Harry Halliwell Chapter 9
Lily turned around to look at the three children and notice a fearful expression on her future daughter-in-law's face.
"What is it you wanted to talk to me about sweetie?" Lily asks her son, brushing her hand through his hair lovingly.
"Mum, I'd like you to meet Hermione Granger. Hermione, this is my mother Lily Potter, otherwise known as Pandora Halliwell. Mum, Hermione and I bonded on the Express, she is the future Lady Potter." Lily looks at the bushy haired witch and smiles before holding her hand out. Hermione relaxes a touch and shakes Lily' hand but quickly withdraws back inside herself and becomes terrified once more. Lily notices this quickly and looks at her son curiously.
"Um Hermione. As you know I'm a telepath and I can hear your thoughts. I do apologise but I can't help this and will hear your thoughts at all times; it's a permanently active Power and I heard you thinking about us finding out about your parentage. Don't worry about it, all of us are hybrids and as you told us on the train you're a Wiccan Witch. That isn't what you're worried about. There isn't any worry about judgement, we're family and my family isn't exactly a conventional one at that" Harry says while reaching his hand out to his Bonded.
Hermione takes in a deep breath and looks down at her lap ashamedly.
"My mother is a Wiccan witch who moved to the UK just after she fell pregnant with me. She told me that my birth father is now vanquished, by your two elder sister and twin, but before he was vanquished and before he started to pursue your sister Phoebe after returning back from life, he had slept with my mother. My birth father is the demon known as Cole Turner while he still had all of those Demonic powers from the Wasteland, which I have inherited unfortunately. I believe I am the only one of my kind, half Witch and half Demon. I understand if you don't want anything to do with me" Hermione says in a meek voice with a sob at the end, standing and starting to leave. She stopped however when Harry places his hand on her shoulder and steps in front of her before enveloping her in a warm and comforting hug.
"Hermione, I'm only one of my kind as well, and my cousins are the only of theirs as well, there's no need to be ashamed of who you are. I'm a quarter Whitelighter, quarter Wiccan witch and half wizard and I survived a spell that should have killed me like it did my parents and all of those it had been cast on before me. Trust me, I know what it's like to be different." Harry says soothingly, smoothing her hair affectionately, while Lily looks on at her son with so much pride.
"Aunt Lily, do you want me to orb home and tell Mom, Aunt Prue and Aunt Paige, I think they may be better off in breaking the news to Aunt Phoebe that her ex has a child." Wyatt asks uncertainly.
"No, I'll go once you've all gone to bed as you should, follow me and I'll show you how to get to your dorms. I'll take you, Wyatt, to Professor Flitwick Wyatt as only teachers and students of the house are formally allowed to know where their respective common rooms are and I shall then escort Harry and Hermione to their common room. Harry remember to keep your Telepathy active and linked with Wyatt, wherever in the castle grounds the two of you may be so you can protect each other if anything happens." Lily says as she walks from her office, the three first years following dutifully behind her.
"Goodnight all" Wyatt says after Lily drops him off with Professor Flitwick, who begins to lead the Twice Blessed away to his dorm and giving the speech he had given to the others of his house earlier in the night. Lily then takes Harry and Hermione down the castle, past the kitchens and tells the two first years to watch and remember what she does as this is how they enter their common room and dormitories. She taps the second barrel from the bottom in the middle row in a particular rhythm and the lid swings open, she motions for the two to go first and the three climb into the barrel and down to their common room. When they arrive they see a young man who looks to be 15 sitting in an armchair, a Prefect badge proudly displayed on his chest.
"Professor Potter, how nice to see you! I asked Professor Sprout that I stay up and wait for these students to give them their welcoming speech." He says with a very kind smile to Lily.
"How very kind of you! 10 points to Hufflepuff for your generosity and thoughtfulness! May I ask your name young man?" Lily says with a warm smile.
"My name is Gabriel Truman, Professor" he replies quickly.
"Well thank you Gabriel. Harry, Hermione enjoy your first night here and goodnight" Lily says, before turning and leaving the room, wanting to kiss her baby boy goodnight but wanting to seem professional and also not wanting to embarrass him.
