AN: I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling.
In my profile, I spoke about Harry (the spirit of the character) running off while writing the chapter. While things went down this path early, I can't say I'm upset with the next series of events. It helps shape Harry into becoming what he will be by the end of the third and fourth books.
Chapter 9: Tragedy and Aurors
Harry's name was whispered around the school for the next week as being a dark wizard. Speaking Parseltongue and killing the snake made many in the school suspect him for opening the Chamber of Secrets. The knowledge Salazar Slytherin, a notable and dark wizard who spoke Parseltongue, created the Chamber fueled the rumors that Harry was his descendant. After the incident at the Dueling Club, students tried harder to uncover the mysterious attacker that petrified Mr. Filch, made Mrs. Norris disappear, and caused two ghosts to become corporeal. Harry's defeat of the Dark Lord caused many to believe he was going to be a stronger, darker wizard that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had been.
"Off to petrify someone else?" an older Slytherin called from the end of a corridor. "Make sure it's a Mudblood this time!"
"Ooo! It's Potter! Run!" a Hufflepuff girl screamed and ran off with her two first-year friends.
"Make way for the next Dark Lord, off to curse his way to power!" Fred called as George marched in front of Harry and glared at everyone.
Harry tried not to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation. He felt a creeping fear linger in the pit of his stomach for being a freak again. His peers sneered at him for working harder on his magical studies but it didn't bother him. It did bother him that people he thought as friends in the Gryffindor tower turned on him when they thought he was a dark wizard. A quiet voice in the back of his head told him to prove them right.
"Don't let it bother you, mate," Ron said one afternoon in the storage room they moved into.
The group picked the second-to-last storage room after searching through all the available rooms. The first storage room looked like it was used regularly by many people. They found bottles of amber liquid stashed behind a crate near the door and a small Potion lab behind a wardrobe at the back. The second room had a bunch of wardrobes full of prop clothing and female clothes. Hermione blushed a bright red and slammed one of the wardrobes before locking it with the strongest spell she knew. She refused to let anyone look in the wardrobe and jinxed Ron when he tried to remove her spell.
The room they chose had lots of dilapidated tables and chairs piled to the ceiling from across the centuries. Harry saw potential in the room as soon as he saw it. The last room had a lot of desks and crates of candle holders scattered around the small room. After explaining his idea to the group, everyone decided to go with the third room because of the sheer amount of usable material available and the uninteresting aspect of the room.
"It doesn't," Harry lied and waved his wand. Two tables floated higher and stacked themselves on top of the wall of tables. He enlarged sheets of parchment and charmed them to be the color of stone before sticking them behind the tables. He wanted to make it look like the room was a lot smaller than it was.
"If you keep this up, people will think you really are a dark wizard," Neville said with a laugh. "You're making a secret hideout and have potions boiling way at all times of the day. I can't believe you stole five cauldrons from Professor Snape's storeroom."
"I've cleaned them so much they might as well be mine," Harry shot back with a grin. "Hermione and I are working through the practical potions we can do safely. I'm so bloody pumped!"
"She did that to keep you from brooding," Ron said with a snort.
Harry felt his bubble of elation deflate some as his thoughts turned back to him being a freak, even in the wizarding world. "Ah, well, at least we're brewing again," Harry muttered and continued his spell work.
"Attack! There has been an attack! Run for your lives!" a boy yelled and ran past the Great Hall, headed for the Entrance Doors. A small rainstorm drowned out whatever the boy was screaming as he disappeared into the haze.
"Wasn't that Eddie Carmichael?" Harry asked as he turned to Neville. They had just finished lunch and were headed to Charms when the Ravenclaw ran by.
"No clue," Neville answered with a shrug and looked around.
Three more students ran up the stairs screaming, their faces contorted in masks of horror. Harry drew his wand and made his way past the fleeing students. He followed the sound of excited babble and yelling until he found a large group of students clustered around something on the floor next to the wall.
"Make way for the True Slytherin Heir," a sneering voice called. Draco stepped out of the crowd and parted the clustered students. "Come to admire your handiwork, Heir Potter?"
"I followed the screams," Harry said and fell silent as he saw what the other students were looking at. Blood read letters were written on the wall over the still form of Colin Creevey, his camera covering his face.
"Death to all Muggle-borns. Run for your lives." Malfoy read aloud with a sneering laugh. "Nice of you to join our cause, Heir Potter."
"Shove it, Malfoy," Harry growled and crouched over Colin's body. By touching the first-year's exposed hand, he realized the boy was petrified and not dead.
"Disperse! Disperse!" Professor McGonagall yelled into the mass of students. "Mr. Potter, step away from the poor boy." Harry turned to see his Head of House's stern and worried face.
