Hello readers and welcome to my new chapter. So, it's been a while since I've updated… anything, really. Sorry about that, both to those only reading this fic, and those who're reading my other fics. It was difficult to gain the motivation to write these couple of months last year, along with a few other things I had to deal with. Hopefully, with the new year, I'll be able to scrounge up plenty of writing spirit. Before we begin though, there's a couple of questions I like to ask you guys.
Question 1: What do you think Harry's magical specialty should be? Currently, I'm thinking of doing a jack-of-all-trades type of deal, but I like to hear your thoughts. Should it be fire spells? Ice? Dark magic? Wind? Close combat?
Question 2: What should I do differently with each arc? I have several, currently unfinished, ideas in mind as to how I can have Harry be a wrench in the different plotlines of Negima, but again, I would like to hear any ideas you guys have in mind. It can help get the imagination machine running, at the very least.
Final Question: Should Harry use Magia Erebea like Negi and Evangeline? Or should he have a technique of his own that fits him? I'm leaning towards the latter myself, since having him use the same technique isn't exactly original, but so far, I haven't thought of anything yet.
I would appreciate it if you answer these questions in the reviews (Or the PM, if you like). Thanks to the atmosphere that came from 2020, my creative mind went to a near complete halt. Thankfully, it's slowly coming back, and I'm hoping that a variety of ideas can help it come back faster. So with that, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Negima.
Chapter 3: Second Day Teaching: Mixed Results
It was his eighth birthday today. For most kids, it would be a joyous occasion, one of celebration and happiness.
For Harry, it was just another reminder that he was alone. Unwanted.
The now eight year old boy was once again in his small cupboard, his room his 'oh-so loving family' has given him. His uncle, aunt, and cousin had gone on a day long trip, and opted to keep Harry locked in here, since his Miss Figg couldn't babysit him at the time. He was left with two pieces of bread for lunch and dinner, but other than that, nothing else.
It was now evening time, and the young boy spent his time ignoring the grumbling of his stomach. He briefly considered finding a way to break through the lock, just to find something to do or something to eat, but push that thought away. He would rather not gain the wrath of his uncle, again.
Sighing morosely, he wrote happy birthday on the dust covered ceiling above him. Whether it's due to boredom or dejection, he's not sure. Probably both.
"Make a wish, Harry…" The boy muttered to himself, before softly blowing on the ceiling above him. His wish… is to one day leave this place. To escape his relatives. To possibly… find a family that does care for him.
But he knew that was a pipe dream. His parents are dead, and his remaining family hates him. There's no one that can care for him, and there's no way he can escape from his relatives.
Suddenly, he heard the front door open and the sound of footsteps, causing Harry to jolt from his makeshift bed. Was that Uncle Vernon? Aunt Petunia? He thought they wouldn't be back for another couple of hours. But if they were back, why is he hearing one set of footsteps rather than three?
The footsteps then stopped in front of his cupboard and in the next moment, the rustling of the lock was heard. The sound caused Harry to tense up, subconsciously thinking that he was gonna get dragged out and punished for doing something freaky once again.
However, when the lock was unlocked, and the door was opened, he wasn't greeted by the giant man that was his uncle. Instead… it was a cloaked man, one who is much thinner than his uncle, who had a hood covering his eyes, and a large staff in his hand.
"Is that you Harry?" The man first said to him. "My, my, you look much smaller than I imagined. And those clothes; ghastly looking, and much too big for you."
The young boy didn't say anything back. He was too surprised to do so, as well as slightly fearful. Who is this man? How does know him? How did he get in here? Did his relatives give him the key or something? Is this man friends with them?
"Ah. I guess I should introduce myself, should I?" The man said in realization, letting out a sheepish chuckle. "I'm Nagi Springfrield. I was a friend of your parents."
"My… parents?" Harry repeated, frowning.
"Yes." The man, Nagi, nodded. "And I'm here to get you out of here." He then held out his free hand for the boy the grab.
For a moment, Harry could only stare at the man in a variety of emotions. Confusion, suspicion, and slight fear were chief among them; but among those feelings, there was… hope.
