Yo, it's been a while but I finally got around to chatting with Helghy so you'll probably see Chaos Theory having been updated recently. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter.
Naruto took a moment to catch his breath and control the anger that was quickly rising within him. His hands clenched around the paper with enough force that he was rather surprised that it hadn't shredded. Closing his eyes, he took three deep breaths to rein himself in. This was something he'd learned from Krum who often did it out on the Quidditch pitch when the team wasn't performing up to their best. Naruto thought the technique to be ridiculous but oddly enough, it actually worked…to a degree.
His eyes glanced at the paper and then the empty spot next to him. Krum had excused himself to go to the restroom a few minutes ago leaving him to stew in anger alone.
"Are you alright?" Asked a female classmate to his right. She looked slightly worried having never seen him this frazzled before. Everyone at Durmstrang was used to seeing him with his stoic expression that gave off the impression that he had everything around him under control.
"Just fine." No one believed him. Turning his attention back to the paper, he shook his head and proceeded to see what Rita Skeeter had written.
Durmstrang's champion ensnared by Beauxbatons Veela? By Rita Skeeter
As we all know, the infamous Triwizard Tournament has been reinstated by the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Not only has this prestigious tournament caused controversy among the wizarding community due to its fatality rate, but this year is already full of drama. Firstly, the tournament features a fourth champion, our very own boy-who-lived, more about that on page 3. Secondly, and arguably most importantly, Beauxbatons champion has seemingly taken it upon herself to secure a competitive advantage.
Reliable sources claimed that Fleur Delacour and Naruto McGonagall were seen inside an abandoned classroom with the latter's top having already been discarded. The Daily Prophet cannot confirm or deny that anything had happened at the moment, but their positioning left little other theories to be brought up.
It is well documented that Veela's are passionate beings capable of bewitching and ensnaring their prey and who better to target than Durmstrang's finest? Veela's are…
Naruto's face betrayed no emotion as the paper went up in flames in front of him. The moving images soon stopped and blackened before being erased completely. The Durmstrang delegation looked on in mild concern as their champion was seemingly on the verge of losing it.
"Say something to calm him down, Elena." One of the other boys, Ivan, said with a small shove to the girl closest to Naruto.
The woman looked over at her classmate with a frown and replied in a hushed whisper.
"What do you want me to do? Do you think he'll listen to me right now? He'll probably attack me if I even say something to him."
Fortunately, with the article now out of his face, it seemed that the blond would finally be able to calm down some. The contents of the paper was still around him but as long as he kept his eyes closed and continued his steady breathing, they would be able to placate him.
Durmstrang's good fortune was short lived however, as one of the Slytherin students had just finished reading the article and turned to his classmates with a scowl on his face.
"Despicable." He spat. Naruto's eyes snapped open and turned to look at the speaker. He wasn't someone the blond recognized, though from the way he carried himself, he was likely a pureblood. "I always knew Veela couldn't be trusted. Sure they look good but that's all they got going for them. Why the department allowed them to compete knowing the advantage they have is beyond me."
The Durmstrang students looked on at the Syltherin student in disbelief. Surely he'd seen how well Naruto got along with Fleur and he was blatantly letting his boggoted views out in the open?
Looking back to their champion, everyone's breath hitched as they watched the sequence of events unfold as if in slow motion. Quicker than anyone could react, Naruto reached into his pocket and pulled his wand out. His blue eyes burned with anger at the blatant disrespect he was showing one of his dearest friends.
A light purple beam of light exited the wand, traveling toward the still unsuspecting student. The spell was a modified version of the tongue-tying curse. The base curse was a simple way to withhold someone from speaking, be it incantations for spells or just speech in general.
Naruto had tweaked the curse to force the intended target to attempt to swallow their own tongue. The appendage would twist backwards in a painful way as it attempted to push itself down the person's throat.
Expectedly, the student's hand came up to his throat in a futile attempt to stop what was happening. The purple beam of light was still piercing his mouth, doing its best to complete its task. Everyone could see the Slytherin reaching for his wand in an attempt to stop the torture but in his panic, the wand slipped out of his hand.
"Shit, someone go get Krum." Elena ordered. Fortunately, the Bulgarian seeker had already reentered the great hall and was sprinting over.
"Naruto! Let him go!" Krum yelled, pulling out his own wand but quickly stopped himself from firing a spell. In his friend's current state, there was a chance it would only make things worse and the last thing they needed was a small war breaking out within the halls of another school.