Harry was taken to Professor Dumbledore's office after Madam Pomfrey took charge of Colin's body. "I didn't hear any voices, sir," he answered to the Headmaster's pointed questions. "It was so loud in the Great Hall from everyone talking about their Christmas holiday plans."
Professor Dumbledore looked older and paler then Harry remembered. "Things may change after the break, Harry. I fear I may become unwelcome in Hogwarts should more attacks continue. You are a smart lad. Do you have any theories on who or what could be causing these attacks? No matter how far-fetched they might seem," the Headmaster asked with a tired sigh. His twinkling eyes met Harry's as he warmed his hands by the fire.
"Mr. Malfoy is somehow related to this issue but I can't see how. It could be Dobby, acting on his master's orders, but that doesn't seem right either. A house-elf can't knowingly hurt a wizard, it's basically brainwashed into them if what I read was correct. What we wizards have done to that race is monstrous. Yes, they were created by wizards, but they are sentient! Anyway, unless Mr. Malfoy has a spy or an agent within Hogwarts, then all he did was set up the plan. Unless you know something I don't, I can't figure out how these attacks are occurring. My gut says Voldemort because of my scar but even now I'm questioning if it wasn't just a twinge or my imagination."
"Alas," Dumbledore sighed and massaged his reddened knuckles. "I tried everything I know to find the culprit. I cannot find whoever or whatever is attacking my pupils and staff. They do not appear to be anywhere within the castle that I can find. The Chamber of Secrets is a dark clue, but I do not understand how it could be opened again," the aged wizard muttered to himself.
"Opened again?" Harry questioned, perking up and looking at the Headmaster.
"It is not my place to explain even when history remembers a falsehood. Return to your studies. I heard from Professor McGonagall how well you and Miss Granger are progressing. Do not be blinded by the allure of all types of magic as I was. All magic leaves a lasting mark on the wielder, both good and bad," Professor Dumbledore warned with a stern look.
"I haven't been practicing dark magic," Harry said with a sigh. "Just because I can supposedly speak Parselmouth doesn't mean I'm a dark wizard, sir," he huffed and crossed his arms.
"I know you haven't cast dark magic, Harry. I would be able to smell and feel the crisp smudge of magic that accompanies all dark magic. You will be able to sense it as well once you grow older."
"I'm glad you at least believe me," Harry muttered.
"Parseltongue was used for great healing in centuries past and has been tainted by two powerful dark wizards in recorded history. There are Parselmouths across history that have performed wondrous healing magic but humans tend to remember the bad more than the good. Think of your ability to speak to snakes as a blessing for now and not a curse. Old Magic, such as Parseltongue, has innate power many spoken languages have yet to achieve."
Harry was dismissed after the Headmaster advised him to wait a little longer before experimenting with Parseltongue. The Slytherins cheered Harry whenever he passed and hissed at him when he ignored them. Harry and Hermione's letters from the Ministry congratulated both of them entering the program and sent them a long list of approved tutors they could choose from if they wished. The program would officially start for them the day they got back from Christmas break. Harry and Hermione continued to push themselves to try and learn as much as they could until then.
"I don't know how many Muggle-born students will come back after the break," Hermione announced to the group when she sat down in the new Study Club's meeting room. Harry found the storeroom had a fireplace at the back of the room, hidden among a pile of broken chairs and tables. Hermione warmed her hands by the fire and sighed. "The Daily Prophet had a small article in the back of the paper, but Professor Dumbledore has suppressed the incidents so far. I don't know if he will be able to keep it up if something else happens."
"The Headmaster said something similar when I spoke to him after Colin's attack. While he is just petrified and can be healed, a mysterious attacker at Hogwarts has everyone with a brain on edge," Harry said with a sigh.
"Gran knows more than she said in her letter. I may not be able to come back after the break," Neville announced into the silence.
"What?!" the others cried as they turned to the round-faced boy.
Neville put down his flashcard and sighed. "Gran mentioned the Chamber of Secrets had been opened before and a student died. She was a young witch but heard it from her mother who sat on the Wizengamot at the time. She told me to let all of you know to think about leaving and would be delighted to have each of you continue your magical education at the Longbottom estate." Neville shrugged and sighed. "I don't want to though. Gran can be… intense."
"Thank her for the offer, but I'll stay," Harry announced with a shrug. "I'm going to continue to work on our new place, which needs a name by the way, while you guys are gone."
"I'm staying too mate, mum will never let me fly and practice at home!" Ron said with a muttered curse. "We've got a cup to win!"
