Control
By Fatpunk
Chapter 4
Lessons
The next morning Harry woke early, as was his custom, and went to explore the school. He found many of the places of interest in Hogwarts, the kitchens, Quidditch pitch, and prefects' bathroom. He also found some of the uninteresting places; library, hospital wing, that sort of thing. At around 7 Harry returned to his dorm room, Showered and prepared for the new school day.
Harry went down to the great hall for breakfast and sat down to eat. Soon after Hermione came down to the great hall and assaulted Harry with questions, "why didn't you tell me who you are? How have you survived? Where do you live?"
Harry resigned himself to answering the questions. When she ran out of steam Harry prepared himself only to be interrupted again this time be Daphne "why?" she asked simply.
"Well," he began "I never avoided telling you my name." He held his hand up when it looked like they were going to interrupt again. "Each time my name came up when on the train something would interrupt my introduction" he explained.
The girls accepted the argument then entered into questions of his younger years. "I remember reading about you in Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Achievement of the Twentieth Century" Hermione said
"Been I was never interviewed for any of those books I wouldn't trust anything said about me" Harry said, moving on the first steps towards teaching Hermione that not all knowledge comes out of books. "I've been living in one of my family's ancestral homes with the staff who work there and talked with my banker and mainly kept to the muggle world mainly."
During the entire conversation Daphne sat quietly thinking about what was said and their first meeting. She was considering what he said and how accurate it was realising Harry also fitted into the powerful half blood wizards category assuming that it was brute magic that allowed Harry to survive Voldemort's attack.
The three of them continued talking for sometime chatting about their pre Hogwarts years. The conversation was interrupted by Malfoy. He crept up behind Harry and tried to look down on him. "So Potter lives" he sneered.
"I thought that was obvious by the fact you're talking to me" Harry replied, causing both girls to laugh.
Malfoy looked distastefully at the girls "think you're good enough to laugh at me, you mudblood and blood traitor!"
The girls were about to get up in arms when Harry said "I though we had this conversation yesterday. Have you any justification for that statement?"
Malfoy was stunned. He was stunned mainly because Harry never tried to deny or reprimand him for the statement.
"Its common knowledge fool" he said "everyone knows purebloods are better"
"Until you can justify your statements with facts Malfoy go away" Harry said dismissing Draco in the simplest terms.
Draco was, once again, stunned, a situation which was quickly becoming common during conversations with Harry.
"No one dismisses a Malfoy…"
"I just did now leave" Harry said turning his back on Draco.
Malfoy was fuming with been dismissed so blatantly and publicly. He drew his wand to curse Harry. Harry, not one to be caught off guard, heard the drawing of a wand behind him and threw up a sorcerer's shield wandlessly, as all sorcerers' spells are done, just in case Malfoy did get a proper hex off.
"Tarantella" he yelled only to find the curse rebound and hit himself causing his legs to start dancing crazily.
Harry calmly took a napkin, wiped his mouth, stood and turned to face Malfoy.
He took out his wand and said "Draco, if your going to curse someone's back, at least get the spell right" hiding the fact he cast a sorcerers' shield charm, and cast the counter curse then quickly, but without the look of hurrying, went to his first class.
Everyone who saw the confrontation between was silent for a moment before bursting into laughter. Malfoy turned and all but ran from the great hall. The girls looked at each other before slowly stopping their laughter, standing and leaving to catch up with Harry on the way to Transfiguration, the group's first class.
Harry arrived at Transfiguration little before the girls could catch up with him. He took a seat around the middle of the classroom and took out his textbook. Soon after Hermione and Daphne arrived large smiles on their faces clearly approving of Harry's methods to defuse the situation. They took seats on either side of him and prepared themselves for the class. Slowly the class filled with the other Gryffindor's and Ravenclaw's each person taking their seats and doing whatever they do to fill in time. Harry got lots of stares from other students. Some smiled at him, others waved, some just stared blatantly at him.
