Magical Origins
Year 5: Under the Moon
The school, mostly the Slytherin's, were livid. Lily had escaped punishment. She and Malfoy both received only a month of detention for the incident on the Quidditch Pitch. Worse, Lily had vanished within the school itself. She sometimes appears at mealtimes or late in Common Room after her detention, but other than that, she was nowhere to be seen.
Umbridge herself was livid and terrified of Lily's show of power. Umbridge would pace in her office with Filch, who stroke Ms. Norris on how to expel the girl who has repeatedly shown the capability of escaping punishment. Umbridge wanted to provoke her once again but feared the backlash this time would be severe. The girl showed no remorse for attacking a noble pureblood!
Umbridge'd eventually settling in another way to punish Lily. Lily had received a ban from playing Quidditch at Hogwarts for the rest of her academic career. To add insult to injury, the Weasley Twins also were ban. Along with Harry himself. Their brooms had been confiscated and locked in Umbridge's office.
Slytherin roared in outrage over their Captain's punishment. He had done nothing wrong, and he was punished for merely being present. In a cruel irony, Montague was named the new Slytherin Quidditch Captain. The first move he did was kick Daphne, Tracy, and Blaise off the team.
Crabbe and Goyle took over as the new beaters, as Draco was changed to Seeker like he wanted. Adrian Pucey remains as Montague, and Warrington were the chasers.
Montague promised the Slytherin's he would bring the cup back to Slytherin. Many Slytherin's were unconvinced.
Gryffindor was in a worse state. The lost of their Seeker and Beaters caused the team to fill the weight of losing some of their best players, including their Captain. Lily hands her Captain badge to Angelina Johnson, the best scorer, and longest-running Lion to play Quidditch.
Ron Weasley also resigned, unwilling to face the house for several weeks due to his humiliating performance.
The school began to sing Weasley is Our King around Ron, even at mealtimes. Causing Ron to disappear to hide his shame and embarrassment.
November arrived, and that meant harsh winds and weather. Signs that winter was coming, and that meant winter robes started to become a common sight.
Harry and Lily still haven't been seen since the incident, and many wonder if they had simply died. They did their prefects duties, and Lily reported for her detentions, but no one saw them or knew where they had disappeared towards. Harry's appearance in the Slytherin Common room was vague at best. Few people saw him, and when they did, it was only for a moment.
To everyone's surprise, Draco was up and walking around. It appeared that he had been fully healed, but no one knows how he was treated. The burns upon his body were devastating so much that Pansy Parkinson wanted to hurt Lily in return.
No one took Pansy up for her offer, in fear they would share the same fate as Draco. Lily had already earned a reputation for escaping punishment, and if she were capable of avoiding punishment after the Quidditch Incident, she would not get punished again.
Even Pansy herself didn't act upon her desire to see Lily hurt. Still, she holds onto her grudge against Lily both in fear and hatred.
The Circle was terrified of Lily, mostly Marietta Edgecombe, who wanted to be as far away from Lily as possible. Marietta Edgecombe slowly stops coming to the meetings as she didn't want to get Lily pissed off. Cho wasn't that upset by her friend's lack of interest.
Harry was thankful as well, as he didn't trust Mariette at all. She never liked him, and help spread nasty rumors about him throughout his time at Hogwarts.
Today was Halloween, so Harry and the others had gathered after dinner in the Chamber of Secrets. Harry had Peeves attack the kitchens to interfere with the feast causing the House Elves to curse Peeves as Umbridge and Filch took off to deal with the poltergeist.
"Today, I'm going to teach you the usage behind a real simple spell," said Harry. "the Switching Spell."
"Seriously?" Zacharias Smith said as usual as he tried to undermind Harry's teaching methods. "Switching Spells? That's so elementary."
"I'm glad you said that Smith," said Harry. "Because I want you to jinx me."
Zacharias Smith flushed once again, realizing that he had to duel Harry once again. He looks at his housemates for help, but they gave him the simple look 'you brought this upon yourself' before he stands up and holds his wand.
Zacharias Smith sent a hurling hex at Harry.