Harry tutored Neville for a few hours a day until his friend left for the break with Hermione. Malfoy signed the parchment of students who were going to say for the break, which Harry found unusual. He was confident Draco didn't know about whatever his father set in motion. Not only would he incriminate himself with his excessive boasting but it might also draw attention to his father's plan.
Another downside to Harry's performance at the Dueling Club was that many laughed at him for his duel with Professor Snape. Ron, in particular, was angry that Harry accepted the challenge, but Hermione and Neville understood Harry's reasoning. Harry's mood worsened when he realized it was another invisible wall between him and the other students. He appropriated the blackboard from their old classroom and stuck it to the wall of their new hideout. A list of everything he knew about the attacks was listed on the board with the possible suspects and objectives. He learned the tactic from Providence from his Social Science class and knew many Muggle military intelligence agencies used similar diagrams to make connections easier.
"Harry, are you going to come with me to practice?" Ron asked one morning as he did chin-ups on the metal bar in the new workout area he and Harry designed. Four pillars of stone stood near the back wall of the partitioned area with metal bars stretching between them. They could use it to work on arm strength or to practice getting back up on their brooms. He attached cauldrons to bars so they could act as makeshift-weights. A narrow beam was set up for Ron in the corner so he could work on keeping his balance while stretching his hand out for a Snitch. Even with the time invested in the small workout area, nothing worked better than the real experience of Quidditch practice.
"No, I don't think Katie wants me there," Harry answered with a shrug. The relationship between him and the team was strained and Katie was scared of him.
"She doesn't hate you, mate. She was scared is all. I know the rest of the team misses you."
Harry snorted and glanced at Ron. "You mean they miss my broom. Why hasn't Angelina come to ask for it yet?"
Ron deflated and dropped down from the metal bar after his last chin-up. "You can't hide in here forever. If I didn't know better, I'd say you bribed a house-elf to bring you food too."
Harry raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. He used his Invisibility Cloak to get around after the rumors of him being a dark wizard. The simmering cauldron along the fake wall started to bubble and roil. "That'll be the Draught of Peace," he muttered and stood. "Such an advanced potion and yet so simple."
"Simple he says," Ron snorted and sat down in one of the comfortable arm-chairs by the fire. "You haven't made much headway with your diagram," he commented and looked over at the blackboard. "You think you can find the culprit?"
"Finding and catch are two very different things," Harry shot back with a shrug. "Professor Snape showed me how far I have to go before leaving Hogwarts."
"Mate, he was enjoying humiliating you and you kept getting back up with a silly grin of yours," Ron snorted and looked at Harry. "Why can't you just focus on Quidditch? Much safer than trying to duel Snape."
Harry laughed and continued to stir the cauldron. He dropped in the next ingredients from the Potion Clock beside the cauldron and waited. "I heard the school might get closed down if the attacker isn't found." The rumor flew around the school days before the other students left for the holidays.
"I heard it too. Rubbish if you ask me. There is no way the Ministry will close Hogwarts. Even if they did, we'd still receive a magical education," Ron answered with a shrug. "Quidditch, however, they would stop and that cannot stand!"
Harry laughed and continued to brew the potion in silence. His worst fear had a possibility of coming true. Voldemort scared him but being forced to leave Hogwarts terrified him. "What are you getting on your marks for classes?" he asked as he turned back to Ron.
"Don't ask, mate. Don't become another Hermione! I'm doing fine," Ron lied with a small shrug.
"You can't get held back so you can continue to play Quidditch," Harry jokingly said but noticed the red tinge to his friend's face. "Ron… you muppet. That won't work."
"I know, I know, but I'd love to play for the team longer! Maybe they'll let me come back and be a coach like the Chudley Cannons have!"
"Mate, you need to focus on both. What would your mum say if she knew you were ignoring school?"
"Don't bring my mum into this!" Ron shouted with a shudder. "She'd have my head."
"Speaking of your mum, have you told her about Ginny? It's getting to the point that I'm worried about her. I'm not even her brother and can see she's struggling with school," Harry said with a sigh. He didn't like Ginny's constant attention whenever he was around her and it annoyed him how much she wanted to spend time with him and Ron, but he was worried about the signs he saw. Frankie and other younger cadets showed similar detached and dower moods before they attempted self-harm.
"If you like her so much, you can have her as a sister. I don't want her," Ron joked but Harry saw the look of concern on his face. "What do you see that keeps worrying you?"
Harry froze and debated what to say. After a minute, he decided to tell Ron a partial truth. "You already know Providence wasn't all sunshine and lollipops, but sometimes it was worse. The constant learning and pushing by the instructors hit the youngest cadets the worst. We learned to watch out for them, us older cadets. One cadet… well, one cadet, we didn't catch and he hurt himself. I don't want something similar to happen to Ginny."
