A/N: Kee…I love you guys so much! All these lovely reviews… Still need help with prank ideas, afraid my brain is struggling to come up with something original. So far I have the vague idea of a prank to do with bees, since I sometimes refer to Dumbledore as Bumblebee in my own mind. As a way to entice you all to help me out, I've decided that the three best, most original and hilarious will be used, as well as the people behind them getting a cameo appearance. (Since I'm also working on a few Assassins, Mages and Demons and have run out of names…at the mo.) I'm shamelessly bribing you all! With no shame, mind you. Kee…
A great big thank you to Tonks is cool. You're review made me smile! And it reminded me that no matter how many people say something scathing about my clearly labelled M rated Slash fic, I shouldn't ever let them bother me! Kudos to you!
Chapter Eight-- A Day of Boredom
After breakfast the Durmstrang students glanced nervously at one another, as they followed their new housemates to their first class of the day. They had no choice but to go of course, but it didn't stop them from attempting to separate themselves from the mass of students. They stood out, since they had refused to where Hogwarts robes and the gold writing around the hood of their cloaks glowed faintly whenever they stepped in the shadows.
The problem was that the seventh years had Potions first. And since there were an extra twenty-three students eligible for the class, it was moved from its usual room to a larger and infinitely brighter room several floors up from the dungeons. It was Ron and Daniel who voiced protest against the sudden influx of students.
"It's impossible that their entire year could have passed the required grade for Snape." Ron sneered as he caught sight of Harry talking in hushed whispers with Darren outside the new room. "They must have cheated."
"Particularly my brother. He hardly looks intelligent enough to even know how to stir."
Ron grinned at Daniel a moment. "What say we have some fun with our new housemates?"
"I like the way you think, Ron." The pair pulled their wands out and advanced on the oblivious seventh years.
Harry scowled at Darren as he shook his head emphatically. "Dumbledore told mum and Remus that he hadn't expected us all to want to do the class, so they were unprepared for us to join."
"Well that's stupid! As if we're simply going to jeopardise our futures so they can be comfy! Although," Darren mused. "I doubt the class will be any good."
"Mum said the Professor was an old friend of hers and a member of the Masters Guild. He has to be good at potions to warrant a Masters title."
A sudden blur of black and shocking orange barrelled into Harry, slamming him into the wall. His breath whooshed out of his lungs as a wand tip was jabbed under his chin.
"Maybe you should be in Slytherin. Only those slimy traitors compliment Snape."
Darren growled as Ron held Harry against the wall. Daniel had his own wand trained on him, though the tip was wavering slightly. He carefully, slowly, twisted his hand. The familiar weight of his wand dropped into his hand, his fingers wrapping around the warm wood. "Maybe you shouldn't attack us."
Daniel laughed. "What are you going to do about it?" He looked up and down the empty corridor mockingly. "I don't see anymore of your friends here."
"You think any of us need others to fight?" Ron pressed the tip harder against his throat and Harry glared at him. "If we can fight people with more knowledge of the Dark Arts than we do, do you really expect some puny little celebrity and his side kick could best us?"
Darren smirked as he realised what his friend was doing. Already he could smell the anger rolling off the pair. "You know, you're right Harry." He looked Daniel up and down. "He doesn't look like much. How can he possibly defeat the Dark Lord?"
Harry inwardly laughed. Oh, how priceless!
You know, Tom mused, his voice tinged with humour, I don't think Dumbledore realises that his little weapon can't beat me now. The one thing he had to use against me was love, and with you I have more than enough.
Ron snarled in anger, swapping his wand for his hand and wrapping his fingers around Harry's throat. The emerald-eyed teen gasped as his oxygen supply began to be cut off. "You should show respect to your betters!"
Let me in, Harry!
No! I won't have one of them find out about you!
Damnit! He could kill you!
I'm a werewolf, Tom! Not to mention my Hecatamus blood. Do you honestly think me so weak?
Darren jumped forward, snatching the wand from Daniel and levelling it on its owner. His own was pointed at Ron. "Let go of him, Weasley!"
Ron ignored him, his pale blue eyes boring into Harry's. Harry growled and the emerald mixed with gold. His palms were flat against the stone wall and he could feel Hogwarts' anger at the attack thrumming through it. She would listen to him. The heir of Salazar Slytherin was his mate, and his father's line were the last descendants of Godric Gryffindor. He twitched his fingers and drew in some of her magic, letting it hum through him and fill him with pure power. With a slight grimace, he released the tight hold he had on his Hecatamae tendencies, and his aura whipped into being, pushing roughly at the red head who was suddenly terrified.
