A/N I'm not entirely sure what the accepted class schedule is for Hogwarts, so I made one up. I put Harry's schedule in the notes at the end, if anybody's curious.
Big thanks to IP82, Master Slytherin, jbern, Sree, Myst, LT2000, Spacks, Nonjon, MysteroX, Stalicon, SLASH SUCKS, Shuujaku, arkeus, ChuckDaTruck, Lord Ravenclaw, vanna, Niffler Lord, and everyone else at DLP that helped me with this chapter.
Ok, to the story.
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Since September first fell on a Wednesday, Harry had only three classes his first day at Hogwarts: Herbology, Runes, and Arithmancy. Herbology was with the Hufflepuffs and his electives were a mix of all four houses, and all three classes were, in Harry's opinion, spectacularly boring.
Because no one in Slytherin house wanted to work with him in Herbology, he had been paired with a Hufflepuff girl named Susan Bones, who had been so nervous that Harry actually had to maintain a full five foot separation between them two of them to keep her from constantly flinching. As a result, he spent the majority of the lesson craning his neck to see what was going on. When he asked why she was so nervous, she looked at him fearfully and tried to respond, but was only able to manage a small squeak. Sighing, he made a mental note to ask Row if the rumors about him had gotten worse.
Arithmancy and Runes, while devoid of any of the drama he'd faced in Herbology, were equally worthless, since the teachers had simply recited what he'd already read, and then assigned reading homework that he'd already covered. The only bright spot was that he was able to compare schedules with Hermione and find out when he could meet Row and her friends in the library for their study sessions.
His first day of class complete, Harry decided to head to the library to see if he could find any decent books on wards that he could use to defend his bed and belongings. Unfortunately, the only book that appeared like it would be useful was in the restricted section, and somehow he doubted he would be able to convince a teacher to give him a pass. Deciding he would do something about that later, he went in search of an empty classroom to practice in.
Taking out his wand, he sealed the door before going through a number of spells that he could already do wandless to see if he could tell the difference. What he found was that he could do all the spells just as easily, but the wand added an extra dimension of power that made them harder to control. He did note that transfiguration seemed to be easier with the added power, and resolved to test his limits later. His first task done, he moved on to something that had been bothering him since his sorting.
"Ok sword," he muttered. "COME!" He whipped his hand forward like he was expecting something to be thrown to him, but nothing came.
Harry frowned.
"I guess it would be kinda stupid if it were that easy," he muttered. Closing his eyes, he pictured what it felt like to feel the sword in his hand. He remembered the last time, he had been desperate for anything that would help him against the basilisk, and the sword had answered his call.
Need. He thought to himself. I need the sword. Come, I need you.
Harry's eyes snapped open when he felt cool steel pressing against his palm, and sure enough the sword of Gryffindor lay before him, exactly how he remembered it. He took the sword through a few forms before concentrating on banishing it and calling it back. After another thirty minutes of practice, Harry was confident that he could call and banish the sword at a moments notice, and left the classroom feeling quite pleased with himself. Having no wish to return to the Slytherin common room, he went back to the library to see what he could find out about the weapon he had somehow inherited.
When Row found him later that evening, he was surrounding by open textbooks and had his nose buried in one titled The Legend of Godric Gryffindor.
"Ok Harry, what gives?" She asked as she took a seat across from him. "You missed dinner and now I find you surrounded by books on the founders. Something's going on."
Harry threw up a silencing charm around them before he answered.
"You remember how Dumbledore's phoenix brought me a sword to fight the basilisk?" He asked, Row nodded. "Well, the sorting hat told me that it's actually Godric Gryffindor's sword, and that it chose me as its new master. Basically, it means that I can call the sword to appear in my hand whenever I want, so I figured I might as well find out everything I can about it."
"The sword of Gryffindor? You can just conjure it?"
Harry shook his head. "It's more like a summoning. Now that I know about it, I can almost feel it, like it's attached to me somehow."
"Have you found out anything else about it?"
"Nothing concrete," Harry said, frowning. "There are a lot of legends about the sword, but Gryffindor apparently died before he could actually pass it on to anyone, so nobody knows for sure what it can do. I did find one thing that was interesting though," he said, turning one of the open books to face Row. "Three different books mention the fact that he was able to channel magic through the sword, making the blade glow certain colors. For all we know, it might actually work like a wand."
Row started to say something but stopped when she saw Hermione and Padma enter the library and wave.
"Oh, you should know that I did modify Hermione's memory. She thinks she was confused and I had my wand the whole time."
Row's brow furrowed but she nodded and Harry took down the silencing charm.
"What are you guys working on?" Padma asked as she took a seat.
"Not much, really. My first day was pretty boring," Harry replied. "Actually, I was hoping I could get Row to help me with some practical stuff."
"Sure," said Row, shrugging. "You want to find an empty classroom?" Harry nodded and started to get up from the table.
"What are you guys gonna work on?" Padma asked.
"I think mostly transfiguration, maybe a little defense," Harry replied carefully. "I want to make sure I'm ready for the rest of my lessons."
Padma just shrugged her acceptance and Row followed Harry out of the library and back to the empty classroom that he had used earlier. Once Harry had sealed the room, he turned back to his sister.
"Ok, first things first," he said, and summoned Gryffindor's sword.
"Wicked," Row breathed. Harry gave her a small grin.
"Yeah, I have to admit I wasn't expecting this." He banished the sword and took out his wand.
"Ok, what did you really want to work on?" Row asked, taking out her wand as well.
"I want to work on my shield charms," Harry replied. "Protego first, then once I have that down I want to try the more advanced magical shields, like contego and cuntus contego. Also, I want to try to get into the habit of drawing my wand, so I want you to curse me randomly."
Row was frowning. "Why?"
"I can't afford another slip like the one on the train," Harry replied. "I keep my wand strapped to my wrist, like this," he held out his arm and Row could see that his wand was attached to his forearm by a thin strap of leather. "But I need to make sure that my instinct is to draw it and cast normally, using incantations too. Otherwise people will wonder why I do everything differently."
"Ok, I guess," Row said skeptically.
"You'll see what I'm talking about as we go. Just try to disarm me."
The two practiced their spell work for the next hour, with Row practicing various curses and jinxes while Harry concentrated on blocking and deflecting them. By the end of the hour, Harry could successfully reflect the curses back at the caster using protego, and had managed to protect himself and the area about a meter to either side of him using cuntus contego. More importantly, he had managed the spells both with and without his wand. Overall, he was rather pleased.