Ron frowned and processed the new information while tapping his foot. "You think Ginny will hurt herself?" he questioned after a minute. "Mate, she'd more likely hurt someone else. Her curses are getting powerful and she doesn't mind using them to get her way."
Harry pursed his lips and nodded. "She does seem to be angrier now. Maybe she's getting over whatever was bothering her," he said with a shrug. "I could be wrong, that is possible," he jokingly said and grinned at his friend.
"You? Wrong? Has the world ended and all the Muggles joined hands with wizards in harmony?" Ron joked with a laugh.
Harry did come out of the hideout more after Ron declared he couldn't stay cooped up any longer. He'd made new flashcards to review with to pass the time in the common room while Ron talked and joked with the other Gryffindors. While the other students didn't outright hate Harry, they did do their best to ignore or avoid him. It seemed his seclusion did little for clearing his name of being a dark wizard.
"Harry, do you have a moment?" Ginny asked in a small voice one evening.
"Sure, need more flashcards?" he asked and looked up at the fidgeting redheaded girl. She looked pale and smelled like sweat.
"Um… you said that you'd help if I ever needed help," she stated and bit her lip.
"You're my best mate's sister so by the code you are my sister. What can I help you with?" Harry shot back and put away his flashcards. Ginny clutched a black book and hugged it to her chest as if it gave her strength.
"I… I… I need to tell you something," Ginny stammered and looked Harry in the eyes.
A twinge of pain lanced through Harry's head as he locked eyes with Ron's sister. His hand was on his wand before he realized it and had to force his body not to move. "Yes?" he questioned, straining to keep his voice calm.
Ginny's eyes widened as she looked down at Harry's wand poking out of his robes. Her eyes flashed red. "I trusted you!" she shouted, making the common room fall silent. She stormed off in a towering rage.
"What was that about, mate?" Ron asked as he made his way over.
"She wanted to tell me something but my scar twinged. I pulled my wand by instinct," he muttered, confused by the whole encounter.
"She'll get over it, she always does," Ron said sagely and went back to his conversation with Dean and Wood.
A large figure in a dark-brown coat clunked through the hall one night before Christmas. Harry froze when he realized this person could be the attacker and ducked around the corridor. He peeked around the corridor again and drew his wand. The figure had his back to Harry and was tapping on the corridor walls with his wand and muttering to himself. His face turned toward Harry and the sight made Harry gasp in shock. The man's face looked like it had been chiseled out from wood with deep scars across his cheeks and forehead. A bit of nose was missing and he had dark gray, grizzled hair. The most prominent feature the man had was a large electric blue magical eye spinning around in a leather eye-patch over his left eye. Both eyes were locked on Harry.
"Come out, boy," a gruff, growling voice called out. "I'm not whoever is attacking the school."
"That is something the attacker would say," Harry shot back, not lowering his wand.
"Good, you don't trust easily. Constant vigilance will save your life. I am Alastor Moody and Albus Dumbledore asked me to search for the Chamber. You are Harry Potter," Moody announced and stomped over to Harry. His wooden right leg thumping loudly on the stone floor.
"Ron mentioned you and so has Mr. Weasley," Harry said aloud when he realized who stood before him. "You got ousted a couple of years ago from the Auror's office because you were seen as a threat to yourself and the Ministry." Harry didn't lower his wand and instead adopted a mid-guard stance. Everything about the man in front of him screamed of being a veteran like the ones at Providence. Moody's calm, calculated walk left nothing exposed and he exuded an air of competence and leashed killing power.
"I went against the Ministry when they took to attacking werewolves without cause. One particular incident made a boy lose his arm forever. Dumbledore stopped the foolishness but all of us involved in helping the werewolves were punished in one way or another. Put your wand away, boy. I could jinx you into a puddle without breaking a sweat," Moody ordered and came to a stop before Harry.
"Sorry, it's been a tough time recently," Harry lied and hid his wand under his robes like he'd put it away.
Moody snorted and Harry noticed the magical eye focused on his right hand. With a sigh, he holstered his wand but kept his hand nearby just in case. "Right suspicious of everyone, good. Albus has told me a bit about your time here at Hogwarts. Voldemort never died, eh? Not surprised. Scum always finds a way to resurface when you least want it. Show me around the school, it's been a while since I've attended."
Harry felt uncomfortable around the ex-Auror as Moody stomped along beside him, asking questions on what he knew. He didn't tell him everything, not trusting the wizard, and only mentioned what the rumors said. "I'm not sure I understand, sir. What do you mean, do I trust Dumbledore?" he asked as they turned the corner near the second-floor corridor.