Harry sat waiting as time ticked by, passing the start of class. The noticed a tabby cat with markings around its eyes the shape of glasses. The subtle details telling Harry the cat was an animagus, the way it sat so stiffly the major giveaway for Harry. 'Not normal cat behaviour' he thought to himself.
About five minutes after the start of class the last student arrived. Yet another red haired boy, it seemed they were their own private colony set in grounds of Hogwarts, an amusing thought all considered. The boy entered the room with an Irish boy from Harry's dorm.
"Thank god, she's not here yet" the red head said.
It was at that moment the Professor McGonagall leaped off the desk transforming back to her human self.
"That was bloody brilliant professor" he said thinking that a compliment would distract from his tardiness.
"Thank you Mr Weasley, perhaps I should transfigure you to into a pocket watch maybe then you'll be on time."
"But we got lost professor" he argued digging his hole deeper
"A map then? Now take your seat and don't be late again.
"Alright class," she began her speech speaking clearly but not loudly "in transfiguration you will be learning some of the most complex magic taught at Hogwarts. There will be no fooling around in this class anyone not paying attention will be removed, you have been warned." At that she promptly turned the desk into a pig and back again.
After calling the roll she took a box of matches from the top draw of the desk and handed one to each student. The spent the class trying to turn the match into a needle. Most students made very little difference to their matches. Daphne had caused the match to turn silver but it was still wood, Hermione made the match into metal but it still had the match shape. Harry spent the whole class just observing the other students. He watched magic dance from the student's wands, the way it threaded itself into the match, it fascinated him.
At the end of the class Hermione asked "Why haven't you tried to change the match Harry?"
"I was just getting an idea for the magic." At which point Harry took his wand in his hand and performed the wand movement and said the incantation promptly turning the match into a perfect needle.
"How did you do that?" Daphne asked incredulously.
"Magic" Harry replied with a sly smile.
"Okay class bring you matches to the front. For homework I want 9 inches on this transfiguration to be handed in the next class."
Harry brought the needle to the front and received a surprised look from McGonagall. She then plastered a stern look onto her face. "Well done Mr Potter that is the first time someone has successfully performed that transfiguration in the first class for a number of years, twenty points to Gryffindor" she said giving Harry a rare smile.
The Group left the room with the girls frothing at the mouth trying to find how Harry managed to transfigure the match on his first go and, to this point, he had managed to avoid answering the question. His favourite answer so far was the same one he started with 'magic' followed by a diversionary question directed at one of the girls.
Just as he was running out of ways to avoid the question Harry was saved by their arrival at the next class, Herbology.
"Look if you ask me later I'll tell you then" Harry said.
The girls resigned themselves to not getting any answers now but, with a look between each other, decided to start planning their interrogation before they bring up topic again. Together the three friends entered greenhouse 2.
"Good Morning class" Professor Sprout greeted the class. The professor was a shorter lady with flyaway grey hair.
The class went about without incident Harry quietly went about his work with consummate ease, most of the activities he was doing he had had some involvement with for the last five years. What was new for Harry was the more in depth knowledge of the plant properties.
After the class the threesome went to the great hall for lunch. Once they had their fill of turkey sandwiches and fruit juice the girls excused themselves on the pretext of using the bathroom. It was here that they began their preparation for their afternoon interrogation. They returned to the meet Harry in the great hall. Together they left for the library to spend their free period (a situation Harry will find is an occupational hazard of being friends with a Ravenclaw and a workaholic).
"Alright Harry" Daphne began "how did you manage to transfigure the match on your first try?"
"Magic" Harry tried attempting to deflect the question, an attempt he quickly gave up on seeing the glares on the two faces. "Okay I see I'm not going to get away from this any longer. We can't have this conversation here I don't want this to be common knowledge yet."
Harry stood and began to leave the library "you coming?" he asked, turning back.
The girls looked at each other and ran to catch up with Harry. He led the two through the halls of Hogwarts. Finally the group reached the third floor corridor walking past a statue three times. Hermione was about to question Harry's actions when a door suddenly popped into existence opposite the statue. Harry walked to the door and opened it for the girls, following them in, and took a seat.