"Can you teach me those shields, Harry?" Row asked when they were done.
"Sure," Harry replied, nodding. "Actually, it would probably be a good idea for you to learn everything you can. We'll work on it more next time."
"Sounds good," Row smiled. "How are things in Slytherin?"
"So far so good," Harry grimaced. "But Malfoy is going to try something, I'm almost sure. Actually, I'm planning on sneaking into the restricted section tonight to look at a book on wards. If I can find what I'm looking for, I shouldn't have to worry about him, at least not when I'm in my room."
Row paused for a moment before taking a deep breath.
"Ok, Harry," she began, "you're not going to like this suggestion, but I really think you should tell Dumbledore. I know you don't trust him," she said quickly. "And I don't either, but if you're going to be a student here, you should at least give him a chance to do something before you blast Malfoy into oblivion." She grinned.
Harry frowned. "If he tells Snape, then Snape will tell Malfoy, and that could end up hurting me. You really think he's going to do something about it?" Harry asked skeptically.
Row shrugged. "I don't know whether he'll be able to help or not, but I do know that if you really want to try and fit in here, you should tell him."
"I really don't care about fitting in," Harry pointed out.
"I know," Row replied. "But you can't do everything alone, Harry. It's the headmaster's responsibility to make sure the school is safe, so all I'm suggesting is that you give him a chance to do his job. Think of it like this," she said, eyeing him carefully. "If you don't give him a chance, you'll always wonder if things could have been better." At Harry's skeptical look, she sighed. "Ok, I'll always wonder if things between you could have been better. Do it for me? Please?"
Harry sighed and relented. "Ok, if it'll make you feel better, I'll warn him." Row smiled and nodded. "I think you're going to be disappointed though." Row thought for a moment before shrugging.
"Well, at least you gave him a chance then." She paused. "You know it's just now starting to get around school that you're my brother," she said, smirking. "Pretty soon I'm going to be almost as popular as you."
"Be careful," Harry said, frowning. "Most of the attention I get isn't very good. If you think anybody is threatening you-"
"I'll let you know immediately," Row finished for him. "Don't worry, I got it. Shall we head back?"
Harry nodded and the two made their way out of the classroom where they parted, Row heading back to the library and Harry up towards the headmasters office. Harry gave the password to the gargoyle when he reached it and made his way to knock on the headmaster's door.
"Come in, Harry," Dumbledore said from inside. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked once Harry had entered.
Harry eyed the headmaster carefully. "I believe I may have a problem," he said slowly. "And against my better judgment I'm going to give you a chance to help me with it."
"I am very glad to hear that, Harry," Dumbledore replied with a small smile.
"You know that I had a run-in with Draco Malfoy on the train," Harry began. The headmaster nodded sagely. "I believe he'll attempt some sort of revenge against me, probably soon. Normally, I'd deal with him myself, but since I am a student now, I'm giving you a chance to deal with it before I take matters into my own hands."
"That is a very mature decision, Harry," Dumbledore said kindly. "And I appreciate the gesture. However, as your head of house, it is up to Professor Snape to decide the correct course of action. Although the two of you have gotten off to a rather, shall we say rocky, start, he should be informed as well."
Harry shook his head. "I knew you would say that. Believe me when I tell you that Professor Snape is more likely to help Malfoy than to stop him, and if you leave the matter to him, I guarantee that you will not like the results."
"That is a rather large assumption, Harry. Are you so sure?"
"He hates me," Harry said bluntly. "I don't know why, but I know hatred when I see it. I don't know if it has something to do with Jack and Row, although it's certainly possible, since he completely ignored them until it suited his purpose not to." Harry studied the headmaster carefully. "You know why he hates me, don't you." It was not a question.
"Professor Snape is a very private person, Harry," Dumbledore replied carefully. "He does not share his reasons with me or anyone else. I'm afraid he is the only one that can answer your questions."
"He'd kill me soon as look at me, and you know it."
"If you'll forgive me for saying so, you seem remarkably sure of that fact considering how little you know of him," Dumbledore chastised gently.
"He threatened to take my sister away," Harry replied immediately. "That's all I need to know."
"Things are not always as they appear, Harry," Dumbledore said cryptically. "Often times you will see someone do the wrong thing for the right reasons. Have you yourself never been forced to make a decision you would rather avoid?"
Harry frowned. "I do what I must," he said simply. He turned to leave before stopping. "But know this: if Malfoy attacks me, I will hurt him. And I will not regret it."
"Then I very much hope that you are wrong, Harry," Dumbledore replied. "I will see to the matter. However, it is rarely possible to change the way someone thinks overnight, especially someone as opinionated as young Mr. Malfoy. In any case, simply because you are stronger than him does not give you the right to make him act as you wish he would."
Harry turned back to Dumbledore with an unreadable expression.
"Precisely."
With that, he turned and made his way out of the office.
After leaving the headmaster's office, Harry made his way down towards the Slytherin dorms. As he was descending toward the dungeons, he noticed that another group of Slytherin students was only slightly ahead of him. On a whim, he made himself invisible before following the other students through the entrance to the common room. As he entered, he noticed Malfoy, Crabbe, Parkinson, and another girl he recognized as Daphne Greengrass talking quietly in the corner while Goyle stood a few paces away from the entrance holding a large bag. Deciding to investigate, Harry made his way quietly over towards the group, but even from ten paces he still couldn't hear anything.
Silencing charm, he thought. Now even more suspicious, he edged his way closer until he was inside the charm.
"..all wrong," Daphne was saying. "You wait until next week, that way he relaxes, thinking that you're not going to do anything, and you catch him by surprise. He'll be expecting an attack immediately, and he'll be ready for it."
"You know, I think you're right," Malfoy replied slowly. He snapped his fingers. "I've got it! We have Defense on Monday, and afterwards we have a free period, and so do the seventh years. I can get Flint as insurance, and Potter won't suspect a thing. Plus almost the entire house will be here to see it!"
"Ooh," purred Pansy. "That's perfect, Draco! Can I help?"
"You're all going to help," Malfoy said, grinning. "He'll find out what it means to mess with a Malfoy. I bet you he's crying to be sorted out of Slytherin by Tuesday morning."
"Count me out," Daphne said. "I'm happy to help you plan, but that's as far as I go. I'm rubbish with curses anyway, you know that."