"Goodnight Professor Potter" Hermione says timidly
"Goodnight Mum, I mean, Professor Potter" Harry says with a sly smile and cheeky wink, causing his mother to chuckle to herself lightly. Harry and Hermione then turn to Gabriel who clears his throat and stands before saying
"Congratulations! I'm Prefect Gabriel Truman, and I'm delighted to welcome you to HUFFLEPUFF HOUSE. Our emblem is the badger, an animal that is often underestimated, because it lives quietly until attacked, but which, when provoked, can fight off animals much larger than itself, including wolves. Our house colours are yellow and black, and our common room lies one floor below the ground, on the same corridor as the kitchens. Now, there are a few things you should know about Hufflepuff house. First of all, let's deal with a perennial myth about the place, which is that we're the least clever house. WRONG. Hufflepuff is certainly the least boastful house, but we've produced just as many brilliant witches and wizards as any other. Want proof? Look up Grogan Stump, one of the most popular Ministers for Magic of all time. He was a Hufflepuff – as were the successful Ministers Artemesia Lufkin and Dugald McPhail. Then there's the world authority on magical creatures, Newt Scamander; Bridget Wenlock, the famous thirteenth-century Arithmancer who first discovered the magical properties of the number seven, and Hengist of Woodcroft, who founded the all-wizarding village of Hogsmeade, which lies very near Hogwarts School. Hufflepuffs all.
"So, as you can see, we've produced more than our fair share of powerful, brilliant and daring witches and wizards, but, just because we don't shout about it, we don't get the credit we deserve. Ravenclaws, in particular, assume that any outstanding achiever must have come from their house. I got into big trouble during my third year for duelling a Ravenclaw prefect who insisted that Bridget Wenlock had come from his house, not mine. I should have got a week of detentions, but Professor Sprout let me off with a warning and a box of coconut ice. Hufflepuffs are trustworthy and loyal. We don't shoot our mouths off, but cross us at your peril; like our emblem, the badger, we will protect ourselves, our friends and our families against all-comers. Nobody intimidates us. However, it's true that Hufflepuff is a bit lacking in one area. We've produced the fewest Dark wizards of any house in this school. Of course, you'd expect Slytherin to churn out evil-doers, seeing as they've never heard of fair play and prefer cheating over hard work any day, but even Gryffindor (the house we get on best with) has produced a few dodgy characters. What else do you need to know? Oh yes, the entrance to the common room is concealed in a stack of large barrels in a nook on the right hand side of the kitchen corridor. Tap the barrel two from the bottom, middle of the second row, in the rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff', and the lid will swing open. We are the only house at Hogwarts that also has a repelling device for would-be intruders. If the wrong lid is tapped, or if the rhythm of the tapping is wrong, the illegal entrant is doused in vinegar.
You will hear other houses boast of their security arrangements, but it so happens that in more than a thousand years, the Hufflepuff common room and dormitories have never been seen by outsiders. Like badgers, we know exactly how to lie low – and how to defend ourselves. Once you've opened the barrel, crawl inside and along the passageway behind it, and you will emerge into the cosiest common room of them all. It is round and earthy and low-ceilinged; it always feels sunny, and its circular windows have a view of rippling grass and dandelions.
"There is a lot of burnished copper about the place, and many plants, which either hang from the ceiling or sit on the windowsills. Our Head of house, Professor Pomona Sprout, is Head of Herbology, and she brings the most interesting specimens (some of which dance and talk) to decorate our room – one reason why Hufflepuffs are often very good at Herbology. Our overstuffed sofas and chairs are upholstered in yellow and black, and our dormitories are reached through round doors in the walls of the common room. Copper lamps cast a warm light over our four-posters, all of which are covered in patchwork quilts, and copper bed warmers hang on the walls, should you have cold feet. Our house ghost is the friendliest of them all: the Fat Friar. You'll recognise him easily enough; he's plump and wears monk's robes, and he's very helpful if you get lost or are in any kind of trouble. I think that's nearly everything. I must say, I hope some of you are good Quidditch players. Hufflepuff hasn't done as well as I'd like in the Quidditch tournament lately. You should sleep comfortably. We're protected from storms and wind down in our dormitories; we never have the disturbed nights those in the towers sometimes experience. And once again: congratulations on becoming a member of the friendliest, most decent and most tenacious house of them all." (Taken directly from the Hufflepuff prefect welcome speech on Pottermore) Harry's eyes are wide at this point and Hermione looks very impressed with the older boy.
Gabriel motions for Hermione and Harry to follow him and leads him through a doorway and, after opening a door with a number 1 in gold on the face, leads the two into a small living area.
"Every year has their own small living room in their dorm. Unlike other houses, we Hufflepuffs allow for boys and girls to share the living area of their own dorms but the boys share a communal room, much like the other houses, as do the girls. There is a charm placed on each communal rooms door that forbids a person of the opposite gender to enter the room. Your Highness, your room is the door on the left, Miss Granger, the one on the right. If you have any questions, go out of this room though the door we came in, look for a door with a number 5 and ask for me. I shall leave you to sleep. Please be in the Hufflepuff common room for 7am so a prefect can lead you to the Great Hall for breakfast. Goodnight" Gabriel says before turning and leaving the first year dorm. Harry and Hermione bid one another goodnight before leaving for their respective rooms and go to sleep, ready to begin their wizarding magic education in the morning.
uuuu
Harry awoke to the next morning and sent a thought to his mother and his cousin 'Good Morning'. He got replies back from their connection back almost immediately. Harry, when he had finally learnt to control his Telepathic Power through his Wiccan Heritage, had set up a permanent connection with his family members that each of them can access through him and send one another their thoughts, despite them not having Telepathy as a Power like he does. He took a look at his clock on his bedside table by opening his bed curtains slightly and saw the time was 6:30. He stretched and yawned, flicking his hand and using his Aunt Prue's telekinesis to open his, and his roommates' bed curtains. Soft gasps of fright echoed around the room before they all looked towards Harry who was getting out of his bed, stretching once more, dressed only in his boxers.