Harry took a cup of tea provided by the room added a sugar cube and took a sip, allowing himself time to prepare his thoughts. The girls were quickly becoming annoyed at his time wasting and decided not to start with the important questions, if for no other reason but to get him talking.
"Harry, what is this room?" Hermione asked.
"This" Harry said "is a room of requirement. It's a rare magical room which provides whatever the occupants want. Most people are unaware of the room's existence as they are often found in times of need, trying to get away from someone, really need a bathroom, that sort of thing" the explanation Harry provided answered all the girls questions, and that alone caused them to be suspicious.
"How do you know all of this? I come from a pureblood family and was raised around magic all my life" Daphne queried.
"Well," Harry began "I suppose the story starts just before I left the Dursleys" Harry stated spitting the name of his relatives with great disgust.
Harry went on to explain the story of his leaving the Dursleys, leaving out a number of details, like the true nature of his trunk, that he was not comfortable sharing yet.
"Okay" Hermione said, slightly stunned by the expanse of his knowledge "but that doesn't explain how you could do the magic on you first try." She then continued becoming slightly nervous "I mean, the magic you were doing was completely different to what you had done and you only got your wand on your birthday" she finished.
"That's true" Harry resigned himself to telling them more of his secrets. He didn't know why but Harry was confident that they wouldn't betray his trust. "I was hoping no one would find out for at least a week. I couldn't even make it past the first day" he said laughing at the situation. "Okay, I sort of took a potion just after I moved into my new home to tell me what my gifts were; one of them was the ability to see magical currents. After that I got some of the house elves to help me learn to use the magic as all elves are gifted that naturally."
The two girls did some impressive imitations of goldfish, causing Harry to burst into laughter and bringing the girls back to their senses.
"What other gifts do you have?" Daphne asked at the same time as Hermione asked "can we take the potion too?"
In response to the questions Harry became slightly pensive. "Hermione the potion I used was actually a restricted potion and requires approval and supervision to use. I used it illegally" Harry said causing the girls to become slightly nervous "I have my reasons for doing it but I'm not yet comfortable in telling you guys, we have only known each other for two days. That's also the reason I don't yet want to tell you of the rest of my gifts. I'll probably tell you one day but not yet, sorry."
The two girls accepted Harry's answer and explanation before they move on to other topics like speculation of what the girls' gifts may be. As the conversation was winding down Harry announced well now that it's almost dinner I'm going to go drop my bag back to my dorm and go to dinner. Do you want to join me?" Harry questioned.
The girls consented and the three students made their way back to Gryffindor tower and then the great hall for dinner.
When Harry arrived for dinner two things happened. One most of the school turned before breaking into whispers and two Ron Weasley came and sat opposite Harry and Hermione (Daphne had gone to sit at the Ravenclaw table.
"Dude," Ron began "I heard what Malfoy said to you this morning maybe we can get together and get him back. I know my brothers will help." Ron seemed rather excited about the getting the chance to do something to Malfoy.
"And why would I want to 'get Malfoy back'?" Harry questioned intrigued as to what assumptions Ron had made.
"Well you hate him, I hate him, and he's dark and everything" he explained gaping slightly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I never said I hated him." Harry replied.
"Well, I just assumed that…"
Harry interrupted Ron saying "That is what I hate. People assuming things when they don't have the facts. Assuming that they are better than someone else without any justification for their belief. That is what I hate"
"But… But he's dark" Ron spluttered. "And you said you didn't want to speak with him"
"I don't want to speak with him on the topic of pureblood supremacy until he can argue his case properly." Harry reasoned "besides he's only eleven, how can he be dark, he's only just forming his own opinions now."
"What? You think purebloods are better than everyone else! You, you're the next Dark Lord aren't you? That's how you survived!" Ron ranted completely losing control.
