Edited 05/02/2020
The sea has always been mysterious. Humankind dreamed of more fantastical creatures in the depths than could ever exist on land. Wizards have attempted to explore these depths in ancient times. The lost city of Atlantis was one grand research facility. 10,000 years ago, during the height of the first age. The written word of ancient shaman was later lost to depths. Only the word of mouth remained of the once great society and words of the great fracturing remained. The wizards of old who created the written word were struck with madness and their writing were destroyed. Only a single chunk of stone remained with the first written word. It warned of a great creature in the depths.
In the crushing, choking, and churning depths of the sea Harry opened his eyes. Panic set in as sea water filled his lungs and he sunk. He clawed towards the surface to no avail something had him. Harry continued to thrash as the light grew dimmer before winking out.
His lungs burned as water filled him. Darkness took him as the light vanished and he waited for the end. Moments passed, and he didn't black out. He opened his mouth and sucked in sea water to no effect.
With his lungs heavy with sea water his sinking accelerated. From the dark the light of magma glowed softly revealing a deep trench. His eyes burned and his lungs felt heavy, useless. His qi pushed him down as he traveled towards his destination.
There was something he was after. Something waited for him in the depths. As he traveled lower where natural sea creatures feared to dwell, he heard a song. It was enchanting, old, and beautiful, he realized that soon he'd be late. His qi pushed him through the water towards the song.
There were no words only sadness and duty. In the depths where this creature lived there with a purpose. It sang the song of its eternal life of its desires that could never be fulfilled. For it was bound to a purpose and it lived only to fulfill it. This creature was known to Harry.
As Harry sunk down fathom after fathom where the heat of the earth boiled the water. He felt resigned and the cold smoldering sensation of old anger. This was a betrayal by the world itself. Why had she done this to him?
The star spawn gathered blocking his way. They weren't his match anymore. Her blood ran through his veins now. His cultivation base was beyond what it had been. Time had been twisted and by twisting it he had time to become himself.
Harry waved his wand and the lightning of alchemy struck them. A bag of green pills for each were now at his side. Each pill held the seemingly unfathomable power of an elder star spawn.
At the bottom of the hidden sea where magma flowed freely on the ocean floor, he stood before the gates of an ancient prison. No, he realized it wasn't the right time. This wasn't right. He gripped his head as he felt himself pulled back. Hours, days, months, and years flew back too fast to perceive.
…
He felt something touch his shoulder and startled awake. Emotions swirled through his eyes as he looked up at a ginger. He looked around and remembered he was on the train. A vision had taken him in the middle of meditation. Was it a vision? Harry reached a handout and felt as if he could grasp the vision again.
"Mate can you understand me?" The red head asked bringing Harry fully out of his vision. Harry rolled his eyes at himself.
"Hello, my name is Harry Potter." Harry introduced himself to the red head. The boy's eyes widened. For a second, he thought he'd given the boy a stroke. Suddenly, the boy's hands were shaking Harry's.
"I'm Ron Weasley nice to meet you. Oh, could I see your scar." Harry sighed before letting a small smile spread across his face. Ron huh, well it looks like friendless Harry Potter was up to two friends. A smug smile spread over Harry's face before it vanished as he raised his hair.
"Blimey does it hurt?" Ron asked.
Harry let him look and only felt mildly uncomfortable. An older lady knocked on their door.
"Want anything from the trolley dears?" Harry shook his head while Ron took out an old sandwich.
"Hey, do you want some of my sandwich?" Ron offered. Harry stretched out feeling his joints pop.
"No thank you Ron. I had a big breakfast." Harry said.
A small smile crept over his face. He could still taste the essence from those stars spawn in his dream. Harry let out a forlorn sigh. His qi was enough to sustain him now. Food wasn't necessary. Although, the thought of turning creatures into pills hadn't crossed his mind before. That was something to look into.
He felt a familiar presence approach their door. Harry stood up, opened the door, and pulled Hermione in. A large set of brown eyes widened in shock then recognition.
"Hey Hermione, join us please." Harry said.
"I have to find Neville's toad first." Hermione protested before Harry dragged her in and closed the door.
"It isn't your responsibility. It probably found somewhere quiet and dark to hide until the train stops." Harry reasoned.