The blond showed no indication that he'd even heard his friend's command. Just as the student's face was beginning to match the color of the spell, Naruto found his wand arm twisted behind his back and his head pressed against the wooden table. The spell was disrupted and released.
Krum's forearm was pressed up against his friend's neck, keeping him locked in place.
"Control yourself." Krum grunted quietly. "Think about what this is gonna look like for our school. Attacking some idiot for whatever reason is going to reflect bad on us and yourself. If word of this gets back to other duelists do you think they'll take you seriously?"
Naruto's breathing stabilized and the hold on his wand slackened, letting it fall onto the table with a soft clink.
"I'm calm Krum." Naruto replied in the most even tone he could muster. "Get off of me, you're heavier than you think you are."
"Are you going to do something stupid once I let you go?" His friend questioned.
If he could shake his head, Naruto would have, so instead he settled for a simple 'no.'
His wand was swiped up by Krum who then lifted him up by the back of the shirt. The rest of the Durmstrang students stood and followed the pair out, knowing they would most likely be heading to the ship for a talk. Krum had missed the leadup to the event so one of them would need to catch him up to speed.
Elena was the last to stand and stopped once she was directly in front of the offending student.
"Had we not had a tournament to win, Krum's reaction would have been a lot different. You got off easy." She spoke with a slight accent before following her classmates. The members of Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor all balked at her words, that was being let off easy?
Slytherin however picked up on her wording and knew what she meant. Naruto would have killed him if the tournament wasn't taking place and Krum would have likely let his friend kill him.
Draco stared at his fellow pureblood with a look of contempt and shook his head. "Speaking without thinking is a Gryffindor trait." He spat. "Your unfiltered spiel pissed off Durmstrang's champion who also happens to be Viktor Krum's best friend. I know you're set to have a seat in the Wizengamot once you become head of the family but perhaps you're better off keeping your mouth shut."
Draco wasn't all that fond of Veela's either, but he knew better than to say something. The entirety of the school could see there was something between the two champions. Now one of his own house mates had all but put Slytherin's good standing with the sons of Durmstrang in jeopardy.
With Draco voicing his disapproval, soon, the rest of the Slytherins began to join in. Each making sure to let their fellow student know he had made a grave mistake. Blaise Zabini was especially ruthless in his critique, which was saying something considering the man was usually quiet and reserved.
Those in the Ravenclaw table all noted how not a single person checked to make sure the boy was ok.
"What in the world is happening?" Minerva questioned in an alarmed tone. One moment the students were having breakfast and the next, a spell was fired and her grandson was forcibly restrained by one of his friends before he could kill a student. Of course, she was aware of the stupidity that Rita Skeeter had written about the Veela from Beauxbaton.
Minerva was not one to believe the gossip that woman liked to spread but she didn't think Naruto would have reacted so negatively.
"It seems…" Snape drawled out "That your grandson did not inherit your calm demeanor."
The elderly witch glared at the potions professor but didn't rise to the bait.
"Igor." Dumbledor called out.
The Durmstrang headmaster looked up from his plate with food still in his mouth, looking slightly miffed that his meal was being interrupted. "What is it?"
"We need to know what you plan to do about your student who just attacked another, headmaster." Flitwick added with some distress. Glancing over at the students, he noted most of the houses were now talking amongst themselves about the same thing. He had no doubt that soon word would reach the families.
"To my understanding it seemed to be a provoked attack." Karkaroff replied in defense of his student, though he was very much upset that his hotheadedness had interrupted his meal time.
Dumbledor sighed inaudibly but nodded. "That seems to be the case. Young Naruto didn't strike me as the type to fight unprovoked, especially as he's a trained duelist. Be that as it may, we cannot allow something like this to go unpunished. The families of the students must be assured that the halls of the school are safe and no one is allowed to do as they please without repercussion."
Karkaroff rolled his eyes. Something like this was common in Durmstrang. Some students didn't know when to shut their mouths and it got them in trouble more often than not, but that was how they learned.
"Then what do you propose, Albus?" He asked.
Minerva coughed into her hand, getting everyone's attention and spoke. "If it's no problem with you, I would ask that you leave his punishment to Hogwarts. One of ours was assaulted, I believe it's only fair we set the disciplinary action."