With a gasp, Harry leaned back against the wall, struggling to stand and draw in all of the power he had let loose. The one thing he knew for certain was that his wings hadn't become visible in the onslaught of power. Tom! Help me, please!
Oh, so now you want my help. Tom went silent, but he tugged on their link, absorbing the magic through that and into himself, where he could release it through his wand. Better?
Harry sagged slightly. Much. Thankyou.
Anytime, love.
Ron was about to say something else, no doubt full of false bravado and insults, when Snape came around the corner, scowling and snarling to himself. The red head gulped and hastily stepped back. Darren sneered at the pair but relinquished his hold of Daniel's wand, returning it back to its owner. He took a hold of Harry's arm and tugged him off the wall, knowing that his friend would feel a little weak for a while longer.
"Get in the classroom!" Snape glared at the four, tapping his foot impatiently as they entered. He swept in and began to unshrink several things from his robe pockets. He spelled the windows shut and dark curtains to keep out the light. Several things, odd things, sprung up all over the large classroom. He was definitely unhappy with the changes.
The rest of the class filed in and took their seats. The Durmstrang seventh years grouped themselves together at the back of the class, while the ten Hogwarts students spread out around the room, waiting in silence. Harry and his peers were nowhere near as quiet, angry words exchanged as they learned of the altercation with the Gryffindor's.
"Silence!" Snape stared around the room, noticing that a few of the new students kept murmuring. "There will be silence in this classroom, whether you are from Hogwarts or not!" He was slightly surprised when, in the shadows of the classroom, several pairs of eyes glowed. It reminded him of when Remus had been at school with him…
He began to read out the roll ignoring most of the new members until he reached the P's. "Daniel Alans Potter." There was a mumbled 'here'. "Harry James Potter." There was no answer. His coal black eyes caught onto a pair of emeralds and he sneered. "So, yet another Potter who thinks he can walk all over the rest of us? I will teach you your place, Potter, even if no one else will!"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "I think you're looking at the wrong person, Professor Snape. Potter is sitting several rows in front of me."
Despite the polite way he had spoken, Snape couldn't stand it. "I believe am talking to you, Harry Potter."
Stupid, isn't he? And here I was thinking he was one of my brightest...
All those potions fumes have done funny things to him.
"I am sorry, but I believe you are mistaken. I am not a Potter."
"It is what it says on the roll, boy! And you are the eldest spawn of that fool, are you not?"
Harry frowned at him, beginning to get annoyed. "While I agree that I am a child born of Potter blood, I do not go by the name of Potter. I am Harry James Evans, and the Headmaster is well aware of this."
Snape's nostrils flared in anger, but he ignored Harry and continued with the roll. Then, with a loud crack, he slammed his wand against the board and it filled with instructions on the Tiro Gaudium potion.
Didn't you already cover this?
Hmm. In fourth year, actually, in the Empathic Potions class.
And I suppose none of you are going to do it now?
Why should we? Just because their educational system is crap and years behind, doesn't mean we should sink to it.
You realise I did go to Hogwarts?
And you are an intelligent human being who would have furthered his own education in his own time.
Flattery doesn't always work, you know.
Snape sneered as none of the Durmstrang students made a move. In fact, some of them looked disappointed. He supposed that even a novice rank potion was too complex for them. Merlin knew that his current students were horribly inept at it.
"Why are none of you beginning!"
Mere frowned at the obvious anger in the man's voice, but she smirked at him all the same. "Because, Professor, we have already covered this potion."
"In fourth year, too." a wizard with brown hair and silvery eyes sighed.
"Preposterous. None of you dunderheads could ever hope to complete this potion. Begin! Now!"
With scowls, sneers, frowns, glares and even a childish act of sticking out their tongues, they got to work. While the Hogwarts students, bar Hermione and a blonde Slytherin named Draco Malfoy, struggled to even get the precise shade of turquoise at step four, they did not. And when Hermione and Draco were both suddenly halted at step fifteen when their potions went a mustardy shade, they got the right shade of neon yellow. And while Snape was busy berating the students for their inability to pay attention to instructions, they had surpassed even step twenty-three and were busy letting the potions cool off so they could bottle them.
"What is this?" Snape stared down into twenty-three cauldrons, all containing perfect examples of the potion.