Is this real? Is this his chance for him to escape? But why? Why is this man choosing to free him of this life? Why now, of all times? And was this really a true offer? Or was this some sick trick created by his relatives?
Should he take it? Can he take it? If he does… will this be a start of a better life?
"I'm sure there's a lot of questions in that little head." The man spoke up once again. "And I'll answer them the best I can once we get out of here. But we don't have a lot of time. So please, take my hand Harry."
There were definitely a lot of questions Harry wanted to ask. But seeing this first offer of salvation, and not wanting it to slip from his grasp… he grabbed the hand of Nagi Springfield.
And thus, his life changed dramatically. For the best… and the worst.
Slowly, Harry felt himself waking up from his dream. Soon as his eyes were open, he was met with an unfamiliar ceiling.
For a moment, he was confused as to where he was at and was tense. But as his memories came back to me, he relaxed. 'Right. I'm at Mahora Academy, and became a teacher, alongside Negi Springfield. This is the room headmaster Konoe assigned me to.'
Letting out a yawn, the teen mage jumped out of the makeshift hammock that was his cloak. As he gathered his cloak, his eyes drifted to the bunk-bed that one side of his cloak was tied on. 'Looks like the girls are still sleeping.' Harry mused to himself, before drifting towards the clock. 'No surprise though. It's not even five o'clock yet.'
Once he gathered his cloak, and changed into his black suit, decided to head outside for a bit. 'It's been a day since we've come to Japan. So she should be finished exploring by now.'
Minutes later, he was outside the girls' dormitory, his eyes focused on the sky. 'She should be coming here right about…' He then spotted a small figure flying right towards him. 'Now.'
As it got closer, the small figure revealed itself to be a snowy, white owl. As it got closer, Harry held up his arm, and moments later, the owl landed on his arm. "Good morning, Hedwig. Good to see you."
"Good to see you two, Harry." The owl, now known as Hedwig, chirped, butting her head right under Harry's chin affectionately. The mage smiled in response, petting the bird's feathers.
"How was your trip around Japan? Did you manage to get a good look?" Harry inquired.
"I have, indeed." Hedwig confirmed with a bob of her head. "Such a colorful country, from the major cities to the forest mountains. All of it has such a unique beauty compared to England."
"Sounds like you've became a fan." Harry noted, a small smirk on his face. "And a quick one at that."
"You would be too if you went around the country!" Hedwig argued heatedly, her wings flapping. "I bet if you looked in just a few of these cities, you would be enthralled!"
"Okay, okay girl. No need to be so testy." Harry said, holding his free hand out in an appeasing jester. Still, he couldn't help but chuckle a bit, getting a huff from the owl.
Hedwig; Harry's familiar, companion, and one of his very first friends. Right after he escaped from the Dursleys, Nagi gave him the snowy white owl as a gift. The redheaded mage wanted a friend by side, someone that could be trusted, seeing that he wasn't gonna stay long. So, he found Hedwig and had her stay by Harry's side.
From that day on, they became inseparable, the owl sticking by the mage's side through thick and thin.
"So this is where you live now?" Hedwig inquired, her eyes on the dormitory behind him.
"Yep. The headmaster is letting bunk with two of my students, since he couldn't find a place for me and Negi to stay." Harry explained. "Though I don't know why he trusts me to room with a bunch of teenage girls."
"Perhaps someone from England put in a good word for you?" Hedwig suggested.
The mage hummed at the idea. "Maybe." He said in response. "Though I doubt-"
He was interrupted by a sharp, ear-piercing shriek from the building. The scream caused Harry to stumble a little, startled, while Hedwig squawked in surprise, instinctively jumping off of her owner.
"What the- Was that Asuna?" Harry questioned, quickly recognizing the scream.
"A student of yours?" Hedwig inquired, settling back onto Harry's shoulder.
