PHJBS
02/09/94
As Potter fell into step beside Granger on the way to breakfast, he thought back to the First Days at the Tower.
[Flashback]
HJ Potter exited the International Floo Network in his typical manner… but because the IFN requires more Power than the Floo Network in England, HJP exited at a higher velocity than normal.
Right into the Water Feature Pool of the 'meditative garden'.
The 'Hearth' for the IFN is a fifteen feet tall construct with a ten foot radius base. Then there is a twelve feet of lush sweet blue-green grass carpet surrounding the 'Sand-Box' meditative garden, a thirty metre circle of ivory coloured sand with a fifteen metre pool of the clearest water. In the very centre of this great circle is a one metre sphere.
It was into this Pool our hapless hero was thrown from the IFN.
His exit was heralded by his cries of fear and joy, before he crashed into the perfectly calm, clear, cold water.
Splashing the Witch sitting on the sphere, Meditating. She fell off the far side Sphere, just as John Smythe exited the IFN.
The Scarlet Tressed Sorceress pulled herself from the Pool as she seethed at having her meditation disrupted in the most rude manner possible. To her point of View, Smyth had entered through the Floo, and thrown a rock into the pool to knock her into the water. "You Bastard! Where do you get off throwing a rock into the Pool to knock me off the Stone?"
"I did not throw anything, rock or otherwise, Madam Bloodwood." John drew himself up, "Now where is my Apprentice?"
"Apprentice?" Bloodwood frowned.
"Here, Sir." Harry drug himself from the pool. "Sorry, Ma'am, about disrupting your quiet." As He waved his wand over himself, vanishing the water back into the pool, he glared at the wizard leaning on the staff. "I Told you, Sir. I told you that the Floo Hates me."
"You took an apprentice, and a Brit too?" the witch swept a hand, wiping the water from her skin and robes.
Smythe leered, "Not just any Brit. Introduce yourself, my Apprentice."
"Ma'am, Allow me to introduce myself. I am Harold James Potter, Heir to Potter."
The witch blinked… twice. "And they just let you walk out with him?"
"Old Dumbledor tried to challenge it, but he did not have a foot to stand on."
"Not when you sent him flying across the Lobby of the Bank." The Lad chuckled.
"Then You better get him into Admin Right Now." The Witch placed her hands on the boy's shoulders and pushed him towards a Grand Tower. The Tower, properly Named the Black Tower or Blackstaff Tower, was Fifty stories tall, had a Radius of one hundred metres, and was sheathed Mother of Pearl. "Lock him in Red Ink."
PHJBS
An Hour later, Potter was led to a courtyard that had a retractable glass roof. Lining the walls were Staves of varying lengths and sizes. Crafted from dark woods found from around the world. Harry inspected a few. The Black oak, a staff similar to Smythe's, was fun to swing and spin, but it was a dead stick in his hands. The Ironwood shaft, while black and glossy, was heavy and hungry for violence, but again just a dead stick.
The Dwarf, almost the size of the Lad himself, directed him to a spot in the centre of the courtyard, had him close his eyes, and reach out with his magic…
His Seekers reflexes caught a blackthorn cane in each hand from opposing directions.
Next he was introduced to his teachers.
A Crone by the name of 'Madam Bishop' was to teach him his Social Graces.
A Legless Wizard by the Name of "Mister Rumpole" taught him the Basics of LAW.
An Asian Amazon witch, "Shifu Lio" taught him Combat.
And Smythe taught him Staff-magic.
Every morning he was awake at first light, where he and the other apprentices ran six laps around the Tower Complex, which was half a kilometre per lap. They did it, carrying their Staffs in hand. Then it was an hour of drills. As the only dual wielder in this year's class, He was given one-on-one instruction. Twenty minutes of meditation, before they were to spar. The first week, Potter only had to face his instructor. Afterwards, he was in the scrum. If you lost your Staff and it landed, or landed flat on your back, you were out. But if you landed on your side or shoulder and rolled to your feet, you were good. If you could recall your staff to your hands before it landed, you were good. Potter as a Dual wielder needed to lose both canes to be out, and one of the first spells he learned was the summoning spell.
Then they were sent to the showers, it was the only time they were without their sticks. After showering and dressing in clean clothes, Potter put on a kilt and a shoulder harness for his canes to hang under his arms. A breakfast of mush and berries to fuel the mind and body for the next three hours, and they went to their classes.
Two hours of Law. They were given their Books, and then they debated the procedure of Law Keeping.
Next was an Hour of Language. Harry chose French. That was a Headache. They implanted the base language into his head, and then he had to spend the next eight weeks unpacking and learning the pronunciation of the Language.