"You mean you." Karkaroff shot back with a smirk. Ignoring the narrowing of her eyes, the headmaster shrugged. "I suppose I could allow you this request."
The Hogwarts staff leaned forward subconsciously, knowing there was a but coming soon. They were not disappointed.
"But, only on the condition that I'm made aware of what the first task of the tournament will be." He offered with a grin. "Being the hosting school the tasks need to be approved not only by the sporting governing body, but by the headmaster or mistress of the institution. This will be for my own peace of mind, I assure you. I'd like to make sure one of my star students will not be in anything too life threatening."
Flitwick and Minerva glared at the man, not believing a single word he uttered. Everyone at the table knew he would be relaying the information to his champion the moment he received it to give him an advantage.
Snape crossed his arms and closed his eyes. Karkaroff was many things. A coward, a sellout, and a fraud, but he wasn't stupid. He saw the opportunity to turn a negative into a positive for his school and took it, he could respect that much. He peered over at his houses' table through slightly narrowed eyes and could only shake his head in disgust. They were Slytherin's, the best Hogwarts had to offer, and one of his own demonstrated just how big of a dunderhead he was. Most of the other students that came from prominent families seemed to understand that as well, if the scathing looks they were sending the offender was any indication.
Staring at the student for a moment longer, Snape thought back to the spell that was used. Unlike the others, his eyes had been watching over the students when the spell was fired. What should have been a rather harmless spell had quickly been changed to cause damage.
Snape would be the first to admit he had his own preconceived notions about the blond considering who he was related to, but the boy had shattered that image. He had fired that spell with minimal wand movement and held it without breaking a sweat. Such magic bordered on dark depending on who you asked. He looked over at his colleagues who were still discussing with Igor and he focused his attention on Flitwick.
It was no surprise that the man found Naruto interesting, they had something in common. And if the man's words were to be believed, the blond would pass the likes of him and Dolohov quite soon. After that display of magic however, even Snape would admit his attention was piqued.
Maybe the others weren't full of it after all.
"Perhaps we should hurry before it seems that we're incompetent." Snape said out loud. "Already the students are looking over toward us wondering what will be done. What's more important, knowledge of the first task or disciplining a student?"
Dumbledor sighed in defeat. "You're right Severus. Igor, I will ask that you keep this information strictly for your own peace of mind." He replied, knowing in his heart that the man would not stick to his word.
"Of course."
"I'll leave that conversation to you then, Albus. I will deal with my grandson." Minerva said angrily, stalking down the great hall. The students speculated just how bad the blond's punishment would be. They knew the elderly woman was a strict but fair professor, but after something like that, no one could guess what would come of it.
xxxx
Ignoring the cold breeze hitting her skin, Minerva strode toward the ship, her eyes peeled hoping to see the blond outside. No such luck, however, her arrival must have been noticed by someone as once she was close, Viktor Krum exited the vessel and made his way over until he stood directly in front of her.
"Mister Krum." Minerva greeted in a short but polite tone.
"Professor McGonagall." The Bulgarian replied in an equally polite tone. While he was usually polite to most elderly people, knowing that this woman was the great grandmother of his best friend, he made sure to show the utmost respect.
"I'm hoping to speak to my grandson, everything has already been cleared with your headmaster." She spoke.
Krum said nothing, instead he turned his head to the deck of the ship where one of his classmates waited. With a nod, the young man disappeared below the deck.
"While I'm here I'd also like to thank you for your intervention." Minerva continued. "I won't say I'm thrilled about the way it was handled, but nonetheless you likely prevented things from escalating further."
Viktor laughed and nodded. "Firing a spell could have made things worse." He explained in his strained English. "There was only one way to stop him for good. He's unharmed." He reassured the woman.
Minerva nodded. "Ah, here he is now."
The blond came out looking much more composed than he did in the great hall. His clothing was straight and there were no markings on his face from the impact on the table. If anyone were to look at him, none would have guessed the events from moments ago had ever transpired.
"I'll see you guys on the ship in a minute." Naruto muttered to his friend. Viktor patted his shoulder twice and muttered something in Bulgarian before returning to the ship.
"Your headmaster has agreed to allow Hogwarts the right to decide your punishment." The woman said with restrained anger. "You will be serving detention with me tonight and that's when we'll go over the details. I'm sure you can find your way there. 8pm, do not be late or the consequences will worsen."
Naruto could only nod at her words. All things considered everything was going smoother than he imagined, though he figured it might not be that way during detention. "Should I bring anything?"