In that instant, Zacharias Smith found himself in Harry's spot before being sent flying backward by his own hex.
Harry was standing exactly where Zacharias Smith was standing moments earlier.
"Simple, but useful," said Lily. "It's close to apparition in moving out the way, but it actually allows you to switch places with a person or object to avoid anything dangers. It's also a bit faster than apparition."
"Right now, you got to focus," said Harry. "before you try to use the spell on yourself, try to switch objects around you. once you can master switching objects with ease, then you can practice on switching objects or people with yourself."
Everyone nods their heads and quickly got to work.
Seeing Harry switch places with Smith taught them even simple spells could be useful in the art of dueling. Harry disappears in a puddle of water before he reappears next to Lily on one of the statues of Salazar Slytherin. They watch the group progress. Lily's fire enchanted the Chamber, giving it light, and the will of the wisps roaming the Chamber of Secrets would warn Lily of anyone or anything approaching the group. Even if the Chamber of Secrets was perfectly safe, that didn't mean someone didn't manage to sneak in when the group was entering.
Smith clearly did not like being humiliated by Harry, and finally took a hint not to condescend Harry at every chance. Every time he did, Harry put him on the spot to demonstrate the uses of the spell.
"How are things?" Harry asks Lily.
"Well, I can't deny the entire school is terrified of me at the moment," said Lily.
"Especially Draco," Harry said with a slight smile.
Lily chuckles, knowing it was true. Yesterday in their potions class, Draco kept his head down as Lily was working, and no one even attempted to disrupt her work. Draco himself refused to meet Lily's gazed and didn't want to see her blazing orange eyes. Thankfully her oceanic eyes were seen.
The pair also didn't show up much during classes. They would attend mostly charms and transfiguration as Flitwick and McGonagall were excellent professors who taught their subjects correctly. As for their other subjects, they didn't really focus on them as they were doing their own self-studies on their own.
"Hey, Harry," said Daphne.
"What is it?" asks Harry.
"Why aren't you going to class anymore?" asks Daphne.
Everyone stops practicing the switching spell and looks at Harry and Lily.
Harry smiles.
"There is a loophole in the attendance rule," said Harry. "students can skip classes as much as they want, as long as they keep their test scores at Exceeds Expectation or higher. As such, I've been able to focus more on self-study."
Everyone looks at Harry and their drops to the floor.
"Why didn't you say anything?" demanded Blaise.
"Why don't you ask Granger," said Harry. "She knows every rule in Hogwarts."
Granger pales and tries to shrink in her place as everyone turns to look at her. Once again, Harry managed to use her own intellect against her and made her peers dislike her.
"Classes are important," Granger mutters softly.
"You mean all this time we could have been skipping class," said Fred and George.
"You got to keep your tests scores up," said Lily.
"Focus," said Harry. "the switching spell could save your life in time correctly."
Everyone returns to their work and starts casting the spells on switching the objects.
Harry also presents some jewelry. Rings and Dragon Fang earrings and necklaces. The Earrings and Necklace would provide them some protection against nasty spells. The rings were enchanted by a Protean Charm. So they could secretly pass messages upon one another without anyone knowing. The rings would burn slightly for a moment, informing them of any messages they would receive. The rings were also enchanted so only they could read the messages.
That night, everyone headed towards their Common Room so they could get some rests. Already some of the members were talking about the usage of the switching spell and what they were planning to do with the spell. Others were talking about switching Umbridge's pink robes with something more hideous.
Harry and Lily didn't return to the Room of Requirements, or to their respective Common Rooms. They instead took a detour towards the Forbidden Forests.
The Forbidden Forest has been relentless for some time. Sightings of vicious dark creatures have been coming in more frequently. The Centaurs were also getting restless and malignant.
Hagrid hasn't returned, so no one could understand the viciousness behind these creatures.
Harry shifts into his animagus form, the purple saber walks forward as Lily climbs on his back so she could ride on Harry.
Thanks to being a Saber, Harry could see in the dark as if it were the day. Lily conjures some Will o' the Wisps around them given them lightly as well as keep creatures of the dark away from them.