Malfoy eyed her sharply, but nodded grudgingly. "Ok, you help with the planning. Here's what I'm thinking…"
Harry listened carefully as Malfoy diagrammed the plan to embarrass and humiliate him in front of the entire school, mentally cataloguing where each player would be and what they were supposed to do. When Malfoy was done, Harry quietly slipped away and snuck back outside the common area, where he made himself visible again before walking through. As soon as he entered the room, Goyle dropped the very large bag he was holding and it hit the floor with a loud CRASH. Immediately the corner group leaned away from each other and started chatting casually. Grinning inwardly, Harry made his way up to the dorm and got ready for bed.
Replacing his proximity charms, Harry started in on his Defense Against the Dark Arts book while he waited for the other boys to go to bed. When they were all accounted for and he was sure they were asleep, he removed the charms around his bed and made himself invisible as he snuck carefully down the stairs and back out into the hallway. Careful to walk quietly, he made his way to the library and stole quickly back into the restricted section.
Although he was tempted to simply browse for a while, Harry knew he didn't have much time, and therefore set straight to finding the book on wards. When he found it, he cast a detection charm that showed an alarm on the book in question, which he deactivated before removing it. That done, he replaced the book he'd taken with an old book from his collection and used a glamour to make it appear the same. His task finished, he exited the library and walked unnoticed back to his dorm.
Harry awoke early the next morning and again managed to make it out of the room before his housemates began their day. Today he would have his first lessons in Charms and Transfiguration, and he was anxious to see how his skills would compare to the rest of the class. Since it was Friday, that left him the rest of the day to study his book on wards and plan his counter to Malfoy's coming attack.
Transfiguration book in hand, he took his usual seat at the end of the Slytherin table and helped himself to a modest breakfast. As the tables started to fill, he began to mentally catalog the spells he would need to master if he wanted to end Malfoy's reign of terror once and for all. You're no Slytherin, Malfoy had told him. Ironic how that statement would come back to bite him.
After a time, the bell rang signaling the end of breakfast and Harry followed the rest of the 3rd year Slytherins to the Transfiguration classroom, half of which was already occupied by the Gryffindors. Hermione gave him a small wave, which he returned before taking a seat by himself at the front of the room.
"Now," began Professor McGonagall when everyone was seated. "Last year we worked on changing animals into inanimate objects. This year, we will do doing the opposite, like so." She flicked her wand at the tea cup on her desk and it morphed into a small, white mouse that started to scurry away until she changed it back.
"The relevant section in your book is chapters 3 through 6. You may begin. Potter," she said, turning to Harry. "If I could see you in my office for a moment."
Bewildered, Harry nodded and followed the professor through the door at the back of the classroom.
"Now, Mr. Potter, I know that the headmaster believes you to be capable of third year work, but I would like to verify that for myself, if you don't mind." She flicker her wand and teapot on her desk became a raven. "If you could, I would like you to transfigure this into a water goblet."
Harry drew his wand and concentrated, before slashing his wand at the raven. There was a flash, and where the Raven had once been there now stood an elegant goblet.
When Harry turned back to the professor, he expected to see her looking at him approvingly, but instead he saw her frowning at him.
"Again, if you could, Mr. Potter," she said in an unreadable tone as she changed the goblet back into a raven. Harry shrugged and focused his magic once more. Again there was a bright flash and the raven instantly became the goblet. He looked at McGonagall expectantly.
"Mr. Potter, I would like you to tell me the process that you use for transfiguration, if you don't mind," she said, still frowning.
"Well, I basically concentrate on what I want," Harry said, shrugging. "Then I compare what I want to what I have, and focus on what aspects I need to change. Once I have the mental picture, I concentrate my magic to change it."
"Do you mean to tell me that you make all the changes simultaneously?" Asked a stunned McGonagall. "You force the change to be instantaneous?"
Bewildered, Harry nodded.
"Mr. Potter, I want you to watch me," McGonagall said. She flicked her wand at the goblet, and Harry watched as it slowly morphed back into a Raven.
"Did you notice how the change was gradual?" She asked, Harry nodded. "That is because I am concentrating on changing one aspect at a time, and I continue my focus until all the changes have been made. Trying to force all the changes at once takes an immense amount of visualization and power, Mr. Potter. I am amazed that you can manage it, even with something this small."
Harry's eyes widened and he felt like slapping himself.
"Transfiguration is not merely a spell, Mr. Potter," McGonagall lectured. "It is an entire process, an art, if you will. The most advanced transfigurations can take even adult wizards some time to perform correctly, and only a wizard who has performed a given transfiguration countless times should even attempt to speed up the process."
"Tell me, Professor," Harry began, inwardly kicking himself. "Would the same be true of conjuring? That is, you cannot simply conjure the final product, it must be done in steps?"
"Heavens yes!" McGonagall gasped. "Instantaneous conjuration is a feat I have only seen the headmaster perform, and even then only with certain objects that he has conjured numerous times before."
Harry groaned. "I should have known I was doing it wrong; transfiguration has always been the hardest subject for me."
McGonagall eyed him shrewdly. "If I may hazard a guess, I would say that you are a natural in charms." Harry could only look at her wide-eyed.
"Don't look so surprised, Mr. Potter," McGonagall chuckled. "The way you performed your transfiguration is precisely the correct way to perform most charms. Charms require a moment of most intense focus and a concentration of power, whereas transfiguration requires much more… finesse."
Harry nodded thoughtfully before turning back to the Raven on the desk. Concentrating, he flicked his wand more gently at the Raven, which began to morph before stopping halfway in-between.
"For a first attempt, that is remarkable Mr. Potter," McGonagall, said, completing the change with her own wand. "I would recommend starting with slightly less intensive transfigurations to begin with, but considering that attempt you should have no trouble catching up with the class in the next few months." She got up and led Harry to the door.
"I can't thank you enough for this, Professor," said Harry earnestly. "This is really going to help me out."
"You're very welcome, Mr. Potter," McGonagall replied with a smile. "Now, if you will rejoin your housemates, we can continue the lesson."
Harry nodded and returned to his seat at the front of the room, inwardly jumping for joy that he may have finally found the answer to his conjuring problem.
