Chapter Twelve…
The Blood Stone - Part 6!
(First Week at Hogwarts!)
9th of September 2011:
After the night Harry helped Ember through her nightmare, the next few days before their first official school day had been somewhat busy. As he had been helping Ember to get a better control of her powers, and able to use them much longer than she is used to. The first thing Harry had Ember do was to join him in his runs, and his exercises to build her strength and stamina, as it would be the key to be able to control her powers.
Ember was more than happy to do what Harry asked of her, even though she knew that it really was Harry and not her real father that helped her through her nightmares, thanks to the girls telling her, she was thankful for his help. But thanks to Harry's spell work, she thought she dreamt about her father telling to trust Harry, who would help her train with her powers.
Harry felt, he wasn't sure of the feeling, but he felt it was a cheap way of getting an ally, he didn't do any work to get her to side with him. Which is why he altered the spell work, as Ember slept the night as Harry stopped her magic going overboard, he altered the memories a bit. Harry made it so that she dreamt, she would have dreamt of her father talking to her and telling her to seek Harry out for help to train her. But instead of fully trusting him as he did the night before, he tried to make it so that those spells didn't work and that he would have to work for it. But it would seem that even without the spells, Ember was infested with him.
Harry knew he would have to be careful in the future, he was foolish about using the Confundus Charm. Sure if he used it, things would become much easier for him. But the risk grew that people found out about him using it, not only that but all the fun would be taken away from it all too. He wanted to work to become a powerful Dark Lord, if he always used Mind Altering Spells to get his own way, it would mean nothing in the end. As someone could undo all his work with undoing the spell and people would go against him in the end, it would be better if he gained a reputation, one where they would be too fearful to go against him.
Harry wasn't stupid enough to think he wouldn't have to use Mind Altering Spells, but when it came to gaining allies, he wanted to work on it. Changing people's beliefs without Mind Altering Magic, so that it would be they who decided to join Harry on their own free will, and not some spell. It might take a while, but Harry had other things to do before he needed followers to fight for him, before then he was willing to take his time. Harry would only use Mind Magic when he knew that a person he needed had high morals that wouldn't allow themselves to become Dark, and that he really needed that person on his side.
Either way, with the problem with Ember dealt with, when he wasn't helping to train Ember, he was getting to know more about a few of his dorm mates. Harry learnt from Ron and his brothers, that their father worked with the Mystics as a Liaison between the Mystics and the Ministry of Magic. This department would not only have Mr. Weasley be the go between to the two parties, but he would be the Head of a group that would make sure that magical items didn't fall into the Muggle World.
The Weasley Twins told Harry that this was a dream job come true for their father, as unlike most people in the Wizarding World, he always had a thing for the Muggle World and the Mystics. So working as a Liaison, their father learnt more about them, and taught them about the Muggle World and the Mystics. The twins told Harry that the only ones in the family that wouldn't bother about the Muggles and the Mystics was their mother and their brother Ron, as both didn't want to interact with them, but learnt the basics about them so that if they were forced to, they knew what to do. Although with Ron, he admitted that he didn't want to learn much unless he had to and so unless it was important, he didn't want to learn about it.
As Harry talked to the Weasleys, Harry found that the twins were fun loving jokesters, but Harry could sense a bit of a dark side to them, waiting to come out. Harry was thinking how he could use this to his advantage, it might take some time but they could make good allies in the future.
Ron was a bit of an ass, making fun of those who were smarter than him and those who wanted to learn like Hermione, Ember and Harry. Harry didn't say or do anything for now as Harry knew that unlike him, Ron didn't have to grow up the same way and in heart was still a child. So Harry decided to give him time to grow up, where Harry hoped that Ron would grow out of this. But Harry wasn't going to give Ron that much of time, if Ron didn't show some progress, within the next year or so, Harry would think twice about being friends with the young red head.
As for the oldest of the Weasley children at Hogwarts, Percy, Harry didn't like him one bit. He was a stick in the mad, who only thought about himself and getting ahead of others, using whatever means possible. Normally Harry would use this, but the problem was that he had strong beliefs in the rules and in the Ministry of Magic and what they say. Because of this, Harry knew he had to be careful around him, as Percy could be a problem for him in the future if he wasn't careful.
Whilst she wasn't starting until next year, Harry was a bit worried about the youngest and only female Weasley, Ginny Weasley. The twins and Ron both told him that she was a fan girl of the Boy-Who-Lived, and wanted nothing more than to meet him. This could be useful to Harry, but the thing was he didn't know what she was like and if she could be useful to him in anyway. So until next year, Harry had to hold off his thoughts, and decide what to do with Ginny when she came to Hogwarts next year.
Anyway, Harry talked to a few people in his year, some were fine and others weren't, the thing was that unlike him, they grew up with a normal childhood, and so didn't have much darkness in their lives like him and Ember had. Well if they had they hid it well, or didn't say anything about it. So at the moment, there was no one he could see as a possible ally within his own House.
Well almost no ally. There was Hermione Granger, she was scary smart and, from what Harry saw, great at research, someone Harry could use. But the problem is that she had strong morals and trust in authority. Not only that but it would seem that unless it was in a book, she didn't believe it was true. Like when she found out that he had a pet and a Familiar, at first she thought it was against the rules to have more than one pet at Hogwarts. Harry had to point out that Aneira was his Familiar, and Hedwig was his pet, and by the school rules he could have both. Hermione didn't believe it, as she hadn't read about it, but once she read about it, Hermione had the good grace to blush, having already set up a whole lecture about how rare his situation was. Harry was hoping that in time he could work on her, and have her side with him.
But there was one person Harry couldn't get on with, and that's was mainly because of who his parents were, namely his mother: Neville Longbottom. The young Longbottom boy informed Harry that their mothers were each other's Godmothers, and Harry didn't take the news well. Upon finding this out, Harry demanded where was she all these years when he needed her. Not only for help, but to inform him about his part in the Wizarding World and prepare him for everything.