Harry remained calm throughout the rant though you could see the fire growing in his eyes. "I would prefer if you didn't jump to conclusions Mr Weasley!" Harry state very firmly and coldly, leaving the threat unvoiced. "I just finished saying that at eleven you can not be dark, how could I be dark at the age of one?"
Ron gaped at Harry, doing a good impersonation of a goldfish. "And I'll give you the same answer I gave Mr Malfoy until you have some justification for your case don't talk to me about it." It was now that Harry stood and left.
Harry spent some time wandering the halls before remembering that he had missed dinner due to Ron. Harry didn't want to go back to the great hall so he went downstairs and found the kitchens. With the help of his magical sight (which is usually overloaded in Hogwarts) and went inside to be served by the house elves. He had a quiet dinner and decided that he should put his heritage as the son of a marauder to good use. He decided that anyone who should make assumptions about anyone around Harry without any facts will be pranked and Harry will have to make sure no one can prove it was him. Harry headed back to his room, ignoring the glare from Ron, and went to bed.
The next few days passed quietly for Harry he spent his time planning his pranks against Ron and Malfoy, the only two Harry caught making assumptions about people, and attending classes. Come Friday the only class Harry hadn't been to was potions the class was a double period in the morning down in the dungeons. Harry arrived at the class with Hermione to find the room locked. The students started to arrive and it was then that Harry noticed the class would be spent with the Slytherins. Glancing around the group there were a number of people Harry hadn't met before, including a couple of Daphne's friends from before school started.
Harry walked over to two that he recognised with Hermione, who seemed somewhat apprehensive, to introduce himself and Hermione. "Good morning," he said cheerfully "I'm Harry and this is Hermione" pointing her out "you guys were friends with Daphne, right?"
"Tracey Davis" said the witch with blond hair and medium height offering her hand to Harry then Hermione.
"Blaise Zambini" introduced the wizard in turn again offering his hand. He was a tall brown haired wizard of medium build.
"If it's not to forward of me, why don't you guys talk to Daphne any more?" Harry asked "she talks about you all the time"
"Well, when she left on the train we thought she didn't want to talk to us any more" replied Tracey "especially when she made new friends and was sorted into Ravenclaw"
The conversation was interrupted at that point when the door to the class opened. The students filed into the room and the two Gryffindors and the two Slytherins took a seat in the middle of the room and waited for the class to start.
The doors (which had closed after all the students entered) burst open as Professor Snape entered the class, robes billowing out behind him.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking," he began. "I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses ... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death -- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
"Mr Potter," he sneered glaring down at Harry "What would you get if you added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Harry thought for a moment before answering "Well, if you stir it counter clockwise for ten minutes you get the Draught of Living Death" Harry said then continued "but if you stir clockwise for twenty minutes get the base for Circe's Draught."
Snape looked intrigued "and what is Circe's Draught?" he questioned.
"Well Circe's Draught is the base for a number of mage potions. The easiest of which is Lycan Juice."
"And how could you possibly know this?"
Harry was getting nervous now this conversation went the wrong way very quickly and didn't know how to get it back to the class. "I'd rather not say, sir"
This answer did not please the professor at all "You will tell me now or you can see the Headmaster and have detention for the rest of the week." He said so softly it almost couldn't be heard.
"If you insist, sir" Harry replied and began packing his books.
"Where are you going Potter?"
"To the Headmaster, sir. Like you said" and he left.
Through the entire exchange the class was quiet looking on with a combination of awe and fear. The class started whispering provoking Snape to dock 50 points from Gryffindor in his usual biased manner.
Harry arrived in the headmaster's office later preparing his excuses for his actions in class. He wasn't too concerned with what would happen, the worst that could be handed to him was detention and he was curious as to whether he could get away with it. He arrived at the griffin guarding the entrance to the headmaster's study, suddenly aware that he did not know the password to get in.
He paused for a moment before opening his senses to the magic. Using his magical sight he searched over the office guardian looking for where the password was held. Finally finding the password held in the recesses of the griffin's ears, he opened the passage way to headmaster's office. Climbing on to the revolving and rising staircase he proceeded to the office door, grasping the griffin door knocker banging it twice.