Harry spent the rest of the day studying and practicing in three separate areas. The first was working on this new method of transfiguration. Which, while definitely not what he was used to, required far less power and concentration, and was therefore much easier to learn. The second area he studied was the warding style he read from the book he'd stolen. As loathe as he was to admit it, it appeared that Dumbledore had been at least partially right when he said that wards were too complicated, as Harry was having a very difficult time working out their specifics. Still, he had nothing but time on his hands, and resolved to continue working on the book whenever he could.
The third and final thing Harry was preparing for involved Malfoy's upcoming attack. In charms, Harry had caught Malfoy glaring at him and decided to probe the boys mind, only to withdraw quite hastily when he found some very rudimentary occlumency defenses. He had scanned Crabbe and Goyle instead, but found that both of them were seemingly only thinking about food since Charms was right before lunch. Harry, therefore, continued with his original plan, and found that part of him was actually looking forward to putting Malfoy in his place once and for all.
Because the attack was scheduled for Monday, Harry spent the majority of his weekend in the library as well, breaking only when he needed to find a classroom to practice something. He had told Row about the impending confrontation, and Row had agreed to keep the rest of her friends out of his hair until it was over.
On Sunday, Harry took a break from his spell work and contacted Jack on his messenger, briefly telling him about the upcoming attack and asking what he thought.
So basically they're trying to show you who the boss is and make you fall in line, right? Jack asked.
Exactly. I believe his exact words were "you'll see who runs Slytherin house soon enough."
Well, you know what you have to do right? You have to make an example out of him. It's not enough to beat him, you have to humiliate him.
Yeah, I know. I'm afraid that if I show any weakness at all, the rest of the house will eat me alive.
Then don't show weakness. Think of it like those nature shows, you're fighting for dominance here, there's no room for fair play. Crush him, plain and simple.
I was thinking the same thing, but I wanted to see if you had an alternative. I guarantee this will cause me more problems down the line, especially with the git's father and Snape.
Well, you have a choice. You can let him get away with acting like he does, or you can put him in his place and face the consequences. Since you never let anybody get away with anything on you, I'm guessing you'll face the consequences.
My thoughts exactly.
Plus the girls will think it's dead sexy.
That's the least of my concerns right now.
Still, you might enjoy the effects later. Row's right about one thing, you really should get a girlfriend.
Why do you guy's keep saying that?
You need to lighten up, Harry. I don't know why life seems to have it in for you, but you can't let it turn you into just a shell. Trust me, having a girlfriend is one of the best feelings there is.
That might be a little tough, since the girls in my house hate me and the rest of the school is afraid I'm going to kill them in their sleep.
Price you pay for being you, I guess. Still, I'm sure you'll have a few chances to get to know girls this year. Trust me on this: go for it. You'll thank me later.
If I ever get to the point where I can think about a girlfriend, I promise I'll talk to you about it.
You should, the ladies love me.
Ok, I'll talk to you later.
Putting away the messenger, Harry resumed his preparations for the next day. By Sunday night, Harry was confident that tomorrow would be a day that Malfoy would regret for a long time to come.
The Slytherins had only one class after lunch on Monday: double Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry was greeted by a smiling Remus Lupin when he entered, although he saw Lupin's smile slip slightly when he glanced at the house crest on Harry's uniform.
Harry spent most of the class mentally preparing himself for what was to come. He heard Lupin give his introduction speech, but once he told them to take out their textbooks he tuned him out. Harry was so engrossed in his preparations that he didn't notice the class was about to end until the bell rang.
"Mr. Potter," said Lupin as he got up to leave. "If you could stay a moment."
Harry could hardly believe his luck. By holding him back, Lupin was guaranteeing that Harry would be able to enter the common room alone, and it would force Malfoy to alter his plans while playing right in to Harry's.
"Of course, Professor," he said, waiting by his desk.
"Now then, Harry," Lupin said, taking a seat on his desk. "I was wondering how Hogwarts is treating you?"
"Can't complain, I suppose," said Harry honestly, before narrowing his eyes. "I certainly haven't seen Sirius Black yet."
Lupin winced. "Harry, I really am sorry about that. You must know that the headmaster strictly forbade me from telling you the truth. I didn't want to lie to you Harry, but Albus-"
"I get it," Harry interrupted quietly. "Dumbledore only wanted you to tell me the good things, so that I wanted to return. But you listened to him, and you lied to me," Harry said, looking Lupin in the eye. "I'm sure he already told you about how Snape got me here," at Lupin's questioning expression he snorted. "Or maybe not. You should ask the headmaster about that. Anyway, I'm not here by choice, but I am planning to make the most of the time I'm here. I don't like that you lied to me, but I'm willing to give you another chance, and you can start by teaching me everything you know about the Patronus Charm."
"The Patronus Charm," exclaimed Lupin. "Harry, I seriously doubt that there has ever been a wizard your age that could successfully cast that spell."
"Nevertheless, I want you to teach it to me. Not just the charm itself, I want to know everything about it, and everything about dementors, as well." His gaze hardened. "Believe what you will, that dementor on the train was doing more than just search, and I intend to be ready to face one again, especially now that they're at Hogwarts."
Lupin considered Harry thoughtfully for a moment before nodding his head in agreement.
"Very well, Harry. I'll teach you what I can. Shall we say, Thursday nights around 7?"
"That will do," Harry said curtly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have something to attend to." At Lupin's nod, Harry made his way out of the classroom and started down towards the dungeons.
When he reached the hall that eventually lead to the Slytherin common room, Harry stopped and drew his wand. With careful precision born from hours of practice, he conjured four cobras, each about a meter and a half in length. He had carefully selected this particular cobra, as its venom was only lethal if left untreated for 48 hours or more, but one bite instantly left the victim almost completely paralyzed.
Once the snakes were conjured, he told them to wait patiently while he performed an enlargement charm on each one, tripling their size. Harry stood back and marveled for a moment at exactly how intimidating a 15 foot snake was, before he hissed his instructions. With a thought, he made each of the four snakes invisible and allowed one to coil itself around him while the others followed him, one to each side and one in front. He resumed his walk down the hall, noticing after a little while that someone far in front of him ran out of the shadows and down toward the common area.
When he had almost reached the door to the Slytherin common room, Harry briefly recognized that he'd already found one slight miscalculation in his plan.
This thing is a lot heavier that I imagined, he thought to himself, wincing as he readjusted the cobra's weight on his shoulders. Deciding it wouldn't be prudent to fight with the snake around him, he ordered it to follow closely behind and watch his back. With a deep breath, he walked up to the wall and gave the password before walking into the Slytherin Common room, wand drawn and ready.