The two venture deeper into the Forbidden Forest, further than either of them have ever ventured.
Harry sniffs the ground attempting to pick up any tracks of the Lycans. They were faint, but not around.
Lily didn't look a bit worried even if she could sense eyes were watching her.
Harry reaches the mountainside of the cave and stops as he looks up towards the mountain's edge and could see several Lycan's all posed on the mountain's side. Other Lycan's began to crawl around them as if they were unsure of attacking the human girl and the strange animal.
A significant large Lycan drop in front of them, and Harry almost took an automatic step backward. The Lycan before them was twice the size of Moony. This had to be no doubt, the Alpha.
"We mean no trouble," Harry said as he gives slight roars.
"Prey rarely comes into our territory so willingly," said the Alpha.
"That's not why we are here," said Harry. "a war is coming, and we're looking for allies."
The Alpha growls but didn't attack. A clear sign that he was either listening, or he was pondering how he was going to attack.
"Why should I side with you?" said the Alpha.
"Because I can offer much for your clan than my enemies who have no respect for you," said Harry.
The Alpha didn't lose his postures but did lose some of his aggression.
"They are with those monstrosity's!" another Lycan bellowed, letting out a roar.
Others roared as well in agreement.
"What monstrosities?" Harry asks the Alpha.
"I believe you humans call them spiders," said the Alpha. "they've been killing my kin for many years, and now their numbers have grown too much, so we are losing more hunting grounds."
"Acromantula's," Harry said in disgusts. "I know of them."
"Are you on their side?" asks the Alpha.
"No," said Harry. "They nearly tried to eat my – my mate here before she burned half the colony to escape."
Harry wasn't sure how to call Lily, as the term 'friend' didn't apply to Lycan's. Mate seemed most appreciated and strange.
Several Lycan's stops roaring upon hearing this fact. Several even look at Lily in surprise.
"That was her?!" said the Alpha in surprise. "She saved a lot of my kin that night three years ago! We know because we heard many spiders scream in agony as they died from the flames."
"Yeah, she tends to do that," said Harry. "Are the Acromantula's really a problem?"
"They have been for years," said the Alpha. "even with the size of my pack, we keep our numbers well under control, to ensure there is enough food for all. Those spider's, they don't respect this fact. They bred all year long to increase their numbers. Where this forest once blossomed with prey, now they are scarce."
Harry realized the Acromantula's were disrupting the ecosystem. The Lycans did well to keep their numbers, so they didn't overwhelm their prey, but the spiders were a breeding army. Once Voldemort learned of this, regardless of his prior relations with Hagrid's former pet spider Aragog, he would find a way to bring to the Acromantula's to his side.
"We can take care of them," said Harry.
"You will find that hard to achieve," said the Alpha. "the weather is turning cold. They will retreat to their den and cover it with webs to ensure they don't freeze to death. They will lose maybe a hundred, but they will replenish that number with thousands."
Harry didn't like the sound of that. Acromantula's were also cannibals. They would eat their own in a heartbeat. Harry began to feel a sense a dread inside of him, knowing it would be a matter of time before the Acromantula's turn their attention towards the school.
"Are large are their numbers?" Harry asks, dreading the numbers.
"Thousands," said the Alpha.
"They are no friends of ours," said Harry. "but I know others who would use their numbers for their own personal benefits."
"What do you want?" asks the Alpha.
"An alliance," said Harry. "a war is coming, and it's a war where one cannot remain neutral. If you agree to fight for me, I'll make sure you are protected from my fellow wizards who seek to hunt you for sport."
"What do you mean?" asks the alpha.
"I mean, you would have rights to travel the lands more without being attacked," said Harry. "unless you plan on taking orders from Fenrir Greyback."
The alpha growls dangerously.
"I know of that foul wolf," said the Alpha. "He would be a fool to seek us out again."
"He will," said Harry. "and this time, he won't be coming alone. He will bring those who will force your kin to fight for them, or they will kill you."