"Yeah, one of my more temperamental students." The mage answered, looking at the dormitory with slight concern. Should he be worried about that scream? He didn't hear anything else that warrants more concern, but…
Suddenly, something burst through the dormitory's entrance, and sprinted right past Harry and Hedwig, prompting a cry and a squawk respectively. The two watched as the instinctively orange-head figure ran ahead of them.
"...I'll ask Konoka when I get the chance." Harry decided, a blank look on his face. For now, he's gonna go back upstairs and get ready.
"Do you mind if I look around Mahora for today?" Hedwig inquired, causing the teen to turn to his owl. "I promise to come back later tonight, but I would really like to explore our new home in its entirety."
Harry shrugged. "I don't mind. Just make sure you don't get to any trouble, okay?"
"Like you should talk." Hedwig retorted.
"Hey, I don't go actively looking for trouble!"
"My points still stand." With a final huff, the snowy white owl then flew off. After watching her fly into the sky, Harry turned and walked back into the dormitory.
Once he got back to his room, he decided to make breakfast. So he went to the kitchen, looked through the pantry and fridge before grabbing what he needed.
As he started cooking, he heard a cute sounding yawn from behind, as well as the source of said yawn getting out of bed. "Harry-sensei?"
Harry turned his head towards the girl, giving a small smile. "Good morning, Makie. Guess the smell woke you up." He greeted her before focusing on the food. "Hope you don't mind a western style breakfast. Decided to do something familiar before getting into japanese cooking."
The pinkette sported a curious look as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "You can cook?"
"I say I'm decent at it." He said modestly, shrugging. "Learn how to when I was a kid, so I'm fairly experienced." As he finished up the eggs, he continued speaking. "You can sleep a little more if you want. I'll wake you up when it's time to get ready."
"No, I'm okay…" Rising up from her bed, the young girl stretched a little before continuing speaking. "I usually get up around this time anyway, for practice or just to jog, so I'm good."
"If you say so." Harry replied back. He then noticed his other roommate awake and getting up. "Morning, Ako."
"M-Morning, sensei." Ako greeted back, turning away shyly as she sat up in her bed.
As he turned back towards the food, his thoughts drifted to the two girls behind him. So far, he likes his new roommates and students. Makie is a ball of sunshine, and was very welcoming towards him; Ako, meanwhile, is much more reserved than her pink haired roommate, but is still very kind and friendly. Neither took him staying with them extremely bad, and accepted it surprisingly well (Though they were surprised at first, having expected a new student rather than their new teacher).
Hopefully, Negi's first night with Konoka and Asuna was just as good.
(Later)
"So Asuna screamed because Negi was in her bed?" Harry summarized as he ran with Konoka, Asuna, and Negi. After finishing up breakfast with Makie and Ako, he waited for his fellow mage-teacher and his roommates so he could inquire as to what the scream was about. Now here they are, running to the school so they wouldn't be late. "Isn't that overreacting a bit?"
"No it wasn't!" Asuna retorted fiercely. "He shouldn't be crawling into my bed! And because of that, I was late for my job!"
"But it wasn't my fault!" Negi protested from behind. "I told you, I'm used to sleeping with my sister, so I ended up thinking she was you!"
"Besides, aren't you the one who overslept in the first place?" Harry added. "Unless you're willing to admit that Negi is a very comfortable pillow, or huggable teddy bear, I don't think your accusation can hold up."
"I… you… shut up!"
"Is that gonna be your retort every time I win an argument?"
"Argh!" The orangette was very tempted to use the threat of revealing magic to get Harry to shut up. But she still remembers his very clear threat yesterday, and she rather not test his patience with her, more than she already had.
Konoka giggled from behind the three as she skated across the road. "You three sure do get along well."
"How is this getting along well…?" Harry replied with a small sweatdrop.
As the four continued running down the road, Negi got right behind Asuna. "So, um, Asuna-san…" He spoke up quietly, getting the girl's attention. "About the love potion we discussed yesterday… do you want me to make it? I'm serious when I say I can make one in four months…"
Asuna blinked a few times at that. "Eh…" Memories of her dream came up, prompting a blush to spread across her cheeks. "Wh-What are you talking about, you brat?! Didn't Harry say that stuff is illegal?"