Instantly, he sensed incoming spells and whipped his wand forward.
"Contego," he said quietly, watching in satisfaction as three spells dissipated on his shield. Turning quickly to his immediate right, he fired a stunner that hit Pansy Parkinson in the chest as she tried to sneak behind him. Smirking slightly, he turned back to Malfoy just in time to block another round of curses.
"You know what, Malfoy?" He said calmly as Crabbe and Goyle flanked him. "I think it's time that we settle this, once and for all. And after today," Harry's voice became a cold hiss and his eyes hardened to green chips of raging power. "You will fear me."
"Fear you, Potter!" Malfoy spat incredulously. "You're the one who should be afraid. Look around, nobody wants you here. You're no Slytherin, and now," he smirked evilly and gestured to the boy to his side. "We get to teach you a lesson. Let's go, Flint."
Malfoy and the older boy next to him began to advance on Harry, at the same time Crabbe, Goyle, and another boy Harry didn't recognize approached him from the sides. Harry threw up another contego shield to absorb the first round of curses before he drew himself up to his full height and spoke with a voice laced with pure power.
"So be it." –ATTACK!-- He hissed in parseltongue, simultaneously removing the invisibility from his cobra friends.
Immediately, the snakes on either side of him whipped their heads forward menacingly, causing Crabbe, Goyle, and the third boy to jump back in fright. Malfoy, too, recoiled in fear, but Flint immediately shot a reductor curse at the lead snake, causing Harry to throw a hasty shield over it. The shield shattered, but absorbed enough of the blow that it only served to make the snake angry. Flint started to cast another curse, but collapsed when Harry hit him with a stunner.
Regaining his composure, Malfoy started throwing everything he could at the snake in front of him, and succeeded in severing it in half before Harry caught him with a disarming charm and a body bind. Harry turned quickly to his right to find that Goyle and his partner had dispatched the other snake, but Goyle had been bitten in the process and was now paralyzed.
"Stupefy!" The other boy yelled, sending a stunner at Harry.
"Protego, Expelliarmus," Harry returned the boys stunner and followed it with his own disarming charm, sending the boy crashing back into the wall. Harry deftly caught the boy's wand before hitting him with a body bind as well. He was about to turn to his left, when he sensed an attack from behind him and fell to the ground before rolling to his right and coming up facing his attacker, who turned out to be a very large, very ugly girl.
"Expelliarmus!" She cried, trying again. Harry waved his wand almost lazily and the girl was hit with her own spell before she too, was petrified.
Still alert for another attack, Harry turned to survey the room. He had two girls bound behind him, one unconscious, and two boys to his right that were equally incapacitated. A quick look to his left showed that Crabbe had been unable to fight off the snake, and was now paralyzed with the cobra wrapped around his body possessively. Malfoy was still bound and laying next to an unconscious Flint, but neither had been bitten…yet.
Overall, Harry had lost two of his four snakes, the last of which was beginning to curl around his body lovingly, a fact that earned him many feared looks from the Slytherins around the room.
Since the start of the battle, the room had filled up with students coming down from the dorms, and now nearly all of Slytherin house was arranged around the makeshift battle field.
--Come to me-- Harry hissed to snake that was still hovering over Crabbe. As it complied, Harry levitated all of his attackers so that they were arranged in front of him against a wall. Checking to make sure he had all their wands, he secured all the ones that hadn't been bitten to the wall using a binding charm. Crabbe and Goyle, both of whom had been bitten and were paralyzed, he laid at their feet.
"So, this is the might of Draco Malfoy," he said quietly. "Pathetic. You serve only to embarrass yourself and get your friends killed." He chuckled coldly at Malfoy's widening eyes. "Oh, yes, the cobra's venom will kill if left untreated. I haven't decided yet whether you should join them…" He turned his head to look at the snake that was curled around him and stroked its head.
--It scares them when we talk.-- he hissed. --So I'm just going to talk for a while.-- He gestured to Malfoy. --Would you like to bite him?--
--Let me bite him master-- the snake hissed back eagerly.
--No, let me bite him master-- the other snake said, curling around his leg.
--You can bite the black headed one-- Harry hissed to the other snake. --curl yourself around them, both of you, but do not bite until I say--
As the snakes made their way towards Malfoy and Flint, Harry enervated Flint and removed the body bind from Malfoy.
"You'll pay for this Potter-"
--SILENCE!-- Harry hissed venomously. Shocked by the parseltongue, Malfoy choked on his own words and Flint closed his eyes and started praying.
"I will pay for nothing, idiot," Harry spat at Malfoy. "You say I am no Slytherin? I have Slytherin's gift, fool!" Harry turned to look at the rest of the room. "How can you possibly be scared of such a brainless twit? Look at him, about to wet himself with fear! This is the man who claims he runs Slytherin house? HE IS WEAK!" Harry roared. "A weak, pathetic, fool who feeds of his family name like a vulture. This is the great scion of the Malfoy family!"
"Get this snake off me!" Malfoy cried in a high pitched voice.
"I don't think so," Harry said menacingly. "I promised that you would fear me. Are you afraid Draco?"
Malfoy shut his eyes and Harry could see tears leaking from the corners.
--Touch his face-- Harry hissed. The snake around Malfoy wormed its way up so that it was level with his face and flicked its tongue out. Malfoy let out a sob but kept his eyes screwed shut.
"Are you afraid yet, Malfoy?" Harry said in his ear. "Are you scared?"
"YES!" Malfoy screamed, crying. "I'M SCARED OK! JUST MAKE IT STOP!"
--Move back down-- Harry hissed. The snake complied, but Malfoy continued his hysterical breathing interspersed with sobs.
"This is your leader?" Harry said to the room at large. He shook his head and his voice grew cold again. "I hate bullies, and I hate bigots. You, Malfoy, are both. If you attack me again, this will feel like a picnic. TO ALL OF YOU!" He roared to the room. "You don't like me? Fine, I don't care. If you stay out of my way, then I'll stay out of yours. And if any of you are even THINKING of trying to push me around, remember this," he turned back to Malfoy and Flint. "I won't always be as merciful." --BITE THEM-- He hissed violently.
"NYAAHH!" Draco screamed as the snake whipped forward and buried its fangs in his neck. Harry watched as Malfoy's body started to seize up, reducing his hysterical sobs to a choked gurgle. There was a shocked silence from the rest of the room as the snakes slid off their victims, both looking very satisfied.