Not realizing it until it was too late, Neville made it worse by telling Harry, after telling the last Potter about his family past that they were training him to protect himself from those who escaped justice and Azkaban who worked for You-Know-Who. Hearing this pissed Harry off big time, he could understand if Neville told him that his parents didn't do anything until now because of fear of those who joined the Dark Lord coming after them to get him for revenge. Whilst Harry might not like it, he could understand not wanting to risk their son's life. But to hear that the Death Eaters were already after them, and that they were training their son to defend himself from such attacks, and done nothing to see if he was ok, that pissed Harry beyond anything.
So when Neville told Harry that his mother wanted to see Harry, Harry was angry about this and asked before walking away, why would he want to see her when she never bothered to see him all these years. Neville tried over the week to explain, but Harry wouldn't listen. To Harry family was important, and should be protected no matter what, and nothing should stand between them. Family might not like each other, or agree all the time, but to Harry family comes first and should be protected from outsiders.
Then there were the meetings with the Mystic Knights and Aurors over the weekend, wanting to know about what happened at Merlin's Station. As they wanted to know what Harry knew, and why he helped out and how. He didn't tell them everything, leaving a few things out unless asked about, but after the weekend, they seemed to get what they wanted from Harry and left him alone. Although Harry noticed that Dumbledore was giving him strange looks, although Harry wasn't sure why though, it was like the Headmaster didn't like that he could defend himself for some reason. Harry would have to keep an eye out for the old Headmaster, as not for the time he suspected the old man would be a problem for him in the future.
Anyway it was early Friday morning, and Harry and Ember had just finished their morning exercise, to help build up Ember's strength and stamina, which they were doing at least once a day, and was going to the Great Hall to get something to eat before getting cleaned up.
As Harry walked back up to the castle, Harry thought about the week he had once classes started up. It wasn't all that bad, although there were a few problems, the first being Peeves the Poltergeist. It was hard enough to get around the castle, but with the Poltergeist being around, it was even harder. He would drop waste paper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose, and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"
However, worse than him, if that even was possible, was the caretaker, Argus Filch. He would threaten the students to lock them up or chain them up in the dungeons if they crossed him. Harry, Ember and Ron did just that by mistake, but were saved by Professor Quirrell. What didn't help was that Filch owned a cat named Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-coloured creature with bulging, lamp like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later.
And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the classes themselves, which Harry learnt that the classrooms were made bigger too because of how many students there were now. There were the magic classes and non-magic classes. The magic classes were Charms, Transfiguration and Defence Against the Dark Arts.
Charms, was taught by Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. He was a laid-back teacher, and had a rich sense of humour and was always fair with his students, even those who were not in Ravenclaw. He was an excitable man, taking true passion in helping his students learn his craft.
He had two classes with Professor Flitwick, on Mondays first thing and on Tuesday before lunch with the Ravenclaws, these two classes were all about the theory behind magic and how it was done. The Charms Professor explained that these classes would help them with the future classes, as they would explain about how magic worked and how to use their wands properly and cast spells. Harry was interested in this, as more he learnt about magic the more he could do with it, and to better hone his skills.
Defence Against the Dark Arts, boy was that a big let-down, it was one of the classes Harry was really looking forward to, but it was taught by the stuttering fool, Professor Quirrell. For a class that should have stressed perfect casting, Quirrell couldn't teach his way out of a wet paper bag. It took him twice as long to instruct anything, and it took the class two or three times longer to learn anything because it took quite a while to work out what Quirrell was saying. What was worse was that they had this class two times a week, last class on Mondays and just before lunch on Wednesday.
The last magical class was Transfiguration, which was taught by Professor McGonagall, Harry was quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a stern and firm lecture the moment they sat down in her first class. She warned about how dangerous her class was and told them all what would happen to them should they mess around in her class. They had her class twice a week, last thing on Tuesdays and first thing on Thursday. Like Charms, the class explained about how magic worked and how to use their wands properly and cast spells.
Harry remembered his first Transfiguration class, and how he pointed himself out of the rest of the class:
o0OoO0o
13th of September 2011:
It was Tuesday Harry and Ember had just finished lunch, and they decided to get to their last class for the day Transfiguration early. As they entered the classroom, they found that there was no one there yet, most like Professor McGonagall was still out having lunch or doing errands before class, the only thing in there was a silver tabby sitting on the front table which Harry suspected was Professor McGonagall's. But Harry thought something was strange about the cat, as Harry had never met a cat that sat so still like this one, but Harry wasn't sure what was up with it.
Either way, seeing that there was still time before the rest of their class arrived and class would start, Ember and Harry opened their books and read. Since Harry decided to come to Hogwarts, he read up more about Transfiguration, where he learnt there was more to it than he first thought. Like needing Runes, so that whatever they transfigured, would last for years or until they no longer needed it, instead of a few days or weeks. But that didn't change Harry opinion about the class, until they learnt about how to use Transfiguration to fight with it, it would basically be useless to him, as he didn't see the need for it in his day by day life. If he could get his Head of House to agree, he would either get to a high year, or skip this class altogether and learn what he needed by himself.
Anyway, time slowly passed and Gryffindor students began to enter the classroom, Hermione was the first and one by one the others came in, the only ones that hadn't arrived yet was Ron and Tony. The class was about a few minutes late starting when Ron and Tony entered the classroom, where Ron said as he caught his breath as he saw that Professor McGonagall wasn't around, "Wow, we made it. Can you imagine the look on old McGonagall's face if we were late?"
Just then the silver tabby and transformed into Professor McGonagall, and Ron put words to what Harry thought at that moment, "That was bloody brilliant!"
"Thank you for that assessment Mr. Weasley," said Professor McGonagall, "but I think it'd be better if I transfigured you or Mr. Booth into a watch so you would be on time"
"Sorry Professor, but we got lost." apologised Tony.
"In that case it would be better to transfigure one of you into a map," McGonagall remarked to the two boys, "now I hope you don't need a map to your desks."
And with that the two boys who were now red faced, went to one of the spare desks and sat down without another word. Once they were seated, Professor McGonagall went on to say, "Now Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts, but be warned, if I see anyone messing around in my class, you'll leave and not come back. You have been warned."
Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed, even Harry, and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle.
When McGonagall saw that Harry didn't even pick up his wand, she had to ask, "Is there a problem Mr. Potter?"