"No Harry, I have to find it. I promised Neville." Hermione protested.
Harry had no idea why she'd rather help someone else than spend time with him. He could have sent his sixth sense out and found the toad. That would have taken no more than a thought. The young qi expert wasn't going to.
"Hermione, I'd like to introduce you to Ron my new friend." Harry turned to Ron. "Ron my new friend, I'd like to introduce you to Hermione my first and best friend." He saw Ron's jaw set as the hierarchy was established. A small smile crept over his face.
Harry picked her up bridal style. Her face went pink immediately as he sat her in his lap. He looked at her chocolate brown and brushed a hand through her bushy hair. He was glad to have collected her.
"Harry, respect my personal space." Harry slid his hand through her hair and laid back. She barely fought back as he placed her in his lap.
"Why are you doing this?" Hermione asked.
"Because I want to." Harry sighed; he'd been doing that a lot recently.
There were many ways a qi expert could use a mortal. They could turn them into pills, puppets, or use them as spare parts for their puppets. Fortunately, there were no dark sects yet to mass turn mortals into puppets or undead abominations. With the secrets of cultivation spreading quickly that would soon change. Harry was guilty of puppet manufactory an illegal practice among civilized cultivators. He'd need to create his own sect eventually.
"You're weird Harry." Hermione said.
"Hey Hermione, how much is your bride price?" Harry asked. It was a bit early, but he reasoned that with enough training she'd make a great first wife or concubine.
"I don't know what that is. Besides we barely know each other why we would get married?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, it's how much the suiter must pay the father for the right to marry the bride. Dad had to pay my granddad nearly fifty goats and three dozen chickens. It has fallen out of fashion lately." Ron muttered.
Harry knew exactly what he was doing. He knew this was a clash of culture, but it would be too fun not to try it.
"That sounds so barbaric." Hermione said.
"It's actually about economics." Harry said. Hermione opened her mouth then closed it. He could see her mind moving and then begin to conclude the answer. Harry grinned at her making those big brown eyes widen in understanding.
"You're doing this on purpose." Harry nodded as she began to speak. "Why would you want to buy me or was buying me not the point. Its economics so does it have something to do with rationing?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded once. "Were there less women than men?" Hermione said.
"After the last war there were. Now things are about even but powerful witches are known to breed powerful offspring." Harry said.
"There is also the belief that pureblood witches are the best." Ron added.
"Let's not talk about that part yet Ron. I want to ease Hermione into the world." Ron held up a thumb.
"So that's why you want to know my bride price? Because you think I'm powerful, I'd be easier to buy now." Harry shook his head.
The idea behind investing was buy low and sell high. He wanted her, so he'd take steps to acquire her.
"Potter, I found you." Harry turned to see the blond-haired kid he'd seen at Madam Malcom's in the door way to their compartment.
"Let me introduce myself. The name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy I'd like to be your friend. I'd also like you to know, some friends are better than others." Harry nodded his head.
Hermione had a womb that could produce the beginning of his clan. Ron was a wealth of cultural information. What could Draco Malfoy supply him? What would Draco Malfoy require in return?
"What is expected of me in exchange for this friendship?" Harry asked.
"All you have to do is remove yourself from blood traitors and those of lesser blood." He said while glaring at Hermione.
"What do I gain for such a constraint?" Harry asked.
"You're not going to ditch us for that slimy git are you Harry." Harry raised a hand.
"Draco has come to bargain, and I must ask what he can offer?" Harry's good mood was gone. Hermione was nervous in his lap.
"My family is wealthy, and my father has the ear of the minister. With my help the Potter house will rise again to rejoin its peers." Harry looked at Hermione and thought about all the children she could give him.
He'd heard that wizard healing magic was excellent. That meant she could continue having children for a long time. Something that other wizard families didn't do due to inheritance reasons. They never thought to turn their mere houses into true clans. If they had children from the day she flowered from 12 to 16 to menopause, which for a witch is 80. Then they could have 64 to 68 children or more because pregnancy extends to the date of menopause and the potential for twins.
Harry had to think of the future. Hermione's utility far surpassed anything the Malfoy family could give him. They would never let the Potter house rise above them.