Mere shot him an exasperated look. "We did say that we had already done this potion. I hope that next lesson will have something a little more advanced?"
Daniel, who had been following the instructions added in handwriting to the potions textbook he had sneaked away with last year, was frowning at his own potion. He had completed it, but it was several shades darker than it was meant to be. Looking at his brother's he was surprised to see him filling several vials with the shimmering silver liquid.
Snape, meanwhile, was surprised that so many students could actually manage to complete such a potion. It was notoriously hard to complete, but Pomfrey had asked if he could brew her some and he had decided to see if Hermione and Draco could manage it. Now, with dozens of vials of the potion he doubted the Hospital Wing would ever run out of the joint healing and cheering potion.
"I am glad," He said as he swept up to the front of the room. "To see that at least some students can complete a simple potion, albeit a complicated one. I expect two feet on the correct brewing of the potion and possible ideas on how to improve the smell and taste." A bell rang somewhere and the students began to file out. However, the Durmstrang students milled around a bit longer. "What?"
Harry raised an eyebrow but ignored the tone. "Well, we were wondering if we could be excused from the essay?"
"And why would I do that?"
"Because we've got several years of experience and lessons over the others."
"And the fact that we've already removed the…unpleasant taste and smell." Darren wrinkled his nose at the memory of what the potion usually smelt like.
"What are you on about?"
Harry held one of his vials out, uncorking it. Snape took it and sniffed it delicately. He surprised to inhale the sweet smell of Moon Drop Roses instead of the puke-like one he had been expecting. With a slight frown he tipped a small amount onto a spoon and swallowed it. Immediately he felt so much more cheerful and rejuvenised. "How?"
"We simply added two single drops of dew from the petals of the Moon Drop Rose, harvested during the second night of a full moon by a member of the were family. It neutralises the smell and taste of the other ingredients."
Snape was momentarily confused. "I do not have Moon Drop Rose dew, or anything related to that plant."
Harry gave him a small smile and held out a thick bottle filled with clear liquid. When the torchlight hit it, it caught the tiny silver flecks within it. "Here. Consider this a peace-making gift. We don't need animosity shown towards any of us for no discernable reason, and I would prefer if you didn't treat me as if I were a Potter."
The bottle was taken by trembling fingers and held reverently against a black clad chest. "Thankyou. You may go; I look forward to the next class we share."
As they left, Mere shot him a grin. "Make sure the next potion is advanced, Professor!" She said in a singsong voice.
Despite himself, Snape smiled.
HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV
They sat through Transfiguration and managed to not only complete the required changes to their rats, turning them into chairs complete with fluffy cushions and gold inlay on the wood, but they also changed them into dog sized versions of the pegasi they had arrived on. McGonagall had been so impressed that she awarded each of them ten points for a fantastic show of ability.
Daniel and Ron hadn't taken it so well.
Hermione sighed as she stepped from the room and into the middle of a mostly one-sided argument. Daniel and Ron were claiming that the Durmstrang students were purposefully making them look like fools, and that they apparently needed to be taught a lesson or two. Harry, Mere, Darren and several other seventh years had remained while the rest had gone off to insure that the fifth and sixth years were still safe and sound. And while they listened to the two Gryffindor's yell at them, they simply glared at them in silence.
In fact, Harry's emerald eyes looked slightly glazed.
Before she could say a thing, he blinked and they became clear and sharp once more. If anything, he looked even more annoyed now.
"Maybe you should just go back to the ruins you called a school, and rot there with it!"
In a flash Harry had Daniel pinned against the wall. "Don't you dare insult our school, Potter! This place you supposedly get educated in is three to four years beyond ours!" He narrowed his eyes and added in a hiss, "its no wonder you lot are nothing against even the dumbest of Death Eaters." He let go of Daniel's robes as if they were filthy, before spinning and stalking off to the Great Hall.
Hermione sighed and shook her head, pushing past the wide-eyed pair and following. "Harry! Harry, wait!"
Harry stopped and gave her a small smile when she caught up. "Hello, Hermione. How are you?"
"Fine, thanks. Are you guys alright?"
He laughed. "There is nothing here that can harm us yet, dear Hermione. We are quite safe. Though, I will admit that we were much more comfortable amongst ourselves and with our own dorm."
Mere shook her head at her new housemate. "We aren't particularly well-liked by the Gryffindor's. Those two have been jumping at us at any chance."