"Oh no Professor McGonagall, I just find it a waste of my time." Harry explained to his teacher.
"Oh? And why is that?" McGonagall asked with a frown, with the students looking at him strangely.
"I can do this with my eyes closed," Harry said with a smile, "in fact any Mystics worth their salt can."
"Oh please Mr. Potter, prove it to us." the Transfiguration Professor told Harry, unhappy about how he was acting but was interested if the Boy-Who-Lived could do this.
"Ok Professor," Harry said with a smile, as he picked up his wand and without a word and just a lazy wave over the match, he turned it into a perfect silver needle. Not only was it a perfect needle, but it had a lion's head on the top of it.
"How is that possible Mr. Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked in shock and awe, as the students looked shocked, awe and jealousy: namely Ron and Hermione. "Not even your father who was skilled in Transfiguration, could do what you did in his first try, so how is it that you can?"
"Because I'm a Mystic, and any decent Mystic could do what I did," Harry explained to his Professor, "as you know. To magic there are three key point to doing magic: imagination, power and belief. With Mystics, whilst power and belief are important, imagination is the most important part. As we need to have a good image of what we want to do to make it happen, so as long as we have a good image and we have the power and belief we can do something, we can do almost anything we want. So turning a matchstick into a needle is child's play, and a waste of my time. So if possible I would like to know if I could skip this class to another year to see what I can do in that year?"
Professor McGonagall was shocked, young Harry Potter was much like his mother, someone who was smart who wanted a challenge. Sadly there was nothing she could do to help, Hogwarts wouldn't allow students to skip a year, as past Headmasters wanted to keep students with their peers so they didn't lose touch with the people at their age. It is the same with personal tutors, unless there is a very good reason, personal tutors were highly discouraged.
"I'm sorry Mr. Potter but I can't allow that, as past Headmasters made it so that students couldn't skip a year or two, so that they couldn't isolate themselves from their peers." the Transfiguration Professor told Harry, "For now, can you help the others turn their matches into needles please?"
Harry knew that he wasn't able to say much, and in a way, even if he didn't like it, he could see where the Headmasters were coming from. And he knew that unless it was something important you could say, he couldn't get a tutor either, as it would look like he was isolating himself from his peers. So Harry knew that the only thing he could do for now was this, "Ok Professor." Harry said to his Professor as he began to help the others.
As he proceeded, Harry slowly helped his classmates to transform their matches into needles, the few Mystics that were in the class were able to do it once it was explained to them how to do it. But they weren't the first to do it first, it was a non-Mystic, Hermione Granger, who was able to turn her match into a needle after Harry - and she didn't have any help from Harry. Not many others were able to, Ron and Tony were a few who couldn't do it, but Longbottom was able to. At the end of the class, Harry got thirty points for what he did in class.
9th of September 2011:
Harry smiled as that night he talked to Hermione about the class, as Hermione asked why he found Transfiguration such a waste of time, and what he meant about magic being about power, belief and imagination. So Harry explained that to him, Transfiguration was a waste of time as unless there was some sort of power source, like a magical being or item, or runes, Transfiguration only lasted for a short amount of time before changing back to its original form. So for someone who lives in the normal world, Transfiguration is useless unless it was Battle Transfiguration, to help in fights, which they wouldn't learn until sixth year.
Then Harry explained about power, belief and imagination: power was simple enough, each person with magic has a limit as to how much magic they have. It was why some people could do more than others could do, but it didn't mean that they were limited to what they could do. Which came to belief and imagination, imagination is one of the most important skills when it comes to being a Mystic, more so than power, as if you can't imagine what skills you want, you are limited to what you can do. So more imagination a child has, more skills that person can do. And no matter how powerful a person is, depending on the skills a Mystic might have, they can defeat the most powerful person there is. The other than power and imagination, the most powerful tool for a magic use be it a Wand User like herself or a Mystic like him, belief is the most powerful tool they have. As if they don't believe that they can do something, they won't be able to do it and be limited to what they can do.
As Harry finished telling Hermione this, she had to think about it and after a while had to agree with what he said. For those who live in the non-magical world, the need for Transfiguration is useless unless it was to defend themselves. And as for power, belief and imagination, Hermione could truthfully say she never thought about it, and was interested in it and made her think.
Hermione found Harry interesting, for most of her life she was the first to be able to do anything at school, and now it would seem that she was not. Whilst Harry didn't seem to be as good at theory and research as she was, he was so much better at the practical than she ever would be. And the talks that they had at times, got her thinking, as Harry would discredit things what was in books, with his own beliefs and thoughts, telling her that people wrote what they thought was right and that more often than not others might know better than someone who wrote a book. She should look things up for herself rather than believing what someone wrote, so she could decide what is right or wrong.
Harry himself enjoyed talking to Hermione, whilst Ron and Tony were fun to be with, it was great to talk to someone who could understand him and felt the same about being challenged to become better. Talking to Hermione allowed him to learn more, and have a challenging conversion, as they would make each other think.
Anyway, as for the non-magic classes, they weren't too bad. Herbology, History of Magic, Astronomy and Potions, out of these classes, Potions was the only class that Harry hadn't yet taken.
Herbology was Harry's favourite of these classes. The class was taught by a stout little witch called Professor Sprout where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, followed by learning about their many uses. Professor Sprout informed them that over time they would learn how these plants could heal people, and how they could be used for harm - mostly so they knew what to look out for - but that would be later on, a few years down the road.
The class was with the Hufflepuffs, but they stayed paired in their own House. Out of the two Houses, Longbottom was the best student within the class.
Astronomy was taught by Professor Sinistra, she was a gorgeous witch, one of the youngest on staff from what Harry had seen, and if Harry was just the slightest bit more mature he'd describe the woman as sexy. She had a young sister, Julia Sinistra, who was a fourth year Ravenclaw. Unfortunately, there wasn't much of a point to the class yet, at least from what Harry could tell. Learning the constellations and planets and such was fun, but there was little practical application and had to wonder why they had such class in the first place.
The last class was History of Magic was taught by Professor Helling, who was a middle age Witch, with black hair, wearing equally black robes, her name was Professor Melanie Helling. From what Harry learnt, the class used to be taught by a ghost who droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, normally it was about Goblin Wars and such. Rarely did he go on about other points of history, it was the worst class at Hogwarts, other than potions from what Harry heard.