"Yes, I did say that." Harry spoke up, giving Negi a flat stare. "And when exactly did you bring this up? And why?"
Negi ducked his head down embarrassingly at the blank look from his idol. "U-Um, yesterday, when Asuna and I ran out of the party. I just wanted to do something to make up for what I did to her, and…"
That broughted a sigh from the girl. "Did you say a little bit of courage is the real magic?" She reminded him of what he told her yesterday. "Keep the potion. I'll figure out something myself."
Negi's eyes widened in amazement at her words, while a small smile entered Harry's lip. 'Glad to hear Asuna is mature enough not to use stuff like love potions.' The older mage thought to himself.
Once they got to the entrance, the teachers and students went their separate ways to get to their lockers. "Asuna-san really is incredible, isn't she?" Negi asked softly.
"She has her moments." Harry replied with a shrug.
"I've got to do my best too!" Negi said in determination. "I'm gonna do my best to train as a teacher, and become a great magister magi like my father!"
"I have no doubt that you'll succeed." The older mage stated as he grabbed his school shoes in his locker. "And like I told you before, I'm gonna be with you every step of the way."
"Thank you… nnnnnn… Harry-san…" The child teacher groaned as he tried to reach for his locker. "Can't reach…"
That earned another sweatdrop from Harry. Did someone not pay any attention when they assigned Negi a high-reaching locker? Before he could help the kid, someone beated him to that.
That someone was none other than Ayaka. "Good morning, Negi-sensei." Ayaka said lovingly. "Allow me to lead you to our classroom."
"Ah. T-Thank you, iincho-san."
"My name is Yukihiro Ayaka." The class president told him. She began leading him to the classroom, with Harry following behind. "Did you sleep well, tonight?"
As the student and teacher conversed, Harry gave Ayaka a blank look. 'Yeaaaaah, I better not leave the two alone with each other.' While he isn't sure if she'll do anything, it's better safe than sorry.
Turning his eyes forward, he noticed a certain blue haired student peeking from the door, staring right at them. Or more specifically, Negi. '...Yep, definitely a bit of hero-worship there.'
"Good morning, Miyazaki-san." Negi greeted the girl, causing Nodoka to jolt a bit.
"Good… good morning." She greeted back, before retreating back into the classroom. The teachers and Ayaka followed right after, with the blonde student catching the eraser that was about to hit Negi.
Once everyone was in their seats, Nodoka spoke up. "S-Stand…" The class all stood up. "Pay attention."
"Ah…" Negi said with slight surprise, not expecting this. "T-Thank you…"
"Bow!" When everyone bowed, they all said in unison, "Good morning!"
"Good morning…" Negi greeted back, as Harry took a seat beside the redhead's desk. "Take your seats!"
As Negi began the lesson, Harry took out a black spell-book and started reading. There's not much he can do at the moment, so he might as well study a few spells while his fellow teacher taught the class. He still kept an eye and ear out, in need to assist Negi with the class, or intervene on something.
Sure enough, he was right to do so; right when Negi picked Asuna for translation, the girl exploded. "Why are you picking on me all of a sudden?!" She exclaimed angrily.
"Eh?" Clearly, Negi was taken aback by this. "But I…"
"Usually, you go by row or date!" The girl stated.
"But, Asuna-san, aren't you in the 'A' row?"
"That's by name!"
"Please, calm down, it's just a translation…"
"YOU'RE RUINING MY LIFE!"
"Asuna!" The orangette flinched at the sharp call of her name, and turned to see Harry giving a glare just as sharp. "If you can't translate the next part, just say it. Don't throw another tantrum, nor tell us how to do our job. Understand? Or would rather explain to Takahata-sensei personally why you're at detention?"
That threat got Asuna to turn white and get quiet. She then silently sat down, not wanting to prompt Harry any further. "Good." The teen teacher nodded, ignoring the stares he's getting from the other students and his fellow teacher. "Now, can you translate the poem or not?"
"I-I can translate the stupid poem." Not wanting to admit that she can't, she got up once more and began reading her textbook. However, as she further read into the material, it's clear that she could only understand a few of the words.