"Well," She said while flashing them a smile. "You can be sure that Ravenclaw will welcome anyone within our dorm, house mate or not. We're more interested in everything you guys seem to know!"
"Ah, yes. The House of the ever curious, and annoyingly bookwormish!"
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Lunch had been met with cold shoulders from most of the Gryffindor's. A few attempted to talk to them, but cold glares and angry stares were enough to halt them mid-sentence. So it was a silent affair. Even the Slytherin's shied away from their new members. The animosity towards Hogwart's grew within the seventh years as they entered the classroom for Defence Against The Dark Arts, of DADA as the other students referred to it as.
Eyeing both the practice dummies and James warily, they made their way to the back of the room, highly suspicious of everything and casting numerous spells to ensure their own safety. When they settled down, they turned innocent eyes to the front, their tense bodies betraying their feelings.
James sent them all scathing glares, before turning a bright smile on his son. The classroom they sat in was larger than any other in Hogwarts, and had most likely been used as a Duelling room, if the raised platform in the middle was anything to go by. Eighty students sat in the seats surrounding it, since the majority of Hogwarts students had elected to continue it for their NEWTs. And James wasn't happy about the fact that he would have to teach possible Death Eaters.
"Now, since we have new students in the class, I'm going to set up a little duelling practice to see where everyone is." He looked around the room, noticing the eagre look on Ron and Daniel's faces, the frown on most of the Durmstrang students and the apathetic reactions from the rest of the students. "Please stand."
Chairs scraped as they all stood, and with a wave of his wand, James banished the chairs back against the walls. The students began to talk excitedly and he smirked smugly. Until he caught the disappointed looks on the Durmstrang students faces.
"Is something the matter?"
Harry shook his head at his father. "We can't duel your students."
Instantly there was an uproar, but the twenty-three students remained silent, watching with hooded eyes.
"And why is that? Are you afraid that we can beat you?" Daniel glared at his twin. He had joined a Duelling Club the moment he was of age and was quite proud of his abilities.
"Oh, shove it, Potter. They're from Durmstrang, surely you realise those students are some of the best duellers in the Wizarding world." Draco sneered at the furious Gryffindor's. "Personally I believe we should see them duel each other. Than we would know their own abilities."
Harry nodded at the blonde. It was a better idea at any rate; they were used to duelling one another. "I agree. I would rather not cause undue harm."
James was annoyed that his idea had been dismissed by people half his age. But he had to admit, that Draco had a point. "Very well, up on the stage, in pairs now."
Mere shook her head and nudged Darren, who grinned back at her. "We duel a little differently, Professor."
"Really, now? And what would be so different?"
Darren smirked. "Free for all."
With that twenty-two students raised their wands, flicking them and creating a dome around the platform. They grinned at each other and jumped up onto it, easily passing through the shield. They spaced themselves around the area, a few deciding the ground was a better starting place.
"Rules are," Harry called with a smile flitting about his face. "No Unforgiveables, nothing that would cause mortal harm. When you are knocked out, wandless," He smirked at that. "Or if First Blood is called, you are to leave the area immediately. If you are unable to leave, one of us will spell you out. Any objections?"
No one said a word. Mere raised her wand and shot purple sparks into the air. "Let's get this on!"
It was a show of such ability that James and the Hogwarts students could only stare, open mouthed, as colourful beams of light danced around, missing the combatants and slamming into the shield and vanishing. After five minutes, one student went down and was instantly sent to the safety outside the shield. Ten minutes later, and Marci limped outside, a cut on her arm bleeding slightly. When James moved forward to heal it, she waved him off and sent him a hurt glare. With a flick of her wand the cut vanished and the unconscious student was awake again.
It took almost half an hour before ten students were relaxing outside the dome. They all watched avidly as, seemingly on cue and in perfect unison, the remaining twelve turned their wands on Harry, who widened his eyes as a dozen blue beams shot towards him. Ducking, he rolled on the ground and flicked his fingers towards the group. The red ball slammed into two students, and they skidded across the floor and out of the duelling area.
A purple jet of light soared towards him and he casually sidestepped it, a smirk on his face and the emerald eyes practically glowing with power and glee. A sudden burst of magic rippled towards the remaining ten and seven ducked to the ground. The other three gasped as their breath was stolen and they were knocked out. A wave of a wand had them floating into Marci's capable hands.