At Lunch, it was a class in the Social Graces, first there was the meal, where they spoke and carried themselves as young Lords and Ladies. Then they talked about the Rights and Responsibilities of the Ruling Class, and the Merchant Class. At every step, Potter sat and watched, listened, and Learned. This Class ran for Three Hours, as it was the whole Tower, sitting around, digesting their lunch.
From about three to five, he was trained how to cast through his canes. First he learned the summoning spell, with Wand, Cane, and bare handed. Next was the Stunning Hex. He would hold first the wand, then a cane, and fire at targets on the wall or moving mannequins. When he was able to an Euro Coin at ten paces, Smythe had him use both canes, and ran him ragged in rapid fire drills.
Then there was clean up, and Dinner, followed by Meditation and Mind Magics, led by Mistress Bloodwood. Followed by bed.
This was his day. Everyday of the week, for eight weeks.
PHJBS
With a fortnight until he had to be back in England, the Brass sat down with young Mister Potter, and fully debriefed him.
They Milked him like a Guernsey. Out came the truth about the Chamber of Secrets, Sirius Black, and Flamel's stone.
The LAW Master, Rumpole, learned of Hermione Granger, and started salivating. Next Year Potter was to invite her to the Tower.
Three Blackstaffs took Harry back to London, by Portkey this time. Once he was set up in a Muggle Hotel suite, Harry sent Hedwig with a note to Sirius Black. She returned the Next Morning with a response. Since Harry still had a week until the First, they had him request Black visit the Hotel. That next morning, a call from the Desk reported a scruffy man with a dog to see the boy.
Harry and one of the Blackstaffs took the Lift to the Ground Floor.
"Yes Ma'am, That is my Uncle and his Companion, Padfoot." Harry smiled at the Receptionist. "Do not mind his appearance, he is very spendthrifty. Getting him to buy new clothes is like pulling teeth. He prefers to invest in the market. He is doing very well. I am hoping that by the weekend He will be without the patches." Harry Glared at the Werewolf.
Lupin grinned, "We will see."
As the Four returned to Potter's suite, the two marauders gave the man leaning on a carved ironwood cane a stink eye, until everyone was in the suite. Then Four 'staffs' were pointed at the shabby man and dog.
"Mister Block" the Witch heading up the task force spoke with a strong accent. "We received information that you were accused, imprisoned, and held without trial for over ten years. While your escape was not a legal action, it can be excused pending circumstance. Please 'Human' and join us. Mister Lupon, You are here as witness. But we do not need you right now. Mister Pottor needs to buy his school things. You can either take to Diagon Alley now, or wait with him in the other room."
Both Lupin and Potter decided to wait in the other room.
The Deposition of Black, by the Blackstaffs, took most of the day. They called room service, and settled in for the night. In the morning, Lupin, Padfoot, and Bloodwood escorted Potter to Diagon Alley and Gringotts.
But something drew his thoughts to the here and now…
PHJBS
"So Potter is out walking his mudblood Bitch?"
Harry blinked, and focused on the platinum blond before him. "I'm sorry, Inbred Ferret says what?"
"What?" Malfoy parroted, causing the half-blooded and less pure to snicker. "I Said," Malfoy sneered, "So Potter is outwalking his mudbloo-" Potter caught the blond square in the nose with his Fist, causing the blond to do a backflip and land face down.
"Crabbe. Goygle. Sorry to inconvenience you, but please take this inbred fool to the Medical Ward." Potter touched the brim of his Bowler, before guiding the sniffling witch into the Gryffindor table.
"Mister Potter. Five points for standing up for a friend. Loss of ten Points for punching a classmate in school." Headmistress McGonagall had seen the whole thing. "Mister Malfoy, Loss of ten Points for use of that vile word…each." She turned her glare to the dark haired lad. "Mister Potter, You will see me in detention every night this week." She turned away, "Bring Miss Granger with you…I have a few things to talk about with her."
"Yes Professor." As Potter sat beside the bookworm witch, Neville gave him a thumbs up.
"Potter. You stir up a viper's nest, then leave us in an unsatisfied state." Davis dropped onto the bench, at his side. "You can say my bum is getting cold."
"Miss Davis." Harry smiled at her. "While Yesterday was Fun, and I do hope to repeat it, or at least the few hours we had together, I find that I must Ask. Are we …"
"Well, you and I are on a personal level of Bonding." the brown haired witch giggled, "And I do hope that you and I can find the time to explore some broom closets together. I will warn you, that I am not the only witch you will need to entertain. Greengrass has expressed an interest in the broom closets as well." Neville choked on his cup of Tea. Davis got a glint in her eye as she watched the healthy male get his breathing under control. As he sipped again, "Both of them."