"I asked you if you trusted Albus Dumbledore," Moody growled and produced a letter. He passed it to Harry.
"It looks like his handwriting, but it could be faked," he muttered and received an approving grating laugh from Moody.
"Your mind is twisted already, good, never trust anything someone gives you. Read it, boy," Moody growled and stomped ahead to Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom and stopped by the writing on the wall.
Harry opened the letter and glanced over the short note:
Harry, Alastor Moody will be inspecting the school for anything I may have missed. I urge you to trust him as you trust me as he has a great deal of experience in catching dark wizards. It might not be as hard as you think to gain an experienced tutor in Alastor if you were inclined to ask.
Best Wishes,
Albus Dumbledore
"Seems real," Harry muttered and realized a detail he'd missed before. "You said Voldemort's name."
"So what? The scum doesn't get a moniker that makes him sound more powerful than he already is… or was. Did whatever Albus write help you trust me?"
"Some," Harry admitted with a shrug.
Moody barked a laugh and grinned, his gnarled face looking more menacing than normal. "Good, never completely trust anyone. Now, enough dancing around the issue. What do you know, Potter?"
"You'd better come with me then," Harry said with a sigh and turned. "Some things shouldn't be talked about in the halls; the sound echoes too well."
"You and your friends set this up?" Moody questioned when Harry led the ex-Auror into their hideout through the false wardrobe propped up in the corner of the fake wall. He made sure to make the small area near the door look cluttered and left broken bits of table everywhere as a passive alarm. The smashed glass vials near the door helped too.
"I, more than the others, wanted somewhere we could practice spells without being distracted. Last year, we took over an old classroom, but we found this place because it's closer to the library. I liked our old place better but it's hard to ignore reference material two minutes away versus a ten-minute walk."
"This wouldn't fool anyone with experience," Moody grumbled as he stood in the center of their modest studying space, his blue eye spinning around in the eye-patch. "All the same, a second-year pulling this off is praiseworthy."
"Thanks, I guess. Anyway, this is what you want," Harry said and pointed to the blackboard near the fireplace.
"A proper way to do things," Moody growled and stomped over to the board. "Your work, then?"
"What I learned from Providence, yeah. They had us recreate some of the old cold war intrigues with these diagrams. It was a little scary to see what the possibilities might have been with the major players involved," Harry said with a shudder.
"Ministry Aurors will be roaming the castle soon, some of the ones I taught myself. Erase the bit about Parseltongue in case someone stumbles upon this. Rumors can be ignored but evidence in your own handwriting will confirm any questions," Moody suggested and stared at the board. "I see you have food in here already. Can I use this as a temporary base while I search the school?"
"Don't see why not," Harry answered with a shrug. "You weren't given a room like the professors?"
"I was, but never liked staying where people can find me easily. Keeping a low profile will help Albus as well."
Harry left the storeroom after Moody finished questioning him on any information he might have left off the blackboard. Minor details to Harry but the ex-Auror seemed pleased with the amount of information Harry had or suspected. He found Ron to tell him about the grizzled wizard using their hideout as a base of operations.
"Why do you always find the cool stuff!" Ron complained and told Harry he wanted to see Moody.
"I got the feeling Moody didn't like people much," Harry answered with a laugh.
"Dad always said he wasn't right in his head," Ron chuckled and shook his head. "Oh well, want to go out and fly some since you can't use the storeroom?"
"You realize it's snowing outside, right? It's almost Christmas anyway, mate. We haven't played wizard chess in a while. Let's just do that," Harry suggested with a shrug. Cold weather didn't bother him much anymore, but he didn't want to fly in a snow storm.
Christmas was fun but subdued as Ministry Aurors combed the castle on Christmas Eve with serious expressions and gruff attitudes. Harry spotted John Dawlish talking to a cluster of other Aurors in black robes but decided not to speak. On Christmas, Harry received several presents, much more than he'd expected, and a handmade sweater from Mrs. Weasley. Hermione bought him another book on Potions while he got her a book on the Ministry of Magic. Ron got him his own chessmen and he gifted Ron the Chudley Cannons Official Quidditch merchandise he wanted over the summer. Neville took longer for Harry to figure out what to get for him. In the end, he decided to give his friend a Grow-Your-Own-Cheese Guide book as a joke and a small book on the Sunlight Charm from Romania. Neville gave him an old book on popular dueling charms.
Fred and George led the holiday cheer for their family and Harry. While they didn't have a snowball fight outside, they did have an amazing time in the Gryffindor Common Room playing games and getting into trouble with Professor McGonagall because of Harry's new experimental fireworks spell. The charging flaming red horse galloped through the night's sky before exploding into hundreds of little sparks somewhere over the tallest tower. Fred and George were salivating at the chance to learn how Harry did it.
