never judge a book by its cover," Loreley sang whimsically as she munched on her croissant.
Harry smirked. "Indeed, Loreley." She then turned to Orion. "Orion, may I borrow some of your classics and romance novels if you please?"
Orion's face lit up in an instant. Artemis and Minerva looked at each other and thought the exact same thing – uh-oh.
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Well, folks – Harry has well and truly begun her campaign of revenge against Riddle and his Knights. Things are definitely going to get interesting from here so stay tuned!
Orion: It was awesome but terrifying beyond belief!
Yes, it was my friend. See you next chapter, everyone!
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