The Alpha growled at the mere thought of being forced into another's fight.
"Why should we trust you?" said the Alpha.
"I am friends with a werewolf," said Harry. "I don't see anything wrong with you, like most people. I will be seeing him soon enough, and I can send him here to speak to you on my behalf if you should wish for further and negotiation."
The Lycan growls a bit as if he found it a hard time for a human to be friends with one of his kind.
"Very well," said the Alpha. "I shall give you a chance to prove yourself to my pack. If you fail, we will hunt you."
Harry nods his head in agreement. Harry knew this alliance he was making with the Lycan was a dangerous one, but he knew he was running out of options in finding allies.
Lily knew the conversation was at an end. Conjuring her flames, she teleports them to the edge of the forest.
Once they return to the edge of the forest, Harry shifts back to himself.
"So, how did it go?" asks Lily.
"It went well," said Harry.
The two started heading back towards the castle. Harry and Lily knew they wouldn't get caught. Umbridge new Decrees demanded students be in their Common Rooms by nine. Umbridge placed a sensor spells outside every Common Room to alert her if any students thought of sneaking out.
Harry and Lily were several steps ahead, for one, they rarely ever returned to their Common Room and slept in one of the many hidden rooms within the Castle. Umbridge, who didn't know the castle as well as Harry and Lily, could not find them no matter how hard she searched. Even Filch was stump by the disappearance of Harry and Lily. They had the advantage of Harry's Invisibility Cloak and Marauder's Map to stalk the halls of Hogwarts unseen.
"What did they want?" asks Lily. "You were talking with the Lycan's for quite some time."
"I had to convince them I was no friend to the Acromantula's, and they want our help in destroying them before they overrun the forest," said Harry.
"That's it?" Lily asks in surprise.
"They are disrupting the ecosystem," said Harry. "the Lycan's told me food has become scarce in the Forbidden Forest. They are even eating anything that gets caught in their webs. If their territory increases, they will turn their attention to the school."
Lily stops and looks down the grounds.
"Well, we can try to talk to Hagrid," said Lily.
"Hagrid's gone," Harry said without any interest. Care of Magical Creatures was taken over by Professor Grubbly-Plank, who was a vast improvement over the half-giant oaf. Everyone in the school like Professor Gubbly-Plank lessons over the drunken oaf.
"Not anymore," said Lily. "Hagrid's back."
Harry turns to follow Lily's gaze, and Hagrid's hut that had been empty and dark for so long had a light within its window, told them that Hagrid had returned. As there had been no announcement of Hagrid's return, it was clear he had just returned.
Harry also knew no student would enter Hagrid's hut, not unless they plan to burn it to the ground. Harry already heard countless students daring each other in Slytherin to burn the hut down.
"Let's go," Lily said as she walks down towards Hagrids hut.
Harry has never been inside or near Hagrid's hut unless it was during Care of Magical Creatures. Harry relents as he follows Lily towards Hagrids hut.
Lily walks up the steps and knocks on the door.
Hagrid's dog, Fang, could be heard barking upon hearing Lily's knock.
"Hold ya' horses," Hagrid's voice could be heard behind the door. "Who is bothering me at this time?"
Hagrid's door opens slightly as he looks down upon Lily with Harry behind her.
"Oh, Lily," said Hagrid. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"
"Detention," Lily said simply.
Ron still had months of Detention he had to complete. Hermione got detention because she wouldn't stop badgering Lily about her homework and her Prefect duties.
"This is not a good time," said Hagrid.
"Want me to burn your hut down?" Lily said with a raised eyebrow.
Hagrid didn't, and it showed on his face.
"Fine, but make it quick," Hagrid said as he opens the door and returns to what he was doing earlier. "You two can't be out after dark."
"We're Prefects," said Lily.
Hagrid paused as he heard this and turns to face Lily and Harry, who just entered his hut.
"Congratulations," said Hagrid.
Once they enter the Hut, they were finally able to see Hagrid's face from the fire's light. Hagrid's face was badly beaten. His left eye was swollen with signs of it being infected. His face was black, blue, and purple. His lip looked busted with signs of dry blood. He was even missing a tooth, and his arms seemed slightly broken.