"Harry say something you've been staring into space." Hermione said. Harry looked at Draco then shook his head.
"No deal Hermione alone is worth more than the entire Malfoy fortune." Harry said.
"You really mean that Harry?" Hermione said.
"Absolutely," Harry said.
"You'll pay for your words Potter." Draco said. Harry turned his head to the side confused. It was simple math. A clan full of qi experts would bring in far more than even an old families fortune. Especially, if they bribed political officials as often as Harry heard they were. Then again, he could be wrong. Hermione's womb may dry up after a few kids, or it might already be barren. Perhaps, he should have thought about it further before answering.
"Guys, you should put your robes on. We will reach the school soon." Hermione said after checking her watch.
After putting on his school robes, Harry departed the train with his two friends. "I heard you had to fight a troll to get in. Do you think that's true?" Ron asked as they entered a line for boats across black lake.
Harry thought about what a troll could look like. His defense against the dark arts book didn't have an image unlike many of the other creatures. It was frustrating, there was a tag by where the image should be. It had been censored through some regulation. Could that be to give the troll a greater advantage in a fight? From what he read; the trolls were unintelligent.
"Ron trolls are fifteen feet tall and are magic resistant. What could we do against one?" Hermione asked. Harry was certain he could break one in two with a kick. What if it was a battle royal? Throw a bunch of children in with a troll to set a president. Some of the more prestigious sects used such a tactic when they had plenty of members to spare.
He looked between Ron and Hermione. One a treasure trove of social knowledge and the other a powerful witch. Harry could sense her potential. Neither would last a second against a berserk beast like a troll. He'd rather Hermione remained untouched. After taking a moment to look Ron over, he decided to prioritize Hermione, if he had to save one.
"Don't worry guys, if there is a troll stay behind me." Harry said.
As they boarded the boats a tentacle reached out from the depths. Harry stopped himself from cutting it off, when it simply waved at them. With a sigh of relief Harry calmly watched the castle as they approached it. Harry fell into another vision.
…
A shadow swept through the halls of a familiar building. It leapt up the columns of moving staircases. Its eight terrifying eyes looked at him urging him on. Tentacles squirmed, and bat wings fluttered at the edge of his vision. He heard the song as it called him.
On the third floor of the tower a door opened revealing the form of a three headed dog. The shadow terrified the cerberus and it hid in its corner. A talon covered hand made a come-hither motion and he followed it down a trap door. Some type of plant waited at the bottom and Harry cut it to pieces.
The shadow blinked at him from the edge of his vision. Its eight eyes followed his movement as he snatched a broken winged key from the air. He slipped beyond the next door. At a chess set now Harry storm through obliterating the pieces.
Harry leapt over the flames and struck a troll in the nape of its neck severing its brain stem and killing it instantly. The shadow continued leading him stopping at a room with a mirror. In the mirror, Harry saw himself holding hands with a girl whose face was blurred and a shadow with eight eyes place a red stone in his pocket.
…
"Better be Gryffindor," an old hat atop his head said. Harry had blanked out again. Who was it and why couldn't he see that girl's face?
"Attention everyone, I have a few announcements before you all retire." When everyone calmed down the headmaster continued. "The third-floor corridor is now forbidden as of this year. It is ill advised for anyone to venture to it who doesn't desire a painful death." Harry recalled the three headed dog and suddenly wanted to go visit it. The bitch seemed aggressive but maybe animal care could lead to some form of enlightenment.
"The forest beyond the black lake is forbidden. Filtch our caretaker would like to remind you that magic between the corridors is forbidden. Every item on Zonko's order catalog are forbidden." As Harry thought about his plans, he spotted the caretaker. The man had a familiar book in his hand. It was a copy of a journal that Harry had handwritten himself.
"In the morning you will all receive your schedules, so for now get some rest." The headmaster said.
The caretaker was only at the first stage from Harry's sixth sense. He wasn't anything to worry about.
Harry felt odd, more like he wanted something. When he looked at Hermione that flame increased. But when he looked at Hermione's bottom it increased more. He let out a sigh realizing what this feeling was. It was normal for him. Qi forced the body to reach its prime as quickly as possible. Harry relaxed and continued following the class.
In the common room Harry sat beside Hermione and read a book on various plants. Hermione let out a cute yawn causing Harry to look up from his book.