"Ginny seems happier," Harry said as he sat between the twins, talking about their newest ideas for the joke shop they wanted to own.
"She always bounces back, our Gin," Fred said with a laugh. "Has mum's temper though."
"Percy got an earful when she caught him and his new girlfriend snogging in the corner of the library. She threatened to curse his lips off if he didn't focus on his N.E.W.T.s," George added with a laugh.
"Speaking of that, how are you two doing on your O.W.L. coursework?" Harry asked out of curiosity.
"Mum will kill us, but we're only focusing on a couple of subjects so we don't get too bogged down with classes. We want to focus harder on our joke shop items. We could start testing and trials as soon as the end of the term with all the Galleons you've given us," Fred said with a huge grin.
"Yeah, mate. Thanks for all your help. We have a constant supply of materials to test on and promise to pay you back as soon as we are able," George promised with a huge grin.
"I'm not worried about the Galleons," Harry explained and waved away George's promise of repayment. "Which classes are you focusing on?"
"Charms, DADA, Herbology, Potions, and Transfiguration," Fred said with a shrug.
"Charms and DADA are our main focus. We don't care about the other classes but would like to at least do well in those main classes. Why?" George questioned as he looked at Harry with a smirk. "Want to tutor us like you tried to do with Ron?"
"No, I was wondering if I could borrow your notes," Harry lied with a grin. "Or maybe sell you one of my flashcards."
"We looked over the new flashcards you've made. Harry, that is some pretty impressive magic," Fred praised and looked at George.
"There has been some talk recently. How far ahead of your peers are you and Hermione, Harry?" George questioned after nodding to Fred.
"Why? We aren't that much farther. She and I just put in a lot of work to learn what we can," Harry said with a shrug.
"We'll take two of your Charm flashcards for three Galleons each," a feminine voice called from behind them.
Harry turned to see a nervous Katie Bell and a beaming Angelina Johnson standing by the girl's dormitory stairs. "Oh? Been listening in?" he questioned with a smirk.
"Of course we were," Angelina said with an indignant snort. "The three largest troublemakers in Hogwarts sitting together means something will happen. It pays for a witch to listen in if the three of you are in deep conversation." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and sat beside Fred. "So, you still good for those cards?"
Harry looked between Angelina and Katie before shrugging. "Charms, you go it. I'll make them tonight and have them to you by morning. Anything, in particular, you want to focus on or just do all of it?" he asked with a smirk.
"Just do whatever you feel is best. Now, how can I get you to come practice with us? I know Ron said you thought Katie hated you," Angelina announced and sat forward. "You did blow up a snake in her face."
"I don't hate you, Harry. I just…" Katie said and trailed off.
"It's okay," Harry said with a shrug. "Professor McGonagall will have my head at some point soon if I don't show up to practice."
"Wait, Harry, I really don't hate you," Katie said as Harry stood.
"It's okay, Katie," he repeated before leaving the common room. Once outside, he knew he was acting childish, but didn't want to listen to the older witch's explanation. It would just remind him again how different he was from the rest of his peers.
Moody was gone from the storeroom when he arrived. He noticed a few, small changes to the hideout that angered him. The experienced wizard changed the fake wall to make it look more believable. It took Harry a while to realize where he went wrong and cursed at himself. The torches around the area burned brighter around the room and the two practice dummies looked different.
Harry walked around the first practice dummy and inspected it. The old dummies were gray with one arm to simulate a wizard holding a wand. A triangular-shaped bottom was attached to the circular torso and had a large, melon-like head shoved on top. The new practice dummy had defined features and could pass for a human statue. One was red while the other was blue. A buzz of magic crackled around both inanimate objects.
"Looks painful, boy," a gruff voice called sometime later as the heavy footfalls of Moody echoed around the storeroom. "Find my little present?" he questioned with a grin.
"Yeah, red for attacks and blue for defense. I didn't expect the speed at which the red dummy attacked my first few rounds," Harry cursed and rubbed at his arm. One of the spells tore open the skin on his arm. At first blood, the dummy went still and did not attack again.
"I've got a potion for you somewhere around here," Moody grumbled and routed around in his pockets.
"No need, sir. I've got three cauldrons brewing Wiggenweld and have a decent supply of my own," Harry quickly answered.
Moody paused and eyed Harry. "Albus did say you were ahead of your peers. I'll be leaving tomorrow. The Aurors will leave a few days later before the other students come back. We couldn't find anything but I have a few more leads that might be important. For that, I thank you. If my hunch is right, I'll be back before the end of the term. Keep your head down and never forget constant vigilance. You're in a war zone whether you realize it or not."
