Lightning Summoner
By James The Fox
"Sorry for the delay, folks… Lot's of stuff is happening recently…"
Harry: "Like you skipping your usual LS update for XIII Ninja?"
"Yeah… plus I couldn't think of a good way for LS to go through Halloween. Halloween's canon purpose of bringing the golden trio together has already been accomplished… but still… Eh, on to the fic!"
Chapter 7: Halloween
"Well… It's finished," Harry said, wiping the sweat off his brow dramatically. "No one could get through this without knowing how to do so first..."
The months passed quickly, and Harry found himself on the Quidditch Pitch more often than he thought he would be. Oliver taught him various chaser techniques, and the twins worked him into the ground to make sure he could dodge bludgers. The training only increased after he got a package from the Jewel Wing Corporation with their latest model. Harry found upon lifting off that once he reached full speed, he was a blur in the air, able to get across the field faster than anyone else, and that bludgers were hard-pressed to get to him. However, he also found that it would be hard for him to reach that top speed, especially if he stopped moving.
Meanwhile, Harry continued his 'detentions' with Professor Snape. The Summoner and his father's rival would sometimes talk to each other concerning their respective days, and sometimes debated the similarities and differences between Spira and the rest of the world. For example, their conversation once went to the subject of hobbies:
"So Spira doesn't worship Quidditch like your average, dim-witted wizard?"
"Spira's been mostly cut off from the rest of the world, so Quidditch only recently came to us. However, we have a whole other pastime: Blitzball."
"Blitzball? That's an odd name."
"It's an underwater sport, and far more physical than Quidditch. However, it's far less complicated than Quidditch. It only goes on for twenty minutes, and whoever gets the highest score wins. You're allowed to tackle your opponents, and there's only one ball and one hoop on each side. You just get it into your opponent's hoop to score."
"Underwater. How is it that they breathe in it?"
"Something in the water… I've never thought to ask, actually. However…" Harry grinned. "People who play enough become permanently able to breathe underwater. Again, don't know how, but I think it's some kind of mineral…" He shrugged as he put snails into the potion he was working on.
Their conversations would last like this until the potions were complete.
In his other classes, Harry and his friends trudged onward. Harry often found himself trying new spells he read about in his book, with the teacher's permission of course.
Their recent charms class had been especially exciting for most people. Professor Flitwick was finally teaching the students how to levitate objects, a feat that many had wanted to learn ever since Flitwick had used the spell to send Trevor flying from place to place. Harry, having already learned that spell from his studies, contented himself to watch his friends try. Neville's first try resulted in the feather they were lifting to go up for half a second before falling.
Meanwhile, Ron was getting similar results, and was frustrated at Hermione, who had been quick to master the spell. Harry looked at Hermione, and the two nodded.
"Okay, Neville… try to go a little slower with that pronunciation. Then, you just concentrate on the feather, and it should lift."
"Ron… the pronunciation is Win-gar-dium Levi-o-sa. The gar is longer than the other parts, and a little more emphasis on o."
"Really? That's all?" Ron asked. Hermione nodded. The next try by Ron resulted in a feather flying up three feet before slowly coming down. At the same time, Neville had about the same results.
The rest of the class was spent by the group practicing their spell work, and Harry would later swear that someone had placed a haste spell on the clock, the class went by so quickly.
"Hey, Hermione… Thanks," Ron said, placing his hands on the back of his head in embarrassment. "I don't think I'd have ever gotten it right without your help…"
"I was just helping a friend out, that's all," Hermione replied, blushing.
"Ron yht Hermione, ceddehk eh y dnaa..." (Ron and Hermione, sitting in a tree…) Harry teased.
"Huh?"
"Oh, nothing…" Harry smirked, and Hermione promised herself to find a book on the language Harry was talking in. "Kuut milg…" (Good luck…) The next class went fine as well, and the group was heading down the stairs when a familiar voice called out venomously.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Summoner's Squad…" Harry turned around to face Draco. "Still frozen at the sight of ice, Potter?"
"Oh, shut it, Draco…" Harry waved him off.