"Was that you Your Highness?" a sandy colour haired boy asked timidly from the bed to Harry's right.
"Wait, you're a Prince? I thought you were just a celebrity?!" another blonde haired boy exclaims. This boy occupies the bed directly opposite Harry's.
"Actually, I'm King of the Magical world. But please, we're going to be together for the next 7 years. You wouldn't want to be called by your title by your peers, hopefully friends right? Just call me Harry guys" Harry says with a soft chuckle when the second boy's eyes widened almost comically.
"Well I'm Ernest Macmillan, but everyone calls me Ernie" says the first boy
"I'm Justin Finch-Fletchley" says the second boy humbly
"Wayne Hopkins" another boy says, with light brown hair that falls in soft waves past his ears and grass green eyes.
"It's great to meet you all" Harry says with a shy smile, before he looks down at himself, still only wearing his boxers.
"With enough time for this, I find myself hard-pressed, so magic I ask of you, get me dressed" with a small flurry of orbs Harry finds himself dressed in his school uniform. Harry's new friends shake their heads in envy and dress themselves quickly. After the other three are dressed the foursome leaves their dorm room and enters the first year common room to find the four Hufflepuff girls waiting on them. "Morning Harry" Hermione says brightly, jumping up and giving him a hug, much to her own surprise. She quickly jumps away from him, blushing profusely and says
"I'm so sorry, I don't know what just came over me!" Harry laughs and says softly
"Its fine Hermione, don't worry. It's just our Bond. Because the two of us have such strong Magic and connections to different types of Magic within us, our Bond is that much stronger than average and is somewhat sentient. It's going to push us to further our Bond all the time, don't worry though. Our Magic is also aware of just how old we are and won't push us too far to complete the Bond shall we say" Hermione blushes even more when she realises that her magic is pushing her to further her Bond with Harry and just what she'll have to do to further the Bond, which Harry picks up Telepathically and blushes beet red as well.
Harry looks on to the other girls and sees a tall blonde haired and blue eyed girl who introduces herself as Hannah Abbott, another tall girl with short pixie like black hair and earthy brown eyes who introduces herself as Megan Jones and finally a red haired, chocolate brown eyed girl of average height.
"Hello, I'm Susan Bones. Though I guess you already know that through our being betrothed. Care to explain your unfaithfulness here?" Susan says with a soft and teasing smile. Hermione whipped around quickly.
"You're one of the other future wives?" Hermione asks with a small smile on her face, happy to see that's he won't be the only one the same age as Harry and will be friendly with at least one of them. She had feared that, judging by Harry having two betrothed older than her, that it'd be the same for the others she had learned of.
"Apparently so. That's what my letter from Gringotts had said anyway. So care to explain dear?" Susan replies with a friendly and teasing smile sent to Harry, who chuckles.
"I do apologise my dearest. I am the Lord to seven houses, but am betrothed to eight women as I am the heir of another house, one of these Lordships being the royal line of the Magical World and therefore making me king. You will be Lady Gryffindor when we marry, while Hermione here will be Lady Potter. With my being a King, she won't be made Head Wife, as is customary, the woman betrothed to the Pendragon-Le Fey line is going to be the Head Wife and Queen. This will be Princess Fleur Delacour of the French Magical Royal Family. My other betrothed are a Nymphadora Tonks, who's in her third year and is betrothed to the Slytherin line, a Daphne Greengrass, who is betrothed to the Black family which I have been named the heir of until my Godfather has children of his own, and three other betrothed, one of whom is in this room with us" Harry replies. Hermione's eyes widen even more if that was possible.
"I hope it's not me!" says Ernie with a laugh and a small twinkle in his eyes. Harry, after sending a small smirk to his classmates turns to Ernie.