"Enter" came the deep melodic voice from inside the room.
Harry slowly opened the door and peered around the corner. He observed the multitude of magical trinkets and warbling silver devices, the mountains of books both on shelves stacked floor to ceiling and scattered across the floor and on desks. Across any table which didn't possess a book or magical device was covered with scrolls on topics from new theories of magic, the general running of the school, and legal considerations the headmaster had to deal with in his position as the chief warlock of the wizengamot. Finally Harry's eyes fell upon the headmaster himself. The old wizard was beginning to show his age, something which very few people ever see. When he looked up and saw Harry his face immediately lit up showing himself ass the sprightly man everyone comes to know (or at least as sprightly as a man can be after living through one and a half centuries), the twinkle in his eyes appearing and setting Harry at ease.
"You must teach me that professor" Harry said with a smile, confident of not getting into any trouble though not arrogant. Harry just had the feeling that Professor Dumbledore would be far more far to Harry and would allow him to keep his secrets, at least for the time being.
"And what would that be Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore enquired.
"Channelling the magic into your eyes to get that twinkle. I bet it gives you great control over a meeting, puts a person at ease and gets them to open up or makes them truly aware of how angry you are. It would be awfully useful, especially for getting out of trouble. Not that I would ever do that Professor" Harry said with a smile.
"Very good Mr. Potter. Not many people recognise that is what's happening. I may teach you that one day though not till later in you education. It wouldn't be fair on the teachers if you could do that to them." Dumbledore's smile faded and looked over the half moon spectacles perched on the end of his long nose. "It concerns me as to why you are in my office in the first week. Even the Weasley Twins didn't arrive till the second week. Must be a new record, I must check that." Dumbledore mused to himself.
"Well Professor," Harry began his explanation to get out of trouble "I was sent to your office after answering Professor Snape's question correctly."
"Surely that's not the only reason he sent you to see me?"
"Well, I suppose not but it was the instigator"
"Would you consent to finish the story? If you won't then I'll have to ask Professor Snape" reasoned Dumbledore.
Harry thought for a moment deciding how much to tell and realising that Snape would give a highly biased version of events. "I guess he was upset that I wouldn't tell him where I found the answer to his question. The depth of subject I gave his was slightly more than he expected."
"And what, pray-tell was the topic?"
"Circe's Draught, sir."
At this Dumbledore was dumbfounded. Deciding to take a moment to recollect himself, he took a lemon drop from his draw. "Oh, excuse my rudeness would you care for a lemon drop? I find the sucking of a good lolly is a great way to calm the mind."
What Harry didn't know was that Dumbledore's private supply of lemon drops were also laced with a mild calming draught and truth potion. The two potions were easily counteracted with a bit of will power but were intended to work by stealth.
"Sure sir, one can never be too calm when trying to think." Harry replied.
On tasting lemon drop the sour flavour assaulted his sense of taste causing him to screw up his face by reflex. For most people this would be enough to distract them from the other tastes in the sweet. However, the heightened senses that are a result of many animagus transformations allowed Harry to identify the tastes though he did not show it.
"So Harry," the professor began, returning to his interrogation, "where did you find out about Circe's Draught?"
"I would prefer not to say, sir. One must have their secrets."
If Dumbledore was surprised by this answer he didn't show it. "Too true Harry, too true. However, I must consider the safety of the students. Many of the papers you see around the room are a result of your reappearance."
"I had feared as much professor. Every one seemed to think I was dead" Harry said with a laugh "if they had just checked the Hogwarts, registrar or that of another school if they though I left the country, they would have found I was alive."
"Indeed they would have Mr. Potter, as I did. However, the fact they could not track you by other means had them believing otherwise."
"Maybe Professor, but that doesn't explain why it is a safety issue."
"No, but because you were able to avoid the ministry for so long has some people concerned. I sure you remember the Prophet earlier this week?"