"And what about you, Granger? Funny, that you're the only Mudblood and the only girl in this group…" Draco sneered. Hermione raised an eyebrow, having never actually heard the term Mudblood before. "Oh, it seems you're not quite as smart as everyone thinks you are… "He stalked about her, as if inspecting a prize turkey. "I wonder why on earth Potter would let someone like you stay around him… I see no redeeming qualities…" He laughed as he walked past her. "Heh. Not even worth this school's time…"
Harry's eyes narrowed, but nothing else could be extracted from him. Ron and Neville weren't so polite, and they proceeded to glare holes into the back of Draco's head. Hermione looked at Ron, confused.
"Hey, what's a Mudblood? I've never seen it in any of the books I've read…"
"It's… not a good name, that's for sure," Neville grumbled. "There are people in the Wizarding world that believe that Hogwarts and other such schools should be only for those born of 'pure blood.' People who aren't…" He glanced at Hermione. "Are considered unworthy, trash with dirty blood."
"It's a derogatory term, then…" Harry huffed. "That's one thing I can hardly stand for… Spira had something like that, too. A long time ago, a race of people called the Al Bhed suffered intolerance like that… They were called heathens, enemies of Spira's religion at that time. Ironically enough, the one who saved Spira from destruction was half Al Bhed, and the religion was proved false. In the end, Spira has gotten past it, but there are always those who cling like desperate beggars to the old ways." He ran his hand through his hair, obviously annoyed. "Don't think too hard on it, Hermione. You are you, and you are a far better being than him." He grinned. "I am me, too! And you know what? True to my nature, I'm going to head off to the Great Hall. I'd bet anything that the pumpkin tastes as good as it smells!" He ran ahead, waving back at them. Looking at each other for only a few seconds, the 'Summoner's Squad' followed their friend.
"Told you they'd taste as good as they smell!" Harry bragged in between mouthfuls of various pumpkin-related foods. The others would have commented, but they too were entrapped by the delightful Halloween treats. Harry was just about to set his sights on a new morsel when a high-pitched shriek turned his attention to the entrance, where Quirrell was just stuttering nonsense. However, Harry's eyes quickly sharpened as he heard the words 'troll' and 'dungeons' just before the man fainted.
"Do you think he died?" Ron asked bluntly as the entire hall burst into pandemonium.
"Nah. He just fainted," Harry replied. Meanwhile, Dumbledore had quieted them and was ordering the prefects to take the others to their houses. "…"
"Don't even think of it, Harry," Ensiath said as he passed Harry. "You are to go to your dorm. No arguments. Do NOT go after the troll."
"… Understood." Harry got up reluctantly and the group followed their peers to the dormitories.
"So, what do you think? How on earth could a troll have gotten in here?" Ron asked.
Neville grimaced. "Maybe Hagrid accidentally left the door ajar…"
Hermione shook her head. "Maybe… But maybe not…"
Harry thought to himself. 'It might be a ploy. Someone might be using it as a distraction to go after the Stone… Then again…'
Ron scratched his chin. "It could be…" The group looked at each other, already seeing the obvious answer in each other's eyes.
"Peeves." They laughed at the thought.
"Of course. He let a troll in as a prank," Ron chuckled.
"Stupid poltergeist…" Harry grumbled. "First chance I get, I'm Sending him."
"Sending him where?" Hermione asked.
"I'll explain later," Harry promised, the gears in his head already turning as he contemplated his revenge. However, his thoughts were punted out of his head by screams just behind him. He turned about, and gaped at the troll which had just rounded the corner. "Well, this sucks."
"No problem, Harry! Your summon-thing, Valefor, can take it!" Ron grinned.
"Yeah, but… There's an issue."
"Huh!?"
"Take a look around you." He did, and saw nothing in particular. "You see, Ron, when I summon Valefor, she starts out in the sky. Outside. Now, take another look." Ron did as Harry had said, and realized the issue.
"There's no way in," He moaned.
"Yeah… So we need to-"
"AGHHH!" Harry and Ron stared, aghast, as the troll clutched a struggling Hermione.
"Famm, drec zicd kud y MUD suna lusbmelydat..." (Well, this just got a LOT more complicated…) Harry shook his head. As he ran past Percy, who had run to the rear of the group to fend off the troll.
"Wha-?"