--Thank you my friends-- Harry hissed before banishing them. He undid the binding charm and let the bodies fall to the floor before turning to Pansy Parkinson.
"You might want to make sure they get to the hospital wing," he said casually to the terrified girl. "I really don't care if they die, but you probably do." He stood up and looked over the rest of the room. "I meant what I said," he called loudly. "I know not all of you agree with this scum," he said, gesturing to Malfoy. "So don't act like you do out of fear. After all," he said, his eyes narrowing. "I'll hurt you much worse than he will."
With that, he turned and tried to exit the room but found that the door wouldn't open.
"I-It's s-s-spelled shut," Parkinson whimpered, before clearing her throat. "Potter stinks." She said clearly, and the door promptly opened.
"How…" Harry muttered to himself. "I thought only Professors could.." Abruptly the answer came to him and he growled before storming out into the hall.
Harry walked swiftly through the halls, still full of energy from the battle. When he was a safe distance from the common room, he allowed the adrenaline to leave his body and leaned against the nearest wall as a dizzy spell hit him. Thinking back to the last time he had used this much magic in combat, he was surprised to find that while he was tired, he wasn't nearly as exhausted as he had been after the fight with the basilisk. Of course, he had been much better prepared for this battle, and the fact that he now used a wand increased the amount of magic he could do significantly.
Despite his earlier performance, Harry had no wish to kill anyone, least of all a child, and therefore when he was done resting he made his way to the hospital wing where he provided Madame Promfrey with the correct anti-venom for the bitten children. That done, he walked to the headmaster's office and once again gave the password to the gargoyle, thinking that he must be setting some sort of record for most visits in a week.
"Come in, Harry," came the headmaster's voice when he knocked.
Mentally preparing himself for the inevitable confrontation, Harry entered and promptly took a seat at the far end of the headmaster's desk, causing Dumbledore to raise an eyebrow.
"Lemon drop?" The headmaster asked. Harry shook his head.
"Well then, may I ask why you are here?"
"You remember the conversation we had on Friday, about Draco Malfoy ending up in the hospital wing?" Dumbledore eyed Harry questioningly and Harry nodded. "Yeah, he's there right now, and so are Crabbe, Goyle, and some guy named Flint. They set up an ambush for me after our defense class today."
"Judging from your appearance, I would guess they did not succeed?"
"You would guess correctly."
"Very well," Dumbledore nodded sadly. "It would appear that your assumptions were correct. I did inform Prof-"
"I know what you did," Harry interrupted dismissively. "You told Professor Snape, who told Malfoy that I suspected something and then offered to seal the door to the Slytherin common room so that I couldn't get out when they ambushed me."
Dumbledore regarded Harry with an unreadable expression.
"That is a very serious accusation, Harry. What leads to believe that Professor Snape was involved?"
"Only the fact that the door to the Slytherin common room had been sealed to keep people in, and that the password was 'Potter stinks.' Of course, I suppose it could have been Professor McGonagall," he said sarcastically.
Dumbledore shook his head and made to speak, but was cut off when a chime sounded. Knowing that could only mean one thing, Harry carefully moved his wand into his hand and got to his feet. A moment later, the door to the office was flung open and an enraged looking Severus Snape entered.
"YOU!" He yelled when his eyes landed on Harry. "YOU MISERABLE, ARROGANT BRAT! HOW DARE YOU ATTACK MY STUDENTS!" He started to advance on Harry, wand drawn.
"SEVERUS!" Dumbledore barked, making him stop in his tracks. "Sit, and we will discuss this rationally. Now." He said, when Snape made no move to sit. Finally, Snape lowered his wand and took the seat farthest away from Harry, who remained standing.
"Now," Dumbledore began. "If one of you could please tell me exactly what happened and exactly why Mr. Malfoy is in the hospital wing?"
"The brat's a parseltongue, headmaster!" Snape sneered. "He ordered a giant snake to attack Draco and his friends in the common room and bite them. The venom instantly paralyzes, and is lethal if left untreated. He tried to kill them!" Snape finished with a shout.
"Indeed?" If Dumbledore was surprised by the news, he did not show it. "It this true, Mr. Potter?"
"Mostly," Harry shrugged. "Of course, he neglected to mention that I walked into an ambush that he helped set up."
Snape's eye twitched slightly, but outwardly he retained his sneer.
"Just like a Potter, trying to shift the blame!" He spat.
"I'm not trying to shift anything," Harry replied, annoyed. "I ordered the snakes to attack everyone who was attacking me, and they bit Malfoy, Flint, Crabbe, and Goyle. I don't regret it and if they attack me again, I'll do much worse."
"You see!" Snape shouted triumphantly. "I told you bringing him here was a mistake, headmaster! He should be expelled immediately and arrested for attempted murder!"
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Harry asked incredulously. "You've hated me since the first time I saw you, and I have no idea why. Is it because I helped save the family that you abandoned? Or do you just hate children in general? How are you even a professor here?"
"I do believe that now would be the best time for you to show us what happened," Dumbledore broke in calmly, silencing Snape's angry retort. At Harry's confused look, Dumbledore flicked his wand and a large stone basin floated over to his desk from one of the office cabinets. "This, Harry, is a penseive, it is used to view memories. Since you are already adept at occlumency, this is what I need you to do." Dumbledore gave Harry the instructions for visualizing the proper memory and transferring it to his wand, and watched as Harry placed the memory in the bowl. "Now, we will all touch our wands to the bowl and watch the memory." Harry waited until Snape had done so before following, and abruptly found himself viewing his memory of Malfoy's attack.
When the three wizards emerged, Dumbledore had an unreadable expression on his face and Snape looked pale and….scared?
"Severus, I am very disappointed in you," Dumbledore said sadly. "I warned you of Harry's suspicions, and yet you did exactly as he predicted you would, even going so far as to seal the door to prevent his escape."