Darren grinned and sent a sickly yellow spell at Harry, who swore and rolled out of the way. The spell followed him and no matter where he went it never once hit the dome or anyone else.
"Fucken stop it, Yealo!"
"In your dreams, Evans!"
Emerald eyes flashed and suddenly Harry was behind him. "Hello, Dazzabelle!"
The other six students laughed as Darren went bright red and spun around, only to feel himself flying back from a kick and sliding over the floor. When he stopped he was outside the dome and his wand floating in the air above him.
"I win, Dazza!"
"Fuck off!"
Harry laughed; ducking another spell and sending a white one back towards the caster. Ten minutes past before Harry was knocked out by Mere who was quite happily dancing around and cheering for herself.
"Ha! Take that you know it all little…little punk! I beat you!"
"Mere," Marci said as she cancelled the dome. "Harry can't hear you."
"And that is exactly why I'm doing this now, rather than when he can beat me up again."
James stared as the twenty-two conscious students laughed. He hadn't seen such intense duelling since the last skirmish with Death Eaters over six months ago. And he had never expected to ever see such young students who were more than capable of holding their own. The problem he did have, was that half of the spells they had used were Dark spells and illegal.
"You lot are aware that you could be sent to Azkaban for half of those spells?"
Mere glared at him, stepping down from the raised platform. "So? That's in your country. None of the spells we cast are illegal in Bulgaria, and since we go to school there, I doubt we could ever get in trouble here."
James frowned. "You're in this country, and are at this school, so you come under our jurisdiction."
Harry groaned, blinking blearily. He smiled gratefully as Marci helped him up. He could hear people arguing and frowned slightly.
"Mere is arguing with Professor Potter over whether or not we can get sent to Azkaban for the spells we used. Apparently some of them are illegal."
Harry shook his head and stood, his legs wobbling slightly. Clearing his throat, he sighed. "SILENS!"
The Durmstrang students instantly silenced. Once again, Ron found himself curious as to how one Latin word, which he knew for sure wasn't a spell, could work in quieting them down.
"Now, just so that we are all clear, and so that no more arguments will arise," he shot a look to Mere who shrugged at him. "We were given immunity from the British Ministry for Magic, or more specifically, the Department for Magical Law Enforcement, when it comes to illegal spells, so long as we do not use an Unforgivable curse. We can't go to Azkaban for any spells, because none of them are illegal in the country which our school resides in. Clear?"
HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV
Charms was their last class for the day. Wearily they trudged to the classroom, ignoring the chirpy voice of Filius Flitwick and dropping into their seats. Closing his eyes, Harry let his head thump onto the desk, willing that he could simply fall into a big, fluffy bed and sleep forever.
Would I be invited to this bed?
Harry mentally snorted. Not if I want to sleep. Hours of sex might be the most wonderful way to past the time, but I feel as if I could sleep for a week.
Too bad you're stuck with Gryffindor's now, huh?
Don't remind me.
No matter what they did, the entire seventh year was fast falling asleep. Hermione smiled softly at them and diligently took notes down, writing out the spell and the movements. While she was aware of the fact that they were far beyond the Hogwarts education, she had no idea whether or not they had practiced the spell to show one's abilities and potentials.
Flitwick, despite the glares he received from Daniel and Ron, allowed them to sleep on. He had been impressed when James had shared the story of their 'free for all' duel. If they could fight for that long, against each other, and hold barely anything back, than they already had a good grip on Charms. Besides, they were at least three to four years ahead in the three classes they had had so far.
Lily had also told him that he shouldn't expect them to pay much attention; they got bored when someone attempted to teach them something they had learned years ago. He was just looking forward to seeing what they could do next lesson.
A soft snore filled the room and Draco, in a rare act of kindness, cast a silencing spell over them and merely smiled as they slept through the arguing of Ron and Daniel. He hadn't spoken to any of them, but those who had ended up in his own House had made it perfectly clear that out of all the Houses, Slytherin would probably be the only one the shared anything in common with.
That, and the show of easiness they had with the Dark Arts intrigued him beyond everything.
A/N: I freely admit that the nicknames for Darren (Dazzabelle and Dazza) were taken from a dear friend, Anne. There's a guy at work called Darren and she nicknamed him that, and since I sort of based Darren's personality on work-Darren, the names suited the situation. Kee…
For everyone curious about how Harry became an Assassin, only a few more chapters…And for those wondering about how Harry came to be with Tom, will that isn't until chapter fifteen…Kee…