"Hagrid, what happen to you?" Lily asks in alarm.
"Nothing," Hagrid said quickly. "I tripped."
"That's a terrible lie," said Harry.
"Did the Giants do that to you?" Lily asks Hagrid at once.
Hagrid paused as he gives Lily a dark look to the best of his capabilities.
"I didn't meet any giants," Hagrid said quickly in an attempt to end the conversation. Harry and Lily knew he was lying at once as he was a terrible liar.
"We know you went to see the Giants," said Lily.
"Who told you I went to see Giants?" Hagrid asks as he looks upon them.
"Mad-Eye," Harry said simply.
Hagrid stood there and slowly nods his head.
"Then yes, some of the giants did get dangerous," said Hagrid. "Me and Madame Maxime found a large gathering of giants and tried to convince the Gurg to side with Dumbledore."
"Gurg?" Lily repeated.
"Giant term for 'Chief,'" Hagrid replies as he grabs a large piece of steak and places it on his eye. "Well, the current Gurg was a Karkus. He wasn't fond of wizards, but he knew of Dumbledore and agreed to hear us out. He asked a lot, like better rights for Giants from Wizards. That wasn't easy, but I did promise him Dumbledore would do his best to help his people."
"So they are coming," said Harry.
"I'm afraid they're not," said Hagrid. "not all of them."
"What do you mean 'not all of them'?" Lily repeated in confusion.
"Well, negotiations were going well," said Hagrid. "I wasn't the only one there talking to the giants, though. Macnair was also there."
Harry knew this name, he was one of the Death Eaters in the graveyard who appeared when Voldemort called out for his return to power. He was currently employed within the Ministry of Magic as an executioner for the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.
"What did he do?" Harry asks at once.
"At first, Karkus nearly killed him," said Hagrid. "Karkus fought for You-Know-Who in the last war, and the giants suffered because of You-Know-Who's deception. Then, the giants enter a big brawl over the new Gurg. Really sounded like explosions going off at the base of the mountain. When it was over, Karkus was dead, and a new Gurg had taken his place. Golgomath; he was big as he was mean. We tried to appease him, but he had already sided with the Death Eaters and You-Know-Who. We had no choice but to leave with only a handful of giants who disagreed with Golgomath."
"Is that why you're so beat up?" said Lily. "and why you're so late returning to Hogwarts?"
"Unfortunately," said Hagrid. "After Golgomath assumed leadership, he had taken Dumbledore's gift, and we tried to present our third gift, but he ordered his thugs to kill us and take our offerings. I got hurt pretty badly until Madam Maxime had cursed his thugs. They screamed in agony as we bolted out of there. After we left, Golgomath orders the death and execution of any giant and their families who didn't agree to his way of doing things. We had no choice but to flee."
"So why are you late?" asks Lily.
"Well, I had to lead the Giants to Hogwarts, and that's no easy task," said Hagrid. "They are twelve feet in height and can be spotted for miles. We had to take the countryside and through the forests. We couldn't be seen near muggles, or the Ministry would be all over us in a heartbeat and send us to Azkaban without any questions. I had to guide them there, and it was a pain to smuggle them into the country. Thankful, Mundungus Fletcher pulled through."
"Where's Madam Maxime," Lily asks, wondering where the Headmistress of Beauxbatons currently was located.
"After we were safe from the Giants, she returned to Beauxbaton," said Hagrid. "As the Headmistress, she couldn't be gone for too long, and it would have looked suspicious if she wasn't around the school."
"Told you he was an oaf," said Harry.
Lily smacks Harry in the head for his comment.
"That's not nice to say, Harry," said Hagrid. "Your mother and father were never this means."
"Clearly being big means you don't have much of a brain," Harry snaps at the half-giant of Hogwarts. "Once Macnair showed up, you should have assumed he would have done something to beseech the giants to Voldemort's caused.
Hagrid flinches terribly upon hearing the Dark Lord's name.