That was until Helling took over and taught History for the last five years from what the Weasley Twins told him, Professor Helling had to fight tooth and nail to get the job. She wanted it because she was once a student at Hogwarts, and she believed that people learn from the past, and having Professor Binns who droned on and on and sent people to sleep as he taught, made sure that the past wasn't learnt. So once she finished Hogwarts, she did everything she could to learn about History and fraught to get the job, which she barely got but those are the governors board that wanted their children to learn history was able to make it so she got the job.
From what the twins told Harry, the new History Professor had to use another classroom, as the ghost, Binns, didn't realize that he didn't have a class anymore, but kept going to class to teach. The Twins told Harry that they once went to one of Binns 'classes,' to see what one was like, and they said it was their worst idea yet. As they were told by another student, the Ghost Professor droned on and on and sent people to sleep within half an hour of being there. So they were happy that they had Professor Helling, at least they would be learning something.
The first class they had, Professor Melanie Helling explained who she was and what they would suspect that year, she told them that she would have no foolish or disrespect in her class. She told them that unlike other teachers who taught history, she didn't believe everything that was in the books, as those who wrote them only knew part of the information. The rest could have been lost through time, or was altered in some way. As the saying goes, history is often written by the victors.
So for the next year, they would be using her books and do their own research in history, and at the end of each class she would pick one or two people to read out the reports. This is the best way to make their own mind up about history, instead of listening to other people's thoughts who could be biased or did not have the information that she had gained over the years. They might find that their own findings are the same as others, if they only looked so far in her books, or they might find something more or find that they have their own thoughts about what really happened in the past. Helling also told them that they had to think about what they found, and decide if what was done was right, or if they had their own opinion to add to what happened or what could have been changed for a different, and at times a better, outcome.
Harry found this interesting, as it would allow him find not only to see if he could find something else that wasn't in the history books that normal children normally read. He could listen to his classmates about their findings, and see if any of them got a hint of darkness that he could work on and so find some future allies once he worked on them.
Either way, back to the present where Harry and Ember were eating breakfast by now, when Hermione came down to the Great Hall with Ron and Tony behind her. Whilst Ron and Tony were his friends, Hermione and he were more of Study Buddies than friends. Harry would like to be friends with her, but Ron and Hermione fought too much. Hermione was making great progress as she socialized with others, but she was still grating at times as some of her old habits die hard. Ron wasn't helping and poked fun at basically everything he could about, if it wasn't for Harry wanting to see if Ron would grow up and mature, Harry would tell Ron where to go. But Harry did try and hurry up the progress, and tell Ron where he was going wrong, but it was rough going and he didn't know if his friendship with Ron would last much longer.
It was about quarter past eight now, half an hour since Hermione, Ron and Tony came down to the Great Hall breakfast, when Harry and Ember got up to head off to get their things and go to class early. Hermione, Ron and Tony were surprised about them going early, but Harry explained that seeing that Snape, who was the Head of House Slytherin, was teaching it and if the rumours were true, favoured his own House heavily, he didn't want to give him reason to hate him (Harry) more.
It was also said that he allowed his House to ruin other people's potions, and took points for the simplest things. Out of all the Houses Snape was rumoured to hate Gryffindor the most for something that happened to him as a child, something that a Gryffindor did to him. Harry had to admit he was baffled by the whole situation, if you hated one fourth of the students because of what colour they wore, why would you teach? These were all rumours though, so Harry wouldn't go against the man, yet.
But there was something more, the look that Snape give him at the start of the year, made him think that the Potion Professor hated him for some reason. Hermione told him and the other two boys that he handed around that Snape would be like that, as he was a professor and so he would be a professional, and would like one. Harry didn't think so, as he knew a few people who meant to be a professional but weren't, but Harry knew that unless she saw it first hand, Hermione wouldn't believe it. For now, he would have to wait and allow Hermione see the truth herself, now he and Ember got their things for Potions before going down to the class.
By the end of Potions class, not only did Hermione learn how unprofessional he was, but Harry learned something, at the start-of-term banquet, Harry had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked him, but by the end of the class, he knew he'd been wrong. Snape didn't dislike Harry - he hated him. At least he gave him a reason to hate him though apart from whatever reason he had to begin with.
Potion lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder there than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.
Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.
"Ah, yes, Harry Potter. Our new… celebrity." Harry had to bite his tongue to stop himself from launching an insult back at the man's tone. It didn't help that Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making." He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stop death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
More silence followed this little speech. Harry, Tony and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.
Harry couldn't believe it, some of the rumours about Snape were true, but it wasn't as bad as he thought. He knew that some students were tougher on their students than most, and seeing the kind of class this was it was suspected for Snape to be tough, to keep his students safe from making mistakes. The only problem was Snape's attitude, it was no wonder the students got the wrong end of the stick, the Potion Master only needs to work on his people skills. But Harry wasn't sure what he had done to this man to single him out like he did, he had only seen Snape for the first time last week. But this wasn't going to be the only time that day that Snape was going to single him out.
"Potter!" Snape snapped suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Harry thought about it for a few moments, he had read a few chapters of each of his books before coming to Hogwarts, and to be honest he couldn't remember anything about what would he get if he added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood. But the truth was how would the teachers suspect, Muggleborns or Raised, first years to remember everything when they only find out about the Wizarding World about two months before hand, and had so much information to learn over the next two months. It would be near impossible if you weren't like someone like Hermione to remember everything in a short time, so he said honestly, "I don't know sir."
Meanwhile Harry saw that Hermione had her hand up, knowing the answer, but Snape absently noticed her hand had shot into the air, but Snape wasn't taking any notice of her.
"Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything." Snape taunted as he kept ignoring Hermione's hand. "Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a Bezoar?"
Harry had to smirk at this, he knew this one, it wasn't because he read about it in one of the books, but because of Bowser. The former Pit Boss advised Harry that he should have a Bezoar on him at all times, as he was the Boy-Who-Lived, and there were those who wanted nothing more than to take vengeance on him for what he did to the Dark Lord when he was a baby. One of the ways that they might use was poisons, so it would be for the best to have a Bezoar on him at all times so that should he be poisoned, he could have a cure on him at all times unless it was very powerful poison which was rare. From what Bowser told him, they should be learning about the basics of poisons and the antidotes at the end of the first year, start of the second year.