"When the Troll drops Hermione, I need you to grab her and run with the others. I'll lure the Troll away from you…" Harry said as he spun in mid step, his clothing glowing white as it changed.
When the light faded, Harry was wearing a green beret on his head and earrings shaped like small white feathers. He was garbed in a brown tunic with a green belt. A large pot seemed strapped to his back. Leather boots went up to his knees, leaving the rest of his legs covered by the same fluffy wool that made up his gloves. Harry raised his hands, which clutched a flute, to his mouth and blew.
In a swirl of white feathers, a white owl landed on Harry's shoulder. He patted it affectionately, and pointed at the troll. The owl, seeming to understand what Harry wanted, became a blur of speed as it flew above the troll. It then swooped twice, clawing at the troll's face. The troll dropped Hermione, who was picked up by Percy and ushered away along with the other students. Harry played a note, and the troll screamed as the owl started to quickly circle the troll, causing whirlwinds to lift the troll. When the owl stopped abruptly, the troll was sent flying into the wall.
Harry called the owl back, and pulled the pot off of his back. He removed a cork and pointed it at the troll. "CAPTURE!" The troll screeched as it started to dissolve into mere dots. As more and more of the troll dissolved, the particles flew into Harry's pot. Harry grinned and put the cork back in the pot as the last of the troll went into the pot.
"Well done, Harry." Harry froze.
"Ur, lnyb." (Oh, crap.) Harry slowly turned to face Ensiath and the Hogwarts staff.
"However, shouldn't you be with your house?" the guardian inquired.
"Well…" Harry started, trying to explain. The owl hooted once, and landed on Snape, who didn't seem very happy with the arrangements.
"We're waiting, Harry."
"You see… I was with my house, just… we met the troll on the way. It had captured Hermione, and…"
"You decided that you'd try and hold it while the others got away?"
"Well… Yeah." Harry replied.
"… Harry, you do realize what it would mean should you die before you have a chance to pass along your bloodline?"
"…" Harry narrowed his eyes and looked away.
"You are the last Summoner. Many have given themselves up so that you may live." Ensiath walked up to Harry. "You should have left things to us."
"And risk losing my friend?" Harry retorted, now angered. "Ensiath, I know what it means to be the last of my people. However, I won't just sit back and let others do my dirty work, not when I can do it instead." He turned away. "Ensiath… I am an adult, at least by Spiran standards, and as such, I do have the maturity to be accountable for my actions. You know full well that had things not progressed to the point they did, I wouldn't have gone up against that troll, right?"
"… Yes, I do."
"I know you have my best interests at heart, but… I need to make my own choices." He walked away, his clothing transforming back into his usual robes. The owl disappeared in a flurry of feathers, leaving Snape to mentally sigh in relief.
"…"
"He is right, you know," Dumbledore started. "He cannot live as a child forever… And he does deserve that freedom to make his own choices."
"I know," Ensiath watched the retreating Summoner. "Just… I've taken care of him since his old mentor left, and it is hard to watch him endanger himself. I'd prefer he do that as little in his life as possible."
"Ensiath, concerning his old mentor, I have a question." All eyes turned to Snape. "When I asked how Harry's old mentor was doing, he replied that he had gone to the Farplane. What exactly is that?"
"… The plane beyond life," Ensiath said. "When one dies, they go to the Farplane to rest eternally. His old mentor died when Harry was six. I took over from there." He paused. "Looking at things from his standpoint… I can surmise that his confrontation with the troll is understandable. He'd rather die himself than watch those close to him do so, especially for his sake…" He sighed. "Still, it was foolish of him to go and attack it without any help."
"But again, that seems to be in his nature," Snape drawled. "Just as foolish as his father, sometimes…" He turned, brushing off a few feathers as he did, and limped off for the dungeons. Ensiath raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. He had other things to take care of…
"Again, sorry for the wait."
Manaphy: "Halloween! Halloween! Trick or Treat!"
"I'd have preferred doing this chapter like, about a month earlier… During Halloween. Ah well. Happy belated Halloween, and happy Thanksgiving, folks! Off to XIII Ninja for me! Don't die on turkey overdose!"
Sora: "Is there such a thing?"
"… It was a joke… Eh, see you all next time!"