"What?" Harry said in a mocking tone. "Don't like to hear the name of your old schoolmate?"
Hagrid looks away from Harry both in frustration and in fear.
"Harry," said Lily.
"Neither one of us would be that stupid," Harry snaps. "why would you sit back and do nothing knowing your enemy is seeking to recruit the giants. You didn't think too rough them up? Curse them? Rip their heads off? Or did you simply believe they were going to play by your rules?"
"Alright, get out of my house!" Hagrid shouted, standing up.
"I'm sorry," said Harry. "did you actually call this a – house?"
Hagrid stood there flush, both in anger and embarrassment.
"Harry," said Lily.
"I swear he's got a flubberworm's brain," Harry said. "You wonder why no one in the school likes him?! He's a bloody idiot, Lily! He makes mistakes, he takes in dangerous creatures and tries to tame them like pets! Not to mention, no one likes his lessons as he wants us to study monsters and to tame them, not magical creatures like Unicorns, Salamanders, or even the Vermilion Bird! The Thunderbird would be great to study! But no, we have to study Blasted-Ended Screwts, which are highly illegal. Not to mention, I can tell the Ministry he's been breeding Acramuntula's for years, and they've destroyed the Forbidden Forests ecosystem!"
Hagrid stood there upon hearing the truth of how people really thought of him before something hits his head.
"What do you mean the Acramuntula's are destroying the forbidden forest ecosystem?" Hagrid says slowly.
"They've destroyed nearly everything in the Forbidden Forest Hagrid," said Lily. "Their numbers are in the thousands, and they're starting to get out of control. The centaurs are fleeing, and there are reports no unicorns have been sighted for some time. Other creatures also haven't been seen and are presumed to have died out."
"Now hold on," Hagrid retorted. "You can't blame the Aragog and his family! They have simply misunderstood creatures!"
"Told you this was a waste of time," said Harry.
"Hagrid, everything in the forest is reporting the same thing, the Acromantula's are killing everything in the forest. The forest is literally dead! They have to be taken care of and immediately," said Lily.
"You mean you want to kill them!" Hagrid shouted in disbelief.
"They tried to eat me!" Lily retorted.
"You merely misunderstood what Aragog said," Hagrid said again in denial. "Aragog is gentle and has never harmed a student."
Lily looked at Harry and was finally seeing why Harry and so many students at Hogwarts hated Hagrid.
"I say we tip the Ministry of Magic off," said Harry. "They can cast fiendfyre into the Colony and kill them off."
Hagrid looked offended. He stood there with his fists clutched.
Harry turns to leave but sees an unugly sight approaching.
"How in the hell did she know?" Harry mutters, causing Lily to turn and see Umbridge walking down the grounds towards Hagrids hut.
"I bet Filch told her," said Lily. "Filch must have seen Hagrids lights on and informed her at once. He's nothing but a snitch, isn't he."
"We can't be seen here," said Harry.
"Who is she?" Hagrid asks, looking over the two fifth years and out the very blurry window.
"Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic," Harry replies in disgusts.
Hagrid faces falls upon hearing this.
"And Hogwarts new High Inquisitor," Lily retorts.
"Did you come up with a cover story for your bruises?" Harry asks at once.
"I'll just," Hagrid began slowly.
"If she asks, tell her you got into a brawl with a couple of trolls in the mountains," Lily said quickly and as quietly as she could as Umbridge was fast approaching. "if she asks why you haven't seen Madam Pomfrey, tell her you were going to check in on her in the morning as you didn't wish to disturb her this evening."
"Right right," said Hagrid. "trolls."
"Hagrid," Lily hissed in a warning.
A knock causes the three to turn to Hagrid's front door.
"I'm coming, one moment," said Hagrid.
Harry and Lily approach the rear door towards Hagrid's garden. They open it as Hagrid opens his front door just as Harry magically closes Hagrid's back door. Harry grabs his invisibility cloak and throws it over himself and Lily as Umbridge walks over to the window and looks outside.
Harry and Lily didn't speak a word as they head back to the castle and head towards their secret chambers.