"If you're tired go to bed, I'm sure tomorrow will be all about introductions." Harry said.
"Why aren't you tired?" Hermione asked.
"I rarely need to sleep. I'll probably sleep an hour or two Friday." Harry said. As he learned more about magical plants, he realized some had a fair amount of intelligence. Qi could manipulate the growth of plants. What if plants can be taught to cultivate? Could they be programmed to cultivate? He took out his journal.
Look into the Dao of plants, plantkinesis, and maybe botonny. He quickly, updated his journal and checked the time. A red and gold enchanted clock informed him it was 3AM.
It was time to pull himself up by his bootstraps. He looked over after hearing some light snoring. Hermione had dropped her book and nodded off.
Harry let out a sigh and gently picked her up. It was three in the morning and he was certain she didn't want to wake up in his bed. He felt a tingling in his chest when he held her. She opened her eyes blearily.
"Harry there is a spell on the stairs. Boys can't use them." She mumbled. Harry bent his knees and leapt over the stairs Hermione in hand. The stairs now behind him turned into a slide. Harry walked past the doorway quickly finding the first years.
He found one of the few empty beds. In his opinion the green bedspread was adorable. He pulled the covers back and tucked his friend within.
"Harry don't leave. You're my only friend. Please stay with me." Hermione begged in a mumble.
"What about Ron isn't he a friend?" Harry asked her.
"I don't like him. You should ditch him. I don't want to share you." Hermione said.
Harry sighed and tucked her in. He put her stuffed animal in her arms, and she turned over and finally stopped talking. After leaping down and landing silent as a mouse, he turned a corner to see Professor McGonagall. The woman looked grumpy while wearing a head of curlers.
"Good morning Professor did you sleep well?" Harry asked.
"Don't be cute with me Mr. Potter, what were you doing in the girl's dorm?" She asked.
"I was tucking Hermione in after she fell asleep on the couch. I guess the history textbook was a bit dry." Harry said.
"Why aren't you in bed? You have a long day tomorrow." McGonagall whispered.
"I don't sleep much anymore. My dreams take me to places and I don't want to go." Harry replied.
"Does it have something to do with the Star Spawn? Many have trouble sleeping after seeing them." She said. Harry thought back on the monsters. Apatite inducing visions of turning them into pills and consuming them by the handful occupied his thoughts.
Another thought overtook him of a creature with eight eyes and tentacles. A small slender set of wings covered her back and her visage was the kind to drive mortal minds insane. Then there was the girl he'd seen, there was something to her. If he could only see her face. All of it made him feel odd; happy, sad, angry, and hopeful. Nothing was set in stone yet; he'd change their fate. He shook his head; he'd change his fate.
"That doesn't bother me professor. I'll be fine for class, go to bed, I'll be here by the fire in case something happens." Harry said.
He sat down and began to read his textbook on magical plants. The professor didn't leave instead she summoned a tea set and poured tea for them both.
"Why did you choose the book on magical plants to study above anything else?" The shadow pointed to a far-off red dot in the sky. Mars was bright that night. She knew him and what he wanted before he'd ever looked. It was a love letter through time and space a message from a being as eternal as this reality.
"I want to turn mars green and move our people there." Harry said.
Was time yet another Dao he'd take on in the future? If so, when would he meet the eight eyed monster that held him in such high regards.
"That sounds like an undertaking of a thousand lifetimes Mr. Potter." McGonagall said. Harry planned to become a true immortal. When he did, he'd begin seeding planets. He'd spread humanity far throughout the galaxy. Though that pot was on the slowest boil.
"A thousand-mile journey starts with the first step." To him a thousand lifetimes wasn't that long. He planned to live forever. Was he cultivating the Dao of mankind now? When had that happened? Did he also intend to cultivate the Dao of space? He'd need to study more than ever; he lacked the physics books required for such research.
In the earliest hours of the morning a few hours before the sun would rise Harry made his way out. He had a corridor to visit.
His first discovery was a locked door. It seemed getting to the Cerberus wasn't an easy task. That and perhaps this wasn't the first animal to craft a new spell with. He was still in the first stage and Harry was many things but dumb wasn't one of them. If he wanted to reach the stars, he had to learn how to stand first.