"Headmaster, I-"
"No, Severus," Dumbledore said, holding up a hand. "You have let your prejudice and your temper dictate your actions towards Mr. Potter for too long," Dumbledore replied sternly. "You went against my explicit instructions and blackmailed him into coming to Hogwarts, and then you ignored me once again and abused your position as a professor to set him up in an ambush. Do you truly have so little respect for me, Severus?" Snape looked so miserable, for a moment Harry thought he was actually going to cry. He opened his mouth but Dumbledore continued. "I am placing you on probation, effective immediately. If you continue to treat Mr. Potter as you have, I will have you removed from the staff and I will teach your classes myself." Dumbledore turned to Harry. "Please excuse us for a moment, Harry. You are welcome to wait in my chambers, right through that door." Harry nodded slowly and walked to where Dumbledore had pointed. When he had gone, Dumbledore cast an imperturbable charm on the door and turned back to Snape.
"I have given you more than your fair share of leeway over the years, Severus," he continued quietly. "I allow you to favor your house as you have because I understand that most of the other houses are biased in the opposite direction. And yet, according to young Harry, the result is that Mr. Malfoy and those that support him rule Slytherin house by fear. That, I will not allow. Mr. Malfoy and everyone else that participated in the attack will receive a month's detention. Mr. Potter will also receive detention, but only two weeks worth, and none of the detentions will be served with you. I cannot stress this enough, Severus: Harry Potter is not James Potter. If you allow yourself to examine his actions with your usual intelligence, you will see that he has none of the playful mischief in him that defined his father." Dumbledore looked at Snape sadly. "He has known only violence in his life, Severus, and he will react violently if he feels threatened. We must make sure that does not happen."
When the headmaster was finished, Snape appeared to struggle with a number of possible retorts, but decided on silence. Dumbledore dismissed him and he made his way back to the dungeons deep in thought.
Dumbledore flicked his wand to open the door to his chambers and called Harry back into the room.
"Harry, I cannot express how disappointed I am in Professor Snape for assisting in your attack. I noticed from your memory that you appeared to know exactly what to expect. Is that the reason you warned me about Professor Snape and Mr. Malfoy? Did you already know what they were planning?"
Harry shook his head. "I found out the details after I spoke to you about my suspicions." He said calmly. "I'd already told you what was going to happen, and I knew you wouldn't prevent it. Don't deny it," he said quickly, cutting off Dumbledore's objection. "You told Professor Snape, just as I knew you would. Why would I risk you telling him that I knew the plan? He would have told Malfoy, and I would have been attacked later, and probably wouldn't have fared as well."
Dumbledore sighed heavily. "Unfortunately, I believe you are correct." He looked at Harry sadly. "However, although your actions were effective, they were also quite brutal. Despite your desire for revenge, you cannot rely on strength alone to solve your problems, Harry; violence should always be used only as a last resort."
Harry regarded the headmaster coldly. "What would you have me do? Talk Malfoy into letting me be one of his faithful lackeys? The only thing he respects is power, and you know it. I knew what I was signing up for when I picked Slytherin, and I'll not shy away from it now." He held the headmaster's gaze firmly. "You say I use violence to solve my problems? I say I attract violent problems." He shook his head. "You cannot reason with people whose only goal is to dominate. Malfoy is both arrogant and a bigot; he believes that everyone else is beneath him and will treat them as such until they prove him wrong, and violence is the only way to do that. Do you know that there are members of Slytherin house who feel obligated to refer to muggleborns as mudbloods? If they don't, Malfoy gets suspicious, and nobody wants that. He thrives on fear, hate, and just about every other negative human emotion, and yet you say that I'm the one with the problem?" He snorted. "I will not abide bullies, headmaster, in any form. Anyone who uses fear to subdue others around me will regret it."
"That is a very noble sentiment, Harry," Dumbledore replied thoughtfully. "But what gives you the right to decide how others should act? True, you are stronger than Mr. Malfoy, but if you use your superior power to force him to follow you, are you not as guilty as he?"
Harry frowned. "It's not the same thing. I don't care how he acts or how he thinks, as long as he doesn't try to force it on others. My goal is to protect the people he threatens, not to force him to agree with me."
"That is a fine line you walk."
"That's true," Harry agreed. "But the alternative is to do nothing, and that is unacceptable."
"Of course," Dumbledore inclined his head slightly. "However, there are other ways to protect those that are threatened. If you take it upon yourself to personally punish every bully, you will soon find yourself doing nothing else."
"What are you trying to say?"
"What I'm saying, Harry, is that although your intentions are noble, you rely too much on violence to solve your problems," Dumbledore replied sagely. "I am also saying that given your past, I do not blame you for it." Harry's eyes widened slightly and Dumbledore nodded. "I do not presume to know how bad it was for you before you ran away," he said sadly, "but I do know that you have had to rely on yourself for far too long. I want you to know that you have support here at Hogwarts, and you no longer have to deal with all your problems alone."
Harry eyed the headmaster carefully. "While I certainly appreciate the sentiment, you'll have to excuse me for being skeptical." He said slowly. "Every person at Hogwarts that I've had contact with has tried to manipulate me in one way or another. You, Professor Snape, Remus, each of you has your own agenda for me, so you'll forgive me if I'm wary of your offer; it seems a little too much like Greeks bearing gifts." He said sarcastically. "You say you know how I grew up?" His eyes hardened. "You know nothing. And you will continue to know nothing, unless I decide otherwise. When you decide to treat me like an equal instead of your subordinate, maybe we can talk. Until then, don't be surprised if I seem less than anxious to justify my actions to you."
"I do not ask that you justify your actions to me, Harry," Dumbledore replied quietly. "In the same manner that I am not required to justify my actions to you."
Harry's eyes narrowed but Dumbledore continued.
"Consider this," he began, changing tactics. "When you decided to brave the Chamber of Secrets and rescue Miss Weasley, you told Miss Thomas to wait for you, correct?"
Harry nodded slowly, wondering where this was going.
"Why did you tell her to wait? Should it not have been her decision whether or not to come with you?"
Harry frowned.
"I'm a better fighter, and she was my responsibility. It was safer for me to go alone."
"Indeed it was, but that still doesn't negate the fact that you made the decision for her and took the choice out of her hands. Did you tell her all your concerns about what could happen in the chamber? Did you explain everything you knew about the situation and let her decide?" Harry shook his head slowly. "So rather than explain yourself, you made what you believed to be the best decision, correct?"
"Her safety is my responsibility," Harry replied, confused. "I made the only decision I could. I don't see where you're going with this."
"What I am getting at, Harry, is that you made a decision for your sister because you believed it was your decision to make, and that it would keep her safe. But what if the basilisk was no longer in the chamber? What if it was out in the school, and encountered Miss Thomas as it made its way back? Then your decision to leave her behind to keep her from danger would have actually been putting her in danger; completely the opposite of what you intended."