Either way, Harry saw once again that Hermione stretching her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat. Harry was half-tempted to be cocky and say in the Supply Cupboard, or a Apothecary, but decided against it. It already looked like this person hated him, he didn't need to give the man a real reason. So with a smile that seemed to piss Snape off, Harry answered, "A Bezoar is a stone that's taken from the stomach of a goat, and it will save you from most poisons. In fact I have one in my pocket if you want to show the class." Harry said with a smile as he pulled out a small black stone.
"What on earth are you doing with a Bezoar?" Snape sneered at Harry in disbelief.
Harry wasn't going to tell them the truth, he showed it so that the kids of the parents of Death Eaters and Dark Mystics could tell them that poisons wouldn't be any harm to him. So he half-lied, "I'm the last male and Heir to House Potter, and I was informed by someone that it is prudent to have a Bezoar just in case, and that all Heirs of a family has one on them." Here there were a few nods from a few of the students who were Heirs to their family.
Snape wasn't happy to hear this, as he couldn't dock any points from Potter without upsetting a few important Purebloods at the same time. So he went on to say, "Fine, let's see if you know this one: what's the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" The man snarled, losing his cool noticeably, causing the class to blink, they heard the stories of Snape and they didn't suspect this would happen.
At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling. Harry shook his head lightly; if Snape wasn't going to allow her to answer the other questions, why would she think that he would allow her this time? On the other hand, he was getting tired of Snape, the man was a petty asshole. Not everyone was like Hermione Granger who had a good memory, and who lived to read, he didn't understand how Snape would suspect them to remember everything in the first year Potion Books.
He knew the answer, thankfully, not only from a book either, although he did read it in one of his Hogwarts Books. But any true gardener worth their salt would know this, not those who do it as a hobby or keep the garden, but those who enjoy gardening and want to make sure their gardens were at their best. It was something Harry was thankful for about the Dursley's, having basically single handily kept the Dursley's garden living over the years had its perks, he supposed.
Harry sighed though as he thought about this, he suspected the first question was even in the first year books, as if it was something so powerful to send someone to sleep, no first year should be able to make. The second one was near the end of the year class question, and unless you read all of the books you wouldn't know about it. The third, well, that was most likely a trick question trying to trip him up like the other questions. 'What has this man got against me,' Harry thought not for the first time, 'why does he hate me so much when we never meet before.'
Harry knew that he was being somewhat paranoid, but with the hateful looks this man was giving him, what else was he to think?
Either way thought, it would seem that Snape's anger was already at what Harry called Vernon-3, seeing that he couldn't belittle him or make whatever nasty comments he was going to make to Harry. So Harry wondered if he could drive the man all the way up to 6, just to piss him off more. "Why don't you ask Hermione, she seems to know this one…?"
'Wow, from three to six, that's actually sort of impressive, in a sad sort of way.' Harry mused to himself as Snape lost even more composure. "But I suppose you did ask me, so I'll answer. Any true gardener would know this, there is no difference between monkshood and wolfsbane, they're the same plant. The plant is also known as aconite." He answered simply.
Snape glared at him for several more moments, his face purple and a vain throbbing on his shiny forehead before he ground out, "Correct, Potter…" He looked around the room, his bloodshot eyes causing anybody he looked at to recoil. "Well, why aren't you all copying that down?!" He demanded.
There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And twenty points will be taken from Gryffindor for your arrogance and being a know-it-all, Potter, along with your cheek."
There was a deluge of cries from the Gryffindors. Taking a point or two from Harry for his cheek would have been normal - something even Harry admitted would have been justified - but twenty points?! What's worse were the points lost for being a 'know-it-all'. The rest of the Gryffindor's may have disliked Hermione for this particular trait due to her habits of being condescending occasionally and a few times rubbed it in their face about it, but at least she earned them loads of points for knowing all the answers, that Harry didn't know, and answering them so they didn't have to. They couldn't believe they were suddenly getting docked points for correct answers, if this kept happening; the Gryffindor's hourglass would be empty by the end of the day.
If he was in his Maverick form and someone done this, he would have shown Snape not to disrespect him. But for now all Harry could do was remain silent, and plot how to get the man back for his petty ways. It all started with Snape telling the class that what they were doing a simple potion to cure boils, and the instructions were on the board and they had until the end of the class to finish it.
Harry could only stare at the Potion Professor. That was it? That was the extent of their very first lesson in potion making? Here's the instructions; begin? Where were the details instructions and demonstrations on how to prepare the ingredients? Where were the safety instructions? Where was the safety equipment? Was he simply going to sit there instead of giving personalised instructions? Tell them why things had to be done in such a way so that nothing bad happens; exploding, for instance.
Shaking his head, Harry decided to make the best of things.
Reaching into his bag, he began to take out the things that he'd need: cauldron, silver knife, brass scales. And then, after a few second's thought, he began setting up the way his muggle chemistry teacher had shown him. Whilst he and his class were young, his chemistry teacher treated them as teens, and taught them the same way as he would as he would with the teens. Making sure they were prepared for what is to come. And before starting Bowser brought Harry a few sets lab equipment to use in potions, so that he would be safe.
Harry had pulled out his lab coat, his goggles and nose and mouth mask, he was about to pull out a second set that he got for Ember, when Snape spotted him and ask with a sneer, "Potter, what do you think you are doing?"
"Preparing to make the potion." Harry replied after moving the mask away from his mouth, as students begun to look at Harry, to see what was happening. The Purebloods, and the Half-Bloods who were raised within the Wizarding World, had no idea what these items were. But the Muggle-Borns and Raised knew what these were, and were actually interested in them and wondered why they weren't provided these items before class.
"And what is all of… that?" Snape asked, waving his hand derogatorily as he rounded his desk and approached.
Harry waited for his inspection to be completed before continuing.
"Is that… Muggle science equipment?" Snape asked, disgust clear in his voice.