Harry quickly realized that the best person to go to would be Hagrid. He was the games master. Was there a learner's program to gain experience in the wilderness? Could working with Hagrid supply him with some form of extra credit or school points. If he wanted his questions answered the staff were the nearest source of information.
He dropped off a staircase and landed on the floor with a gentle tap. His own cultivation base allowed him to turn gravity into more of a suggestion than a hard law.
Harry froze and realized that he didn't really need to know natural laws to do things with qi. It was more like he needed to know how qi dealt with the world. He wrote that tidbit into his journal and followed his fellow students to the great hall.
After walking up to the high table for all to see, he made a bee line to Hagrid. The half giant was busy finishing off his third plate that morning. Harry paused before the man waiting for him to acknowledge his presence. It only took five minutes of anxiety fueled stares before Hagrid looked up and noticed Harry.
"Harry good morning when did you get here." Hagrid asked.
"Hey Hagrid, can I start going with you when you visit the forest?" Harry asked.
"Mm Mr. Pot tt er there are dangerous creatures in the forest. T t t here ar werewolves, v v vampires, and tt trolls to nn name a few." Professor Quirrell said. Harry felt his scar burn and quickly swept over the professor with his sixth sense. There was the professor and a deadly parasite, a twisted spell with a consciousness of its own was feeding off the professor.
Harry gave it some thought and realized the teachers probably knew about the professor's disability. Dumbledore probably hired the man knowing Professor Quirrell didn't have much time left. He then assumed that Professor Quirrell was noble giving up his remaining time to teach.
"I'm sure you have a lot of experience with such matters sir and it would be rude of me to throw it away out of hand. It is ultimately up to the headmaster whether it would be safe for me to go with Hagrid." Harry said.
"Well Harry we normally reserve braving the forest with Hagrid as a punishment but if you want to volunteer, I won't deny you the opportunity. Will he be safe with you Hagrid?" Headmaster Dumbledore asked.
"Aye, headmaster he'll be safe." Harry cleaned his face.
"Harry be ready to go at 18:00 hours we'll be out close to midnight." Harry nodded. He'd guessed as much. It would give him plenty of time to enjoy a magical forest.
…
Harry sat through Professor McGonagall's lecture on the basics of transfiguration. It was a bit dry and not very useful. He quickly turned the matchstick into a needle. It wasn't difficult.
"Now Mr. Potter why don't you try turning two at once." McGonagall suggested. Harry found that when he tried to transform one the other lagged behind. Instead of getting two complete needle he had two half formed metal matchsticks. "It seems your focus is too narrow. True transfiguration allows one total control over their environment. Turn them back into matchsticks and try again."
Harry continued trying but they never quite became needles. At one-point Harry was able to make them look like needles. McGonagall snapped them in half revealing the wood within.
"You're on your way to only being mediocre Mr. Potter try harder. Now class visualize the matchstick becoming a needle. Remember all the characteristics of a needle otherwise the change will only be skin deep." Professor McGonagall said.
"Professor why is Harry doing two while we only need to do one?" Hermione asked.
"Mr. Potter has already completed his needle and returned it to matchstick form. I won't have his time wasted in my class. Ah young lady there is still some phosphorous on your needle. Try again until you get it right." Just as Harry removed his wand McGonagall picked up his needles and inspected them. She took out a series of instruments and measured the needles.
"Did I do well professor?" Harry asked.
"Five points to Gryffindor for mediocre progress. Now we still have thirty minutes left in class. I'm certain we can further increase your progress." She took four tiny blocks of wood from her desk. Each was of a different size and none looked like a matchstick. "As you can see these objects look nothing like the needle you are attempting to make. This is to simulate a real situation. When you fail use this spell." She jabbed her wand and said finite incantum.
Harry worked on the objects feeling his mind nearly snap from the effort. Each failure resulted in a finite incantum or a reset. In five minutes, he had sweat beading down his face. His qi wasn't affected by these spells, but his consciousness was. Magic like this was guided solely by his mind and no amount of qi could enhance it. Having qi had one critical benefit. It restored his consciousness energy at an insane rate.