The spit-take nailed Potter in the face. Tracy Davis laughed as she danced away, back to her friend at the Slytherin table.
"Both of them?" Dean and Seamus chorused.
Neville blew his nose, as Harry wiped his face. Neville found his voice, "Does this mean that you are dating three witches?"
"No." Harry snapped his handkerchief out before refolding it. "I might be dating Tracy." He tucked the folded cloth into a breast pocket. "She Might be sharing me with Daphne." He glared at his dormmates. "Little Astoria has asked that I show her the Broom closets. I said if we were both single when she turned Fourteen, I would think about it."
"That was after Ron forced him to remove his hands off Danis' ass." Hermione grinned, taking a bit of fun at Harry's predicament.
"And just how long was me shaft in your hands as the three Slythirens watched?" Harry grinned back at her as she blushed.
"Granger got to handle your shaft?" Ginny dropped into the seat on the other side of the blushing witch.
This set the guys to coughing, as the food appeared on the table.
Breakfast was served.
PHJBS
Potter escaped from breakfast without any further talk about his dating life.
First Class was Charms this morning… with the Hufflepuffs.
As He went to sit beside Neville, he was pushed aside by a busty redhead, who then pulled him into the next seat over.
"Sorry about that, Potter." the Busty witch flashed him a smile. "But My Girl wanted to sit with your Wingman, Longbottom, and I needed to talk with you, Now that Weasley is not here."
"What?" Harry frowned at her.
"Yes. I am Susan Bones, Heiress Bones. I have been trying to speak to you since first year. Whenever I approach you, Weasel runs me off. I heard through the rumour mill that you spent most of yesterday entertaining Greengrass and her court. I need to place my bid, as Bones too has a Contract with Potter."
"Contract?" Potter hissed, "Greengrass did not say anything about a Contract."
"Of Course not. She is most likely planning to force House Potter to buy a Skip, then wiggle a Contract of Line Continuation. House Bones is not focused on the money side right now, as we need the Political Power of Potter right now, and we are asking for Line Continuation as an incentive."
Harry blinked twice as he looked over at Neville, who was blushing as he whispered with the Honey Blond cozying up to him. "So two flying beasts with one stone. One a Gryphin…" He smiled, flashing Bones his 'Lockheart smile', "And one a Dragon. I will admit you have 'tickled' my fancy. Keep talking."
"Also heard through the Rumour Mill, you took up your Rings."
"Heir Potter, Heir Black, Scion Prevell, Scion Griphindor, and Heir Slytherin." Harry sighed. "And No, I was not the Heir that opened the Chamber, but I was the Heir that Closed it, and because I have fulfilled the three tasks of the Founder of our House, I now can take the Lord Ship as soon as I am an Adult."
"Heir Black?" the strawberry blonde frowned. "But was He trying to kill you?"
"Heiress Bones." Harry smiled a small shyish smile at her. "Ask your Aunt about my Father's Familiar Padfoot."
Flitwick stood before the Class, and began with a review.
PHJBS
At Lunch, Davis and the Greengrass sisters joined Harry at the Table of the Brave.
Ron opened his mouth to complain about their presence.
"Shut it." the older Blond snapped, "This is more to piss off Malfoy than anything else."
"Ron. Manners." Harry spoke quietly. "Neville. Do me a solid, and tell Bones I thought over her offer, but I am still waiting to hear from Greengrass."
Neville nodded, and stepped away from the Bench he was about to sit on. "Wish me Luck."
"Not on your Life, Mate." Harry jeered, "I am throwing you under that Blond Bust."
"It is just a Bus, Harry." Hermione grinned.
"If I ment a Bus, I would have said Bus." Harry leered back. "But I was talking about another beast all together."
"Potter! Are you cheating on us?" Tracy frowned at the Lad.
"No. Not yet." Harry loaded his plate, "I was informed this morning that there might be a Contract between Potter and Greengrass. I was also informed that there is a Contract between Potter and Bones. Now I was shocked to learn that my Girlfriend's Lover was waiting to force Potter to 'Buy a Skip', before she herself decided to play. Now I am limited to the Funds in my Trust until I am Named an Adult, and while they are plentiful, they are finite."
"Yeah." Tracy snagged a chip off of Harry's plate. "But knowing what is coming this Samheign, and Factoring in your Luck…" She bit into the golden fried tater wedge with a smirk.
The look on Harry's face as he exchanged a look with Hermione caused the witches in green trim to start laughing.
TBC
AN: sorry it is so short.