Harry felt the hairs on his neck stand on end as the ex-Auror left the storeroom after gathering his things into a large rucksack. His brief interactions with Moody always left him feeling insecure about the future. The older wizard praised him for his cunning mind when they discussed his theories and methods of how he would perform the attacks if he were the one doing it.
"I missed him again?" Ron questioned when he found Harry in the storeroom the next day. "You didn't come back to the tower last night."
"No, I slept here," Harry responded with a shrug. "Very few people even know about this place and Filch is petrified so he won't find me. I wanted to think about the future."
"You mean hide from Katie. Fred told me what happened. Mate, she doesn't hate you," Ron said with a laugh. "Not anymore at least. You walked off before she could say anything."
"Eh, I'm not worried about that. Anyway, have you finished your homework so Hermione won't scold both of us?"
"I've still got a few assignments left," Ron admitted with a sigh. "Think you could help me out some?"
Harry agreed and helped Ron with all five essays before lunch. He made sure to explain all of the concepts in detail before letting his friend write the essay. While he knew Ron didn't care to learn the material, he tried to do the right thing and teach him to the best of his ability. Ron decided he'd had enough of staying inside the castle and wanted to go out and fly. Harry looked around the room and agreed he should go outside for a while.
Hermione and Neville came back to school the day before classes were to start up again. Harry was bored and spent a lot of time reviewing old material without Hermione pushing them along. "Harry! I loved the book, thank you," Hermione gushed and hugged Harry.
"Thanks for your gift too," Harry answered and smiled at Neville. "Thanks for the Charms book, Neville. I read over it some and found a few brilliant spells to try and learn."
"No problem, thanks for the Sunlight Charm. I asked Gran about it and she said it would have cost you a lot," Neville said in a quiet voice.
"I got lucky with my friend at Flourish and Blotts. It wasn't as expensive as you might think," Harry said with a grin. He hoped Neville would be able to learn the spell so he could grow plants inside.
"Oh, Harry, I've got a plan for what we can start on next!" Hermione said in an excited rush. "I can't wait to start on the recommended topics the Ministry will send us!"
"I've got a story or two for you guys from over the break. I met Alastor Moody, or Mad-Eye Moody, who was looking over the castle," Harry told his friend as they walked up the stairs, headed for the Gryffindor Tower.
"The dueling dummy will cause you to bleed!?" Hermione shrieked as she looked Harry over. "I'm sure you've been using it every chance you can," she accused.
"You know he has. He got a nice gash along his left arm just last night," Ron snitched with a smile.
"Oi!" Harry yelled and drew his wand on Ron. "I could try turning you into a weasel!"
"You wouldn't dare touch the golden Seeker!" Ron declared and puffed out his chest.
Everyone laughed as they entered the common room and took seats near the fire. Harry felt happy to have all his friends back together again. They talked and joked until well after curfew.
Harry woke early the next morning and packed his bags for class. He woke Ron so they could go down to the storeroom to workout before breakfast. After their shower, they headed toward the Great Hall. "Come… come to me… let me rip you… let me tear you… kill this time..." a disembodied voice hissed through the wall.
"The voice!" Harry yelled and took off up the corridor. His heart hammered in his chest as he followed the strange voice. He realized what he was hearing after he passed two students who yelled at him. Parseltongue, the attacker spoke the language of snakes and it was why only he could hear it. A deeper, more visceral fear gripped him as he realized it may not be a person attacking the students but a snake instead.
"Move!" he cried as two students yelled in shock as he rounded the corner. "Get a professor!" he yelled over his shoulder.
He was on the third floor when a startled, high-pitched scream cut off. His wand held up, he ran harder toward the sound. Another scream reverberated off the walls, farther up the corridor, as he rounded the corner. A small blonde figure stared wide-eyed out the window, her body was frozen in place as she tried to reach for a pair of trainers tied to a small hook above the window. Luna Lovegood, a Ravenclaw first-year, was barefoot and was missing the Ravenclaw patch on her robes. Her face had a startled look as she stared out the window, her eyes frozen in place.
Harry knew it was too late for the girl but maybe the other person who screamed was okay. He shot Red Sparks at the window, breaking one of the crystal clear panes of glass, and sending a sparkling red light out into the grounds below. "Lumos Maxima!" he yelled and pointed his wand behind him as he ran down the corridor. He hoped the light and red sparks would alert one of the professors to where Luna was.