"Yes, Sir," Harry replied. "It's just standard safety equipment, Sir."
"Superfluous," Snape declared. "Remove it. I don't want to see it in this classroom again."
Harry stared at the man. Take it off? Make these potions without any sort of safety equipment whatsoever? He shook his head. It'd been drilled into him far too much for him to do such a stupid thing. "In that case if I do that I won't be doing anything in this class." Harry admitted.
Snape predictably sneered down at him and said, "So, are you so arrogant that you think you don't have to do any work in my class?" Like the empty headed sycophants they were there was some giggling from a few of the Slytherin half of the class.
"Oh, no, nothing of the sort. I'm really looking forward to getting started." Harry said politely. "But you haven't shown us how to make the potion. Your speech in our first class really drove home how dangerous potions class could be, I was just waiting for you to further explain the brewing process and caution us about any mistakes that would cause cauldron melting, or explosions of scrap metal or deadly neurotoxins." Harry barely knew what that last one was, but it sounds appropriately poisonous and it just seemed to roll off the tongue.
"Are you telling me what to do Potter?" Snape hissed.
"No." Harry answered. He probably should have added a 'sir' in somewhere, but he refused to show that level of respect to a petty bully. "But as you would admit yourself, making potions can be dangerous, especially for those who never been near or even seen a cauldron before. I myself have only seen a cauldron once on a school trip, and we certainly didn't brew anything in it. I could harm myself, so I thought I protect myself, and seeing that I had a spare set with me, my friend Ember from any accidents that may happen."
Snape didn't hear any of this though, too wrapped up in his own inner rant at the gall of the boy for questioning him. "Twenty points from Gryffindor for disrespecting a Professor." Snape sneered at Potter, surprisingly other than Gryffindor been upset by this, even a few Slytherins were unhappy about this.
Whilst they wouldn't admit this openly about this, but they agreed with Potter, the idea of this equipment was a good idea, as they knew that there were many potion accidents that could be prevented if they had the gear to do so. It would seem that the Muggle World had one idea that they could agree with.
"And for your information, should there be any accidents there is Madam Pomphrey and the Hospital Wing to deal with them," Snape informed Harry, he went on to say, "now. Remove that muggle nonsense."
"First off -" Ron tried to stop Harry from talking, so that he wouldn't lose more points from Gryffindor, but Harry wasn't having any of it. "I wasn't disrespecting you, I was just telling you why I was wearing this equipment." He answered, before asking, "And wouldn't it be better to prevent accidents from happening so that Madam Pomphrey don't have to heal them. And what if there was an accident that Madam Pomphrey can't heal, but could be prevented by wearing protective equipment?"
The problem was that Snape didn't hear any this, all Snape heard was 'I'm not doing this because you're a greasy git.' Having grown so used to the nickname from students it was so ingrained in his mind he now thought everyone who wasn't a Slytherin called him that, something he only helped along. "Fifty points Potter, and you're coming with me to the Headmaster's office! Class dismiss…" Snape declared. He tried to grab Potter's arm, but the boy moved out of the way. He ignored this, playing it off, and walked out of the room anyway. The Potter brat was following him, the one act all day Snape couldn't accuse him of being a dunderhead for doing.
o0OoO0o
Snape dragged Harry to the second-floor corridor, where they walked down to the corridor which Harry learnt was called Gargoyle Corridor. As they got to the end of Gargoyle Corridor, Snape sneered at the Gargoyle, "Mars Bar."
And then the gargoyle suddenly sprang to life and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in two, where Harry saw the spiral staircase moving smoothly upward. As he and Snape stepped onto it, like before, Harry heard the wall thud closed behind them. They rose upward in circles, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, Harry saw a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.
They stepped off the stone staircase at the top, and Snape rapped on the door. And they heard someone say, "Come in Severus, Harry."
Harry wondered if there was some kind of ward around the entrance to let the Headmaster know who was at the door, it would explain how he knew who was at the door, he would have to see if he could find out later.
Harry was glad to see that his Head of House, Professor McGonagall, was in the office, so that he didn't have to call for her. Unlike the last time that he was here, the portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, were all awake in their frames. Now that he was fully awake, and had time to look round, he realized that whilst looks interesting, it wasn't all that at all. He could make something like this, if he wanted.
Anyway, as he looked around, he saw a phoenix, something he read about in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, as he wanted to see what magical creatures were real. So far he found that there were many creatures that were real, that won't, and some he didn't know existed. He knew that he would have to be careful with this creature, as from what he read, a phoenix's song gives pain. So imagine Harry's surprise that when the phoenix looked at him with interest in his eyes and sang, and suspecting pain, all he got was a mild headache, it was like the phoenix wasn't even trying, but was trying to figure Harry out or something. Because if was only a mild headache, Harry didn't show any signs of discomfort in front of the Professors.
Harry wasn't sure why the phoenix's song didn't hurt him, maybe there was still some good in him and so it didn't hurt him as bad should his heart be completely dark, or there was another reason that Harry wasn't sure about. Either way, he would have to keep an eye on the phoenix, as he felt as there was something more to it than met the eye, and something he should keep an eye on.
Either way, Albus Dumbledore asked, "Severus, what are you doing here with Harry? Aren't you be in class with Slytherin/Gryffindor?"
"The brat refuses to be taught!" Severus Snape spat.
Harry scowled. He'd been called much worse over the years, not to mention that he'd been blamed for worse things, but this was different. The people who did this before, hated him because they feared magic, and hate him and his parents, but this man he didn't even know and had no idea why he hated him. Sure whilst at Hogwarts he was going to have to keep a low profile, but for something like this he wasn't going to let slide.
"Now, Severus, name calling isn't going to get us anywhere," Headmaster Dumbledore stated lightly, his blue eyes twinkling behind his glasses, as he offered Harry a chair, which Harry took, as the Snape began prowling about, his black robes billowing about as he stalked.
"I have to agree Severus, I don't know what happened, but naming calling isn't called for, I've told you many times." Professor McGonagall told Snape.
From the corner of his eye, Harry saw Snape's grimace deepen.
"This is obviously about today's lesson," Headmaster Dumbledore observed, "perhaps if you tell me exactly what happened?"