Minerva shook her head. "Just be present, and know that your mother will definitely be hearing about this. You can write to her yourself or I will do so tomorrow."
There it was.
Naruto grimaced, he knew his mother wouldn't take the news well, no matter the reason. If there was one thing that had been drilled into him, not only by her, it was to control his emotions. For the most part, he'd done that well. It was that control that allowed him to perform as well as he did both in and out of the dueling circuit. Now with a clear mind, he could only grit his teeth in anger at himself for his slip up.
"I'll let her know."
"Good. Do not be late."
The rest of the day passed by agonizingly slowly. Unsurprisingly, Naruto decided to skip classes for the day as he was sure his presence at Hogwarts would be a distraction. When night fell across the land, Naruto sighed from his bed in the ship and slipped into his jacket once more. His classmates looked at him with mildly pitying looks and wished him luck.
Naruto could feel his worry welling within him the closer he got to the castle. The few times he'd been admonished by his grandmother, the punishments were always usually some form of writing exercises that left his hands cramping. This time however, he couldn't guess what she would have in store for him.
"At least I didn't attack someone from her house." He muttered to himself. He knew of the rivalry between the two houses and how much his grandma loved her house, if it had been a Gryffindor he was sure she'd kill him.
Pushing the front doors open, he looked around the hall and spotted someone, a Hufflepuff walking by.
"Excuse me." He spoke politely. "I have a detention with professor McGonagall tonight. Can you tell me where I can find the room?"
He was pointed to the correct moving stair set and was given detailed instructions on how to reach her classroom. The paintings on the wall all watched him slowly trek down the halls of the school, sometimes whispering to him asking him questions. It seemed even the portraits were interested in Minerva's family.
When he finally reached the room, he noted the door was open and he could hear some voices chatting inside. There must have been about five or six people present if he were to take a guess. With a final sigh, he stepped through the doorway and stared at the group of Gryffindors. One of them was familiar. A red head who stared at Krum when they arrived as if he were a god.
The Gryffindors held their stare, although Naruto could see a hint of both awe and fear in their eyes. The fear was understandable, but the awe escaped him. Mentally shrugging, he took his seat near the front next to the red headed guy who was quick to stand up and make his way to the back. Naruto smirked at the response to his presence and crossed his arms.
No one made a sound but Naruto was very much aware of the gazes on his back. After ten minutes of silence, his head began to dip down as a wave of drowsiness overcame him. The room was warm, quiet, and the chair he sat on was surprisingly comfortable. Just as he was going to rest his head on his arms and nap for a few minutes, his grandmother stepped through the room.
Her face was just as stern as it was when he last saw her.
"Do you not think about the things you do boy?" She asked heatedly before delivering a rather hard thump to the back of his head. It wasn't painful as it was back when he was a child but it was still uncomfortable. "Is your self control so poor that a few bigoted words were enough to assault another person?"
Naruto remained silent, taking the beratement on the chin.
The transfiguration master opened her mouth to continue but stopped when she realized there were others in the room. Her lions stared at her with their mouths agape, having never seen her discipline anyone with physicality. Straightening up, she cleared her throat and spoke.
"Your detentions have been revoked. Please leave the room and close the door." She ordered. "Mr Weasley." She added, looking at the red headed student. "If I'm forced to assign you another detention for the same reason your punishment will be severe, do you understand me?"
The young man nodded and quickly made his way out of the room. Having seen how Naruto's detention had started, he could only wonder what she would do to him. He and his friends had surely stressed her out over the years, his punishment could be the same or worse.
Now alone once more, Minerva rounded back on her grandson. "Not only did you assault a student, you don't realize just how much worse you've made the situation have you?" She asked. "You've basically confirmed the lies Rita wrote about you and Miss Delacour by acting in such a manner. How do you think that will affect her? She's treated differently by the English magical community enough, and with this adding on top of everything?"
Naruto grimaced and rubbed his face. There had been a chance of turning things around, but word of what happened had surely gotten out. Rita claimed he'd been ensnared and attacking someone wasn't the best way of proving someone wrong. He would need to find Fleur and apologize for potentially making things worse.
"I'll find a way to fix this. Even if I have to go to Skeeter herself." Naruto replied.