'...Is english really that hard for the japanese folk?' Harry couldn't help but wonder. 'Or is she really THAT dumb?'
Apparently, Negi was wondering the same thing. Because the next thing the teen mage knew, the boy asked, "You're pretty bad at english, aren't you Asuna-san?"
'Oh boy…' Was Harry's next thought. Seeing the orangette blushing, and the other girls giggling, he knew that this could get ugly, fast.
So, deciding to intervene for the younger teacher, Harry spoke up. "I don't see why most of you are laughing." He said blankly, getting the attention of him. "I've been told that most of you have below average grades, with four of you lining up with Asuna at having the lowest grades; this class as a whole is last in the school."
That gains sheepish looks and blushes from many of the girls. "Well, yeah, but out of everyone, Asuna has the lowest grades here." One of the girls spoke up. "Not only is she bad at english, but also in math."
"And japanese…"
"Economics and civics too…"
"In other words, she's an idiot!" Ayaka stated, as Asuna's face got redder and redder. "The only thing she's really good at is P.E. You have to admit sensei, even for this class, it's remarkable."
At that point, Asuna exploded and grabbed Negi by the collar, causing the boy to cry out in panic. "Y-You, brat! You are totally gonna get it!"
Letting out a sigh, the teen mage got up, walked over, and grabbed Asuna by the arm. "Asuna, no manhandling the teacher." Harry stated, facing Asuna's glare with a firm stare. "I get that you're embarrassed, but…"
"Ha… Ha…"
"Hmm?" Catching that noise, both the hot-tempered student and sixteen year old teacher turned towards the boy in front of them…
"ACHOO!" And was met with a magic wind-powered sneeze.
"Kyaaaaahhh!" That sneeze caused both their clothes to be torn to shreds, leaving Asuna and Harry with merely their underwear on.
Silence then entered the classroom, with all eyes on both Asuna and Harry. Many of the girls couldn't help but blush madly at the teen boy's lean yet chiselled physique, a few even licking their lips; others took notice of the few scars that were on his body.
And the boy himself had a flat look on his face, while Asuna felt her head steaming in embarrassment. "Negi…" Harry said slowly, looking at the scared boy. "You owe me a new suit."
"KY AAAAAAHHHH!" Asuna screamed once more, dropping on her knees and covering herself. "NOT AGAIN!"
(After Class)
"I'm sorry; I'm sorry; I'm so very sorry!"
"For the tenth time, Negi, it's fine." Harry replied back, not sure whether to chuckle or sigh. The two were back at the fountain, with Harry sitting on the stairs (With his spare suit on) while Negi was repeatedly bowing in front of him. Ever since that sneeze incident, the boy has been apologizing every chance he gets. Harry had been telling that it's fine (Though he still owes him a suit), with little results.
"You didn't do it on purpose, so I'm not mad." Harry told him reassuringly. "Still, next time, don't point out how bad a student is doing on a subject. Especially if that student is a hot-tempered one named Asuna."
The nine year old flinch at that, realizing his mistake there. "I really did something horrible to you and Asuna…"
"Just apologize to her when she cools down enough." The Boy-Who-Lived advised. "And just one apology; no need to do twenty."
"O-Okay…" Sitting down beside Harry, a look of shame was still across Negi's face. "Do you think she'll forgive me?"
"I don't think she's the type to hold a grudge." Harry mused, tapping his chin in thought. "If she was, then she wouldn't have let you be in her room thanks to the… incident yesterday. So I'm sure she'll accept it."
The redhead didn't look that convinced. Before he could say anything, however, another voice popped in. "H-Harry-sensei…"
The two teachers looked up, to see a blushing and fidgeting Misora in front of them. The girl looked like she was trying to look Harry in the eye, but when she does, her head ducks down in embarrassment.
Considering that he was in underwear in front of the class hours ago, the Boy-Who-Lived wasn't surprised. "Hello Misora," He greeted back, giving her a disarming smile. "You're ready for our talk?"