The prowling stopped as Snape spun to stare at the Headmaster. "The class started and I give Potter a few questions to see what he knew, he answered two of the three questions I give him, but docked him a few points for his check. I then instructed the class to make the Boil Cure Potion, but Potter refused to do so."
"Is Professor Snape's description of events accurate, Harry?" Headmaster Dumbledore asked.
"In essence, I guess," he grudgingly allowed, not liking that the man who hated for him told the truth, but at the same time didn't tell the full truth, "although I would have provided more detail."
"So, you did refuse to do the work?" Headmaster Dumbledore persisted.
Harry's eyes narrowed. It was obvious who the Headmaster favoured here, and it wasn't the truth. He'd expected to at least be asked for his version of events.
"I felt that I had no choice to." Harry replied carefully.
"Why did you feel that you had no choice?" Professor McGonagall asked kindly, interested to find out the truth. She knew what Severus was like, and wanted to know what happened before she decide what to do next. "Can you tell us what happened?"
Harry suppressed his feeling of triumph. Now, he could tell his side of the story.
"I felt that it was unwise to create a potion in a situation that was highly dangerous," he replied.
"Dangerous?" Snape spluttered. "My classrooms are not dangerous unless the dunderheads inside it can't follow instructions properly."
Then Harry explained what happened the moment he got into the classroom, how Professor Snape singled him out, and asked him questions and injuring the one person who knew the answers. And he explained how he knew them. "I fully admit that I deserved the points taken from me, but not the amount, he took twenty points in all. For my cheek, and my so called arrogance and being a know-it-all." Harry explained to the Professors, having ignored the hook-nosed man's outburst, Harry saw McGonagall giving Snape a dark look as he told his story.
"Then he told the class to do the potion on the blackboard, a copy of what could be found in my textbook," Harry told McGonagall, "with no instructions of any kind, or demonstrations towards how to prepare the ingredients or make the potion, or give us any warnings about what could go wrong and how to fix it should it happen, nor give us any safety gear or pointed out where they could be found.
"So I attempted to use my own lab coat, protective glasses and face mask - items that are mandatory in any normal school's chemistry class when dealing with potentially volatile substances - Professor Snape forbade their use and stated that they were never to be brought to his classroom again. I tried to explain why I was wearing it, and why I gave my spare gear to Ember, when the Professor took another twenty points from me for disrespecting a Professor. When I tried to explained that I was disrespecting him, and that I was wearing the equipment to prevent any accidents that may happen so that Madam Pomphrey don't have to heal them in the first place. Because of this he took another fifty from me, and for some strange reason brought me here."
"Muggle nonsense," Snape spat, throwing his arms up in the air. "Perhaps that sort of thing is needed out there, but not here, where I told Potter we have a Hospital Wing and Pomphrey who can fix anything in a thrice."
Headmaster Dumbledore sat back, his elbows on the arms of his chair, hands steepled before him. His eyes never seemed to leave Harry as he thought.
"Professor Snape is correct, Harry," the Headmaster finally said. "Magical healing is a thousand times more effective in the case of accidents."
Before Harry could say anything, Professor McGonagall said, "Albus stop this at once, after hearing what Mr. Potter as said, I have to agree with him. Not only that, but Poppy has been telling me that she wished that there was a way to prevent all these potion accidents, as she feared that one day there might be something she can't heal or fix. If Mr. Potter's equipment can prevent such accidents, I say we look into this and get this equipment for the students."
"Minerva, Professor Snape is the Potion Master and Professor of this school, and so the students must abide by his rules within his classroom, like they need to abide by your rules in your classroom." Albus ruled in Snape's side, eliciting a smirk from Snape.
Minerva looked down at this, knowing that she had no leg to stand on seeing that Albus ruled in Snape's side, as he normally did, and knowing that even if she went to the School Governors, she couldn't get far. Not only would Albus not back her up, but Snape was old friends with Lucius Malfoy, who controlled most of the other Governors by fear or money - she would have no way to change things with Malfoy as a Governor.
"In that case I'll have to go to the School Governors and talk to them about getting things change within Potions." Harry told the Professors.
"Just like your father, arrogant, throwing your money and fame to get your way." Snape sneered at Harry.
"Oh so that's your problem, my dead father, how petty can you get." Harry said as he realized what was wrong with the Potion Professor, "You're taking your anger out on me and the rest of the Gryffindors for whatever my father did to you? How pathetic is that? You hire someone like this Headmaster?" Harry asked in shock, wondering what Dumbledore was thinking.
"Professor Snape has my full trust Harry." said Dumbledore, whilst looking disappointed at Harry for some reason.
"If you say so sir," was all Harry said before he went on to say, "but that doesn't change the fact that if things don't change soon, one of two things will happen: first if Professor Snape doesn't agree with the changes to make his class safer, voluntarily, I'll go to the School Governors and have them force him to make the changes. If that doesn't work, I'll only have to hire a personal tutor to teach me potions."
"Professor Snape is one of the leading Potion Master's in the country, Harry, you would be hard pressed to find anyone better at potion making than he is." the old Headmaster countered.
"For this country maybe, but what about another country?" Harry re-countered the old man, "Are you going to say someone better from another country? I'm sure I could find someone from another country, and if not I'll take a less knowledgeable one if they're more safety conscious and can give better instructions than, 'the ingredients are in the cupboard, the instructions are on the board, begin.'"
Dumbledore's hand snapped up, cutting off whatever Snape's outburst was going to be.
"I'm afraid that while you are in Hogwarts, you are required to take your instructions from Professor Snape," Headmaster Dumbledore stated in a tone of voice that said that the discussion was now closed.
"Oh please, I know for a fact that by Hogwarts by-laws, if I think that any Professor is biased towards me, not teaching the way they should be, or is a risk to my health, I can hire a personal tutor to teach me."
"By all mean hire a personal tutor Potter," Snape sneered at the young first year, "if it means I don't have to deal with an arrogant brat like you, I'm all for it. It's not like you have any chance with the School Governors as it is, they wouldn't allow your muggle nonsense in this school."