At the end of the class McGonagall went to each needle. She took out her tools and measured them one by one. Hermione was still working on changing two matchsticks at once and failing. She seemed exhausted.
"Ten points to Gryffindor for the most improvement in a single class. How many tries did it take you to get four identically mediocre needles?" McGonagall asked.
"I stopped counting after eighty Professor." Harry said.
"See class it isn't talent that makes a strong wizard its dedication. A talented wizard would have succeeded after a mere twenty tries. Mr. Potter is below average but his dedication to practice is his talent." Professor McGonagall said.
…
"Hey Harry, what was up with the Professor she seemed so nice. Why did she single you out mate?" Ron asked.
Hermione was in the bathroom crying after the class. Harry was waiting on her outside with Ron.
"I guess she wants us to be good at transfiguration. She is right, I'm not good at magic, I'm good at trying repeatedly."
He turned his head to see a bleary-eyed Hermione walking out.
"That was exhausting, Harry I didn't know she'd do that if we succeeded." Hermione said.
"Well then don't try hard." Ron said. Hermione blinked owlishly.
"No Ron that isn't the answer. If they push us to be better, then we need to push harder to be better." Hermione said.
Harry placed a hand on Hermione's head and transferred some of his qi to her. The stress on her face eased a bit as his qi washed over her. Harry felt like he'd just entered the Dao of healing. By wanting to help Hermione, he was able to alter his qi to be beneficial to her.
…
"You swish and flick in that order otherwise you may summon a buffalo on your chest." Professor Flitwick said with a chuckle. Harry waved his wand following the movement and feeling his qi and consciousness respond to the wand movements. The others only had consciousness power to work with while Harry was backed by his qi reserves.
"Now repeat after me class, Win Gar diem Levi Oh Sah." The class repeated him and soon the practical lesson began. Harry was able to float his feather quickly and knew after the spell he'd need a lot of practice. It was pure focus. The spell battled against the forces of reality itself, but it wasn't too taxing.
"I see you have some common control over the spell Mr. Potter. To teach you properly, you need to have another will act against you. That is the truest way to improve your charms. As it happens this spell is the best for such practices." Professor Flitwick said. A cunning glint appeared in the professor's eye as the teacher's will forced the feather down.
Harry struggled against it for every decimeter, centimeter, and millimeter. Despite Harry's quick recovering consciousness energy, the professor's experience and talent won out. The feather touched Harry's desk.
"Congratulations, Mr. Potter you lasted two seconds against me while I was distracted with teaching. Let's try again." Harry narrowed his eyes. If the teacher wanted a battle of wills, he'd give him exactly that.
By the end of class Harry's head was pounding from the repeated battles of will. Even with his qi healing his consciousness power it still hurt.
"Mr. Potter 15 points to Gryffindor for the most improvement I've seen from a wizard without talent in charms." Harry nodded and the cunning glint in Flitwick's eyes vanished with the next class.
…
"I talked to my brothers and they have no idea why all the teachers are picking on you Harry. They said that McGonagall has your needles framed on her office wall." Harry sat down and nodded barely listening to Ron. His head was returning to normal as he cycled qi. Today had kicked his arse.
"Harry could you do that thing you did last time. I tried out the battle of wills thing with one of the Patel twins." Hermione said.
Harry sighed and placed his hand on her head. She shivered as his qi swept through her.
…
"Ccc lass t today ww we are lll earning aa bout tt the gg great old ones."
Harry sat through the class thinking about an eight eyed shadow that lead him to the third-floor corridor.
…
Harry walked behind Hagrid as they passed over a ditch. The forest was abuzz with magical life. Pixies assaulted birds dragging them into their nests to be devoured. Spiders watched from the treetops while spinning webs and trapping prey. The further in the forest Hagrid led him the more monsters prowled.
"Hey Harry, are you keeping up ok?" Hagrid asked.
"You can go faster if you want, I'm not falling behind." He was tempted to get away and explore further himself. There were things in this forest older than the castle. As he walked, they stirred, shifting, and opening sleepy eyes.
"We shan't go much faster. The land gets dangerous the further we go. Uranus's Centaur tribe camps only a few kilos north. They aren't friendly towards wizards. Further north still where the lands grow cold there is a frost giant colony. They haven't seen a wizard or human in near fifty years." Hagrid said.