Harry laughed remembering the Daily Prophet that was delivered a couple of days after his sorting. The article announced that Harry was still alive and attending Hogwarts School. "Yes sir I do. Although why people would be concerned by an eleven year old that wasn't even their own I don't know."
"Indeed, although people seem to get possessive of their heroes."
"Hero sir? I'm just another child starting school. How can anyone have a child as their hero? They haven't had enough time to prove themselves as anything special."
Harry's statement that he was nothing special stunned the professor and warmed his heart. It showed that Harry wouldn't be overwhelmed by the idolising that many people show, although his patience with fans maybe somewhat short as he had shown with both Malfoy and Weasley.
"Very wise Mr Potter. I shall allow you your secrets in the hope one day you will tell me but we must address your punishment."
"Fair enough sir, if it isn't too presumptuous of me, is the points already removed by Professor Snape fitting of the crime?"
"I tend to agree Mr Potter, though I will send you a warning. If you are not prepared to answer the questions do not give anyone a reason to ask."
Harry took the advice as a dismissal and got up to leave. "Thank you, sir." He said on his way to the door. "I must ask, sir," Harry said just before he left the room "is it really ethical to drug unsuspecting students? I can understand the calming draught but the truth potion. Is that really fair?" Harry question and left before leaving without an answer.
On Harry's departure both parties had a number of things to think about. Harry was asking the question of whether the headmaster was a Slytherin or a Ravenclaw while also pondering the headmaster's advice.
The headmaster, on the other hand was considering the ethics question Harry had raised deciding in future to only include the truth potion in select batches for extreme situations. He was also wondering where Harry learnt all this knowledge. His ability to detect the potions correctly through the sour lollies, his knowledge of both potions and magic, as he had received reports from other teachers about his quick learning, the sharp intellect he had displayed in the conversation caused the headmaster to wonder if he had an improved version of the marauders on his hands, a terrifying thought. In the end he resolved to watch Harry as closely as he could without invading his privacy. Should he be given reason to be concerned he may take his investigations further but, for now, he would watch trying to see where this young man was heading.
For the next few weeks Harry took the headmaster's advice to heart. He started to use his left hand in classes and his wand hand (the right) for his own practice. What did worry Harry was the skill of the defence professor. While the Professor Quirrell was quiet knowledgeable, his stutter meant that no one could understand what was been said. By the end of the second week Harry gave up on the class and resolved to teach himself. In class he would ignore the teacher, often resulting in incriminating looks from Hermione, only listening enough to get the homework. Soon both his friends gave up on the Quirrell as well and moved to being taught by Harry and self-study.
Over time many of the students who were struggling in the subject would go to Harry and get tutored by him.
None of the classes worried Harry, he would go, do the work and leave. What did worry Harry was where the Daily Prophet announced an attempted break in at Gringotts. Although the robbery failed the fact that the robbers got away worried Harry, every other attempt the criminal was caught and dealt with before they even got to the vaults. In this case it looked like the robbery would have been successful if not for the fact the vault had been emptied the day before. In the end Harry resolve to write to Ranghok and ask what happened, maybe he would get some answers but he wasn't hopeful.
Midway though the second week Harry had trouble sleeping. It wasn't caused by anything bad; it was that he was so excited about the flying lessons the next day. Although he always had so much space he had never had a broom to fly on. He did enjoy the feeling of flight when in his phoenix form but he really wanted to try it all natural. In the end he decided that the sooner he went to sleep the sooner the morning would come and with that he drifted into a deep slumber.
AN: hey there. I finished the HBP about a week ago and have been digesting it ever since. Definitely enjoyed it and can wait for the next one.
To everyone who reviewed thanks heaps your support is great. It's always good to hear that someone else likes my story.
C. rose cheers for the advice I'll look into expanding those sorts of scenes in the future. I wanted to keep much of his prehogwarts time fairly hush hush and would let readers find out what would happen as Harry's trust in his friends grew and he told them.
Thanks again everyone hope you enjoyed.