"Then I would have been a failure, and anything that happened would be my fault" Harry said simply.
"Fault is not what's important, Harry," Dumbledore replied. "What's important is that you considered yourself more qualified to make such a decision than your sister, despite the fact that it was her safety in question. You understand what it means to make a decision involving someone you feel responsible for; you recognize the weight of responsibility that comes with being charged with someone else's protection."
"I suppose," Harry said carefully. "Yes, I do."
"Harry, I am responsible for the safety of every student in this school, in exactly the same manner that you feel you are responsible for your sister," Dumbledore said honestly. "I understand that you are upset that I seem less than honest with you at times, but my position is very similar to yours with Miss Thomas. I do not always have the luxury of explaining myself and my actions to those whose safety I am charged with." He regarded Harry thoughtfully. "So you see that in a situation like this, I am responsible for both your safety and Mr. Malfoy's, presenting a dilemna."
"You can forget being responsible for me," Harry replied firmly. "I can take care of myself just fine."
"You can handle yourself in a fight, to be sure," Dumbledore replied, nodding. "However, the only sure way to win a fight is to avoid it. And that is a lesson that you have yet to learn."
Harry scowled. "Some fights can't be avoided, only postponed. Since we've already established that I can't trust you, can we get back on topic?"
Dumbledore sighed heavily.
"Harry, I understand that I have made many mistakes regarding you, and I am not asking that you trust me immediately. In fact, I am not even asking that you trust me at all. What I am asking is that you allow yourself to make friends here at Hogwarts, and that you allow the people that care about you to help you with your burdens. I will continue to do everything in my power to protect you and every other Hogwarts student. But you must know that there are many more professors than just I that are concerned for your welfare, Harry. All I ask is that you give them the chance." He eyed Harry earnestly before continuing. "Now, I have already assigned Mr. Malfoy and the others who attacked you a month of detention. I am also assigning you two weeks of detention, but not as a punishment." At Harry's confused look, he continued. "I am assigning you two weeks of detention to be served with the heads of the other three houses at their leisure, all of whom have demonstrated a sincere interest in your well-being. They will use this time to get to know you and to introduce you to some of their more prominent students. I hope that this will not only serve to cut down on the ridiculous rumors that are circulating the school regarding you, but also help you see that there are others at Hogwarts that are worthy of your friendship, and your respect."
Harry regarded the headmaster thoughtfully.
"And if I refuse?"
"If you refuse, then I have not explained myself correctly," Dumbledore replied after a short pause. "You are being given a unique opportunity to overcome the traditional boundaries that divide the student body and to form relationships that can benefit you greatly. If you honestly wish to refuse, I must have misspoke."
"I'm not making any promises," Harry said carefully.
"I did not expect you to," Dumbledore replied. "I only ask that you go into these meetings with an open mind."
Harry thought about it for a moment before nodding.
"Very well. But know this," He said seriously. "If they treat me like an enemy, I'll treat them like one as well."
With that, Harry turned and strode purposefully out of the office, leaving an exhausted headmaster behind.
Albus Dumbledore was stumped. Never in all his years of teaching had he had a student that he needed as much as he needed Harry Potter, but talking with the boy was like beating his head against a brick wall! Watching him veritably destroy Mr. Malfoy and his friends sent shivers up the headmaster's spine as he thought about the last student he'd seen with Harry's talent, and how that student had turned Slytherin house into his own private army to loose terror upon the world. Now, here he sat, with another boy whose talent far exceeded his years, who had grown up abused by muggles, and who, like Tom Riddle before him, wore the green and silver uniform of Slytherin house. And yet, as similar as they were in some ways, they were totally opposite in others.
Tom Riddle hid his true intentions from everyone, and spun web upon web of lies designed to prevent anyone from finding out his goals. Riddle never made waves, and always appeared the perfect student. He was a prefect, head boy, and was almost universally looked up to by everyone in the school, all the while harboring a vicious streak behind the mask he presented to the world. Dumbledore doubted that Tom Riddle had ever spoken an honest word in his life.
Harry Potter, on the other hand, was so honest it was almost brutal. He made no effort to hide his feelings, his intentions, or what he would do if he was pushed. He had told the headmaster specifically that Draco Malfoy would attack him, and that the boy would end up in the hospital wing. When he was proven correct, he walked into the headmaster's office completely calm and unrepentant, stating quite succinctly that he had indeed ordered poisonous snakes to attack his fellow students, and that he would do worse if they threatened him again. Where Tom Riddle had been slick and slippery, Harry Potter was blunt and hard. Dumbledore thought that maybe this meant there was still hope. Thinking back to the cold look he'd seen in those green eyes, he could only pray that he was right.
Dumbledore sighed and leaned back in his chair. As much as he hoped that the similarities between Harry Potter and Tom Riddle would prove to be nothing, he had to find more information. He had hoped that the boy would be sorted into Gryffindor like his parents, and that he would grow into the role that Albus knew he was destined to fulfill. His going into Slytherin not only made the headmaster extremely nervous, but also virtually guaranteed that he would be looked at with suspicion rather than admiration by the rest of the school. Shaking his head, Dumbledore decided two things: first, he would have to meet Jack Thomas and see what he could learn about Harry, and second, he would have to pay another visit to Vernon and Petunia Dursley.
A/N So there it is. About the Transfiguration thing, since Harry learned everything for himself, I think it's realistic that while he figured out how to do transfiguration, he didn't figure out how to do it most efficiently. I also figured it made more sense if those two brances of magic required a different skill set to perform them optimally.
Ok, this is the schedule I made up. (Thanks to Master Slytherin for pointing out the correct format). I have no idea if this is even close to correct, but it made sense to me and hopefully I won't notice some giant screw-up and have to change it later. No promises though. ;-)
Each single lesson is 50 minutes long.
Monday: Transfiguration – Charms – Double History of Magic – LUNCH – Double DADA
Tuesday: Double Potions – Double Herbology – LUNCH – DADA – Double Ancient Runes
Wednesday: Transfiguration – Charms – Double History of Magic – LUNCH – Double Potions, DADA
Thursday: Double Herbology – Double Arithmancy – LUNCH – Double Ancient Runes
Friday: Double Transfiguration – Double Charms – LUNCH – Double Arithmancy – Astronomy (midnight)