"If they haven't seen any of us in fifty years shouldn't we check on them?" Harry asked.
"Nah Harry, they leave proof they exist. They wouldn't take kindly to us stepping on their land." Hagrid said.
"That's a shame, I want to see them. Are we going to see any centaurs tonight?" Harry asked.
"Aye, we might. If we do don't go staring it makes them anxious." Hagrid said.
"How much land does this forest hold?" Harry asked.
"This land has no end I've ever reached. Once you pass through the fairy gate the land stretches forever divided and different according to time off day. The Uranus tribe like to think they guard it. The poor sods. If something from the other side of that gate wanted in here, nothing they could do." Hagrid said.
"Why don't they want something over here?" Harry asked.
"The magic on this side is low. They'd either hibernate or die if they wound up on our side." Hagrid said.
"Can we go through the fairy gate?" Harry asked.
"No Harry that's where the centaurs send those who break their laws." Hagrid said.
"Has a wizard been there recently?" Harry asked.
Of course, with the right preparations a wizard can survive for days on the other side. Potions for scent blocking, an invisibility cloak, and luck can get a wizard back alive." Hagrid said.
Hagrid paused his head turned as he heard something. "Harry stay here, I don't want you to get hurt if anything happens stay behind me." From the bushes a white coat unicorn burst from among the trees with a cloaked figure clinging to its back.
Harry didn't think. His sixth sense flared, and he reacted. He launched a haymaker at the creature smashing into its torso. Harry felt flesh give as the creature shot from the unicorn's back. The horse's body got in the way of a follow up.
The creature turned its head and Harry's scar burned. Hagrid shot his crossbow putting a bolt into the shadowy creature's chest. It turned and vanished between the trees.
The unicorn collapsed as silver blood spurted from its neck wound. Harry placed a hand on it and tried to fix it. The creature struggled until Harry pushed it off its hooves and on the soft mud. Harry knew he had to slow down the bleeding, so he put pressure on the wound. He thought about trusting his wild will to heal it but rejected the thought. Consciousness power required knowledge and certainty to be effective.
Harry's hand slowed down the bleeding, as he pumped qi from his cultivation base into the creature. He didn't know a thing about healing and could only add his qi to the unicorn. The young qi expert poured his cultivation into the healing effort and used his sixth sense to find some enlightenment.
The unicorn's heart had been beating erratically before. With the application of qi her heart began to return to normal. She was dying still but her heart still beat. This was not puppetry; it was something else. His qi stretched through her and he felt her consciousness fall into his qi.
Harry heard the beat join his own heart as the body rapidly cooled beneath his hand. He was covered in blood that now belonged to him. Her body too belonged to him. He looked up to see Hagrid gone. He'd gone for help as Harry tried to slow the unicorn's inevitable death.
In his hand a white light appeared. It was a formless magic a Dao of purity. Just manifesting it, he could feel the strain on his body healing. He couldn't save the first unicorn, but he could save the next one. When the white light settled on the unicorn all the silver blood flowed into the magic.
From the purist white light, the spell gained silvery cords. With the addition of those cords the spell gained stability. There was more to the magic, but Harry knew it would take time and meditation.
An arrow smashed into his qi barrier piercing it and pricking his shoulder. The large centaur holding the bow quickly shot Harry five more times
Each arrow cracked and split his barrier. Each attack did a little more damage as his barrier weakened before he could compensate. By the sixth shot his barrier counted for nothing and an arrow lodged itself in his thigh. His femur threatened to split and crack. Harry stumbled back tripping over the unicorn's corpse.
The consciousness power within his qi felt sheepish at the blunder. It used his qi to send spinning white light through his body. The unicorn seemed to search his consciousness for a proper name. Purity Spiral was the name it picked.
Harry used his good leg to stab into the ground and stop his fall midway. In the blink of the eye Harry shot forward and smashed into the centaur with his elbow. The blow had the force of a car jousting war hammer. The centaur's guts, muscles, and spine were shredded. It dropped, its four legs shook, and it went into shock.
He slowly ripped out each barbed arrow. Each arrow pulled was tore flesh it. Harry ground his teeth together, as he ripped the arrows out. Purity spiral did its work restoring his body back to working order. With all six arrows out of his body, he slowly healed from the injuries.