Two corridors later he found an all too familiar scene. A Ravenclaw second-year, Oliver Rivers, lay on his back, his eyes lifeless and staring at the ceiling of the corridor. Harry stepped closer when he realized something was wrong. The boy did not have the pale, washed-out features of the other petrified victims. Rivers' face had a red flush and a finger twitched. "Lumos Maxima," he called and shot the spell into the ceiling.
The entire corridor was lit up with light as he checked both connecting corridors before crouching over Oliver. He felt the warm boy's neck and felt a prickle of fear run through his body. A sound from down one of the corridors made him look up and aim his wand. "Who's there!" he called. The bright light above him made it hard to see into the shadows.
"Mr. Potter? I saw the… dear Merlin… is that young Rivers?" Professor Flitwick gasped as he drew closer. "Mr. Potter, what has happened?"
"I heard the screams, professor. Luna Lovegood is frozen back along the corridor. I just found Oliver… he's… he's dead, sir," Harry reported as a heavy weight dropped down into the pit of his stomach.
"Dead? Certainly not," the professor argued and came closer. He froze a moment later when he looked at the Ravenclaw boy's body. "Dead…" he gasped.
Harry took off his winter cloak and threw it over Oliver's torso and face when he heard more footsteps. "What are you doing?" the diminutive professor asked in a harsh tone.
"Preserving his modesty, like they did for Frankie," Harry answered in a harder voice than he intended. "They don't need to see him like this."
Students appeared from the darkened tunnels and paused to look at the scene before them. Harry crouched over a student with a cloak over his head and Professor Flitwick's hard, angry face. "Caught in the act, Potter?" a sneering voice called.
"Shove it, Malfoy. I will ensure your father pays for this," Harry promised and aimed his wand at Malfoy.
Draco's eyes widened a little but a sneer replaced his surprise. "You'll be in Azkaban," the blonde boy spat.
"Disperse!" a stern voice ordered with a loud crack to emphasize her orders. Professor McGonagall appeared with Professor Dumbledore. "Why are all of you still standing there. Return to the Great Hall this instant."
The students muttered to themselves as they dispersed, casting fearful looks at Harry. Professor Dumbledore strode forward a solemn look on his face as he looked between the covered boy, Harry, and Professor Flitwick's tear-filled eyes. "Has… is…" the Headmaster choked as his eyes remained on Oliver's body.
"Albus, leave this to me. You must ensure the school is secure," Professor McGonagall suggested and placed a wrinkled hand on the Headmaster's shoulder.
Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard alive, cried as he stared at the dead boy in front of him. "You are correct, Minerva," he choked out and turned his eyes to Harry. "There will be trying times ahead, stay strong."
Harry wasn't sure if Professor Dumbledore was speaking to him or himself. He watched the old wizard pull out his wand and turn toward the left passage. Dumbledore spoke under his breath and waved his wand as he marched up the corridor. "Professor, I can explain," Harry said when he felt a rough hand grip his arm.
"I do not believe you did this but everyone else will. Come with me, Filius, please… please bring the boy," Professor McGonagall asked in a gentle voice.
"Quite right, Minerva," the crying professor choked out and waved his wand. Oliver's body floated off the ground, still covered by the cloak. "The Hospital Wing for now."
It took less than an hour for Hogwarts to be swarmed with Aurors. Harry was placed under arrest for the murder of Oliver Rivers and found himself without a wand, imprisoned at the tallest tower of Hogwarts. Rubus Hagrid was led into the same cell as Harry ten minutes later by fifteen angry Aurors.
"I didn't do nothing! Nor did 'arry!" Hagrid bellowed at the bars.
"They don't listen to reason, Hagrid," Harry called from the hard cot by the wall.
"They got no right to do this!" Hagrid muttered and sat down on the stone bench. "What happened, Harry?"
"I know what happened and have a decent lead as to what caused the death of Oliver. They won't listen to me though. The Auror in charge told me if it wasn't a confession, he didn't want to hear it."
"We'll get out of this, Harry. We're innocent," Hagrid comforted.
"The innocent do not escape imprisonment just because they really are innocent," Harry muttered darkly.
Three cold hours later, Harry was pulled from the cell at wand-point. "Harry James Potter, by order of the Minister of Magic, you are placed under arrest for the petrification of Argus Filch and Luna Lovegood. The death of Oliver River will land you a life sentence in Azkaban if you are convicted. You will be held in Azkaban until such time as the Wizengamot arraigns your trial. Do you have anything to say for yourself?" a tall, bald dark-skinned man questioned. His purple robes flapped in the high winds as he glared at Harry.
"No comment," Harry answered with a blank look.
"Then you will be escorted to Azkaban to await your trial, take him away," the Auror ordered and gave Harry one last look.