"Y-Yep!" Misora nodded, trying to push down her embarrassment. "Can we do this somewhere else? I don't want to risk anybody overhearing this."
At that, Harry shrugged. "I'm fine with that." Getting up, the teen turned towards Negi. "Mind if I go talk with one of our students?"
"N-No, I'm fine with that." Negi shook his head. Inwardly, however, he was a tad disappointed. He was hoping to talk with Harry some more, as he had more questions for him.
Suddenly, he felt a hand over his head, causing the boy to grunt in surprise and look up. He was met with his idol smile down at him softly. "Don't worry. We can chat later, when we both have some free time, okay?"
Feeling slightly warm at the affectionate pat, Negi nodded his head. 'It kinda reminds me of when Nekane does this…'
Ruffling the boy's hair a bit, Harry then faced Misora. "Alright, then. Lead the way."
(With Harry and Misora)
It didn't take long for the two teens to get to a more private spot. Harry and Misora were at one of the more lush areas of Mahora, which was close to the school, but far enough that there's less of a chance for eavesdroppers.
"So what do you want to talk about?" Harry asked, waiting for her response. Ever since they've been walking alongside one another, the girl looked as if she was vibrating more and more, as if she couldn't contain her excitement.
In fact, she's currently shaking at her spot right now. "W-Well…" Misora started meekly, rubbing the back of her head. "You may know, but I'm a mage as well, and, I just, well…"
Seeing her stutter and fidget, Harry can guess as to what's going to happen. 'And she's going to burst in three, two…'
"I ALWAYS WANTED TO MEET YOU!"
'One.'
The student mage was now right in front of him, her face up close with stars in her eyes. While Harry was hardly surprised by this, he couldn't help but take a few steps back. "I've been a huge fan of yours since forever, especially after the polymage tournament!"
"I manage to see all of it live!" Misora continued excitedly. "I saw you faced down multiple, experienced mages from several different schools; saw you outmaneuver and outsmart one of the most dangerous dragons; navigate through the forest maze like it was your natural habitat! I've seen it all go down, even got tickets for one of those events!"
The Boy-Who-Lived could only stay silent, smiling awkwardly. No matter how many times this happens, he doesn't think he'll ever get used to the sheer excitement that people have meeting him.
"I was really shocked when I saw that you were here, teaching my class no less! But ever since yesterday, I wanted to ask…" The tomboy then took out a broom, an autograph book, and a pen. "Can I have your autograph?!"
Harry raised an eyebrow at both the book and the broom. "You want me to sign both of these?"
"One for me, and one for a friend of mine, Cocone." Misora explained. She then started looking sheepish. "You see, I'm supposed to be working around this time at one of the churches here, as part of my magical training. But I really wanted to talk to you privately, so I… had Cocone distract our supervisor. In return, I got an autograph for her. So…"
She ended it with the puppy eyes. Seeing little problems with this, Harry shrugged and said, "Sure. Hand them over."
"Yippee!" Eagerly, Misora gave him the items she wanted autographed. Once he signed both the broom and the book, she grabbed them back and hugged both items on her person. "Thanks, Harry-sensei! Now, I gotta go before Sister Shakti goes hunting for me!"
With that, she began running off, presumably to where her church is at. Before she got too far, however, she stopped and turned back towards Harry with a wide smile. "I'm looking forward to you and Negi-sensei teaching us!"
With that, she took off once more, as Harry stood at his spot and watched her run. 'Hope she doesn't have any expectations for my teaching abilities.' Harry thought wryly, before deciding to head to the school once again. 'Think I'll go and check on Negi, see if he apologized to Asuna yet. Hopefully, it went more smoothly than class did.'
Oh, how wrong he was.
And that's the end. Apologies if the chapter isn't as good as my previous ones, but I wanted to get something posted, and this is the best I could do at the moment. Hopefully, the next chapters will come about easier, especially once I get to some of the more better arcs. Until then, I'll try my best to push through the initial part of Negima (Again, ideas for the questions above will be of some help). Review, favorite, and follow, and I will see you guys later.