Harry couldn't help himself, Snape was thinking he was dealing with a normal first year, who knew nothing about how things were done, the Potion Master was about to have a rude wake up call. "You might be right," Harry said with a smile that both Dumbledore and McGonagall knew all too well from his father before he pulled some prank, "if I was a normal first year student, but I am not, I am the Boy-Who-Lived. Whilst I don't like to use the fame that I hadn't earnt myself, but my parents, I'm willing to use it if it means I can make things better for myself and my friends.
"I don't know who you think you know on the School Governors, but do you really think that anyone on the school board is going to turn me down? I might not be an adult, and know everything, but I do know a few things. When I'm of age, I have at least one seat within Wizengamot, maybe more depending what my Heritage Test reviles when I'm of age. Not only that but I'll also have a seat within the School Governors. And unless I do something foolish before that, or something happens to put me in a bad light, people will want me on their side. So do you think that the School Governors would want me on their bad side, when I could be a useful ally to them in the future? I think they'll agree to a few small things, especially if it is going to make it safe for their own children or grandchildren."
"Harry my boy, you entering a dangerous path, one at your age aren't ready for?" Dumbledore warned the young boy in front of him, "Once you go down this path, your childhood ends, and you'll always looking over your shoulder, as the politics is a dangerous world."
"No I might not be ready for it," Harry admitted wisely, "but that doesn't mean I don't know people who are willing to help me. I don't want to enter the political world until I am ready either, all I want is a normal schooling, but as I told you in my letter that I sent with Hagrid, I won't be pushed around, nor be made a fool of - but if I'm forced to, I will. So the choice of what happens is down to you Headmaster."
Albus was stuck, on one hand he didn't want to make too much changes to the school that he already had to, and he didn't want to push Severus either. But at the same time he didn't want Harry in the political world either, he was already strong willed as it was, and who knows what kind of power or allies he had so far. Dumbledore didn't want to give the boy any more power or allies, but he didn't want to give him his way either. Whatever he did now, the old Headmaster knew he would lose in some way, but how bad of a loss, would be up to what he decided to do now.
Before anything could be said, Professor McGonagall said, "Mr. Potter, why don't you go enjoy your day, and I'll have a few words with the Headmaster and Professor Snape, and see if we can do anything about your ideas." McGonagall knew that she had to defuse all this before one of them said or did something that they would regret, and put into action things that none of them were ready for, especially Harry Potter. She also gave her colleagues a look that told them not to fight her over this.
"Okay Professor McGonagall," Harry said to his Professor, as he hid his smirk, and before going he said, "could you three talk about changing where the class would be taken place? As it I don't think that a place with no windows can be healthy with all the fumes coming from the potions."
"That's not a bad idea Mr. Potter, we will be talking about your ideas." Professor McGonagall said with a smile, happy that she could put in a few changes she wanted to put in place for a while but couldn't with people like Dumbledore blocking her. "And all the points you lost will be given back to you, apart for five point for your cheek."
"Thank you Professor." Harry said with a smile, before he left. And as he walked down the stairs, he heard Snape say how arrogant he was being, and how Potter wasn't allowed to tell him how he (Snape) should run his class.
TO BE CONTINUED!
Author's Note: Here ends the sixth part of the new saga of The Blood Stone Saga, I would like to thank you for reading it, and I hope that you enjoyed the chapter. The idea behind the lab equipment was from Muggle-Raised Champion, which I would say is worth a read, and thought it would be ideal for what I wanted and so I put it in this story. I'm sorry for the delay in updates, but real-life got in the way, work and being ill, but with the update I hope you like what I have done.
Anyway, I would love to get any ideas and suggestions you might have. Once again I'll admit that there are parts that I am not happy with, but I think I got what I wanted out of this chapter. If you don't like the story… don't bother about leaving a hate review… as it doesn't affect me or how I will be writing in the future. Then I'm not interested. If you feel that there needs to be a little improvement, then please point that out to me and any suggestions on how to make the story better. I'm also after ideas for what should happen in the first year, so I hope you'll help me out there.
I do have an important question to the story, I'm thinking about adding Tonks to Harry's group, and I was wondering about your thoughts about it. But I was wondering what you lot think, and ask how I should do it. I was thinking about having Tonks in her sixth and seventh year, and have Harry meet up with her as he explores the castle. But I would like to ask what you think.
One last thing, I need your thoughts as to how Harry could become friends with the following students: Cedric Diggory, Susan Bones, and Hannah Abbot from Hufflepuff, and Su Li from Ravenclaw. As I would like some good ideas for the next chapter or two…
Here is Harry's timetable, along with his year, let me know what you think: docs . google spreadsheets/d/1weEJfVrDSmDDBWZQF5pMg2beiB8JZq-wa4I5b-lCum8/edit#gid=0
I'm still looking for ideas for pranks, and I hope you can help with this as I'm wanting a few magical and non-magical ones. Please help me out here, as I'm after some ideas and would like to use some of them soon. I'm now looking for a prank that the Weasley Twins could pull on Harry first, as it'll start off a prank war between the three of them, any ideas please let me know.
I'm still after ideas of how Harry could turn his friends Dark and joining him, instead of using Confundus Charm. Any and all ideas are welcomed.
I was wondering, how would you feel if I brought the three Slytherins who befriend Harry in his second year sooner, within the first year? If you like the idea I'll do it, if not I'll leave it until second year.
I'm still after ideas for how to make this harder for Harry, be it with his underground club, his everyday life and such. So I would like to ask you what sort of problems should Harry run into now? I love to hear what you lot may come up with.
Just a reminder, if I get a flame review and they are guests and aren't helpful I'll be removing them. But if they point out a problem that needs to be fixed, or ideas that I could use to make the story better I'll keep them. I'm not against flame reviews, but only if they are helpful and help me to become a better writer. Otherwise I don't want to know about them. Please consider this when reviewing, as I don't want you to waste your time or mine in useless flame reviews that if not going to be helpful aren't going to be seen.
Either way, I would like to thank you once again for reading and I hope you spare a few minutes to leave a review and let me know what you think of the chapter, and any ideas you might have for the future chapters, and any powers you would like to be used in the story. And so you know, there's a poll on my fanfiction profile, that'll decide which story I should work on next, I hope you leave a review of you can't vote, and if you can, please do so.