Minerva shook her head. "Rita may be slimy but she has a way of twisting the truth into something worth reporting. If you confront her directly, how can you be sure she won't take your words as a threat? If she does that, your reputation will get worse. No, we need to think things through very carefully before getting anywhere near that woman."
As much as he'd like to simply barge into her workplace, he could concede it wouldn't be a good idea. He would need something to use against her. Some sort of dirt that he could hang over her to twist her arm into doing whatever he wanted. Where would he find that though?
"I'll get in touch with some people. She wasn't there when I was talking to Fleur, so someone had to tell her. I'll have eyes on her as well and wait until I have something concrete before trying anything against her."
"Good. Now, onto the matter of your punishment." She continued. "I've been thinking about it the whole day and came to a decision. Because the student in question was not one of my lions, and to keep both the staff and students from thinking you get special treatment, I decided your punishment will be administered by the head of Slytherin." She announced.
Thinking back to the morning, Naruto tried to recall who was present at the staff table. Of course he remembered Dumbledor and his grandmother along with Flitwick and Karkaroff. There were a few more but sitting closest to them was another but their face escaped him. He tapped his fingers against the desk irritably, he could only remember black clothing but no face to match.
"In any case." Minerva continued, snapping her fingers in front of him. Her wand was soon in her hand and with a gentle wave across the board, the sentence 'I will not disrespect Hogwarts and its students again' was displayed in white writing. "You will be writing lines for the hour that you're here."
Before he could tell her that he didn't have anything to write with or on, a quill and piece of parchment suddenly appeared in front of him. Sighing in defeat, the blond took the quill and began.
By the time the hour was coming to an end, his wrist was sore and his palm sweaty. She had only allowed him a momentary break but was soon forced back to writing. It was a punishment after all.
"I need another sheet." He called out.
Minerva raised her wand only to stop when a soft knock on the door caught their attention. Naruto raised an eyebrow, wondering if there was another unfortunate soul that would have to do this. The door opened and a man in a black cloak with shoulder length black hair entered the room. His demeanor was stone cold and his strides silent but with purpose.
"McGonagall." His voice was low in tone, just above a whisper but could still be heard through the entire room.
"Professor Snape." His grandmother answered in a curt tone. "I was meaning to speak with you tomorrow but this will save me time. Before that however, did you need something?" She questioned.
Naruto almost snapped his fingers when he realized this was the person he had forgotten. This was the head of the Slytherins. Perhaps he was here to personally tell him what his punishment was. A chill went up Naruto's spine now that he looked at the man. He had a no nonsense air about him, not in the same way as Karkaroff, but similar.
"I wanted to formally meet our newest…celebrity." The man replied, looking over at the blond with an appraising look. "That and to discuss some things."
"I see. This works out well then I suppose. If you're not opposed to it, I've decided on allowing you to decide his punishment as one of yours was directly involved. You may discuss in this classroom as his detention has run its course. I do ask that his punishment be announced in public once you've decided."
The smallest of smiles appeared on the man's face. "Of course. It will be done in the great hall tomorrow."
Minerva looked between the two until her gaze landed back on her colleague and she felt her stomach churn. Snape was staring at her grandson with the same curiosity that Flitwick had displayed. She trusted Flitwick and his background in dueling matched up with the older wizard's own, which was why she allowed him to reach out. Snape however, was not someone she would claim to trust. Perhaps Albus did to a frightening degree, but the rest of the staff had their reservations about him. Minerva could only hope that she had not made a mistake in allowing the two men to speak.
Not showing any emotion that could give away her mental unrest, Minerva made her way out of the classroom, shooting the two men one final look before closing the door behind her.
Looking back at Snape, Naruto found that the man was simply staring at him with an unreadable expression on his face. There was no indication that he was upset, no wrinkles on his forehead showing his displeasure at Naruto's actions. Nothing. The silence was deafening, only the soft cracking of the flame from the candles lit around the room could be heard if one tried hard enough.
"Tell me…" Snape finally began. "How did it feel to cast the spell?"
Naruto blinked in confusion. How did it feel?
"The spell you used was powered by negative emotion. You had to want to cause some sort of injury, otherwise it wouldn't have worked." Snape explained.
Thinking back to that moment, Naruto tried to recall the exact feeling. Rage was the first to come to mind but that wasn't what the man was asking. Digging deeper into his psyche, he focused on the feeling of the spell itself. The wave of pleasure that washed over him when he saw the bastard trying to swallow his own tongue. The pure glee that had overcome him as the young Slytherin struggled in vain to free himself.