"Actually…" Ernie's eyes start to widen in panic and starts to curse his family mentally. Harry projects the boys thoughts to the others in the room and the group of first year Hufflepuffs begin to laugh hysterically at the young Kings prank. Hannah, after recovering from her laughter, says
"It's me. I'm the other betrothed. To the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Peverell if I'm correct"
"That you are my dear" he says, teasingly sending a wink her way which causes the demure girl to blush furiously. Susan drags Hermione and Hannah away to behind the group, who begin to walk out of their common room to the House Common Room to meet the prefects to go for breakfast. Harry, wanting to give the three girls some privacy, closes his Telepathy down for a moment, which was a big mistake. The group walk to the Great Hall with a prefect. Before they left the corridor they entrance to Hufflepuff House is however the group of first years and prefect were frozen in shock when two beings appeared, one shimmering in and another flaming.
"Hello kids, I was hoping one of you would be so kind as to help me, I'm looking for a young girl by the name of Hermione Granger" one of these beings, one who looked human in nature with short black hair and tanned skin, said in a tone that you could tell was just faking to be kind. The prefect pointed his wand towards the man and says in an authoritative tone, stepping in front of the new students protectively.
"Who are you?"
"It is none of your concern, please point me in the direction of my daughter" the man replies, looking the prefect up and down with disgust. Hermione, not being able to control herself, declares
"You are not my father!"
"I am your father young lady, and I have to say it is a pleasure to meet you at last, by the time I had learnt of your existence, your mother was in hiding, and then of course my ex-wife and her damnable sisters vanquished me" the man, who we now know is Cole Turner, Harry's Aunt Phoebe's ex-husband, says. Cole takes a step further, as does the other being, this one looking demonic in nature, though Harry hadn't seen this one before in The Book of Shadows. The prefect, not knowing how dangerous either demon is and steps forward and snaps
"Stay back!" The unknown demon snarls and flings a fireball at the prefect, who flicks his wand and sends it flying back to the sender, who staggers back before flinging another and Cole throwing an energy ball, which knocks the teen to the ground.
"You killed him!" Hermione shouts before her eyes blaze with an unseen before fury and, with her hands at her sides, shoots a beam of electricity towards the unknown demon who explodes with a scream of pain.
"Hermione!" Susan shouts before she and the first years are forced to their knees by Cole, using his Crushing power on them all. Harry, seeing his new friends in pain, screams in rage and breaks free from the powerful demons hold, activates his Telepathy once more, pulls on his Aunt Pipers power of molecular combustion and flings his hands out, sendning the demon back staggering. Cole turns his angry gaze on to Harry.
"You know kid, I once knew another Wiccan Witch with this power of yours, her name is Piper Halliwell, she's a Charmed One and she never did kill me with it, what made you think you could." Cole then throws an energy ball to Harry who calls for it and throws it back at the demonic man who again staggers back in shock.
"And I knew another witch who could do that to! Paige Matthews her name, also a Charmed One. Who are you kid?"
"Me? My name is Harry James Potter, or the one I go by, my full title is King Harry James Potter-Peverell-Halliwell-Warren-Gryffindor-Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff-Slytherin-Pendragon Le Fey. I am the nephew of Piper, Prudence, Paige and your ex-wife Phoebe, through the sister you never knew about, Pandora Halliwell." Harry says with a smirk, flinging his hands out once more, only this time using his Aunt Pipers power of Molecular Immobilisation and freezing Cole in place except for his head.
"You're related to Phoebe? How is she?" Cole asks, his eyes softening slightly, but only slightly enough for anyone not to notice the change.
"She's happy that she's not with you and now with her true love, my uncle Coop and their kids." Harry replies.
"And before you prattle on, I know I can't kill you without my Aunt's and my mother, but with the Power of Five and my power to Augment it and make it even more powerful, I'm sure it won't be long until you're gone and out of our lives again!"
"Hermione, are you going to let this boy speak to me like that?!" Cole says, turning his attention back towards the bushy haired witch.
"Carry on Harry, it's nice to see my future husband stick up for me like this" the girl replies, sending a glare to her birth father.
"What? Husband?" Cole says before Harry wiggles his fingers 'goodbye' before saying in a clear voice 'I call upon powers far and near, To banish whats not welcome here, Take this demon now no longer a stranger, back to Hell and save us from this danger'. In a swirl of white lights Cole is taken away and the first years become free from his power. Hermione begins to cry, and Harry and the three other girls rush to her side to comfort her, while Harry sends a thought to his mother to bring help for the injured prefect, all the while, clutching a bushy haired girl, who's shaking with her audible sobs.
(A/N. So there's the long awaited Chapter Nine. I must apologise for this very long wait you all had! I have been in University as those of you who bother reading these little messages know and therefore have so little time for myself that when I saw a quiet afternoon with no plans whatsoever I jumped ahead at the chance to upload this chapter. I have a question for you loyal readers of mine who review, would you like me to continue with this story? I'm personally struggling to keep interest in this myself but I'd hate to abandon this story without you finishing if there are still people who are interested as this has happened to me so many times I'd hate to put you all through that! As always, please review and let me know what you think of the chapter! :) )