"I'm too late to stop you from killing him. It seems mars was bright indeed Harry Potter." Harry turned his head to see a centauress. He looked her over while the unicorn consciousness approved. She had a roan coat and an oval face. Her hair was long and red. She was around his age if a bit older. He bent his leg and then paused.
"I'm going to approach you don't be startled." Harry said with a soft voice. He took a step using a portion of his real speed. After he appeared beside her, she turned her head. She looked at him with shock.
"You moved before my foresight told me where you'd appear." She muttered. Harry didn't feel like preening over something as casual as taking a step.
"You know my name what's yours?" Harry asked.
"My name is Chinosis, I'm here to warn you Harry Potter. The shadow isn't your friend. To chase after her will end in the world's destruction." She said. "If your lust needs taming, then you may rely upon me."
"What if I need to rely upon your foresight?" Harry said. He turned to the dead centaur.
"I was to be his newest mare. Now I belong to the warrior who defeated him in honorable combat." Chinosis said. Harry wasn't sure if he wanted to stick around much longer but prophecy was often an issue.
"Who will I fight next and what do I need to know to win?" Harry asked.
"To learn something so intimate we must experience a form of intimacy together." Harry took a step back from her.
"Relax Harry Potter for now hold my hand." Before he could grab her hand, he heard the gallop of hooves.
"Harry Potter back away from the voice of Uranus!" Harry paused as another group of centaurs galloped out. To his left and right armed centaurs took up positions.
"Hey enough, I didn't call you lot here to attack a student." Hagrid yelled.
"He's killed one of our own Hagrid. By law he's ours to do with as we will." One of the centaurs said.
"Madorian deserved his fate. The boss Mare ordered me to stop him, but he'd already sealed his fate before I arrived. Now my stallion is dead, and the wizard is mine." Chinosis said.
Harry thought quickly for a way out of this mess. He wasn't going to spend the next few days at the mercy of an alien group. He knew next to nothing about centaurs but knew that he was fast. Retreating was his best option.
"Hagrid will be fine." Chinosis assured him.
Harry moved as arrows flew and bow string twanged. He drove his body through the trees westward. His freshly healed bones groaned as he left the centaurs behind. An arrow cracked his barrier and slammed into his back before he leapt across a ditch.
He emerged from the woods and fell to his knees near Hagrid's hut. After removing the arrows purity spiral healed the wound. His qi was beginning to take a dip. Healing his wounds had taken 50% of his qi.
…
The following days class grew more difficult. Each of his teachers increased his workload expecting Harry to perform better. Harry had started practicing in his free time despite the headaches.
He was still going out with Hagrid at night. Hagrid mentioned the centaurs have begrudgingly dropped the charges. Apparently, the boss mare had more influence in the tribe than expected.
Harry was in the library working on a paper about the historical differences between potions and alchemy. He quickly scanned over the paper he'd written before erasing the ink. Professor Snape had called his paper on the difference between the drought of the living death and the inevitable death potion exceptionally average. It was so exceptionally average that Harry was forced to do another paper.
The invisible ink spell was one of the most useful spells Harry had learned. With it he could erase lines of ink and improve the paper. It allowed a measure of line editing to ensure his papers fit the criteria with as few words as possible.
He'd found his consciousness power had increased by leaps and bounds. His force of will may have been a 10 before and now it was around 89. When he actively drew essence the shear amount had drastically increased. It was all thanks to his teachers.
Every battle of wills against Flitwick, every extra task from McGonagall, and every long paper from Snape increased his concentration power.
….
In only a few months Harry had increased his concentration power from 89 to 110. McGonagall could throw a collection of wood blocks and Harry could turn them all into perfect needles. With a swish and flick Harry could stop all those needles from hitting the ground. Magic was concentration power incarnate. It effected his control over his qi and his mind.
Harry approached the door on the third-floor corridor and opened it. He didn't have an unlocking spell, so he used wingardiem leviosa. Once the tumblers in the lock clicked into place, he opened the door to the Cerberus room.
Author's note:
Hey, thank you I'm going to turn this in and edit it maybe tomorrow. Have a merry Christmas and happy holidays.