Naruto wanted to scowl, he was better than that. He could cast 'dark' spells and feel absolutely nothing but this had been different. He'd lost control.
"I see you don't like the answer you've come to. You liked the feeling and momentarily lost yourself in the dark." Snape recited as if reading his mind. "A dangerous situation, more so for a duelist. Your mind must be sharp and unclouded by emotion." He continued in the same soft tone he'd used the entire time.
"You sound as though you're speaking from experience." Naruto replied. "That was the first time I've ever lost my cool, it won't happen again I assure you."
Snape looked unconvinced. "And if they speak ill of your friend again?"
Naruto's hand clenched quickly but soon relaxed once more. It was quick but not quick enough to go unnoticed by the older man.
"I see. That girl is special to you, but it is through her that your control wavers."
"With all due respect I have to ask, is there a point to this conversation?" Naruto asked in the most polite tone he could muster.
Snape nodded and mentally smirked. Unlike Potter, he could see much promise from the young man in front of him.
"Like my…colleague, I too have found myself curious about your abilities. Flitwick was interested in your dueling skills, but I find myself wondering about your talent in the dark arts." Snape revealed. His eyes bore into Naruto's, trying to find any trace of panic or nervousness. There was none.
Naruto's mental defenses went up seconds after feeling the lightest probes within his mind.
"Not happening." The blond commented.
Snape took no offense to the remark and inclined his head slightly. "Good. You have experience with Occlumency and even detected my probe. Most would have never felt the slight disturbance."
The blond huffed. "Most don't care to learn do they? Anyway, I don't buy into the whole light or dark thing. Magic is magic, it does what we will it to do. If we want something to happen, our magic will answer. 'Accidental' magic from a young age is proof of that."
The older wizard agreed with the statement. Magic was all about intent, not whether a spell itself was innately light or dark. He didn't miss that the young man hadn't answered his question however, and let him know as much.
"I've learned my fair share of questionable curses." Naruto replied cryptically.
"I see. And are the bandages you hide under your clothes part of what you've learned?"
Naruto couldn't hide his surprise at the man's words but managed to not look down at his arms. How did he know? His jacket covered his arms, there was no way he should know anything. He stopped for a moment and thought back to the slight poke within his mind, had Snape actually managed to get information out of him before being pushed out?
"I caught a glimpse during the altercation in the great hall." Snape clarified. "You move without issue so I know there's no injury, which begs the question, why is your arm bandaged? I can only assume self mutilation, which I doubt, or some form of muggle tattoos that you don't want seen."
His mind was clear thanks to his experience with occlumency, but Naruto was far from calm. Now he was in a pickle. Snape was part of the staff of Hogwarts, if he saw what he had done, word would soon get back to his grandmother as well as dumbledore. There would be no legal trouble, but the questioning he would be subjected to would be intense.
Scholars and experts alike would flock to him wanting to question how he did it and why. He rubbed two fingers against his temple as the thought of the headaches that would surely follow assaulted his mind.
"Unfortunately professor I can't disclose that information."
Snape hummed softly. "I see. Allow me to give you a piece of advice then McGonagall. The Dark Arts are many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible. That first outburst in the hall will be one of many if not dealt with."
"So what do you propose? More occlumency training?" Naruto asked curiously. He wouldn't admit it to the man, but his short speech had captivated him. The man had been correct in his assessment, every time he used a 'dark' spell, he could feel a pull of sorts to continue using them. Today, in the great hall the pull had been so intense to continue that he had almost gotten tunnel vision.
The wizard shook his head. "No, what you need is to learn how to cast those spells properly. To cast them with the correct state of mind so they don't consume you, and in turn, you will have ultimate control."
To demonstrate his point, Snape waved his wand in front of him with incredible speed and summoned a small sphere of fire. The embers seemed to roar, wanting nothing more than to break out of the circular prison they were contained in and destroy anything in its path.
"You recognize the spell." Snape stated, his face showing only slight discomfort at holding the spell.
"Fiendfyre." Naruto replied automatically. "I can cast it too, but I've never held it together like that. I can only direct it and call it off. It's difficult."
Snape once again nodded and with another flick, disbursed the flames. "It is. But not impossible, with the right instruction."
"And you're offering?" Naruto asked skeptically.
"I am. Like Flitwick, I'm also reminded of myself when I see you. You're an ambitious individual who understands magic is about intent. I can help you tighten your hold on your magic and teach you how to properly cast certain spells. To do that however, I need an answer."
Naruto didn't question what he wanted to know, he already knew. The bandages. Snape was clearly capable of casting powerful spells with more ease than him, the show of Fiendfyre proved it. He chewed his bottom lip as he thought back to the events of the morning, insulting Fleur had sent him over the edge. If it happened again, would he be able to keep himself calm if Viktor and the others weren't around?
"Not a word of this will leave this room." Naruto demanded. While he would have liked to keep it to himself, the opportunity to learn under another master probably wouldn't come again. With Flitwick helping him in dueling, and Snape helping him with the more powerful magic, he would grow by leaps and bounds.
"Of course." The man agreed.
Having nothing left to say, Naruto stood up and removed his coat but quickly cast a few spells to make sure the room was free of any unwanted visitors. If he woke up tomorrow and Rita had covered what was on him, nothing would save her from him. Azkaban be damned, she would be murdered.
Once he was sure things were clear, he removed his shirt and undid the bandages of both arms. Keeping his eyes directly on the Slytherin head, he let the bandages fall.
Even the stoic potions master could not hide the shock when he saw what was hidden. His eyes were wide and his jaw had unlatched about an inch. Snape's eyes looked at both arms, identifying each and every mark he saw. Taking a few steps closer, he inaudibly began to mutter the names of each mark he recognized. From the shoulders down to the elbow and inside of his forearms, intricate markings connecting and disconnecting ran across like a network of sorts. His face scrunched together in confusion and slight concern when he noticed a distinct pattern on his left forearm. Glancing at the right one, he narrowed his eyes as the same pattern was present only seemingly mirrored.
"Put your arms together." Snape ordered.
Naruto did as he was told and wondered what the reaction from the man would be. Snape wasn't old enough to have been around when this was present, but having been around Dumbledore, perhaps he would recognize it. The issue was whether or not it would be a problem.
"How peculiar. Do you know the significance of this mark?" Snape asked.
"I do."
"This is a dangerous game you're playing. This mark has a negative connotation behind it." Snape continued.
"I'm aware. We aren't talking about that though. I did as you asked." Naruto replied, trying to steer the conversation away from the marks.
Snape sighed but nodded nonetheless. "You have. I will come up with a time table for lessons. For now, let's decide what you'll be doing for the next month."
Now it was Naruto's turn to sigh. He had completely forgotten that this had been about his punishment.
"Don't worry, it won't be as bad as you think. Though you'll soon find out what it's like to work with dunderheads."
xxxx
"Before we commence breakfast." Dumbledore announced from the head of the staff table. "Professor Snape has an announcement to make. Professor…"
The dark haired man stood up and stared at the students with no amount of love behind his eyes. Casting a spell to expand the reach of his voice, he cleared his throat.
"Thank you." The man said with no real gratefulness in his tone. "I will be quick. For the next month, Hogwarts will be having an optional elective."
Most of the students muttered to themselves, wondering what kind of class would be taught. Some, the Gryffindors, already wanted no part of it if Snape would be leading the course. They all knew his bias toward his house and the general animosity he showed the lions and to a degree the puffs.
"The course will be about spell modifications and how to essentially 'transfigure' live spells as they're shot. The course will be led by Mr McGonagall." He stepped aside and allowed Naruto, who had been disillusioned behind him to show himself.
The blond stared boredly at his classmates who shrugged as if saying it could be worse. Moving his attention slightly to the side, his eye caught Fleur who quickly turned away from him. He wanted to go talk to her but the look her classmates sent him told him that wouldn't be an option.
He needed to apologize but when would he get the chance?
"Those wishing to sign up must see me on Monday afternoon. That is all."
Naruto was allowed to return to his place within the Slytherin table just as the food appeared for them. Turning around, he saw four girls walking away with Fleur, each with multiple plates floating behind them.
"Damn." He muttered.
"I'm sure she'll calm down soon. She can't be mad at you forever." Naruto's head snapped up. To his surprise, it hadn't been one of his friends who'd said that, but rather Draco Malfoy.
The older blond wasn't sure what brought this on but he inclined his head. "Yeah, I suppose you're right."
Not knowing what else to say, he filled his plate and began to slowly eat. Snape had said he would deal with dunderheads, if that were true this would be one of the last few peaceful meals he'd get.